Sach Phonetics (Repaired)

(Selected and Compiled)
Learn to speak standard

American-style English … fast
NOW WITH DOWNLOADABLE AUDIO
JANUARY 1, 2018
FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY
Contents
Chapter 1: Vowels p.1

A. Introducing Vowels p.1
B. Introducing Diphthongs p.1
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Chapter 2: Vowels in Details p.4

A. Front Vowels p.4
1. Common Expressions p.4
2. Review of /i/ and /ɪ/ Sounds p.5
3. Review of /ɛ/ and /æ/ Sounds p.8
4. Review of /ɛ/ and /eɪ/ Sounds p.10
B. Review /i/, /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /eɪ/ and /æ/ Sounds p.11
C. Central Vowels p.13
D. Back Vowels p.13
1. Common Expressions p.13
2. Review of /u/ and /ʊ/ Sounds p.14
E. Review of /ʌ/, /ɑ/, /ɔ/, and /oʊ/ Sounds p.15
F. Diphthongs p.16
G. Review p.17
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Chapter 3: Consonants p.20

A. Forming American Consonants p.20
B. Voiced and Voiceless Consonants p.24
C. Vowel Length and Final Consonants p.26
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Chapter 4: Consonants in Details p.29

A. Stop Consonants p.29
1. Initial Stop Consonants p.29
2. Final Stop Consonants p.30
3. Stop Consonants in Consonant Clusters p.33
4. Word Ending in -ed p.33
B. Continuant Consonants p.36
1. The /θ/ and /ð/ Sounds p.36
2. The /f/ and /v/ Sounds p.40
3. Continuant Consonants in Consonant Clusters p.44
C. Sibilant Consonants p.44
1. Words with the Letter X p.45
2. Word Ending in -s p.46
3. Consonant Clusters /sks/, /sps/, and /sts/ p.47
4. Omit One of the Consonant, but Not Final /ed/ or /s/ p.47
5. Quick Review p.48
D. Final Nasal Consonants p.51
E. The American l p.52
1. /l/ Before a Consonant p.53
2. Long Vowels + /l/ p.54
3. The Sound Combinations /nd/ and /ld/ p.55
F. The American r p.55
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Chapter 5: Syllable Stress p.60

A. Syllable Introduction p.60
B. Stressed and Unstressed Syllables p.60
C. General Rules for Stress Placement p.64
1. Two-Syllable Word Stress p.64
2. Shifts in Stress p.65
3. Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives Ending in –ate p.67
D. Stress in Words with Prefixes and Suffixes p.69
1. Prefixes p.69
2. Suffixes p.69
E. Disappearing Syllables p.72
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Chapter 6: Word Stress p.73

A. Stress in Compound Nouns p.73
B. Phrasal Verbs p.77
C. Abbreviations and Numbers p.78
D. Names of Places and People p.79
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Chapter 7: Sentence Stress p.81

A. Content and Function Words p.81
B. Sentence Stress p.83
C. Reducing Vowels in Unstressed Words p.84
1. Weak Form p.84
2. Strong Forms P.86
D. Reducing Pronouns P.86
E. Thought Groups and Focus Words P.89
F. Contrastive Stress P.91
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Chapter 8: Word Linking p.95

A. Linking Words for Smoother Speech Flow p.95
B. Rules for Linking p.96
1. Liaison Rule 1: Consonant / Vowel p.96
2. Liaison Rule 2: Consonant / Consonant p.98
3. Liaison Rule 3: Vowel / Vowel p.100
4. Liaison Rule 4: Changing Sounds p.102
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Chapter 9: Contractions p.104

A. Commonly Contracted Words p.104
B. Casual Versus Formal Speech p.106
C. Can vs. Can’t p.109
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Chapter 10: Intonation p.112

A. Statements and Commands p.112
B. Questions p.113
1. Tag Questions p.113
2. Questions with Question Words p.114
3. Questions without Question Words p.114
C. Non-final Intonation p.115
1. Expressing Choices p.115
2. Listing p.115
3. Unfinished Thought p.115
4. Introductory Words p.116
D. Variations and Exceptions p.117
1. Yes/No Question Form with a Falling p.117
Intonation
2. A Statement with Rising Intonation p.118
3. Wh-Questions with Rising Intonation p.118
E. Wavering Intonation p.120
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Chapter 11: Silent Letters p.122

1 Vowels
A Introducing Vowels
In this chapter you will learn how to accurately pronounce all of the main American
English vowel sounds. A vowel is a speech sound produced with vibrating vocal cords and
a continuous unrestricted flow of air coming from the mouth. In English spelling, each
vowel letter can be pronounced with different sounds. There are only five vowel letters,
but there are many more vowel sounds.
The various vowel sounds are affected by the changing shape and position of your
articulators. The different vowels are created by:
 The position of your tongue in the mouth.

 The shape of your lips.
 The size of your jaw opening.
B Introducing Diphthongs
A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds. It begins as one vowel and ends as
another. During the production of a diphthong, your articulators glide from the position
of the first vowel to the position of the second. In American English, the most common
diphthongs are /aʊ/, /aɪ/, /ɔɪ/
Chapter 1: Vowels 1
Chapter 1: Vowels
The American Vowel Chart

2
Main Vowel Sounds of American English
Track 1
/i/ read, heat, meet, seat, seen, feet Please eat the meat and the cheese before
you leave.
/ɪ/ in, bit, this, give, sister, will, city My sister Linda will live in the big city.
/eɪ/ late, gate, bait, fail, main, braid, wait Jane’s face looks great for her age of
eighty-eight.
/ɛ/ let, get, end, any, fell, bread, men, said I went to Texas for my friend’s wedding.
/æ/ last, apple, add, can, answer, class The handsome man lost his baggage after
his travels.
/ɑ/ stop, lock, farm, want, army, possible, John is positive that his car was parked in
got that lot.
/ʌ/ come, up, jump, but, does, love, money, Your younger brother doesn’t trust us,
about does he?
/ɔ/ all, fall, author, also, applaud, Paula was doing laundry all day long.
thought, fought
/oʊ/ go, slow, so, those, post, moment, drove Oh, no! don’t open the window; it’s cold!
/ʊ/ look, took, put, foot, full, wolf, cookie He would read the good book if he could.
/u/ cool, soup, moon, boot, tooth, move, Sue knew about the food in the room.
true
/ər/ her, work, sure, first, early, were, earn, What were the first words that girl
occur learned?
/aɪ/ time, nine, dry, high, style, five, china I advise you to ride a bicycle in China.
/aʊ/ south, house, cow, found, down, town He went out of the house for about an
hour.
/ɔɪ/ oil, choice, moist, enjoy, avoid, voice Let’s avoid the annoying noise.
Chapter 1: Vowels 3
2 Vowels in Details
A Front Vowels
1. Common Expressions
Track 2
/i/ Could you repeat that, please?

I can’t believe it.
Please to meet you.
/ɪ/ Come it.

Do you speak English?
I think it’s interesting.
/eɪ/ What’s your name?

What’s today date?
Have a great day!
/ɛ/ You’re welcome.

It’s very expensive.
How do you spell weather?
/æ/ Welcome back.

What happened?
What’s the matter?
Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 4

2. Review of /i/ and /ɪ/ Sounds
The /ɪ/ sound is easy to identify because it is almost always spelled with the letter i as in
big. The /i/ sound is more commonly spelled with two vowels such as ee or ea, as in meet,
or team. Remember to relax your tongue and lips for the /ɪ/ sound and to make them tense
for the /i/ sound.
/i/ /ɪ/
Word Pairs
Track 3
Listen to these word pairs.
Sound 1: /i/ Sound 2: /ɪ/
1. sheep ship
2. seat sit
3. heel hill
4. feel fill
5. sleep slip
Word Pairs in Sentences

Track 4
1. Don’t sit in my seat. 6. You should at least make a list.

2. Each arm itches. 7. This is his, and these are yours.
3. These shoes don’t fit my feet. 8. The little bird had a big beak.
4. Those boys still steal. 9. We hid from the heat.
5. The field was filled with wheat. 10. That leaf won’t live very long.

Practice Dialog
Track 5
Deena: What are you getting to eat, Lee?

Lee: The meat pizza and Greek salad. And a cup of coffee.
Deena: Me, too. Are you getting the meat pizza, too, Steve?
Steve: No, the cheese pizza. I don’t eat meat.
Lee: Really?
Waitress: Good evening. Are you ready to order?
Deena: Let’s see… We’d like two meat pizzas and one cheese pizza.
Waitress: Bean soup or Greek salad to start?
All three: Greek salad.
Waitress: And would you like coffee or tea?
Deena: Three coffees, please.
Steve: Make that two coffees. Tea for me, please.
Waitress: Three Greek salads… two meat pizzas… one cheese pizza… two coffees…
one tea.
Role Play
1. Practice in a group of three or four people. You are in a restaurant. One person is the
waiter or waitress.
2. Talk about what you are going to eat. Use the following menu.

3. The waiter or waitress asks questions. One person orders. The waiter or waitress
repeats the order.
Example:
A. Are you ready to order?
B. Let’s see. We’d like two meat pizzas.
A. Would you like bean soup or Greek salad?
B. Two Greek salads, please.
Stress in Numbers
Track 6
Stress can help you hear the difference between numbers ending in -teen and -ty
 In -teen numbers, the last syllable is usually stressed.
 The t in –teen has a clear /t/ sound
 In -ty numbers, the first syllable is always stressed.
Listen and repeat
13 thirteen 30 thirty
14 fourteen 40 forty
15 fifteen 50 fifty
16 sixteen 60 sixty
17 seventeen 70 seventy
18 eighteen 80 eighty
19 nineteen 90 ninety
Bingo Game
1. Play in a group of three to five people.

2. One person will call out the numbers in any order. The other people each choose
one of the grids below.

3. When a number is call, cross it out.
4. The first person to cross out all the numbers in a grid calls out “BINGO!” and is the
winner.
13 30 80 60 14 16 14 15 16 60 16 15
70 19 50 70 17 13 70 90 50 50 14 18
17 90 18 30 18 40 40 17 60 19 90 80
A B C D
3. Review of /ɛ/ and /æ/ Sounds
/ɛ/ /æ/
Word Pairs
Track 7
Listen to these word pairs
Sound 1: /ɛ/ Sound 2: /æ/
1. X axe
2. pen pan
3. men man
4. left laughed
5. said sad

Track 8
1. This bed is bad. 4. I guess I need gas.

2. Dan is in the den. 5. They laughed after he left.
3. She said that she was sad. 6. I bet that’s a bat.
The Most Important Word

Track 9
In English, the most important word in the sentence stands out more than other
stressed words.
 The stressed syllable of this word is loud and s l o w.

 The intonation changes on this word. The voice either jumps up on the stressed
syllable and then falls or jumps down and then rises
 The most important word is often at the end of a sentence, especially at the
beginning of a conversation. As a conversation continues, the word that gives
new, or added, information becomes the most important word.
1. Listen to these two conversations.
A: He stuffed the cash in a bag. A: He was wearing a jacket.
B: What kind of bag? B: A black jacket?
A: A plastic bag. A: No, a plaid jacket. Red plaid.
2. Listen again and repeat.

Conversation Practice
Track 10
1. Listen to this conversation pairs F1
A: That’s the person who took my bag!
B: Did he have a hat?
A: Yes. A black hat.
2. Practice the conversation with a partner. Replace the underlined words with the
items in the pictures. What is the most important word in each sentence?
4. Review of /ɛ/ and /eɪ/ Sounds
/ɛ/ /eɪ/

Word Pairs
Track 11
Sound 1: /ɛ/ Sound 2: /eɪ/
1. pen pain
2. wet wait
3. test taste
4. pepper paper
5. shed shade

Track 12
1. He takes his vacation in Texas.

2. You’ll waste a lot of time driving out West.
3. Don’t let me be late.
4. These lace curtains cost less than those.
5. I’ll read your letter later.
6. What’s the age of the house on the edge of the river?
7. He fell down and failed to finish the race.
8. They hope to sell everything that’s on sale.
B Review /i/, /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /eɪ/ and /æ/ Sounds
/i/ /ɪ/ /eɪ/ /ɛ/ /æ/

lead lid laid lead lad
beat bit bait bet bat
seal sill sail sell Sal

Practice Sentences
Track 13
The Flag of the United States
1. In the beginning, the United States consisted of thirteen American states.

2. Their motto was “In Union there is Strength.”
3. The first flag had thirteen stripes: seven red, six white, and a white star for each state.
4. Each time a state joined the Union, a star was added to the flag.
5. As the country grew, more and more stars were added.
6. There are now fifty stars on the flag, representing the fifty states.
7. However, the thirteen stripes remain.
8. There were never changed, because they represent the original thirteen states.
Practice Dialog
Track 14
Anna: Do you need help with dinner?
Ben: No, thanks. Everything’s ready.
Anna: Great! Are we having chicken?
Ben: No, I made steak.
Anna: Any vegetables?
Ben: Yes, lettuce and tomato salad. Did you pick up some bread at the bakery?
Anna: Yes. And lemon cheesecake.
Ben: Lemon cheesecake? That sounds … interesting.
Anna: I tasted it. It’s delicious!
Ben: Let’s eat in the backyard. OK?
Anna: Good idea! It’s really pretty this evening.
Ben: (carrying the steak and salad out) Can you get plates and napkins?
Anna: OK. I’ll be back in a minute. Should we sit on this seat?
Ben: Let’s sit on this blanket on the grass.
Anna: (sitting) Mm. It smells delicious. I can’t wait to eat. Uh-oh … did you feel that? I
think it’s beginning to rain.
Ben: (standing) It figures! Can you help me bring everything back in?

C Central Vowels
Common Expressions
Track 15
/ər/ See you later

Don’t forget
What’s for dinner?
/ə/ What’s the problem?

Go away!
Can you say that again?
/ɑ/ No problem!
I got a job.
What do you want?
D Back Vowels
1. Common Expressions
Track 16
/u/ What do you do?

Who is it?
See you soon?
/ʊ/ Look!
Who’s that woman?
That’s a good book.

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbol for the stressed vowel is /ʌ/ and for the unstressed
vowel it is /ə/. They are basically the same sound.

/oʊ/ I don’t know.
I hope so.
I’m only joking.
/ɔ/ What’s wrong?

Who’s calling?
You have the wrong number.
2. Review of /u/ and /ʊ/ Sounds
Word Pairs
Track 17
Sound 1: /u/ Sound 2: /ʊ/
1. Luke look
2. pool pull
3. fool full
4. suit soot
5. stewed stood

Track 18
1. Luke looks terrible. 4. You could hear the birds coo.

2. This shoe should fit. 5. The fool ate until he was full.
3. Cook it and then let it cool.

In Canada and many parts of the United States, the /ɑ/ and /ɔ/ (in words with r after the vowel) are
pronounced the same way. For example, many Americans pronounce hot and tall with the same vowel
sound. If you are not sure about how to pronounce a word with one of the spelling patterns for /ɑ/ and
/ɔ/, use /ɑ/

Practice Conversation
Track 19
Michiko: Do you know anything about Luke – the guy who stood by the counter in the
restaurant?
Tomas: Luke? You mean the cook?
Michiko: Luke’s the cook? But he’s so young, and he’s such a good cook!
Tomas: That’s true. Why do you think I took you there?
Michiko: I had a great time. Thank you.
Tomas: Me, too. Would you want to do it again soon?
Michiko: I’d love to. I’m going out of town tomorrow, but I’ll be back on Tuesday.
Tomas: Great! I’ll call you Tuesday, after school.
Michiko: Cool. Good night.
Tomas: Good night.
E Review of /ʌ/, /ɑ/, /ɔ/, and /oʊ/ Sounds
/ʌ/ /ɑ/ /ɔ/ /oʊ/

cut cot caught coat
nut not naught note
fund fond fawned phoned
Chuck chock chalk choke

Practice Dialogue
Track 20
Coffee Tomorrow
John: Hi Nicole. Can you talk?

Nicole: Oh, hi, John. Can you hold on? I’m on another call. I’m talking to my boss.
John: No problem. I’ll wait ‘til you’re done.
Nicole: Okay, now I can talk. I am sorry it took so long. What’s going on?
John: Nothing much. I just wanted to know if we can meet for lunch or coffee
tomorrow.
Nicole: Oh, that sounds like fun. I’ve been working nonstop, and I’d love to get out of
the office.
F Diphthongs
Common Expressions
Track 21
/aɪ/ Good night.

I had a nice time.
I’d like to try it.
/ɔɪ/ Did you enjoy it?

How annoying?
What’s the point?
/aʊ/ How are you?

Please sit down.
How do you pronounce it?

Practice Dialog
Track 22
Troy: How are you doing with your painting?
Kyle: All right.
Troy: Is that a boy?
Kyle: Yes. I’m trying to paint a boy lying down.
Troy: Is the boy on the ground?
Kyle: Yes, he’s lying on the ground looking up at the sky.
Troy: Hm, now I see … Why don’t you try using oil paints?
Kyle: I’ve never tried painting with oils. It sounds hard.
Troy: You should buy some oil paints and try it. You might enjoy it.
Kyle: I guess you don’t like my painting.
Troy: It’s nice, but why is there a big brown cloud behind the boy?
Kyle: (pointing) It isn’t a cloud. It’s a mountain.
G Review
Listening to contrasting vowels in sentences?

Track 23
Listen to each sentence and circle the word in bold you hear.
1. Did you say hope / hop?

2. How do you spell lease / less?
3. What does tape / tap mean?
4. I need a pan / pen?
5. Did you want this / these?
6. Do you like chess / cheese?

Music of English
Track 24
1. Listen to these sentences.
2. Listen again and repeat each sentence until you can say it easily. Learn it like a little
song.
Pair work
Student A: Say one word in the pair. Do not always choose the first word.
Student B: Ask which word was said.
Student A: Answer and spell the word you said.
Be sure to make a puff of air for each voiceless stop at the beginning of a stressed syllable.
Example: Student A: “Hop.”

Student B: “Did you say ‘hop’ or ‘hope’?”
Student A: “I said ‘hop’. H - O - P”
1. hope, hop 5. bite, bit

2. bead, bed 6. lame, lamb
3. cute, cut 7. goat, got
4. main, man 8. pine, pin

Group work:
Use the “button” below to give and get phone numbers of three classmates.
1 2 3
beet bit boot
/bit/ /bɪt/ /but/
4 5 6
bite boat bait
/baɪt/ /boʊt/ /beɪt/
7 8 9
bat bet bought
/bæt/ /bɛt/ /bɑt/
0
but
/bʌt/
Classmate: .................................................. Phone number: .........................................................

3 Consonants
A Forming American Consonants

A consonant is a sound that is made when the airflow is blocked by either your lips or your
tongue. The different places where this block may occur are called “points of articulation.”
The point of articulation is, therefore, a point of contact of one part of your mouth with
another part. You don’t necessarily need to learn the formal names of the different parts of
your mouth, but you should develop an awareness of where the points of contact are.
Studying the illustration below will help you do this.
We can describe any consonant by answering the following three questions about it.
 Voicing: What is happening in the larynx
All consonants are either voiced or voiceless. In a voiced sound, the vocal folds in the larynx
are vibrating while the sound is being made. In a voiceless sound, the vocal folds are not
vibrating.
Chapter 3: Consonants 20
 Manner of articulation: How is the sound made? How close do the two articulators
come together?
We can divide the English consonants into six groups based on how they are made.
Knowing which group the sounds fall into in English will help you to tell the difference
between two sounds which might sound more similar in your first language than they
should in English.
 Stop sounds (known as 'plosives')

These sounds start with a complete blockage which is then suddenly released.
These sounds are:
/p/ (pet) /t/ (to) /k/ (cot)

/b/ (bet) /d/ (do) /g/ (got)
 Friction sounds (known as 'fricatives')

For these sounds there is less of an obstruction so a stream of air is able to escape
through a small space. These sounds are:
/f/ (fish) /θ/ (thin) /s/ (soon) /ʃ/ (shine) /h/ (hello)
/v/ (vet) /ð/ (then) /z/ (zoom) /ʒ/ treasure)
 Combination sounds (known as 'affricates')

These are consonants that start as an explosive sound then become a friction sound.
The blockage is complete at the start but is then released slowly. These sounds are:
/tʃ/ choke /dʒ/ joke
 Sounds made through the nose (known as 'nasals')

These are the consonants where the sound comes entirely out of the nose with no
breath leaving through the mouth. These sounds are:
/n/ (no) /m/ (me) /ŋ/ (sing)
 Side sounds (known as 'laterals')
These are sounds where the sound is released round the sides of the tongue.
/l/ (love)
 Open sounds (known as 'approximants')

These sounds don't have an obvious contact point, but the articulators almost
create a blockage by getting very close to each other but not quite touching. This is
the least obstruction it's possible to make while still being a consonant sound. These
sounds are:
/r/ (red) /j/ (yes) /w/ (week)
 Place of articulation:
Where is the sound made? Which two articulators approach each other? Look in a mirror
while you say the consonants in each group, both aloud and silently, in order to see, hear,
and feel them.
The American Consonant Chart
Chapter 3: Consonants
23
B Voiced and Voiceless Consonants
One way that we categorize consonants is by determining whether they are “voiceless” or
“voiced.” It’s important to know the difference between these types because the length of
a vowel that precedes a consonant is determined by whether the consonant that follows it
is voiceless or voiced. Place your fingers in the front, middle part of your neck and feel
whether there is a vibration in your vocal cords.
 Voiced consonant: A voiced consonant is sound produced when the vocal cords are
vibrating.
 Voiceless consonant: A voiceless consonant is a sound made with no vibration of
the vocal cords.
Voiceless and Voiced Consonant Pairs

Track 25
Voiceless Voiced How to produce the sounds

consonants consonants
/p/ pet /b/ bet Lips start fully together, then part quickly to
rope robe produce a small release of air.
/t/ ten /d/ den Tip of the tongue is slightly tense as it firmly
seat seed touches and then releases the gum ridge.
/k/ class /g/ glass Back of tongue presses up against soft palate
back bag (back of mouth) and releases.
/f/ fault /v/ vault Lower lips lightly touch upper teeth; vibration
leaf leave occurs on the lips from the flow of air created.
/θ/ thank /ð/ this Tip of the tongue touches back of front teeth
breath breathe or edges of front teeth. Air flows out between
tongue and teeth.
/s/ sink /z/ zinc Sides of tongue touch middle and back upper
price prize teeth. Tip of tongue is lowered a bit. Air flows
out of middle part of the tongue.
/ʃ/ pressure /ʒ/ pleasure Tip of tongue is down; sides of tongue are
wish massage against upper teeth on sides of mouth. Air
flows out through middle of tongue.
/tʃ/ choke /dʒ/ joke Tip of tongue is down; sides of tongue are
rich ridge against upper teeth on the side of mouth. Tip
of tongue quickly touches gum ridge and then
releases.
More Voiced Consonants

Track 26
/m/ mom Lips together. Air flows out of the nose.

from
lemon
/n/ non Tip of tongue touches gum ridge, and the sides of the tongue
fun touch upper teeth; air any flows out of the nose.
any
/ŋ/ going Back of the tongue touches the soft palate; air flows out of the
spring nose.
king
/l/ love Tip of tongue touches upper gum ridge. Tongue is tense. Air
will comes out on the sides of the tongue, at the corners of the mouth.
yellow
/r/ red There are two ways to produce this sound:

four 1: Tip of tongue curls a bit and then is pulled back slightly.
card 2: Tip of tongue is down; center of the tongue touches hard palate.
/w/ win Rounded lips as for the vowel /u/ in moon. Air flows out through
lower the lips. Tongue is in position for the vowel sound that follows the
quiet /w/.
/j/ yes Tip of tongue touches lower front teeth. Front of tongue is raised
mayor near the hard palate.
young
The Consonant /h/

Track 27
/h/ happy Vocal cords are tense and restricted, back of tongue is pushed
behave against the throat to create friction as the air flows out from the
who back of the mouth.
C Vowel Length and Final Consonants

Vowels are longer when followed by a voiced consonant. They are shorter when followed
by a voiceless consonant. Even short vowels like /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /ə/, and /ʊ/ are prolonged when
followed by a voiced consonant.
Warning: Common Mistake
When you lengthen a vowel, make sure that you do not

change the sound of the vowel. For example, when you
say hid make sure that it doesn’t sound like heed.
Word Pairs for Practice
Track 28
Voiceless Voiced Voiceless Voiced
/s/ /z/ /t/ /d/
1. advice advise 4. mate made
2. ice eyes 5. hat had
3. niece knees 6. bet bed
/f/ /v/ /k/ /g/
7. half have 10. back bag
8. life live 11. dock dog
9. belief believe 12. duck Doug
Practice Sentences
Track 29
Voiceless Voiced
1. My wallet is in the back. My wallet is in the bag.
2. I saw five bucks on the floor. I saw five bugs on the floor.
3. He has blue ice. He has blue eyes.
4. I heard about the lice. I heard about the lies.
Pair work: Final voiced and voiceless consonants
Student A: Say a word from each pair below.

Student B: Say the other word in the pair.
Take turns choosing a word to say. If you choose a word that ends in voiced consonant, be
sure to make the vowel extra long.
Example: Student A: “Save.”

Student B: “Safe.”
safe save
cease seize
fuss fuzz
leaf leave
bus buzz
race raise
half have
price prize
back bag
mate made
4 Consonants in Details
A Stop Consonants
/p/ (pet) /t/ (to) /k/ (cot)

/b/ (bet) /d/ (do) /g/ (got)
1. Initial Stop Consonants

At the beginning of a word, voiceless stop sounds (/p/, /t/, and /k/) are always followed by
a puff of air. This puff of air is called aspiration. Voiced stops (/b/, /d/, and /g/) are never
aspirated.
Listen to the contrast between voiceless stop consonants and voiced stop consonants.
Track 30
pan – ban too/two – do came – game

pay – bay tip – dip cap – gap
At the beginning of a stressed syllable, voiceless stops are always aspirated.
/p/ /t/ /k/

popular tension casual
pencil toasted coffee
appear attend accuse
apartment return account
report attempt recall
Chapter 4: Consonants in Details 29

Pair work
Student A: Say sentence a or b.
Student B: Say the matching response.
Example: Student A: “Where’s the peach?”

Student B: “In the fruit bowl.”
1. a. Where’s the peach? In the fruit bowl.

b. Where’s the beach? By the ocean.
2. a. Define “tank.” A container for liquid.
b. Define “dank.” It means cold, wet, and unpleasant.
3. a. What does “tense” mean? Under stress.
b. What does “dense” mean? Very thick.
4. a. Where’s the card? In my desk.
b. Where’s the guard? Standing at the door.
5. a. How do you spell “could”? C-O-U-L-D
b. How do you spell “good”? G-O-O-D
6. a. Define “cause.” A reason for something.
b. Define “gauze.” Thin cotton cloth.
7. a. How do you spell “ghost”? G-H-O-S-T
b. How do you spell “coast”? C-O-A-S-T
2. Final Stop Consonants

At the ends of words, stop consonants are not aspirated. Instead, they are released softly.
Track 31
Listen
at – add cap – cab back – bag
Remember to prolong vowel sounds when they precede a voiced consonant.

Pair Work
Practice using voiceless and voiced endings. Listen carefully to these statements and
Track 32
answer the questions. You will hear a model after each response.
He left his cap in the cab.
What did he leave? “His cap.”

Where? “In the cab.”
He carried a bag on his back.
What did he carry? “A bag”

Where? “On his back”
They found the rag on a rack.
What did they find? “The rag”

Where? “On the rack”
Abe sat down and watched the ape.
Who sat down? “Abe”

What did he watch? “The ape”
They will write and then go for a ride.
What will they do first? “Write”

What will they do next? “Go for a ride”
Linking with Stops
Practice linking stops to vowels in the following sentences.
1. We made‿other plans. 5. Rob‿always goes.

2. Lock‿all the doors. 6. I’ll bet‿it doesn’t fit‿anymore.
3. Stop‿it now! 7. Dave bought‿a bag‿of chips.
4. They got‿away. 8. Would‿anyone like‿a cup of tea

Intonation in Lists
Track 33
 In saying a list of items, the intonation often rises on each item before the last
item.
 On the last item, the intonation falls to a low note to show that the list is
finished. The intonation changes on this word.
Listen to this list. It is finished.
I have a pen, a postcard, a map, a spoon, and some pictures.
Practice
1. Karen is planning a party. Listen to the list of things she needs to do.
Track 34
2. Practice reading Karen’s To Do List aloud. Use rising intonation on each item before
the last item in the list of things she needs to buy. Use falling intonation on the last
item.
3. Think of something you are planning. Write a To Do List. Then read it aloud.

3. Stop Consonants in Consonant Clusters
Track 35
Initial /pl/ plan a good plan
Initial /pr/ pray pray for the sick
Initial /bl/ black black and blue
Initial /br/ brain use your brain
Initial /tr/ track track a package
Initial /dr/ dream I have a dream.
Initial /cl/ claim insurance claim
Initial /cr/ cry Don’t cry.
Initial /gl/ glove one glove
Initial /gr/ grade high grade
4. Words Ending in -ed

The final ed forms the past tense of regular verbs (such as needed and worked) and of some
adjectives (such as interested and tired). The -ed can cause problems for some non-native
speakers because it can be pronounced in three different ways: as /ɪd/, /d/, or /t/. Here are
the three rules you need to know when pronouncing –ed
Rule 1: The ending –ed will always sound like the new syllable /ɪd/ when the last sound
of the word ends with /t/ or /d/
start /stɑrt/ - started wait /weɪt/ - waited
need /nid/ - needed decide /dɪˈsaɪd/- decided
Rule 2: The ending –ed will sound like /t/ when the last sound of the word ends with a
voiceless consonant
laugh /læf/ - laughed look /lʊk/ - looked stop /stɑp/ - played
Rule 3: The ending –ed will sound like /d/ when the last sound of the word ends with a
voiced consonant or a vowel sound
rob /rɑb/- robbed hum /hʌm/ - hummed play /pleɪ/ - played

Practice Ending -ed
/d/ /t/ /ɪd/

Track 36
played brushed waited
cleaned laughed painted
snowed pushed shouted
closed watched wanted
filled danced landed
stayed walked departed
Linking -ed Endings and a Vowel

Track 37
Example Sounds like

stayed‿in stay din
turned‿on turn don
developed‿a develop ta
needed‿a nee de da
Words for Practice

Track 38
1. worried‿about 4. interested‿in
2. looked‿at 5. worked‿on
3. talked‿about 6. liked‿it
Pair Work
A B
Were they on time? No, we waited‿and waited for them.
Did you share? We divided‿it equally.
Will she be there? We invited‿her.

Did the audience like‿it? They clapped‿a lot.
It broke. Who dropped‿it?
Did you take‿it with you? No, I shipped‿it.
The bathtub looks clean. I scrubbed‿it.
Did you change your mind? Yes, I backed‿out.

Did you ring the doorbell? No, I knocked‿on the door.
Is the VCR ready? Its, it’s hooked‿up.
The TV is not working. Is it plugged‿in?

Did they boast? Yes, they bragged‿a lot.
Practice Dialog
Pay attention to the pronunciation of the -ed endings. Make sure you are linking the final -
ed to the following word if it begins with a vowel sound.
/ɪd/
Mr. West: Why are you interested‿in working for Westfield stores?
/d/
Ed: The company has earned the admiration of the retail industry.
/t/
Mr. West: Are you experienced?
/ɪd/ /t/ /ɪd/
Ed: I’m well educated‿and have worked for respected retail shops in Europe.
/d/ /d/
Mr. West: I see you’ve traveled extensively. Have you studied‿other languages?
/d/ /ɪd/
Ed: I lived‿in Japan for six months and attended‿an intensive program
/d/
where I learned Japanese.
/ɪd/ /d/
Mr. West: Our company is service oriented‿and has maintained high standards.
/t/
Ed: I’m impressed by your management style.

/ɪd/
Mr. West: Your interest in our company is appreciated. I’m sure you will be
/d/
offered‿a position with Westfield.
Ed: Thanks, Dad!
B Continuant Consonants
1. The /θ/ and /ð/ Sounds
/θ/ (thin)
/ð/ (this)
Common Expressions
Track 39
/θ/ Thank you.

I think so.
Thanks for thinking of me!
I’m thirsty.
Today is my thirtieth birthday.
I’m free on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
/ð/ my mother and father

What’s the weather like?
I’d rather not answer that.
either this one or that one
Did they go there together?
This one is better than the others.
Word Pairs
Track 40
Sound 1: /t/ Sound 2: /θ/
1. tie thigh
2. tree three
3. tanks thanks
4. bat bath
Pair work
Example: Student A: “What does ‘path’ mean?”

Student B: “A little road.”
1. a. What does “path” mean? A little road.

b. What does “pat” mean? To tap.
2. a. What’s a bath for? To get clean.
b. What’s a bat for? To play ball.
3. a. How do you spell “both”? B-O-T-H
b. How do you spell “boat”? B-O-A-T

4. a. What does “faith” mean? Belief
b. What does “fate” mean? Destiny
5. a. How do you spell “mat”? M-A-T
b. How do you spell “math”? M-A-T-H
6. a. Define “wrath.” It means anger.
b. Define “rat.” It’s like a big mouse.
7. a. Where is the booth? At the fair.
b. Where is the boot? On my foot.
8. a. How do you spell “Ruth?” R-U-T-H
b. How do you spell “root”? R-O-O-T
Practice Sentences
Track 41
1. Did your mother give him three leather belts?

2. Thanks for thinking of him.
3. She’d like to throw a birthday party for her father.
4. He wants everything or nothing; that’s a threat!
5. Is this the third house that Arthur’s built?
6. Can you breathe in and then breathe out?
7. Both brothers are healthy, wealthy, and wise.
8. We went there and thought nothing of it.
9. I thought I saw my mother go through the door.
10. Although the weather is bad, they’ll go through it.
Using Stress and Intonation to Show Surprise

Track 42
To show surprise, you can ask a short question with rising intonation.
1. Listen to these short questions.
A: Kathy Roth is thirty-three. A: Her birthday was last Thursday.
B: Is she? B: Was it?

To show a contrast, put strong stress on the information that is different.
 The stressed syllable of this word sounds loud and s l o w.
 The intonation changes on this word. In a sentence with falling intonation,
the voice jumps up on the stressed syllable and then falls.
2. Listen and repeat.
A: Kathy Roth is thirty-three. A: Her birthday was last Thursday.
B: Is she? I thought she B: Was it? I thought it was
was forty-three. last month.
Track 43
Work with a partner. Correct the mistakes in the sentences. Student A says the incorrect
sentence. Student B shows surprise and then corrects the mistake. Listen to this example.
A. March is the fourth month of the year.

B. Is it? I thought it was the third month of the year.
1. August is the seventh month of the year.
2. New York is south of Miami.
3. There are four feet in a yard.
4. Athens is north of Rome.
5. Valentine’s Day is on January 14th.
6. New Year’s Eve is on December 30th.
7. Last year was 2005.

2. The /f/ and /v/ Sounds
/f/ (fast)
/v/ (vast)
Common Expressions
Track 44
/f/ Don’t forget.

Have fun!
How do you feel? I feel fine.
Is it far from here?
It’s five after four.
Fill out this form.
/v/ I don’t believe it.

It’s very expensive.
How long have you lived here?
I’ve lived here for five years.
Have you ever been there?
I’ve never been there.

Word Pairs
Track 45
Sound 1: /f/ Sound 2: /v/
1. fan van
2. fine vine
3. few view
4. leaf leave
Pair work
Student A: Ask question a or b.
Student B: Say the matching answer.
Student B: If the answer is wrong, repeat the question.
Example: Student A: “What does ‘vine’ mean?”

Student B: “A kind of plant.”
Student A: “What does ‘veil’ mean?”

Student B: “The opposite of ‘succeed.’ ”
Student A: “No. What does ‘vine’ mean?”
Student B: “A covering for the face.”
1. a. What does “fine” mean? Something like “good.”

b. What does “vine” mean? A kind of plant.
2. a. What does “veil” mean? A covering for the face.
b. What does “fail” mean? The opposite of “succeed.”
3. a. How do you spell “have”? H–A–V–E
b. How do you spell “half”? H–A–L–F
4. a. What’s a “v”? A letter of the alphabet.
b. What’s a “fee”? Cost for a service.

5. a. How do you spell “believe”? B – E –L – I – E – V – E
b. How do you spell “belief”? B – E –L – I – E – F
6. a. What does “fear” mean? To be afraid.
b. What does “veer” mean? To change direction fast.
7. a. Do you have a view? Yes, I can see the lake.
b. Do you have a few? No, I don’t have any.
8. a. What’s a “volley”? A shot in tennis.
b. What’s a “folly”? A foolish act.
Linking with /f/, /v/ and the –th Sounds
Practice saying these sentences. Be sure to link the final voiced and voiceless consonants
to the vowels that come next.
Note: The spelling –gh- is often pronounced /f/ as in “laugh.”

1. They laugh‿a lot. 6. Save‿all your money.
2. Both‿are ready. 7. Prove‿it.
3. Take a bath‿in a hot water. 8. Don’t give‿up.
4. We know enough‿about it. 9. Breathe‿in slowly.
5. Have‿a seat. 10. Bathe‿in a cold weather.
Intonation in Long Sentences

Track 46
Long sentences often have more than once change in intonation.
 There is a short pause between main idea.

 The intonation at the end of the first idea rises a little on the most
important word or jumps up and falls a little
 At the end of the sentence, the intonation jumps on the most important word
and falls to a low note. This shows that the sentence is finished.

Listen and repeat.
If you don’t stop fighting, we’ll never get finished.
If you say something funny, I’ll laugh.
If you don’t hear from us by Friday, phone my office.
Scrambled Sentences
Track 47
1. Work with a partner. Match phrases from the left column with phrases from
the right column to make sentences.
If you need help, I often laugh.

If you’re finished, you’ll feel better.
If I’m free on Friday, don’t forget to buy fish.
If I have enough money, ask your father.
If I drink coffee after dinner, you can’t watch TV.
If I feel nervous, I’ll go to my friend’s party.
If you forget the phone number, feel free to leave.
If you go shopping for food, I can’t fall asleep.
If you get some fresh air, I’ll go to France.
If you don’t finish your homework, call 555-1212.
2. Listen and check your answers.

3. Choose three phrases from the left column. Use your own words to complete
the three sentences.

3. Continuant Consonants in Consonant Clusters
Track 48
Initial /fl/ flag my country’s flag
Initial /fr/ free free entrance
Initial /θr/ through I’m through.
C Sibilant Sounds
A sibilant is a sound that has a whistle-like quality. The sibilant speech sounds are pairs of
Track 49
sounds produced in the same way, except that one sound is voiceless and the other is
voiced. The sibilants are:
/s/ (say, so, ace) /ʃ/ (she, ship, ash) /tʃ/ (chew, chip, each)
/z/ (zoo, zip, maze) /ʒ/ (rouge, beige, pleasure) /dʒ/ (jaw, jam, age)
Pair work: Final Sibilant Sounds

1. a. What are you washing? A dish.
b. What are you digging? A ditch.
2. a. What should I do with the potatoes? Mash them.
b. What should I do with the socks? Match them.
3. a. It’s dirty. OK, I’ll wash it.
b. Please take care of this. OK, I’ll watch it.

4. a. I’m learning calligraphy. That’s a good h.
b. I’m 29 years old. That’s a good age.
5. a. That’s a large wash load. It’s a big batch.
b. Is that a large button? It’s big badge.
6. a. It means location. Place
b. Broadway is famous for these. Broadway is famous for these.
7. a. Are they fleas? No, they are lice.
b. Are they true? No, they are lies.
1. Words with the Letter X

Track 50
If the vowel following an x is stressed, the x is pronounced as /gz/, as in examine and exist.
If an x is followed by a consonant, or if it’s at the end of a word, it is pronounced as /ks/, as
in expert and tax. Also, note that a double cc often produces an x or /ks/ sound, as in the
word accent.
1. The exam will start at exactly six o’clock.

2. It’s an extremely good example.
3. Excuse me, but I’d like to exchange this sweater.
4. Were you excited about buying an expensive car?
5. I did all the exercises except one.
6. Could you explain why you assigned extra homework?
7. They export many raw materials, for example cotton, wood, and rice.
8. Did they expect the bomb to explode?
9. Next time, get me a box of chocolate candy.
10. I’m going to relax for sixty minutes before I fix dinner.
11. Preparing your income tax is an unpleasant task.
12. Max had to ask for an ax to cut the wood.

2. Words Ending in -s
Rule 1: The ending –s or –es will sound like the new syllable /ɪz/ when the last sound of
the word ends with /s/, /z/, /ʃ /,/ʒ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/
Verbs Nouns
slice /slaɪs/ - slices price /praɪs/- prices
lose /luz/ - loses size /saɪz/- sizes
Rule 2: The ending –s will sound like /s/ when the last sound of the word ends with a
voiceless consonant such as /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, or /θ/
Verbs Nouns
sleep /slip/ - sleeps grape /greɪp/- grapes
hit /hɪt/ - hits cat /kæt/- cats
work /wərk/- works book /bʊk/ - books
Rule 3: The ending –s will sound like /z/ when the last sound of the word ends with a
voiced consonant or a vowel sound.
Verbs Nouns
learn /lərn/- learns name /neɪm/- names
go /goʊ/ - goes boy /bɔɪ/ - boys
Story for Practice

Track 51
Mark’s Day
/s/ /ɪz/ /ɪz/ /s/
Every morning he gets up early, brushes his teeth, washes his face, and eats breakfast. He
/ɪz/ /z/ /s/ /ɪz/ /ɪz/
kisses his wife and kids goodbye. He takes two buses to work. He usually manages to get
/z/ /z/ /s/ /ɪz/ /z/ /z/
to work before his coworkers. He reads his email, checks messages and returns phone calls.
/s/ /z/ /s/ /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
He speaks with his colleagues and clients and conducts meetings. He focuses on his daily
/s/ /s/ /s/
tasks and likes to take only 30 minutes for lunch.

3. Consonant Clusters /sks/, /sps/, and /sts/
Students may have difficulty with the consonant clusters /sks/, /sps/, and /sts/
/sks/ masks The children wore masks for the costume party.
Track 52
/sps/ lisps A person who lisps says “thit” for “sit.”
/sts/ tests Our teacher gives many tests.
4. Omit One of the Consonant, but Not Final /ed/ or /s/

Groups of three consonants are at the end of a word are also difficult for native speakers,
so they sometimes omit the middle consonant. This is especially common in groups of
voiceless consonants with a middle /t/ or /θ/.
1. acts /ækts/  /æks/ 4. months /mʌnθs/  /mʌns/

2. accepts /əkˈsɛpts/  /əkˈsɛps/ 5. fifths /fɪfθs/  /fɪfs/
3. lifts /lɪfts/  /lɪfs/ 6. strengths /strɛŋkθs/  /strɛŋks/
Interview: Personality
Track 53
Work with a partner. Do you like to take risks or are you more cautious? Try this
personality test for fun.
1. Listen. Notice the intonation in the question: rising on the first choice (before or)
and falling on the second choice (after or).
A: Would you rather sleep outside or stay in a hotel?
B: Sleep outside.

2. Interview your partner. For each question, give 1 point if your partner chooses the
first item and 0 points if your partner chooses the second item. Then change roles.
Begin your question with this phrase:
Would you rather …
1. sleep outside or stay in a 7. go swimming on Saturday morning
hotel? or sleep late?
2. spend money or save money? 8. be silly or serious?
3. play sports or watch sports? 9. eat something spicy or sweet?
4. drive fast or slowly? 10. ask a question or answer a question?
5. be a movie star or a dentist? 11. do something exciting or relaxing?
6. go surfing or sit on the sand?
3. Add up your partner’s points, and tell your partner the results.
9-11 points: You are very adventurous – maybe too adventurous? Slow down
a little!
5-8 points: You like excitement, but you try to stay safe.
1-4 points: You are serious and cautious – maybe too cautious? Try relaxing
a little.
5. Quick Review
Word Pairs: /s/ and /ʃ/

Track 54
Sound 1: /s/ Sound 2: /ʃ/
1. Sue shoe
2. seats sheets
3. sell shell
4. sign shine
5. lease leash

Practice Dialog
A: I simply love the seashore, don't you?
B: No. There's too much sunshine and the sand is too hot.
A: But the sea breezes and waves crashing on the shore are so soothing.
B: I always get sunburned and sore.
A: You must like the social life on the beach at least.
B: I'd rather sit in a peaceful place in the shade.
A: Don't you even like to collect seashells or go swimming?
B: No.
A: I'm shocked at you. Your idea of fun is probably washing the dishes!
Linking with voiceless sibilant /ʃ/
1. A gash‿is a deep cut.

2. There was a flash‿of lightning.
3. Crush‿all the trash into the can.
4. Dogs must be on a leash‿at all times.
Word Pairs: /ʃ/ and /tʃ/

Track 55
Sound 1: /ʃ/ Sound 2: /tʃ/
1. shop chop
2. sheep cheap
3. ships chips
4. cash catch
5. wash watch

Practice Dialog
A: One chicken sandwich, one fillet of fish, two cheese burgers, two orders of French
fries, and a chocolate shake. Was there anything else?
B: I think Sharon said she wanted a cherry coke.
A: And one cherry coke. Now let me see how much that comes to.
(A few minutes later)
B: Which one is mine?
A: Here it is. And here’s yours Sharon. Now children, be patient and chew your food
carefully. Remember what happened last time we had lunch at McDonalds.
B: Can we share the chocolate shake?
A: Sure. Do you want some ketchup? Watch out? You’re going to choke!
B: Ach!
A: Not again!
Common Expressions with /ʒ/

Track 56
Thank you. My pleasure. Is it a special occasion?

What’s on television? I usually wear casual clothes.
What’s your decision?

Practice Sentences
Track 57
D Final Nasal Consonants
/m/ /n/ /ŋ/

Contrast: /m/ with /n/ and /ŋ/
Practice these contrasting sounds. Listen and repeat each word pair.
Track 58
Sound 1: /m/ Sound 2: /n/ Sound 3: /ŋ/
1. rum run rung

2. Sam San sang
3. simmer sinner singer
4. some son, sun sung
5. whim win wing
Practice Sentences
Track 59
1. My son sang some songs.

2. Tim thinks that thing is thin.
3. Kim is kin to the king.
4. It’s a whim to win the wings.
5. I seem to have seen him sing.
Practice Paragraph
Track 60
The young King Kong can sing along on anything in the kingdom, as long as he can bring a
strong ringing to the changing songs. He can only train on June mornings when there is a
full moon, but June lends itself to singing like nothing else. Ding Dong, on the other hand,
is not a singer; he cannot sing for anything. He is a man often seen on the green lawn on
the Boston Open, where no one ever, ever sings.
E The American l
For the American /l/ sound, the tip of the tongue touches the alveolar ridge behind the
upper teeth, just the same as when creating the /t/ and /d/ sounds. The air stream flows

through the sides of the tongue. When the /l/ occurs at the end of a word, make sure you
do not release it quickly as you would do with a /t/ or /d/. This will make your /l/ sound
foreign. The American /l/ is softer and longer than the /l/ sound of many other languages.
Linking with /l/
Words that end with the continuant sound /l/ link with words that begin with a vowel. For
example, when the words “all eyes” are said together, it sounds like “all lies.”
1. We want to sell‿everything.
2. Please tell‿us the news.
3. Are you well‿enough to work?
4. We have to pull‿up all the flowers before it snows.
5. I’ll‿always call‿Allen on his birthday.
1. /l/ Before a Consonant

Track 61
For Asian speakers, the /l/ is particularly difficult to pronounce when it is followed by a
consonant. If you don’t correctly move your tongue, the words code and cold will sound the
same.
Word Contrast for Practice
no /l/ /l/ + consonant no /l/ /l/ + consonant

code cold toad told
debt dealt wide wild
Practice Sentences
Track 62
1. Jill also doesn’t feel well enough to go to school.

2. I’ll call Paul and tell him that you’ll be late.

3. Twelve people will build a tall wall around the castle.
4. It is doubtful that she’ll be able to handle it.
5. He’ll bring the cold drink to the ill soldier.
6. The wealthy man sold the building by himself.
7. Don’t feel guilty about the spilled milk.
8. The girl told me about the old film.
2. Long Vowels + /l/

Track 63
When a long vowel is followed by an l, place an extra /ə/ sound (schwa) in between. For
the word feel, say “fee- əl”. It’s almost as if you are adding an extra syllable.
/i/ + əl /eɪ/ + əl /aɪ/ + əl /ɔɪ/ + əl /u/ + əl
1. feel sale mile oil tool
2. steal mail while toil school
3. deal whale style spoil rule
4. real pale smile foil fool
5. wheel fail file boil cool
6. heal exhale trial soil pool
Practice Dialogues
Track 64
1. a. He stole the money and broke the rules.

b. It’s no big deal. He’s just a child.
a. Don’t be a fool. He knows it’s wrong to steal.
2. a. Did you say Kyle went to jail?
b. No, I said he went to Yale.
a. Oh, that’s a good school!
3. a. Have you read your email?
b. No, I’ll do it in a little while.

4. a. Did you see that whale?
b. It’s huge. I can’t believe it’s real.
5. a. What’s wrong with the wheel?
b. I think it needs some oil.
6. a. What do you think of the style of these shoes?
b. I love the high heels.
a. I bought them on sale.
7. a. I’m so tired. We’ve been driving for miles and miles.
b. Relax. It’ll help if you inhale and exhale slowly.
8. a. I heard your dog had five puppies.
b. Yes, she had three males and two females.
3. The Sound Combinations /nd/ and /ld/

Track 65
Each of the following words ends in the sound combination /n/ + /d/ or /l/ + /d/. Listen
and repeat each pair of words. Be careful to say the /n/ and /l/ sounds clearly.
/n/ + /d/ /l/ + /d/

find filed
phoned fold
trained trailed
mind mild
F The American r
Many languages have what is called a “rolling r,” where the tip of the tongue touches the
alveolar ridge, similar to the /d/ sound, but with a quick and repeated motion. In contrast,
the American /r/ is produced in the back of the mouth and the tip of the tongue never
touches anywhere inside the mouth. Unlike the British r, the American r is always
pronounced. It’s never silent.

Linking with /r/
Read the following sentences and draw linking marks connecting words that end in /r/ to
words that begin with a vowel sound.
1. Did you hear‿us? 4. Do you want to share‿everything?

2. There isn’t a better‿answer. 5. We’re‿all here‿in the car.
3. I need a pair‿of shoes.
Story for Practice

Track 66
Surprise Birthday Party
On Saturday afternoon at four, we’re having a surprise birthday party for our daughter
Rachel. She’ll turn thirteen. Her cousins Charles and Barbara will arrive early to help
prepare. We’ll take pictures, play cards and some board games. We’ve ordered a birthday
cake and her favorite dessert, strawberry ice cream. We’ve invited about thirty of her
friends and told them to come over before four. We hope all her friends get here by four,
before Rachel returns from the park.
When they’re all here, we’ll call Mark to bring her over. When they open the front door, the
lights will be turned off. Her thirty friends will be waiting nervously in the other room.
We hope it works out and that Rachel will be really surprised.
Review of Final /l/ and Final /r/ Sounds

If your tongue is not touching the right place, your /l/ will sound
like an /r/. For example, the word wall might sound like war. To
correctly pronounce the /l/, make sure that the tip of your tongue
is in the front, near the upper front teeth when it touches the top
of your mouth. If the tip of your tongue is pulled farther back in the
mouth, it might sound like an /r/ instead. Use a mirror to see the
position of your tongue for the /l/ sound.

Word Pairs: Final /l/ with Final /r/
Track 67
Sound 1: /l/ Sound 2: /r/
1. heel hear
2. pail pear
3. fall four
4. file fire
5. towel tower
Linking with /r/ and /l/
Practice linking with /r/ and /l/ in these sentences.
1. They moved far‿away. 3. Call‿everyone!

2. Park the car‿on the street. 4. How do you feel‿about this?
Practice Paragraph
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Red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. This means that all other colors are made by
a combination of any two of these. For example, blue and yellow make green, yellow and
red make orange; and red and blue make violet. These six colors become the secondary
colors – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. These are the colors of the spectrum,
as seen when a beam of light is broken into its component parts by passing through a
prism.

Intonation in Polite Questions
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To make a question sound polite, the intonation often starts high, jumps down on
the stressed syllable of the most important word, and then rises at the end of the
question.
 This intonation can be used for both Yes / No and Wh-questions.

 This intonation is often used when asking a stranger a question.
Listen and repeat.
Practice with a partner. One person asks for directions from the train station to these
places.
The visitor center The hospital

The City Light Hotel Little Town Toys
The post office Computer City
The Taste of Thailand restaurant Tall Tales bookstore
Ask questions like these:
 Could you tell me how to get to _________?

 How do I get to _________?
 Pardon me. Is _________ near here?
 Where’s _________?

5 Syllable Stress
A Syllable Introduction
A syllable is a part of a word that contains one vow sound; it may contain one or more
consonant sounds. In general, the number of vowel sounds in the word determines the
number of syllables in that word. A word may have one, two, three, four, or more syllables.
We call:
 Monosyllable: one syllable (dad, love, son, child, school, friend, etc.)
 Disyllable: two syllables (mother, classroom, friendship, station, happy, etc.)
 Trisyllable: three syllables (Phonetics, syllable, consonant, surrounding, etc.)
 Polysyllable: more than three syllables (university, pronunciation, etc.)
B Stressed and Unstressed Syllables
 The vowel within the stressed syllable is

longer, louder and higher in pitch.
 The vowel within the unstressed syllable
is reduced and becomes a neutral, short
vowel called the “schwa” and is
pronounced as /ə/.
Chapter 5: Syllable Stress 60

Stressed Vowel Unstressed Vowel
Long, clear Very short, very
Very easy to hear Hard to hear
Listen to the following word pairs and notice the changes in the vowel sounds, depending
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on whether the syllable is stressed or reduced. The first word of each pair has only one
syllable, so the vowel must be fully pronounced. The second word has two syllables, with
the second syllable reduced. Even though the ending of the second word is spelled exactly
the same as the first word, the vowel is pronounced differently because it’s part of the
reduced syllable.
Full vowel Reduced vowel

One syllable Unstressed second syllable
1. man /mæn/ salesman /ˈseɪlzmən/
2. pose /poʊz/ purpose /ˈpərpəs/
3. race /reɪs/ terrace /ˈtɛrəs/
4. late /leɪt/ chocolate /ˈʧɑklɪt/
5. cord /kɔrd/ record / ˈrɛkərd/
6. rage /reɪʤ/ courage /ˈkʌrɪʤ/
7. fast /fɑst/ breakfast /ˈbrɛkfəst/
8. land /lænd/ England /ˈɪŋglənd/

Now listen to vowel changes of words that have a reduced first syllable.
Full vowel Reduced vowel

One syllable Unstressed first syllable
1. con /kɑn/ control /kənˈtroʊl/
2. ad /æd/ advice /ədˈvaɪs/
3. lag /læg/ lagoon /ləˈgun/
4. ball /bɔl/ balloon /bəˈlun/
5. red /rɛd/ reduce /rɪˈdus/
6. off /ɑf/ offend /əˈfɛnd/
7. mat /mæt/ material /məˈtɪərɪəl/
8. mad /mæd/ Madrid /məˈdrɪd/
When vowels are reduced in unstressed syllables, it does not matter whether you use /ɪ/ or
/ə/. You can say below as /bɪˈloʊ/ or /bəˈloʊ/, decided as /dɪˈsaɪdɪd/ or /dəˈsaɪdɪd/,
Washington as /ˈwɑʃɪŋtɪn/ or /ˈwɑʃɪŋtən/. For most non-native speakers, it is usually best
to try to say /ɪ/
Dangers of Stressing the Wrong Syllable

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Stressing the wrong syllable sometimes creates misunderstandings because people think
you are pronouncing a completely different word. The following words are great examples
of why syllable stress is such an important component of the American accent.
1. Noble honorable, distinguished, aristocratic

Nobel a prestigious award of achievement
“He won the Nobel Prize for his noble effort.”
2. Invalid a sick or disabled person

Invalid not valid, void
“The invalid has an invalid permit.”

3. Personal individual, private
Personnel a group of people employed in an organization or a place of
work
“Some of the personnel have some personal problems.”
4. Eligible worthy of choice, suitable, legally qualified

Illegible impossible or hard to read
“You won’t be eligible for that position if your handwriting is illegible.”
5. Pronouns parts of speech that substitute for nouns are pronouns like
he/she
Pronounce to say words, to utter
“Can you pronounce those pronouns correctly?”
6. Comedy a humorous drama or play

Committee a group of people elected or appointed to perform a
function
“The committee watched a comedy.”
7. Advantages benefits or gain

Advantageous beneficial, useful
“It would be advantageous to learn about the advantages of that method.”
8. Decade ten years

Decayed become rotten or ruined
“Their relationship has decayed in the past decade.”
9. Content (noun) the subject matter of a book, speech, etc.

Content (adjective) satisfied and happy
“Are you content with the content of that letter?”

10. Career Profession
Carrier a person or company that carries or transports something
“He had a career working for an aircraft carrier.”
C General Rules for Stress Placement

How do you know which syllable is stressed in a word? This section will give you some
general guidelines and patterns of American English syllable stress. Keep in mind that
there are many exceptions to these rules and that English syllable stress can be quite
irregular. Get into the habit of using your dictionary or asking native speakers to
pronounce new or confusing words for you.
1. Two-Syllable Word Stress
Two-syllable words
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NOUNS VERBS
Stress the first syllable Stress the second syllable
1. action produce
2. paper achieve
3. building apply
4. concert succeed
5. teacher attach
6. father employ
7. window include
8. garden destroy

2. Shifts in Stress
Syllable stress in a word does not generally change. However, there is a large group of two-
syllable words of paired nouns and verbs that is spelled the same way, but is pronounced
differently when the stress in the word is changed. This change in stress also changes the
meaning of the word.
Usually, when the word is a noun, the stress falls on the first syllable. When the word is a
verb, the stress falls on the second syllable.
Listen carefully for the shift in stress in the following words and sentences.
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Verb Noun Example
1. conduct conduct Conduct yourself properly so that your conduct will not be
questioned.
2. conflict conflict The meeting may conflict with my schedule. If it does, I will
have a conflict.
3. convert convert When you convert from one religion to another, you are
known as a convert.
4. convicts convicts When the judge convicts him, he will join the convicts in
jail.
5. desert desert Don’t desert me when we go into the desert.
6. object object I object to that ugly object in the room.
7. present present She will present you with a present on your birthday.
8. produce produce The farm will produce food that we will sell in the produce
section of the market.
9. record record Record your speech on video so that we have a record of
your opinion.
10. subject subject Don’t subject us to that subject again because I know all
about it.

Exception:
Not all two-syllable words that are both nouns and verbs follow this stress rule. Stress is
on the first syllable for both the noun and the verb form of accent, comfort, purchase,
promise, and rescue. Stress is on the second syllable for both the noun and verb form of
control, surprise, and many words beginning with the prefixes <de, dis, re>, such as delay,
demand, desire, dispute, report, result, and review. Either syllable can be stressed in research
and detail.
Dialog for Practice

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A: Have you heard? The police caught the suspect.

B: Do you mean the one who is suspected of robbing the bank?
A: Yes, I heard that he had a criminal record.
B: Oh really? What crime was he convicted of?
A: He’s a drug addict who has been robbing banks to support his addiction.
B: How many years do you think he will spend in prison?
A: A maximum of ten years. But he might be released early on good conduct.
B: If he conducts himself badly and insults the prison guards, I wonder if his sentence
will be increased.
A: I don’t know. I haven’t heard of a prison term increase for insults and bad conduct.
Pair Work: Noun or Verb?
 Student A: Say the noun (a) or the verb (b) in the first column.
 Student B: Say the sentence that contains the noun or verb that you partner said.
Take turns choosing words to say. Do not say the noun every time.
Example: Student A: “Suspect.”

Student B: “He’s a suspect.”
Student A: “Object.”
Student B: “We object to that!”

1. a. suspect He’s a suspect.
b. suspect Do they suspect him of the crime?
2. a. object What’s this little object?
b. object We object to that!
3. a. record Our team has the record for most wins.
b. record We record every victory.
4. a. present We gave her a present.
b. present They plan to present her with an award.
5. a. conflict It was a terrible conflict.
b. conflict His views conflict with mine.
6. a. contract They agree to sign a contract.
b. contract Cold air makes metal contract.
7. a. contrast There’s a contrast between dark and light.
b. contrast The author wants to contrast good and evil.
3. Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives Ending in –ate

Note that the -ate word ending is pronounced fully in verbs but is reduced in adjectives and
nouns. For example, the -ate ending of the word separate is pronounced /eɪt/ when it is a
verb and /ɪt/ when it is a noun.
Word Pairs for Practice

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1. a. separate /eɪt/ (v) They have decided to separate.

b. separate /ɪt/ (adj) They will live in separate houses.
2. a. alternate /eɪt/ (v) She alternates between feeling happy and sad.
b. alternate /ɪt/ (adj) Do you have an alternate plan?
3. a. graduate /eɪt/ (v) He will graduate next spring.
b. graduate /ɪt/ (n) He will be a college graduate.

4. a. estimate /eɪt/ (v) Can you estimate the cost of the repairs?
b. estimate /ɪt/ (n) I would like to have an estimate of the costs.
5. a. duplicate /eɪt/ (v) I will duplicate this document.
b. duplicate /ɪt/ (n) Please make a duplicate of it.
6. a. appropriate /eɪt/ (v) The city appropriated the money for the new park.
b. appropriate /ɪt/ (adj) It was an appropriate decision.
Practice Dialogues
Read the following dialogs. Pay more attention to the correct pronunciation of the <ate>
ending and mark the stress in the bold words.
1. A: Are you a graduate student?

B: Yes, and I hope to graduate next spring.
2. A: How much do they estimate it will cost to fix your car?
B: They gave me an estimate of $500.
3. A: Has Susan separated from her husband?
B: Yes, but I think it will be difficult for them to live separately.
4. A: I asked Professor Jones a question, and he elaborated on it for ten minutes.
B: Yes, he always gives elaborate explanations.
5. A: My doctor told me to get a moderate amount of exercise.
B: You could try swimming and jogging on alternate days.
A: Or I could alternate walking and driving to work.
6. A: Johnnie deliberately tried to set the house on fire, but fortunately I caught him
just in time!
B: I think you’re exaggerating.

D Stress in Words with Prefixes and Suffixes
1. Prefixes
When a prefix is added before the base of a word, the stress pattern of the base word usually
remains the same. The meaning of the word, however, changes.
PREFIX MEAING BASE WORD PREFIX ADDED

1. auto- self biography autobiography
2. dis- opposite of agree disagree
3. inter- among, between national international
4. re- again write rewrite
5. un- opposite of, not happy unhappy
2. Suffixes
When a suffix is added to the end of a base word, the stress pattern of the word usually
changes. The stress usually falls on the syllable that comes immediately before the added
suffix.
SUFIX MEAING BASE WORD SUFIX ADDED

1. -ic relating to democrat democratic
2. -ical relating to alphabet alphabetical
3. -ious quality of, state of mystery mysterious
4. -tion quality of, state of accuse accusation
5. -ity quality of, state of possible possibility

Syllable Stress Changes
Track 76
When a word changes from a noun to a verb or to an adjective or adverb, frequently the
stress placement changes as well. Listen to these common words that non-native speakers
tend to mispronounce (read across).
politics political politician

photograph photographic photography
compete competitive competition
economy economical economize
democrat democracy democratic
family familiar familiarity
necessary necessarily necessity
hospital hospitality hospitable
origin originality original
mechanic mechanism mechanical
define definition definitely
vary variety variation
courage courageous
probably probability
geography geographic
memory memorial
Canada Canadian
ignore ignorance
Practice Sentences
Track 77
1. a. He likes politics.
b. He wants to be a politician.
2. a. I love photography.
b. Do you take a lot of photographs?

3. a. He studied economy.
b. He is an economical shopper.
4. a. Do you know that family?
b. Yes, they’re familiar to me.
5. a. He is a very good mechanic.
b. He is fixing the mechanism.
6. a. Their opinions vary.
b. There is a variety of opinions in the room.
7. a. We celebrate Memorial Day.
b. It’s in memory of the veterans.
8. a. Do you know the origin of your name?
b. No, it’s pretty original.
9. a. He is a registered Democrat.
b. He watched the democratic debate on TV.
10. a. It is not necessary to do that.
b. I don’t necessarily agree.
11. a. He likes to compete.
b. He’s always been very competitive.
Practice Dialog
Mark in the stress in the italicized words. Then practice the dialog.
A: Who is the man in this photograph? He looks like a politician or a diplomat.

B: I believe that’s Joe Moneybags, the Democratic congressman from Massachusetts.
He’s very diplomatic. His competitors never seem to be able to defeat him.
A: You seem to be familiar with politics. Do you belong to a political party?
B: No, I’m neither a Democrat nor a Republican. But I take my personal duty as a
citizen in a democracy very seriously and vote in every election.

E Disappearing Syllables
When pronouncing the following list of words, do not pronounce all of the syllables.
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Instead of saying “choc-o-late,” with three syllables, say “choc-late” with only two
syllables. Instead of “brocc-o-li,” say “brocc-li.” In both of those words, one of the middle
vowels disappears. Below is a list of the most common words that have a dropped syllable.
Practice Paragraph
Track 79
Listen to the following passage. Cross out all the unstressed vowels that can be omitted
I went to an interesting restaurant on Wednesday. First,

I had chicken with a lot of different vegetables. Then I
had a piece of chocolate cake. In general, I don’t like
chocolate, but the cake was lovely.

6 Word Stress
To speak English clearly, one must use proper stress on words. The way a word is stressed
can affect its meaning. So it is important to focus on word stress as a part of learning to
speak English clearly and effectively.
If your sentences are difficult to understand, it could be that you are not stressing any
words, or else that you are stressing the wrong words. If you are not emphasizing any
words, your speech will sound flat and monotone, and the listener will not know where
one word begins and another ends. If you are stressing the wrong words, your speech will
sound very foreign.
In this chapter, we will learn some of the most basic and frequently used word-stress
patterns. There are many word-stress patterns in English. Most words consist of more than
one syllable, with both stressed and unstressed syllables. There are also words that consist
of two words which combined, create one meaning. We will begin with these.
A Stress in Compound Nouns

A compound noun is a sequence of two or more words that together have a new meaning
and function as a single noun. The second element or “word” of the compound is a noun;
the first element is usually a noun but may also be another part of speech. A compound
noun may be written as one or two words.
A compound noun is pronounced like a single word. There is only one main stress, which
falls on the first element (usually the first syllable).
Chapter 6: Word Stress 73

Compound Nouns for Practice
Track 80
Stress the first word and pronounce the two words as one
parking lot book shelf credit card football

parking ticket book cover postcard baseball
parking meter bookstore report card ballpark
parking space bookmark green card ballroom
Proper Stress with Adjectives

When an adjective is followed by a noun, the noun is stressed.
Track 81
nice day small room blue eyes old man
big house long time good job first grade
Practice Sentences
Track 82
1. John has blue eyes and blond hair.

2. He has two sons and three daughters.
3. You did a great job working on the new project.
4. Did you get a good deal on that new car?
5. They bought an expensive house in a nice neighborhood.
6. I read an interesting article about the famous architect.
7. We took a long walk after eating a big meal.
8. That little girl with the curly hair is wearing a cute dress.
9. Her new boyfriend gave her red roses for her twenty-fifth birthday.
10. My favorite films are “American Beauty,” “The Green Mile,” and “The Dark Knight.”

Compound Noun vs. Adjective + Noun
Practice saying the word pairs while stressing the words in bold letters.
Track 83
Compound Noun Adjective + Noun
1. swimming pool deep pool

2. drug store large store
3. newspaper new paper
4. credit card plastic card
5. sunglasses nice glasses
6. postman tall man
7. bus driver fast driver
8. textbook good book
9. palm tree tall tree
10. fingernails long nails
11. girlfriend great friend
Practice Sentences
Track 84
1. They had a good time playing football.

2. I bought some sunglasses at the new store.
3. My hairdresser has blond hair.
4. The postman brought me an important letter.
5. That salesman is a very nice man.
6. Her large apartment is on the third floor of that apartment building.
7. I left my cell phone in the front seat of my friend’s car.
8. Let’s go see the new film at the movie theater.

Compound versus Non-Compound Constructions
Sometimes in a compound noun, the first word is an adjective that no longer carries the
original meaning. The meaning has been lost and has become a part of a fixed phrase or
common expression
Compound Constructions Non-Compound Constructions

Track 85
An English teacher … An English teacher …
… teaches English … is from England.
An English book … An English book … is on any subject.
… teaches the English language but it comes from England.
An English test … And English test … is on any subject.
… tests a student on the English language. but it deals with or comes from England.
Certain adjective + noun compounds may not function as compounds. It depends on what
Track 86
the speaker means to say. Listen and repeat.
1. a. I saw a blackbird on the tree. (Type of bird)

b. I saw a black bird on the tree. (Color of bird)
2. a. The president lives in the White House. (Official residence of the president)
b. He lives in the white house. (Color of house)
3. a. My brother is a gentleman; he always opens a door for a lady. (A man who is polite)
b. My brother is a gentle man. (A man who is kind and loving)
4. a. He plays shortstop on his team. (A position on the field when playing baseball)
b. She made a short stop at the traffic light. (Foot on the brake)
5. a. She cooks meals on a hot plate. (A small stove used for heating food)
b. She burned her hand on the hot plate. (A dish that was hot)
6. a. He took a shortcut to his house. (A shorter way than usual to get home)
b. My sister went to the hair stylist for a new short cut. (Her hair was cut short.)

B Phrasal Verbs
Some verbs followed by prepositions have special meanings, and are called two-word
Track 87
verbs or phrasal verbs. In phrasal verbs, the stress is in on the last word.
back up dream up hand in take in

back down dress up hand out take out
back off find out leave out take off
call off give back put on use up
calm down give in put off wind up
clean up give up slow down
Noun Forms of Phrasal Verbs

Sometimes the phrasal verb has a noun equivalent, or a “phrasal noun.” In that case, the
Track 88
stress is on the first word. We say “work out” if it’s a verb, and “workout” if it’s a noun.
Phrasal verbs Nouns

(stress on the second word) (stress on the first word)
1. The car was tuned up. My car needed a tune-up.

2. I worked out yesterday. I had a great workout.
3. The papers were handed out. We got some interesting handouts.
4. They covered it up well. I heard about the cover-up.
5. A lot of food was left over. We ate leftovers for lunch.
6. That really turns me off! That’s such a turnoff!
7. They let me down. It was a big letdown.
8. The order was mixed up. We’re sorry about the mix-up.
9. He dropped out. He’s a high school dropout.
10. I need to sign up for the class. Where is the sign-up sheet?

Sentences for Practice
Track 89
1. We have a backup plan in case things don’t work out.

2. I found out that my pickup truck needs a tune-up.
3. The marriage was called off because the couple broke up.
4. Let’s eat out after our workout.
5. He called me up to tell me about the holdup at the bank.
6. We dressed up for the sit-down dinner.
7. We found out that the check-in time was put off.
8. I am trying to cut down on eating out.
9. I looked it over and gave him the printout.
10. There was a mix-up at the drive-through window.
C Abbreviations and Numbers

Always stress the last letter or the last number when pronouncing abbreviations.
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Abbreviations
1. MBA 4. CNN 7. FBI

2. UCLA 5. USA 8. PhD
3. JFK 6. IBM 9. AT&T
Numbers
1. 1997 3. 11:45 5. 911

2. 5:15 4. $37.99 6. (310) 555-2389

Track 91
1. He arrived at LAX at 8: 25 a.m.

2. He has a PhD from UCLA.
3. My SUV was made in the USA.
4. We arrived in the USA in 2007.
5. My class starts at 9:15 and ends at 10:45
D Names of Places and People

When pronouncing a name – whether of a person or place – always stress the last word.
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Place names
1. New York 5. Las Vegas

2. Central Park 6. Palm Springs
3. South Africa 7. North Dakota
4. Venice Beach 8. Mount Everest
Names of people
1. George Washington 4. John F. Kennedy

2. Bill Clinton 5. Martin Luther King
3. Tom Cruise 6. Julia Roberts
Practice Paragraph
Track 93
This passage includes examples of all of the different word stress rules you have learned
so far. Stress the words in bold letters.

Trip to LA
I am planning to visit the West Coast. I will take United Airlines flight 307. It leaves JFK at
9:00 am and arrives at LAX at 12:15. I found out that there’s a three-hour time difference
between LA and New York. I hope I get over my jetlag pretty quickly. After I check in at
the hotel, I will call a taxicab to pick me up and take me to Universal Studios. Who knows,
I might even see some famous movie stars like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Oh, I hope I don’t
pass out! I also plan to visit Palm Springs and San Diego. On my way back, I’m planning a
layover in Las Vegas. I really think it’s going to be a nice getaway.

7 Sentence Stress
Compare the two pictures below. In the picture on the left, the butterfly is hard to see
because it is the same as the things around it. The butterfly on the right is lighter than
everything else around it. This contrast between light and dark makes the butterfly easier
to notice.
This is the same kind of contrast English speakers use to stress a syllable and its peak vowel
in important words. If you learn to use contrast to emphasize important words, you will:
 Be understood better
 Hear better
A Content and Function Words

When speaking, native English speakers stress the most important words in a sentence.
These words are usually nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs. They are called content words,
because they express the main idea or content of the phrase or sentence. They are words
that carry the message. Here are some examples of content words.
Chapter 7: Sentence Stress 81

CONTENT WORDS
Nouns: book, pencil, chair, floor, ticket, class, cousin
Verbs: run, teach, speak, remind, apologize, dance
Adjectives: sick, simple, green, hot, happy, big, very
Adverbs: really, certainly, almost, slowly, today, too, often
Less important words are articles, pronouns, possessives, prepositions, auxiliary verbs,
and conjunctions. They are called function words. These words are generally not stressed.
They connect the content words to form grammatical sentences. Here are some examples
of function words.
FUNCTION WORDS
Auxiliary verbs: may, do, have (if not the main verb)
Prepositions: under, around, near
Conjunctions: but, and, or, than
Determiners: the, some, any
Possessive adjectives: my, your, her, his
Pronouns: them, us, himself
Exception:
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There is one exception to the rule above: auxiliary verbs are stressed in their negative
forms. See below.
Affirmative Negative
I can do it. I can’t do it.
He should try it. He shouldn’t try it.
I’d like it. I wouldn’t like it.

B Sentence Stress
During conversations, successful listeners interpret content words to figure out what
someone is trying to communicate (the message). Therefore, it is important that the
speaker learn to stress these content words correctly and not to stress the function words
that are used as grammatical links. This contributes to the understanding of the language.
As a general rule, the last content word of a phrase or sentence gets the most stress.
It’s black.
It’s black and white.
Practice Sentences
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Remember to stress the last content word in each sentence. Notice how the stress changes
as more information is added to the end. The underlined word gets the most stress.
1. I like bacon.
I like bacon and eggs.
2. It’s black.
It’s black and white.
3. Do you want salt?
Do you want salt and pepper?
4. That’s good.
That’s a good idea.
5. It’s hot.
It’s a hot day.
6. I need it.
I need to go.
I need to go home.
I need to go home at five o’clock.

7. I saw him.
I saw the man.
I saw the man you told me about.
8. He drove it.
He drove the car.
He drove the car he bought yesterday.
He drove the car that he bought from his friend.
C Reducing Vowels in Unstressed Words
1. Weak Form
Native English speakers usually reduce “function words” when speaking. When a word is
reduced we use the “weak form” of the word. The weak form is said more quickly and more
softly. The vowel becomes the schwa sound /ə/.
Listen and repeat. First, you will hear the function word alone. This is its stressed form.
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Then, you will hear a sentence with the unstressed form of the word.
STRESSED FORM UNSTRESSED FORM
1. a /eɪ/ /ə/ Did you read a good book?

2. an /æn/ /ən/ Have an orange.
3. and /ænd/ /ənd/ We saw Jack and Jill.
/’n/ /’nd/
4. are /ɑː/ /ə/ Mary and June are sisters.
5. as /æz/ /əz/ You’re as sweet as sugar.
6. because /bɪ'kɒz/ /bɪ'kəz/ I like it because it’s nice.
7. can /kæn/ /kən/ I can do it.
8. for /fɔː/ /fə/ Is it for me?
9. from /frɒm/ /frəm/ This is from my brother.

10. had /hæd/ /həd/ He had been there.
11. has /hæz/ /həz/ He has nine brothers.
12. have /hæv/ /həv/ We should have waited longer.

13. of /ɒv/ /əv/ I’m thinking of you.
14. or /ɔː/ /ə/ I want three or four.
15. that /ðæt/ /ðət/ It’s the one that got away.
16. than /ðæn/ /ðən/ It’s nicer than yours.
17. to /tuː/ /tə/ Go to school.
18. was /wɒz/ /wəz/ It was good.
Practice Sentences
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to becomes /tə/ I’d like to go.
I need to talk to you.
I’d like to go to the park.
and becomes /n/ bacon ‘n’ eggs
black ‘n’ white
in ‘n’ out
rock ‘n’ roll
for becomes /fər/ Let’s go for a walk.
Wait for John.
This is for Bill.
I’m looking for my book.
can becomes /kən/ I can do it.
You can call me.
Can you swim?
When can you come over?

as becomes /əz/ It’s as big as a house.
I’m as hungry as a wolf.
I’ll call you as soon as I can.
Keep it as long as you need it.
or becomes /ər/ Is it this one or that one?
I’ll do it today or tomorrow.

I saw it five or six times.
I’m leaving on Monday or Tuesday.
2. Strong Forms
When the function word is at the end of the sentence, or if it’s used for emphasis, make
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sure you use the “strong form” of the word. Let’s compare a few sentences with weak and
strong forms.
Weak form Strong form

Reduced vowel Full vowel
for I’m looking for you. Who are you looking for?
to Would you like to go? I’d love to.
at He’s at the bank. Are you laughing with me or at me?
D Reducing Pronouns
When we reduce the pronouns, the first letter is often silent. For example, the letter h is
often silent for the words he, him, his, her, and hers when these pronouns are not the first
words of a sentence.

1. was he Was he on time?
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2. would he Would he be free tonight?
3. can he Can he speak Russian?
4. if he Tell me if he calls.
5. give him Please give him the message.
6. let him; of him Let him know I’m thinking of him.
7. ask him Ask him to bring the CDs.
8. remind him Remind him to set the alarm.
9. what’s her What’s her phone number?
10. where’s her Where’s her office?
11. send her; for her Send her flowers for her birthday.
12. bet her I bet her $10 she would win first place.
13. that’s his That’s his car.
14. what’s his What’s his name?
15. is his This is his book.
16. has his She has his files.
Him = /ɪm/ Them = /em/

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Pronounce the word “him” as /ɪm/ and the word “them” as /em/. These words sound very
similar, even to native English speakers.
1. a) Give him the disk. b) Give them the disk.

2. a) Tell him I called. b) Tell them I called.
3. a) Ask him to come over. b) Ask them to come over.
4. a) Let him speak. b) Let them speak.
Pair work: Linking over the silent letter -h-

1. Read the following sentences and draw an X through each -h- that should be
silent.

2. Draw linking marks to connect the vowel after the silent -h- to the word that
comes before it.
3. Student A: Say sentence a or b.
Take turns choosing a sentence to say. Do not always choose sentence a.
Example: Student A: “Did he go?”

Student B: “No. he didn’t.”
1. a. Did he go? No, he didn’t.

b. Did she go? Yes, she did.
2. a. Is her work good? Yes, she does well.
b. Is his work good? Yes, he does a great job?
3. a. Give him a call. I don’t have his number.
b. Give me a call. Okay, what’s your number?
4. a. Did you take her pen? No, it’s mine.
b. Did you take your pen? No, I forgot.
5. a. Is this his apartment? No, he lives upstairs.
b. Is this Sue’s apartment? No, she lives downstairs.
6. a. Is he busy? No, he isn’t.
b. Is she busy? Yes, she is.
Pair Work: Dialog

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1. Read the dialog that follows. Cross out each -h- that should be silent.
2. Listen to the dialog to see if you cross our every silent -h-.
The Missing Singer
Stage manager: Where’s our singer?

Assistant: I think he’s practicing, sir.
Stage manager: But we need him on stage now!
Assistant: Well, you know how nervous he gets.

Stage manager: Did you tell him the concert’s about to start?
Assistant: He’s practicing just as fast as he can.
3. Practice the dialog with a partner. Be sure to link over each silent -h-.
E Thought Groups and Focus Words
When sentences are longer, they are divided into “thought groups.” Thought groups are
words that naturally belong together as grammatical unit. We instinctively pause between
thought groups, although the pause is not as long as when there’s a comma or a period.
Here is an example of a sentence that is divided into two different thought groups:
“I like bacon and eggs // early in the morning.”
It’s natural to divide this sentence, and it sounds better than if you would have said: “I like
bacon and eggs early in the morning,” without pausing.
Within each thought group there is always one word that gets the most stress. That
stressed word is called a “focus word.” The focus word is the word that carries the key
information of the thought group. It’s usually the last content word within the thought
group. For example, in the example sentence above, eggs and morning are the focus words.
There is some variation between different speakers regarding how often to pause within a
longer sentence. People who speak quickly tend to pause less and their sentences have
fewer thought groups.

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Practice stressing the focus words and pausing between the thought groups.
1. I want to talk to you // about something important.

2. If you give me your email address* // I will send you the information.

3. Every time I stop by his office, // he’s too busy to talk to me.
4. I wonder how long // it will take me // to learn to speak English like you.
5. What did you think of the new restaurant // that we went to last night?
6. He has been looking for a new job // for a long time now // but he just hasn’t found
anything // that he really likes.
(*Email address is a compound noun, so we stress the first word.)
Practice Conversation
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Phone Tag
Mary’s answering machine: Hi, this is Mary. I am sorry // I missed your call. Please leave
a message // after the beep, and I’ll call you back // as soon as I can.
Mike: Hi Marry, this is Mike. It’s been a while // since we last spoke. // I hope you’re doing
well. I’m calling to see // if you’re free tomorrow. // I am going hiking // with some
friends // and I wanted to see // if you’d like to join us. // It would be great to see you. //
Give me a call // and let me know // if you’re available.
Mary: Hi Mike, // this is Mary, // returning your call. // It was great to hear from you. //
Sorry that we keep missing each other. // Yeah, // I’d love to go hiking with you. // Let me
know // what time you’re thinking of going. // I’m looking forward to it. // I should be
home tonight // after seven, // so call me // and let me know // where we should meet.
Practice Paragraph
In the morning // the sun was up // and the tent was starting to get hot. Nick crawled out
// under the mosquito netting // stretched across the mouth of the tent, to look at the
morning. The grass was wet on his hands // as he came out. He held his trousers // and
his shoes // in his hands. The sun was just up // over the hill. There was the meadow, the
river // and the swamp. There were birch trees // in the green of the swamp // on the other
side of the river.

F Contrastive Stress
We also sometimes stress words to bring out a special meaning or to clarify what we mean
when there is confusion. In this case, any word in a sentence can be stressed, including a
function word.
Notice how the meaning changes while the actual words stay the same.
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1. I didn’t say he stole the money. Someone else said it.

2. I didn’t say he stole the money. That’s not true at all.
3. I didn’t say he stole the money. I only suggested the possibility.
4. I didn’t say he stole the money. I think someone else took it.
5. I didn’t say he stole the money. maybe he just borrowed it.
6. I didn’t say he stole the money, but rather some other money.
7. I didn’t say he stole the money. He may have taken some jewelry.
Contrastive for Clarification

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Notice how the stressed words emphasize a particular meaning or a need for clarification.
1. Do you need a ticket to Paris or from Paris?

2. Did you say inside or outside?
3. I want two pieces, not one.
4. It’s under the desk, not on the desk.
5. The government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.
Emphasizing Auxiliaries
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Notice the extra stress placed on the auxiliaries to clarify or strengthen a point. The
underlined word indicates extra stress.

1. A. You don’t understand me.
B. I do understand you.
2. A. You didn’t go, did you?
B. I did go.
3. A. You’ve never been here, have you?
B. I have been here. Practice
Pair Work: Dialogues

1. Listen and practice this dialogue. Use a change in pitch and an extra long vowel
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sound to emphasize the underlined focus words.
Child at the Shoe Store
Child: I want some shoes.

Parent: What kind of shoes?
Child: The beautiful kind!
Parent: Black or brown?
Child: Neither. I’m tired of black and brown. I want red shoes. Shiny red shoes!
Note: The fourth line above has two focus words, “black” and “brown.” Both focus
words are emphasized.
2. Under line focus words in these dialogues. Some of the statements may have two
focus words.
A traveler
Travel agent: Where do you want to go?

Traveler: China.
Travel agent: Where in China. To the north or to the south?
Traveler: Neither. I’ve seen the north and south. I’m going to east.

Two People on the Street
Woman: What are they building?

Man: They’re building a school.
Woman: What kind of school? Elementary or high school?
Man: Neither. I think it’s a trade school.
A tourist
Tourist: What’s the best part of Canada?

Canadian: That depends. Do you prefer the city of the countryside?
Tourist: Well, I like scenery.
Canadian: Then you should go to the far north of the country.
Tourist: Do they have good shopping there?
Canadian: Maybe you’d better go to Toronto.
Pair Work: Listening for the Focus Word

Student B: Listen closely for the focus word, and say the matching response.
Example: Student A: “It’s a big dog.”

Student B: “No. it’s really more medium-sized”
Student A: “It’s a big dog.”

Student B: “NO, it’s a wolf.”
1. a. It’s a big dog. No, it’s a wolf.

b. It’s a big dog. No, it’s really more medium-sized.
2. a. But we asked for two coffees! Oh, I thought you wanted tea.
b. But we asked for two coffees! Oh, I thought you wanted one.

3. a. I thought you bought a big car. No, it was a motorcycle.
b. I thought you bought a big car. No, it was a little one.
4. a. Is that a silver watch? No, it’s a bracelet.
b. Is that a silver watch? No, it’s platinum.
5. a. I prefer beef soup. Not stew?
b. I prefer beef soup. Not chicken?
6. a. Is there milk in the refrigerator? No, it’s on the table.
b. Is there milk in the refrigerator? No, but there’s juice.

8 Word Linking
A Linking Words for Smoother Speech Flow

Native speakers connect, or “link,” words together if the words are part of the same
thought group. They connect the last sound of one word to the first sound of the next word.
Linking creates the smooth, uninterrupted sounds that are the key to natural, fluent
sounding speech.
If you’re making the common error of dropping the endings of words by not pronouncing
the final consonant, the problem will automatically be solved when you apply the rules of
linking to your speech. Linking requires you to connect the final consonant with the next
word, if it begins with a vowel. In this way, the final sound, which is always more difficult
to pronounce, becomes the first sound of the word that follows it. For example, it’s more
difficult to say “burned out” than to say “burn doubt.”

Linking and speaking fast are not the same thing! You
don’t need to speak fast. When native speakers link words,
they are not necessarily speaking faster. The speech is just
smoother, and less choppy. It’s extremely important to
stress the content words when you are linking words
because this will force you to slow down at the right place,
and it will make your speech more easily understood.
Chapter 8: Word Connection 95

B Rules for Linking
1. Liaison Rule 1: Consonant / Vowel

When a word ends in a consonant and the next word begins with a vowel, connect the final
consonant to the next vowel, making it sound as if the second word starts with a
consonant. Study the examples below to make this point clear.
Sounds like:
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1. read only read donly
2. fall off fal loff
3. follow up on follo wupon
4. come in comin
5. call him callim
6. sell it sellit
7. take out takeout
8. fade away fadaway
9. 6 – 0 sixoh
10. MA emay
Practice Sentences
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Let’s practice linking a final consonant of a word with the initial vowel of the following
word using some everyday phrases used in sentences.
1. good‿evening Have‿a good‿evening.

2. hold‿on Please hold‿on‿a minute.
3. good‿idea That’s‿a really good‿idea.
4. I like‿it. I like‿it‿a lot.
5. speak‿English Do you speak‿English?
6. cup‿of coffee I’d like‿a cup‿of coffee.

7. just‿a minute I’ll be there‿in just‿a minute.
8. where‿are Where‿are you from?
9. there‿are There‿are a‿lot‿of people here.
10. kind‿of I’m kind‿of hungry.
Practice Dialogues
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Note that the words in bold get the most stress.
1. a. Can‿I come‿in?
b. Yes, come‿on‿in. The door‿is‿open.
2. a. Should‿I leave‿it‿on?
b. No, turn‿it‿off.
3. a. What time‿is‿it?
b. It’s‿already five‿o’clock.
4. a. Let’s take‿a walk.
b. That’s‿a good‿idea.
5. a. How far‿is‿it?
b. Four‿and‿a half hours‿away.
6. a. This‿is‿a good film.
b. Too bad it’s sold out.
7. a. I have‿an‿awful headache.
b. Take‿an‿aspirin.
8. a. This‿is my brother - in-law.
b. We’ve‿already met.
Practice Dialog
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This exercise and those that follow will help you practice linking. Remember to place the
most stress on the key word, usually a noun or a verb. For longer sentences, place the most
stress on the focus word of each thought group.

In the Department Store
A: Can‿I help you?

B: I’m looking for‿a pair‿of sunglasses.
A: The sunglasses‿are‿on the other side‿of the make‿up counter.
B: Oh these‿are nice. Can‿I try them‿on?
A: The mirror‿is‿over here.
B: How much‿are these?
A: They’re‿on sale for one hundred and eighty dollars.
B: That’s‿a lot‿of money. I don’t think‿I can‿afford that.
A: The style‿is‿amazing. We’re‿almost‿all‿sold‿out.
B: Do you have‿any that‿are cheaper?
A: No, I am‿afraid‿I don’t. Is there‿anything‿else‿I can help you find?
B: As‿a matter‿of fact, yes. Help me find‿a rich husband.
2. Liaison Rule 2: Consonant / Consonant
 Linking a Consonant to the Same Consonant
When the final consonant of one word is the same as the first consonant of the following
word, pronounce the consonant only one. Do not pause between the sounds, but just
lengthen the sound a bit or say it with a little bit more energy.
1. big‿game 6. far‿right
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2. well‿lit 7. stop‿playing
3. can‿never 8. tom‿might
4. good‿day 9. book‿club
5. this‿Saturday 10. what‿time

 Linking a Consonant to a Consonant with the Same Articulation
When a final consonant sound of a word is made in the same place of articulation as the
first consonant sound of the next word, one placement is made for both sounds.
Behind the
teeth At the lips
/t/ /d/ /p/ /b/
/tʃ/ /dʒ/ /f/ /v/
- /l/ - /m/
- /n/ - /w/
/s/ /z/ In the throat
/ʃ/ /ʒ/ /k/ /g/
- /j/ /h/ -
- /ŋ/
- /r/
1. great‿driver 6. one‿light
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2. save‿five 7. have‿fun
3. dark‿gray 8. safe‿visit
4. thank‿goodness 9. well‿done
5. drop‿behind 10. both‿things
 Linking a Stop Consonant to a Consonant
When a stop consonant is followed by another consonant, you must hold the stop. In other
words, don’t release the puff of air after you create the sound. Releasing the air will create
an extra syllable. Make sure that good time doesn’t sound like “good a time” and that help
me doesn’t sound like “help a me.”

up there baked beans great day cook book
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help me fried chicken big deal dark night
drop down good music blog post break time
3. Liaison Rule 3: Vowel / Vowel

If one word ends with a vowel and the next word begins with a vowel, do not pause
between the words. For a smoother transition between the sounds and to ensure a
complete pronunciation of both of the vowels, we insert a short /j/ sound after a front
vowel (such as /eɪ/, /i/, and /aɪ /) and a short /w/ sound after a back vowel (such as /ʊ/ and
/oʊ/) .
Sounds like:
Insert a very quick /w/ sound Go out “go – /w/out”
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How are you? “how – /w/are you?”
Insert a very quick /j/ sound I am “I – /j/am”
They are “They – /j/are”
Practice Dialogues
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1. a. Why‿/j/are you so‿/w/upset?

b. I‿/j/am not!
2. a. Who‿/w/is he?
b. He‿/j/is the‿/j/announcer.
3. a. How‿/w/is the weather?
b. Go‿/w/outside‿and find‿out.
4. a. Do‿/w/I need to do‿/w/it?
b. No, I‿/j/already did‿it.

Practice Paragraphs
At the Beach
We‿/j/often go to the beach on the weekend. We‿always go by car, because it’s faster. My
roommate will try‿anything. He loves to surf, but he isn’t a great surfer. He‿always falls
off the surfboard. “What’s the‿answer?” he‿asked me. “I hate to say‿it, but I think you
should find another sport,” I said.
Jokes between Friends
Sometimes I go‿/w/over to my friend’s house. The first thing she says when we meet is
“How‿are you?” But if I really tell her how‿I am, she doesn’t listen. This happens
so‿often that I decided to‿answer “fine” every time.
But then one day I said, “You never listen.” So she apologized and said, “From now‿on I’ll
do better.” Then she asked, “How‿are you?” and I said “Terrible!” She knew‿I was joking,
so she said, “That’s great! See how‿I’m listening to‿everything you say?”
Practice Paragraph
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This passage provides practice in linking vowel to vowel, consonant to vowel, and
consonant to consonant. The focus words are in bold letters. The thought groups are
divided by a slash.
My American Accent
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I’ve been practicing the‿/j/American‿accent // for‿a while now. At first, // it was

kind‿of hard // to keep track‿ of‿ all the rules‿ and‿exceptions. I had no‿/w/idea //
there was‿so much to learn. I’ve been practicing with the‿/j/audio materials. // It’s
somewhat‿easier // to pronounce‿some‿of the sounds // but‿it’s difficult to know
how‿/w/I sound‿to‿/w/others. I think‿I’m getting better. One‿of the hardest‿things
for me // is to stress‿some syllables // and to reduce‿certain‿others. When‿I‿/j/ask
my friends how‿/w/I sound, they‿/j/all say // they hear‿a difference‿in my speech. My

boss‿said‿that‿I‿am‿making progress // and that‿I sound more‿and more like‿a
native speaker. My clients‿are not‿asking me // to repeat myself‿as much. It
makes‿it‿all worthwhile. I won’t stop‿practicing.
4. Liaison Rule 4: Changing Sounds

When a word ends with a /t/ or /d/ and the following word starts with a /j/, when speaking
quickly, you will hear a /tʃ/ sound as in “choke”, or a /dʒ/ sound as in “joke”
/t/ + /j/ = /tʃ/ Can’t‿you do it?

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Don’t‿you like it?
Wouldn’t‿you?
Haven’t‿you?
No, not‿yet.
I’ll let‿you know.
Can I get‿you a drink?
Is that‿your final answer?
/d/ + /j/ = /dʒ/ Did‿you see it?
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How did‿you like it?
Could‿you tell?
Where did‿you send‿your check?
What did‿your family think?
Did‿you find‿your keys?
We followed‿your instructions.
When the sound of /s/ or /z/ is followed by a word that starts with /j/ sound, both
sounds are connected. Therefore, you will hear a /ʃ/ sound as in “she” or a /ʒ/ sound as in
pleasure when speaking quickly.
/s/ + /j/ = /ʃ/ Yes‿you are

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Bless‿you!

Press‿your hands together.
Can you dress‿yourself?
You can pass‿your exams this‿year.
I try to guess‿your age.
Let him gas‿your car for you.
Yes‿you are.
/z/ + /j/ = /ʒ/ How’s‿your family?
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How was‿your trip?
Who’s‿your friend?
Where’s‿your mom?
When’s‿your birthday?
She says‿you’re OK.
Who does‿your hair?

9 Contractions
In speaking, as well as in informal writing, we may use a shortened form of a word or

words by omitting or combining some of the letters or sounds. An apostrophe (’) is
used for these contractions. Contractions are a standard part of English speech and
they’re used even in very formal situations. Using contractions is not considered
sloppy or lazy speech. In fact, if you don’t use contractions, your speech will sound
mechanical and foreign and might even give the impression that you are not very
fluent in English
You + have = You’ve

He + would = He’d
Can + not = Can’t
I + will = I’ll
A Commonly Contracted Words

1. I’ll I’ll see you later.
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2. You’ll You’ll be on time.
3. We’ll We’ll go too.
Chapter 9: Contractions 104

4. He’ll He’ll organize the event.
5. She’ll She’ll be joining us later.
6. What’ll What’ll you have?
7. Where’ll Where’ll you stay on vacation?
8. It’ll It’ll be just fine.
9. He’s He’s very handsome.
10. She’s She’s the brightest child in her class.
11. What’s What’s going on?
12. It’s It’s time to go.
13. That’s That’s great!
14. Who’s Who’s calling please?
15. They’ve They’ve got everything.
16. We’ve We’ve got it made!
17. Why’ve Why’ve you been working so hard?
18. I’ve I’ve been coming in early.
19. What’ve What’ve you been doing lately?
20. I’d I’d rather not say.
21. It’d It’d better be done by tomorrow.
22. We’d We’d like to see a menu, please.
23. Where’d Where’d you put the phone?
24. He’d He’d rather go to a movie than to a play.
25. She’d She’d like a new sweater.
26. You’d You’d do the same if you were me.
27. We’re We’re going to Florida next week.
28. You’re You’re invited to the conference.
29. They’re They’re throwing a party over there.
30. How’re How’re we supposed to do this?
31. I’m I’m so happy I can hardly sit still!

Practice with contractions
Common expressions
Track 124
1. How’s it going? 7. That’ll be all. 13. Where’s he from?
2. What’s up? 8. It’ll be hot. 14. Where’re they from?
3. What’re you doing? 9. It’ll be good. 15. I’d like that.
4. What’ve you been up to? 10. It’ll rain. 16. Who’s calling?
5. What’s the matter? 11. How’ve you been? 17. What’s new?
6. What’ll it be? 12. Where’re you going? 18. I’m fine
B Casual Versus Formal Speech

Casual speech is used in an informal setting with friends and acquaintances. In casual
situations, we are sometimes less careful with pronunciation and grammar. Remember,
just like with contractions, there are rules to casual speech. Don’t assume that you can
randomly reduce any sounds that you feel like reducing. Doing this will only make your
speech sound more foreign or more difficult to understand.
Here are some rules of the simplifications that are made in informal speech.
Track 125
Rules and Patterns of Casual Speech

Formal, careful Informal, Examples
speech relaxed speech
You ya I’ll call ya.

See ya.
because ‘cuz I did it ‘cuz I wanted to.

I’m tired ‘cuz I worked all day.
I don’t know I dunno I dunno why.

I dunno what to do.
let me lemme Lemme do it.

Lemme help you.
Lemme talk to him.

give me gimme Gimme a call.
Gimme a break.
Can you gimme a minute?
did you…? joo Joo call me?

Why joo do it?
Joo go out last night?
do you want wanna…? Wanna go out?

to…? Wanna dance?
What do you wanna do?
have got to gotta I gotta go.

You gotta do it.
should’ve shoulda You shoulda told me.

would’ve woulda It woulda been nice.
could’ve coulda We coulda come.
must’ve musta You musta seen it.
shouldn’t have shouldna You shouldna done that.

wouldn’t have wouldna I wouldna known.
couldn’t have couldna It couldna happned.
going to gonna I’m gonna go.

It’s gonna rain.
What are you gonna do?
what do you…? whadda ya…? Whadda ya want?

Whadda ya think?
a lot of a lotta That’s a lotta money.

I’ve got a lotta friends.
kind of kinda It’s kinda hot.

What kinda car is that?
out of adda Get adda here.

I’m adda money.

go to go du I go du work.
Let’s go du a concert.
yes yeap Yeah. It’s good.

yup Yup. I did it.
no nope Nope. I’m not going.

Nope. That’s not right.
Practice Dialogues
Track 126
The spellings of words you see below, in the left – hand column, are not found in written
English. Listen and repeat.
INFORMAL FORMAL / WRITTEN
(Friends meets friend)

1. Hi, howarya Hi, how are you?
2. Ahm hungry. I’m hungry.
3. Dincha eat? Didn’t you eat?
4. No, didju? No, did you?
5. Yeah. I hadda bacon ‘n egg Yes, I had a bacon and egg
sandwich. sandwich.
6. Wouldja come with me ta the Would you come with me to the
coffee shop? coffee shop?
7. I’ll meetcha there. I’ll meet you there.
(Later, at the coffee shop)

8. Whut wouldja like to eat? What would you like to eat?
9. I dunno. I hafta eat something. I don’t know. I have to eat
something.
10. Cantcha find anything on the Can’t you find anything on the
menu? menu?

11. Well, that’s the problem. There’s Well, that’s the problem. There is a
lotsa food here ‘n I can’t decide. lot of food here and I can’t decide.
12. Well, wouldja like supersalad? Well, would you like soup or salad?
13. What’s a super salad? What’s a super salad?
14. Ya know, soup or salad. You know, soup or salad.
15. Oh, is that whatcha mean? Oh, is that what you mean.
16. I’llava salad. I’ll have a salad.
Invitation to a Movie
Track 127
A. Whadda you doing tonight?

B. I dunno yet. I think I’m gonna just stay home.
A. Wanna go to a movie?
B. I’m kinda tired. I gotta get up early tomorrow.
A. Joo go out last night?
B. Yeah. I shouldna gone to bed so late. I woulda had a lot more energy today.
A. Why don cha just take it easy then, and we’ll go out some other time.
B. Okey, lemme know when you’re free again. See ya.
C Can vs. Can’t
Can’t (cannot) is one of the hardest contractions. If we don’t really pronounce the T, how
is it different from can?
Reduce the positive can to /kən/and stress the verb. Make the negative can’t /kænt|/ sound
very short, and stress both can’t and the verb.
I can hear you. I can’t hear you.
Track 128
We can come. We can’t come.
I can come. I can’t come.
They can leave. They can’t leave.

Pair Work: “Can” and “Can’t”

Take turns choosing a sentence to say. Do not always choose sentence a.
Example: Student A: “I can’t go.”

Student B: “That’s too bad!”
1. a. I can go. Oh, good!

b. I can’t go. That’s too bad!
2. a. She can do it. That’s wonderful.
b. She can’t do it. She should try harder.
3. a. Where can we go? Any tourist destination.
b. Where can’t we go? Into the military zone.
4. a. We can leave now. Good, I’ll get my coat.
b. We can’t leave now. All right, we’ll wait.
5. a. Can you lift this? Of course.
b. Can’t you lift this? No, I can’t.
6. a. Why can you do that? Because I have permission.
b. Why can’t you do that? Because I don’t know how.
7. a. What can we do? Make an effort.
b. What can’t we do? Fly without an airplane.
Practice Dialog
Employee Meeting
Track 129
A: Hi Tom. I’ve got a question. What time’s our meeting?

B: It’ll start at five.
A: Oh great. I’m glad I’ll be able to make it. Who’s coming?

B: Let’s see… Bob’ll be there, John’ll be there and I’ll be there, but
Mary won’t make it. She’s out of town.
A: How about Nick?
B: He can’t make it. He said he would’ve come if he’d known about it
earlier.
A: Is Vivian coming?
B: She said she’d like to make it, but she’s got a lot of work to do.
A: It’ll only last an hour, won’t it?
B: Yes, we’d better keep it short. Everybody’ll want to go home by six
o’clock.
In the Restaurant
Track 130
A: I’ve been looking forward to eating here.

B: Me too. Everyone’s been talking about this place.
A: What’re you gonna order?
B: I’m hungry. I think I’d like some meat tonight.
A: Hi folks. I’ll be your waitress. Ready to order?
B: Yes, we’re ready.
A: Great. What’ll it be?
B: She’ll have chicken and I’ll have steak. And we’ll both have a
glass of red wine.
A: Is that it?
B: That’ll be all.
A: Got it. Your food’ll be ready in a few minutes.

10 Intonation
Intonation creates the melody of the language we speak. Each language has its own
melody. Our voices rise and fall in tones like notes in a musical scale, from high to low or
low to high. The different notes we produce are called pitches. Different pitches may
indicate different meanings for the same utterance. Different pitches help us express our
feelings: happiness, sadness, curiosity, surprise, annoyance, anger, and so on. Intonation
makes speech meaningful. English has two basic intonation patterns: rising and falling.
A Statements and Commands
Use falling intonation with statements or commands. A downward arrow ( )

indicates falling intonation. Usually, the last word of the next to last word in an utterance
is stressed. The pitch of your voice goes down at the end of an utterance. But, before it goes
down (glide down), it rises on the vowel sound of the most important word that is stressed.
Examples: a. He wants some chicken.

Track 131
b. I said to do it.
1. I’m studying. 5. She’s going home.

2. I’m studying English. 6. She’s going home tomorrow.
3. Do it today. 7. I’ll call the doctor.
4. Do it later today. 8. I’ll call Dr. Chen.
Chapter 10: Intonation 112

B Questions
1. Tag Questions
A tag question is a short question that is added to a statement. Many times, it is used to
start a conversation. Use falling intonation when the speaker expects the listener to agree.
Use rising intonation when the speaker may not be sure of the answer he or she will get.
Listen and repeat.
SPEAKER IS SURE SPEAKER IS NOT SURE

LISTENER WILL AGREE LISTENER WILL AGREE
Examples: Nice day, isn’t it? Nice day, isn’t it?

Track 132
They’re rich, aren’t they? They’re rich, aren’t they?

He’s funny, isn’t he? They’re rich, aren’t they?
You remember her, don’t you? He’s funny, isn’t he?
The movie begins at eight, doesn’t it? You remember her, don’t you?
She talks a lot, doesn’t she? The movie begins at eight, doesn’t it?
Pronunciation
Did he? Didee Wouldn’t you? Wooden chew? Doesn’t it? Duzza nit?
Does he? Duzzy? Shouldn’t I? Shudn nai? Aren’t I? Are nai?
Was he? Wuzzy? Won’t he? Woe nee? Won’t you? Wone chew?
Has he? Hazzy? Didn’t he? Didn nee? Don’t you? Done chew?
Will he Willy? Hasn’t he? Haza nee? Can’t you? Can chew?
Would he? Woody? Isn’t he? Iza nee? Could you? Cujoo?
Can he? Canny? Isn’t it? Iza nit? Would you? Wujoo?
Is he? Izzy? Wouldn’t he? Wooden nee?

2. Questions with Question Words
Pattern 1:
Use falling intonation with wh- questions. Wh- questions begin with question words such
as when, what, where, why, how, whose, and which.
1. When are you going?

Track 133
2. Who is the teacher?
3. Why are you crying?
4. Where did he go?
Pattern 2:
When an answer to your question is suggested, it is on a higher tone.
1. When are you going, Friday?

Track 134
2. Who is the teacher, Miss Smith?
3. Why are you crying, to make me feel bad?
4. Where did he go, to the movies?
3. Questions without Question Words

Use rising intonation at the end of an utterance when you ask Yes/No questions.
Yes/No questions require “yes” or “no” for an answer.
Examples: a. Did you see him?

Track 135
b. Do you like the shirt?
1. Is it new? 5. Is it snowing?
2. Do you like it? 6. Is it snowing hard?
3. Do I have to tell you? 7. Do you go out in the snow?
4. Can I tell you later? 8. Would you like to make a snowman?

C Non-final Intonation
With “non-final intonation,” the pitch rises and falls within the sentence or word. This
type of intonation is used in various situations which are outlined below.
1. Expressing Choices
1. Do you want to eat in or eat out?
Track 136
2. Is your birthday in March or in April?
3. Do you speak Cantonese or Mandarin?
4. Is his name Mathew or Michael?
5. Do you want the blue one or the black one?
2. Listing
1. I like football, basketball, tennis, and golf?
Track 137
2. I’m taking math, biology, French, and history.
3. I left work, came home, and had dinner.
4. I need milk, apples, eggs, and sugar.
3. Unfinished Thought
Non-final intonation is often used to indicate that you have not ended a thought. To
indicate that you have something more to say, raise your pitch at the end of the phrase.
1. I bought the book, but I didn’t read it.

Track 138
2. When I finished school, I moved to New York.

3. If I study hard, I’ll get an A.
4. I’m going inside, to get something to drink.
4. Introductory Words
Non-final intonation is also used with introductory words, such as actually or by the way.
Since these types of words indicate that a thought is not finished, the non-final intonation
is appropriate.
1. As a matter of fact, I don’t know the answer.

Track 139
2. As far as I’m concerned, you did great.
3. Actually, it was pretty good.
4. In my opinion, it’s too expensive.
5. If you don’t mind, I’d like to close the window.
6. By the way, how did you know that?
Practice Dialogues
Track 140
A: You’re coming to my party, aren’t you?

B: Yes, sure. Why are you celebrating?
A: I moved to a new apartment,
B: Oh, you’re having a housewarming?
A: Yeah. Do me a favor, will you?
B: Sure. No problem. I’d be glad to.
A: Please get some apples, oranges, bananas, and a dessert.
B: Would you like apple pie or chocolate cake?
A: I’d like apple pie, wouldn’t you?
B: Well, not really. I like chocolate cake.

Losing weight
Track 141
Emily: Rachel, is that you?

Rachel: Hi Emily.
Emily: I didn’t recognize you at first. Did you lose weight?
Rachel: As a matter of fact, I lost twenty pounds.
Emily: Really? How did you do it?
Rachel: Well, I stopped eating cake, ice cream, potato chips, and candy bars, and I
started eating healthier foods like salads, fruit, nuts, and vegetables.
Emily: Wow! I have to say, you look amazing.
Rachel: Do you really think so?
Emily: Absolutely!
D Variations and Exceptions
1. Yes/No Question Form with a Falling Intonation

A question that seeks a “yes” or a “no” response is usually spoken with a rising intonation.
When spoken with a falling intonation, a yes or no type of question is often rhetorical,
meaning that it has little communication value. It is usually more of a self-comment rather
than a request for a response. This type of response, however, can serve to reinforce
conversation. Listen to the following dialog:
A: Did you go anywhere this weekend?

Track 142
B: I went fishing.
A: Oh, did you?

B: The fishing was great!
A: Was it?
B: And what did you do?

2. A Statement with Rising Intonation
A statement is at times spoken with a rising intonation. As such, it is often rhetorical and
is an expression of surprise, instead of a real question.
1. A: It’s lunch time.

Track 143
B: It’s lunch time already?
A: Yeah, where would you like to go eat?
2. A: We’ve arrived.
B: We’re here already?

A: The scenery was great.
B: I wouldn’t know. I was sleeping.
A: You were sleeping?
B: You couldn’t tell?
3. Wh-Questions with Rising Intonation

A Wh-question spoken with a rising inflection is used to request clarification. The person
asking the question either does not remember the information or did not hear it clearly.
1. A: Did you meet Kim’s friend?

Track 144
B: Yes, what’s his name?
A: It’s Dan.
B: Oh, yes.
2. A: There will be a workshop.

B: When?
A: On the first.
B: When?
A: On the first of next month.

3. A: I like those sweaters.
B: Which one do you prefer?
A: I like the striped one.
B: Which one?
A: The red one, with stripes.
Practice Dialog
Track 145
As you listen to the following dialog, focus on the use of intonation and stress to convey
underlying meaning.
A: So… what did you do this weekend?

B: Oh, nothing much. How about you?
A: Well, I had a great time!
B: A great time? How so?
A: Well, I cleaned out the garage, mowed the lawn, clean up the house and got a
haircut.
B: That doesn’t sound like a great time to me.
A: It doesn’t?
B: No, it doesn’t.
A: Well, at least I don’t have to worry about it next weekend. So… what are you
doing next weekend?
B: Next weekend I think I’ll clean out the garage, mow the lawn, tidy up the
house, and get my haircut.
E Wavering Intonation
“Wavering intonation” is used for expressing specific emotions or attitudes. With this type
of intonation, the pitch changes within words.

Some of the emotions you can express with your intonation include anger, surprise,
sarcasm, hesitation, uncertainty, disgust, fear, amazement, and pity.
Meaning
Track 146
You did? curious
You did? very surprised
You did? disappointed
You did? angry
You did. in agreement
Thanks a lot. normal

Thanks a lot. very happy
Thanks a lot. sarcastic
Okay. normal
Okay. hesitant and unwilling
Okay! very excited
Okay! frustrated and angry
No! angry
No? surprised
No… hesitant
No. sarcastic
Practice Dialog
Track 147
Angry Friends
A: Did you do it? curious

B: No. normal
A: No? very surprised
B: No! angry

A: Why not? surprised
B: I don’t know. hesitant
A: You don’t know? angry
B: I don’t know. angry
A: Oh, really? sarcastic
B: Yeah, really. angry
Practice Dialog
Read the following conversation with a partner. As you read, try to use the appropriate
intonation patterns already placed in the conversation.

11 Silent Letters
Most of the letters in English alphabet are silent in words at one time or another.
Frequently consonants are silent because the pronunciation of a particular word has
changed over time, but the spelling has remained consonant. Silent consonants also occur
in words borrowed from other languages.
The chart below highlights many common words that have a letter that is not pronounced.
Track 148
Letter(s) Sample words

b bomb, crumb, climb, comb, debt, doubt, dumb, lamb, limb, numb,
plumber, subtle, thumb, tomb
c indict, muscle
ch Yatch
d adjective, adjust, handsome, Wednesday
g align, assign, benign, campaign, champagne, design, diaphragm,

foreign
reign, resign, sign
gh bright, bought, caught, drought, fight, fought, height, high, light, night,
weigh, weight
h ghost, heir, honest, hour, honor, herb, vehicle, exhibit
k knee, knife, know, knot
l calm, chalk, could, folk, half, Lincoln, psalm, salmon, should, talk, walk
would
n hymn, autumn, column
p cupboard, psychology, pneumonia, psychic, psalm, receipt
s aisle, Arkansas, debris, Illinois, island
Chapter 11: Silent Letters 122

t ballet, bouquet, buffet, castle, Chevrolet, Christmas, fasten, listen,
mortgage, often, whistle, fillet, gourmet, debut, soften, rapport
th asthma, months*, clothes*
w answer, sword, toward
* You will hear some Americans lightly pronounce the th sound when saying these words
but most just omit it.
Chapter 11: Silent Letters 123

References
1. Jean, Y. (2013). Pronounce it Perfectly in English. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barrons

Educational Series, Inc..
2. Mojsin, L. (2016). Mastering the American accent. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barrons
Educational Series, Inc..
3. Orion, G. F. (2012). Pronouncing American English: Sounds, stress, and intonation.
Boston, MA: Heinle Cengage Learning.
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Chapter 1: Vowels p.1

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details p.4

Chapter 3: Consonants p.20

Chapter 4: Consonants in Details p.29

Chapter 5: Syllable Stress p.60

Chapter 6: Word Stress p.73

D. Names of Places and People p.79

Chapter 7: Sentence Stress p.81

C. Reducing Vowels in Unstressed Words p.84

1. Weak Form p.84

2. Strong Forms P.86

D. Reducing Pronouns P.86

E. Thought Groups and Focus Words P.89

F. Contrastive Stress P.91

Chapter 8: Word Linking p.95

Chapter 9: Contractions p.104

C. Can vs. Can’t p.109

Chapter 10: Intonation p.112

Chapter 11: Silent Letters p.122

 The position of your tongue in the mouth.

The American Vowel Chart

/i/ Could you repeat that, please?

/ɪ/ Come it.

/eɪ/ What’s your name?

/ɛ/ You’re welcome.

/æ/ Welcome back.

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 4

Listen to these word pairs.

Sound 1: /i/ Sound 2: /ɪ/

Word Pairs in Sentences

1. Don’t sit in my seat. 6. You should at least make a list.

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 5

Deena: What are you getting to eat, Lee?

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 6

Listen and repeat

1. Play in a group of three to five people.

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 7

3. Review of /ɛ/ and /æ/ Sounds

Listen to these word pairs

Sound 1: /ɛ/ Sound 2: /æ/

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 8

1. This bed is bad. 4. I guess I need gas.

The Most Important Word

 The stressed syllable of this word is loud and s l o w.

1. Listen to these two conversations.

A: He stuffed the cash in a bag. A: He was wearing a jacket.

B: What kind of bag? B: A black jacket?

A: A plastic bag. A: No, a plaid jacket. Red plaid.

2. Listen again and repeat.

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 9

1. Listen to this conversation pairs F1

A: That’s the person who took my bag!

B: Did he have a hat?

A: Yes. A black hat.

4. Review of /ɛ/ and /eɪ/ Sounds

Chapter 2: Vowels in Details 10

Sound 1: /ɛ/ Sound 2: /eɪ/

Word Pairs in Sentences

1. He takes his vacation in Texas.