Prepositions
We have seen that prepositions are usually not accented unless they are brought into contrastive focus. However, there are two circumstances where in broad focus the nucleus is located in a preposition. Both involve wh questions in which there is no lexical material (=content words).
The first is when the preposition ( the stranded remnant of a prepositional phrase) functions as the complement of to be.
Look at this button. | ▸What's it 'for?
That's Mary. | ▸Who's she 'with.
There is a difference between these examples and the corresponding sentences containing a lexical stress rather than a pronoun. If there is lexical material, the default is for the nucleus to be located on the last lexical item, following the usual rule:
That's Mary. | ▸Who's she 'with.
▸What's that 'button for?
▸Who's 'Mary with?
▸Who's 'Mary with?
The second involves a preposition immediately follow a wh word:
〉 I've scored sixty.
》 ▸What 'of it?
〉 You know my essay?
》 'Yes, | ▸What a'bout it?
Compare, with lexical material:
》 ▸What 'of it?
〉 You know my essay?
》 'Yes, | ▸What a'bout it?
〉 You know my essay?
》 ▸What d'you want to 'say about it
》 ▸What d'you want to 'say about it