Stressed and unstressed syllables in the english language?

If you look up a word in a modern dictionary, it will most likely reveal which syllables are stressed and which are not. I would like to know what I could learn or study to have the ability to accurately determine which syllable is stressed or unstressed without the aid of a dictionary. Thank you for your answers ; they are much appreciated. Also, source information is not necessarily vital, but it would be extremely helpful.

English is my native language. I am currently studying iambic pentameter. This requires the knowledge of knowing the correct stressed and unstressed syllables. I have tried your method though. Thanks

English speakers learn which syllables are stressed by hearing them spoken and speaking them themselves.

Things can be tricky when you meet a word only in writing. Sometimes a probable pronunciation that the spelling system would indicated would be wrong.

When I was in high school, for example, I pronounced Sigmund Freud's last name as "Frood" until someone told me it was "Froid."

I didn't know that languages using the roman alphabet could use these letters in a different way than English does. When I started studying German, it became obviously why "Freud" was pronounced the way it was because "eu" in German is always pronounced the way "oi" is in English.

Even now, after studying the Romance and Germanic languages, I sometimes come across words in written English that I am not sure how to pronounce. At times my guesses made in terms of the English spelling system are wrong.

Whether English is your native or a second or third language, you will also have this problem from time to time.

I hope what I have said here is some use to you.

Harleigh Kyson Jr.

Are you someone who is currently learning to speak English? I'm going to assume you are.

To be honest I think that just listening to a lot of English will be a lot more helpful than memorizing any tricks or principles. When I was learning German, that helped a lot, and I began to stress the correct syllables without thinking about it.

Maybe if you can find a recording of an English text and listen while following along, it would help immensely by giving you a visual.

EDIT: I wasn't sure so I answered anyway. Sorry, can't help you there.