address

When this word is a noun, you can pronounce it one of two ways:

ad’ dress (the accent is on the first syllable)

 or

 a ddress’ (the accent is on the second syllable).

• Do you know their address?
• What’s the address?
• We couldn’t find the address.
• Is this the address?
• The address is 4231 Lyndale Avenue.
• Her current address is 150 North Oak Street.

When "address" is used as a verb, you can use it to refer to a place where a person lives, but it also means the manner in which you speak to another person.

When used as a verb, the accent is always on the second syllable: a ddress

• I have to address several envelopes.
• How do you address your teacher? (Do you call him by his first name?)
• His manner of addressing the President was very disrespectful. (The word "addressing" in this sentence is a gerund.)
• The police addressed the crowd and told them to leave the area.
• How should we address this situation? (address = take care of).

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