Connected Speech Practice
Introduction
As we’ve already discussed in the introductory lesson on connected speech, native English speakers connect words in their sentences in order to add:
- musicality;
- flow; and
- efficiency
to their English.
Connected speech helps English speakers speak with rhythm, stressing content words and de-stressing function words, which creates music in their sentences.
In connected speech, English speakers connect:
• [c+c] | consonant + consonant
How to Improve your Pronunciation and Connected Speech
Students always ask me how to improve their English pronunciation. One of the keys is to practice. The more you consciously practice and become an active English speaker, listener and self-monitor, the more these rules can become a part of your natural language.
Practice
A great sentence to practice connected speech (and other pronunciation rules) with is the line from the movie Forrest Gump:
“Life is like a box of chocolates.”
[lɑiyf ɪz lɑiyk ə bɑwks ə tʃɑk lɪts]
“Life” [lɑiyf] ends in the consonant sound [f] and is followed by the vowel sound [ɪ] in “is” [ɪz].
Because we connect (C+V), we don’t say “life — is” [lɑiyf ɪz] as two separate and distinct words. But we push forward that consonant sound [f] and connect it to the vowel sound [ɪ] to say:
-
“life is” [lɑiy fɪz].
So, to review, instead of saying “life is” [lɑiyf ɪz] — with a breath in between words — we say “life is” [lɑiy fɪz], because we connected the [f] in “life” to the [ɪ] in “is”.
-
“life is” [lɑiy fɪz].
Do you hear how much more musical and efficient that is?
-
“life is” [lɑiy fɪz].
Part 1)
“Life is” [lɑiy fɪz]
Part 2) “like a” [lɑiyk ə]
“Like” [lɑiyk] ends in the consonant sound [k] and is followed by the de-stressed vowel sound [ə] “a”. Because we connect (C+V), we don’t release the “k” [k] in “like” and say “like – a” [lɑiyk ə] as two separate and distinct words.
But we push forward that consonant sound [k] and connect it to the vowel sound [ə] “a” to say:
-
“like a” [lɑiy kə].
Once again, instead of saying “like – a” [lɑiyk ə] — with a breath in between words — we say “like a” [lɑiy kə], because we connected the [k] in “like” to the [ə] “a”.
So far, we’ve changed:
“life – is – like – a” [lɑiyf ɪz laiyk ə]
to:
“life is like a” [LɑiYF fɪz LɑIY kə].
Notice how the content words (“life” and “like”) are stressed, and the function words (“is” and “a”) are de-stressed and shorter in duration.
-
“life is like a” [lɑiy fɪz laiy kə]
Part 3)
“box of” [bɑks ə]
“box” [bɑks] ends in two consonant sounds [ks] and is followed by the de-stressed vowel sound [ə] from “of” (note: “of” is de-stressed, so we delete the [v] sound for efficiency).
Because we connect (C+V), we don’t release the “x” [ks] in “box” and say “box of” as two separate and distinct words. But we push forward those two consonant sounds [ks] and connect them to the vowel sound [ə] (from “of”) to say:
-
“box of” [bɑksə].
Part 4)
“chocolates.” [tʃɑk lɪts]
The second syllable in “chocolates” [tʃɑk lɪts] is de-stressed so much that it disappears. So, even though “chocolates” looks like a 3-syllable word, “cho-co-lates”, there are only two syllables:
-
“chocolates” [tʃɑk lɪts].
Putting this all together, without connected speech, the phrase would sound like:
• X “Life is like a box of chocolates.”
• X [lɑiyf ɪz laiyk ə bɑks əv tʃɑk lɪts]
but with connected speech, we say the much more musical version:
“Life is like a box of chocolates.”
[LAIYfɪz LAIYkə BAKSə tʃAK lɪts]
Remember, to improve your English pronunciation, you need to become aware of the rules of how English is spoken, and then practice them.
Series on Connected Speech and Linking
Connected Speech & Linking in English
Connected Speech C + C (consonant + consonant)
Connected Speech C + V (consonant + vowel)
→ Connected Speech Practice
Connected Speech Practice
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