In Speech Reception Threshold testing, spondee words are defined as what?

• A. Two-syllable words with equal stress
• B. One-syllable phonemically balanced words
• C. Phrases spoken at rapid rate
• D. Words presented in noise

Answer: (A)

In Speech Reception Threshold testing, the words used as stimuli are spondee words, which are two-syllable words with equal stress. This equal-stress, two-syllable structure makes the task rely on hearing acuity rather than differences in prosody or uneven emphasis, providing a stable, repeatable measure of the listener’s ability to hear and identify words at threshold. By using these balanced two-syllable words, the test can determine the level at which the listener correctly identifies about half of the words, reflecting audibility rather than vocabulary or rhythm.

Other descriptions refer to different test materials or conditions: monosyllabic phonemically balanced words are used in other word-recognition tests, phrases spoken rapidly alter rhythm and comprehension demands, and presenting words in noise describes the testing condition rather than the defining characteristic of the stimulus type.