1. rotten 3. mountain 5. shorten 7.
eaten
9. forgotten
2. button 4. lighten 6. Britain 8.
written 10. Certain
Elision of D
The /d/ is often dropped when a word ending in /nd/ is
followed by a consonant sound. As a result, when the /d/ is
deleted, the /n/ must link smoothly to the beginning consonant
sound of the following word.
Examples:
and‿said hand‿me stand‿back
weekend‿project
4. Linking
English Linking: Connecting Words in Natural Speech
Introduction
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Linking is a natural feature of spoken English where words
are connected smoothly to create fluent speech. Native speakers
automatically join words together, making their speech sound
fluid and natural. Understanding and practicing linking can
significantly improve your pronunciation and listening
comprehension.
Types of Linking
1. Consonant to Vowel Linking
When a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word
begins with a vowel sound, we link them together.
Examples:
- pick↔up → "pickup"
- turn↔on → "turnon"
- read↔it → "readit"
- stop↔eating → "stopeating"
2. Consonant to Consonant Linking
When two identical consonant sounds meet, we pronounce them
as one longer sound.
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Examples:
- black↔cat → "blak-cat"
- top↔part → "top-part"
- quick↔kiss → "quik-kiss"
3. Vowel to Vowel Linking
When one word ends in a vowel sound and the next begins
with a vowel sound, we often insert a /w/ or /y/ sound
between them.
With /w/:
- go↔out → "go-w-out"
- blue↔ink → "blu-w-ink"
With /y/:
- she↔is → "she-y-is"
- say↔it → "say-y-it"
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Common Linking Patterns
Time Expressions
- next↔year
- last↔evening
- three↔o'clock
Phrases with Prepositions
- in↔advance
- at↔all
- of↔course
Frequently Used Expressions
- Nice↔to meet↔you
- Thank↔you very much
- Come↔over here
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Identify the Type of Linking
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Identify the type of linking in these phrases (Consonant-Vowel,
Consonant-Consonant, or Vowel-Vowel):
1. make up
2. good day
3. see it
4. right time
5. go in
Exercise 2: Link the Words
Connect these words using appropriate linking. Write how they
should sound when linked:
1. take out
2. come in
3. left arm
4. my age
5. stop it
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Exercise 3: Sentence Practice
Practice linking in these complete sentences:
1. I need to wake up early.
2. She lives in England.
3. We're going out tonight.
4. Turn off the light.
5. Look at that airplane.
Answer Key
Exercise 1 Answers:
1. make up - Consonant-Vowel linking
2. good day - Consonant-Consonant linking
3. see it - Vowel-Vowel linking (with /y/ sound)
4. right time - Consonant-Consonant linking
5. go in - Vowel-Vowel linking (with /w/ sound)
Exercise 2 Answers:
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1. take out → "tay-kout"
2. come in → "cu-min"
3. left arm → "lef-tarm"
4. my age → "my-yage"
5. stop it → "sto-pit"
Exercise 3 Answers:
1. I↔need↔to↔wake↔up↔early → "I-nee-duh-way-ku-perly"
2. She↔lives↔in↔England → "She-liv-zi-ningland"
3. We're↔going↔out↔tonight → "We're-go-win-out-tonight"
4. Turn↔off↔the↔light → "Tur-noff-thuh-light"
5. Look↔at↔that↔airplane → "Loo-kat-tha-tairplane"
Tips for Practice
1. Listen to native speakers and pay attention to how they
connect words
2. Record yourself reading sentences and compare with native
speakers
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3. Practice with song lyrics, as they often emphasize natural
linking
4. Start slowly and gradually increase your speed
5. Focus on common phrases you use daily
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Don't pause between linked words
2. Don't overemphasize the linking
3. Maintain natural rhythm and stress
4. Don't forget to maintain proper intonation
5. Don't link words across punctuation marks or natural pauses
Linking in Phonetics: Types, Examples, and Practice
1. Introduction to Linking
Definition
Linking is the connection of sounds between words in connected speech,
creating fluid pronunciation and natural rhythm in English.
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2. Types of Linking
A. Consonant to Vowel (C-V)
- Rule: When a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word
begins with a vowel sound, the sounds are linked.
- Examples:
- pick up → /pɪ.kʌp/
- take it → /teɪ.kɪt/
- stop eating → /stɒ.piːtɪŋ/
- read it → /riː.dɪt/
B. Vowel to Vowel (V-V)
1. Linking /j/
- Used w hen first word ends in /iː/, /ɪ/, /eɪ/, /aɪ/, /ɔɪ/
- Examples:
- she is → /ʃiː.jɪz/
- my own → /maɪ.joʊn/
- they are → /ðeɪ.jɑː/
2. Linking /w/
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- Used when first word ends in /uː/, /ʊ/, /aʊ/, /oʊ/
- Examples:
- blue ink → /bluː.wɪŋk/
- go away → /goʊ.wəweɪ/
- now and → /naʊ.wənd/
C. Consonant to Consonant (C-C)
1. Same Consonant Linking
- Rule: Hold the consonant slightly longer
- Examples:
- stop playing → /stɒp.pleɪɪŋ/
- black coffee → /blæk.kɒfi/
2. Similar Consonant Linking
- Rule: Blend the sounds
- Examples:
- good day → /gʊd.deɪ/
- this song → /ðɪs.sɒŋ/
3. Practice Exercises
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Exercise 1: Identify the Link Type
Mark the linking type (C-V, V-V, or C-C) in these phrases:
1. keep on
2. say it
3. good morning
4. blue eyes
5. left arm
Exercise 2: Transcription Practice
Write the phonetic transcription showing linking:
1. take out
2. see it
3. next door
4. go in
5. stop it
Exercise 3: Sentence Level Practice
Read these sentences focusing on linking:
1. "Pick up the phone and call her."
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2. "The blue ink has run out."
3. "Stop eating so fast!"
4. "They are in the garden."
5. "Look at the black cat."
Exercise 4: Minimal Pairs with Linking
Practice these pairs to hear the difference:
1. no wing / knowing
2. an aim / a name
3. she is / she's
4. four eyes / for eyes
5. might rain / my train
4. Common Linking Patterns
A. Time Expressions
- quarter of → /kwɔːtə.rəv/
- half an → /hæ.fən/
- later on → /leɪtə.rɒn/
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B. Common Phrases
- Come in → /kʌ.mɪn/
- Far away → /fɑː.rəweɪ/
- Turn off → /tɜː.nɒf/
- Find out → /faɪn.daʊt/
C. Prepositions and Articles
- in a → /ɪ.nə/
- of a → /ə.və/
- on it → /ɒ.nɪt/
- at all → /ə.tɔːl/
5. Advanced Practice Activities
A. Dialog Reading
```
A: What time is it?
B: It's about eight o'clock.
A: Oh no! I'm late for work!
B: Take it easy. You can make it.
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```
Focus on linking: "it's about," "late for," "take it"
B. Song Lyrics Analysis
Find and mark linking in song lyrics:
Example:
"Every day I wake up hoping
Some day I'll make it right"
Focus on: "wake_up," "some_day," "make_it"
C. News Reading Practice
Select news headlines and identify linking opportunities:
"World Leaders Agree on New Climate Deal"
Focus on: "leaders_agree," "new_climate"
6. Assessment and Self-Evaluation
A. Recording Exercises
1. Record yourself reading passages
2. Mark where linking should occur
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3. Compare with model pronunciation
4. Re-record focusing on problem areas
B. Listening Discrimination
Listen to native speakers and identify:
1. Types of linking used
2. Natural vs. forced linking
3. Impact on rhythm and flow
4. Regional variations
7. Common Challenges and Solutions
A. Challenges
1. Over-linking (forcing links where unnecessary)
2. Missing natural linking points
3. Incorrect link type selection
4. Maintaining natural speech rate
B. Solutions
1. Practice with short phrases first
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2. Focus on common expressions
3. Listen to native speakers
4. Record and analyze your speech
8. Progress Tracking
A. Weekly Practice Log
1. Note difficult combinations
2. Track improvement in specific areas
3. List commonly used linked phrases
4. Record breakthrough moments
B. Self-Assessment Questions
- Can I identify linking opportunities?
- Do I maintain natural speech flow?
- Am I using appropriate linking types?
- Has my fluency improved?
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