''Rhythm is one of the most pervasive aspects of the human condition; it is in the world around us and in the world within us, in our bodies and our minds, our living and our thinking'' [Auer, P., Couper-Kuhlen, E., & Muller, F. (1999). "Language in time: the rhythm and tempo of spoken interaction." New York: Oxford University Press]. Thus begins a recent discussion of the role rhythm plays in language systems. This article targets one aspect of the rhythm of English, word-level stress, and discusses it in connection with second language (L2) vocabulary development. The article reviews relevant literature on L2 word-stress acquisition, introduces teaching strategies for calling attention to stress locations of polysyllabic words in the teaching of oral communication for academic purposes, and reports 36 English for academic purposes (EAP) learners' reactions to the teaching strategies introduced. The course featured in the article prepares EAP learners for fuller participation in undergraduate courses as offered throughout Canada and the United States. The author's position is that intelligible use of new words and/or specialized vocabulary is essential for learners to succeed as speakers of English, and that EAP and other English for specific purposes (ESP) courses are appropriate settings for teaching and learning such abilities.