Linking & Pausing Worksheet
connecting words & sounds together to sound natural & fluent in English
While speaking English, you want your words to flow from one word to the next so
it sounds natural & fluid.
Linking words together DOES NOT mean you speak faster.
It’s not how a word is spelled, it’s how it sounds.
Rules of Linking
1. Consonant to Vowel
2. Vowel to Vowel
3. Consonant to Consonant (A & B)
1. Consonant to Vowel/Vowel to Consonant
When one word ends in a consonant sound and the next word begins with a
vowel sound, you must link the two sounds together as if they were one word.
Ex: My bed is tall. /mI-bed-iz-tol/
Practice Sentences (C to V):
1. Sunshine is good for you. /sunshIn-iz-goohd-fer-yoo/
2. Can I go home early? /kan-I-gO-hOm-erlee/
3. He wants to drive. /hee-wonts-too-drIv/
4. Get out of my way! /ged-owd-uv-mI-wA/
5. Her shoes are expensive. /her-shooz-ar-ekspensiv/
6. Let’s eat out. /lets-eed-owt/
7. 7. Do you want to go bowling? /doo-yoo-won-too-gO-bOleeng/
8. Please pass a tissue. /pleez-pas-uh-tishoo/
9. Red is my favorite color. /red-iz-mI-fAvrit-kuler/
10. He likes playing outside. /hee-lIks-plAyeeng-owtsId/
© 2012 PronunciationPro.com All rights reserved.
2. Vowel to Vowel
When a word ends in a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, you
will connect the two vowel sounds with a glide sound - either /w/ or /y/.
If the first vowel is said in the front of your mouth - use the /w/ glide.
If the first vowel is said in the back of your mouth - use the /y/ glide.
Ex: I always go out to eat. /I-y-olwAz-gO-w-owt-oo-w-eet/
Practice Sentences (V to V):
1. My Uncle is too angry. /mI-y-unkul-iz-too-w-Angree/
2. He ate the apple . /hee-y-At-THee-y-apul/
3. The older boy is strong. /THee-y-Older-bO-y-iz-strong/
4. I always see you in the elevator. /I-y-olwAz-see-yoo-w-in-THee-y-eluhvAder/
5. Sue is a very outgoing girl. /soo-w-iz-uh-vAree-y-owtgOweeng-gerul/
6. Go inside before you over heat. /gO-w-insId-beefOr-yoo-w-Over-heet/
7. She went to Africa on vacation. /shee-wentoo-w-afrikuh-on-vAkAshun/
8. We are happy on sunny afternoons.
/wee-y-ar-hapee-y-on-sunee-y-afternoonz/
9. I ended the meeting at quarter to one.
/I-y-endid-THuh-meedeeng-at-kworder-too-w-uhn/
10. Be intelligent when you open the lecture.
/bee-y-intelijint-wen-yoo-w-Opin-Thuh-leksher/
3. Consonant to Consonant: (part A)
When one word ends in a consonant sound and the next word begins with the
same consonant sound, then the consonant sound is said only once.
Practice Sentences:
1. I want to come. /I-won-too-kum/
2. He’s had enough food. /heez-had-enu-food/
3. I want some more. /I-wont-su-mor/
4. She ate two grapes. /shee-y-A-too-grAps/
5. My parents sold the car. /mI-pArint-sOld-THuh-kar/
6. The water runs down the hill. /THuh-woder-unz-down-THuh-hiul/
7. Wood floors scratch easily. /woohd-flor-skrach-eezulee/
8. Children need a lot of love. /childri-need-uh-lod-uv-luv/
9. The dog gave me the ball. /THuh-do-gAv-mee-THuh-bol/
10. The car rolled over twice. /THuh-kar-Old-Over-twIs/
© 2012 PronunciationPro.com All rights reserved.
3. Consonant to Consonant: (part B)
When one word ends in a consonant sound and the next word begins with a
consonant sound produced in the same position, then they share the
pronunciation.
Lips Behind Teeth Throat
/p, f, b, v/ /t, ch, s, sh, d, dg, z, zh, /k, h, g, ng, r/
n/
Usually, the first consonant will NOT get its full pronunciation because it is sliding
into the next consonant sound.
Practice Sentences:
1. I’ve been drinking coffee. /Iv-bin-dreenkeeng-kofee/
2. Pete didn’t share his treat. /peet-didnt-shAr-hiz-treet/
3. Stop by my house tonight. /stop-bI-mI-hows-toonIt/
4. His sister is so nice. /hiz-sister-iz-sO-nIs/
5. My brother really likes dogs. /mI-bruTHer-eelee-lIks-dogz/
6. These shoes are five bucks. /Theez-shooz-ar-fIv-buks/
7. I feel like going running. /I-feeu-lIk-gOeeng-runeeng/
8. I was up for a game of basketball. /I-wuz-up-fer-uh-gAm-uv-baskitbol/
9. He was at church showing the program.
/hee-wuz-at-cherch-shOweeng-Thuh-prOgram/
10. Let’s share a ride to work. /lets-shAr-uh-rId-too-werk/
REMEMBER: Do NOT add extra vowels or sounds after words - always lead
straight into the next word!
Ex: I walk uh the dog. (do NOT say ‘uh’)
When connecting words you should only say the sounds in the words.
© 2012 PronunciationPro.com All rights reserved.
Pausing
Anytime you pause, you will break the link that would be there based on the
linking rules you just learned.
Pause when you come to a comma, a period, or when it feels natural to create a
break in the message unit.
Practice Paragraph:
The English language has a long, rich, and interesting history. Because its roots are
in Germanic, Romanic, Greek, and even Latin languages, its grammar and spelling
rules are hard to learn. Often, people who have to learn English as a second
language have a hard time. Yet, many have been able to learn it and now even teach
it to friends, family, and even neighbors.
Pausing is also used:
1. To emphasize an idea.
2. To build emotion.
3. While giving directions.
4. While speaking to a group.
5. While speaking to someone unfamiliar with a topic.
Directions : practice paragraph
First, drive past 5 stop signs. When you see a big, blue house on your right, make a
right hand turn. Drive on this street for 3 stop signs. Make a left just past the park,
stay in the right lane. In 3 to 4 traffic lights, there will be a paint store on your right.
Make a right turn, stay in the right lane. The freeway entrance will then be on your
right.
© 2012 PronunciationPro.com All rights reserved.
