Connected speech
Link words the way natives do, and follow them when they do. Lesson 20 of 58: Pronunciation, every level.
Linking
- Natives do not pause between words: they link them. A consonant at the end of a word joins the vowel at the start of the next: “turn_off” sounds like “tur-noff”, “an_apple” like “a-napple”. Between two vowels, a small /w/ or /j/ slips in: “go_(w)out”, “I_(j)agree”.
- Turn it off. (tur-ni-toff)
- Pick it up. (pi-ki-tup)
- Go on. (go-won)
Sounds that disappear or change
- A t or d between two consonants often disappears: “next week” → “nex week”, “last night” → “las night”. Sounds also blend: “would you” → “wouldja”, “did you” → “didja”, “don’t you” → “doncha”, “got to” → “gotta”, “want to” → “wanna”, “going to” → “gonna”.
- You do not have to speak like this, but you have to understand it. And using a little linking makes your English sound much smoother.
- next week (nex week)
- Would you like a drink? (wouldja like a drink)
- What do you want to do? (whaddaya wanna do)
- Tip: Learn to understand gonna, wanna and gotta before you use them. In formal speech and writing, keep the full forms.
Lines to have ready
- What are you up to? (whaddaya up to: casual)
- Did you get it? (didja get it)
- Let me know. (lemme know)
- I’m going to have to go. (I’m gonna hafta go)
Your turn to speak
- Watch two minutes of an English show or podcast. Pick three sentences where words ran together, write down what you think was said, then shadow them: play, pause and repeat with the same rhythm.
- I found three examples of linking or blending
- I shadowed each one at least three times
- I recorded one and compared it with the original
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