Connected Speech

Objective of today’s lesson:

In this lesson, Learn English with Julia presents to you “Connected Speech”, in order for you to:

• identify aspects of connected speech in English
• learn the connected speech rules
• Start connected speech assimilation
• Practise with connected speech exercises

Keywords listed in English:

• connected speech
• connected discourse
• linguistic units
• continuous sequence of sounds

Video Script:

Hello and welcome to this pronunciation class!

We are going to discuss “connected speech”.

Now why do we want to connect our speech?

Well first of all we want to speak better, we want to improve our communication, understanding the native
speaker of English better, and being understood better.

Now native speakers often sound as if they are speaking fast.

They are not necessarily speaking fast, they are simply linking words and adding rhythm to their speech.

Now we are going to try and achieve this also so as to sound more natural, more native.

First of all we have to pronounce each word properly.

Then we can start adding these links, these connections, and this rhythm to our speech.

Now we’re going to use a more natural flow and we’re going to communicate more efficiently when we apply these two rules.

These two rules show us how to connect our speech.

First of all when I have a word ending in a consonant followed by another word starting with a vowel, I’m going to link them. It’s going to sound as if they’re one word.

So here: “listen up” > I would say “listen up”. It sounds like one word. I have linked them: the N and the U > there’s no gap. “listen up” repeat separately “listen” “up” so we pronounce each word properly, then we link them: “listen up”. Okay, two steps: first step, second step.

Some more examples here: we have a consonant (D) and here we have a vowel.

Remember your vowels (AEIOU). Okay: five vowels.

Here I link the words. Read a sentence for me. Now faster, linking: “read a” (together) “sentence for me”.

Let’s do this together slowly: “read a sentence for me”.

Together: “Read a sentence for me”. Again: “Read a sentence for me”.

A third example here of consonant + vowel:

“This is” > as you see consonant + vowel

“for us”

> two examples here with consonant + vowel.

So here together & here together:

“This is” (together)

“for us” > like two words.

It sounds like two words. Again separately,

nice and slow:

“this is for us”.

Now second step, linking:

“This is for us.” “This is for us.”

So I link first of all and then I add rhythm.

First: “This is for us.”

and then I add my rhythm:

“This is for us.”

For example “I need it”

> consonant + vowel

together: “I need it”

And final example “Stop it now”

> so here I have a consonant + a vowel

“Stop it now”

> first separately. “Stop it now”

> now more natural. “Stop it now”

Second rule > consonant +
consonant.

So I have a word ending with a consonant here

and another word
starting with a consonant.

Together > “Listen now.”

> separately “Listen now.”

> together “Listen now.”

Second example here:

“Let me explain” > “Let me” (together) + “explain”

“Let me” (together) + “explain”

“Let me explain” > “Let me” (together) +”explain”

Third example: consonant + consonant.

“We’re best friends.”

> “We’re” (together) + “best friends” (together).

And finally: “Tell Lauren”

Thank you for watching!

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