Which term refers to the ways in which words are pronounced?

• A. Accent
• B. Intonation
• C. Stress
• D. Pronunciation

Answer: (A)

Accent describes the overall pattern of how words are pronounced, including differences in sounds, rhythm, and voice quality tied to a speaker’s region or dialect. Intonation focuses on the rise and fall of pitch across a sentence, not the pronunciation pattern itself. Stress is about which syllables get emphasis, and pronunciation is the general ability to say words correctly, not the label for a speaker’s pronunciation style. So the term that refers to the ways words are pronounced is accent.