CE2L – Lesson 8 Hasstedt 2023

Linked & Reduced Sounds

• Sounds are often linked together in spoken English

• If you don’t link sounds, it will sound a little strange/choppy to English speakers
Example: He told her to go to the park today.
He told’er t’go t’tha park today.

• The goal is to speak quickly and smoothly, so some sounds are reduced
• Reduced sounds = unstressed words lose or shorten sounds
Example: I can be there by three.
Can → k’n
I can → I’kn

Common Patterns
◦ Vowel to Vowel
Yellow apple To be honest
Yellouwapple T’ beyonest
*Stop Consonant* [p] [b] [t] [d] [k] [g]

◦ Consonant to Vowel Hot today Bad dog

What’s up? Ten hours a day Hot|today Bad|dog

What’sup? Tennowerzaday はっ t’day ✖ba dog

◦ Consonant to Consonant
Peanut butter Hot sauce
Gas station Some might
Gasstation Sommight t|b t|s

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CE2L – Lesson 8 Hasstedt 2023

Part 1: Example Sentences

Try to say the following sentences smoothly.

◦ I bought an avocado.

◦ It is what it is.

◦ I get a lot of customers on Saturday.

◦ I put some hot sauce on my hot dog.

Part 2: Limerick
Try to say the following limerick smoothly!

There was an old man called Greg

Who tried to break open an egg

He kicked it around

But fell on the ground

And found that he’d broken a leg