Reduction is a phonetic process of weakening, shortening or disappearance of sounds in unstressed positions

Reduction affects form words (articles, particles, prepositions, conjunctions, auxiliary and modal verbs, personal, possessive, reflexive, relative pronouns and the word ‘some’ meaning ‘indefinite quantity’. These words have two forms: strong and weak.

There are three degrees of reduction:

- Quantitative reduction (shortening of a long vowel)

e.g. he [hi: - hi – hi]

- Qualitative reduction (changing of the quality of a vowel0

e.g. can [ kæn – kәn]

- Zero reduction (omission of a vowel)

e.g. I’m [aim]

The following cases should be remembered as the traditional use of strong forms:

a. Prepositions have their strong forms in the sentence final position or when followed by an unstressed personal pronoun.

e.g. What are you looking at? [ æt ]

I’m listening to you. [tu:]

b. Auxiliary and modal verbs are in their strong forms at the end of a sentence or sense-group and in contracted negative forms. In both cases the verbs are stressed.

e.g. Are you free? – I am. [ æm]

I can’t come. [k α: nt]

c. The verb ‘to have’ in the meaning of ‘to possess’ is used in its full form whether stressed or unstressed. The verb ‘to do’ is not reduced when used for emphasis.

e.g. I have a brother. [h æ v]

Do tell me a bout it. [ du: ]

d. The demonstrative pronoun ‘that’ is never reduced while the conjunction ‘that’ is always weak.

e.g. I know that. [ ðæt]

I know that you are ill. [ ðәt ]

Exercise 36

Jane is talking about her pets. Write the text down and practise reading it, using short forms.

Exercise 37

In the conversation that follows, the words ‘a’ and ‘the’ are not there. Put in the missing articles. Comment on all the weak and strong form words. Practise reading the conversation.

‘a’ and ‘the’ are nearly always weak!

: Do you have children, Shirley?

: Yes, son and daughter.

: Oh that’s nice, what do they do?

: My daughter jenny’s music teacher, and Michael, my son, is at college – he wants to

be a pilot!

: Oh, lovely!

: Yes…

: Do they live at home?

: Michael lives with me, but Jenny lives in London – she’s married with two children.

: Oh! So you’re grandmother!

: Yes, she has girl and boy too – Rebecca and Thomas.

: Oh, lovely – how old are they?

: Girl’s seven and boy’s two – do you want to see photo?

: Oh yes… Ah… aren’t they beautiful!

Exercise 38.

Match the parts in A and B to make full sentences. Comment on weak form words.

a. I’m going out b. They’re waiting c. My daughter’s studying d. My brother’s going abroad e. We’re going to the airport f. She’s getting ready

1. to see the manager. 2. to buy a newspaper. 3. to go out with her boyfriend. 4. to meet some friends. 5. to work. 6. to become a doctor.

Exercise 39

Listen to the dialogue, write it down and practise reading it, paying attention to the weak form.

Exercise 40

Listen to the descriptions of some special days in Britain. Put them down and practise reading them using weak form prepositions.

‘Of’ links with the word before it!

Exercise 41

What weak form words can you hear in the following sentences? Put down the dialogues and practise reading them.

Exercise 42

Listen to the tape and complete the sentences below. Transcribe them and be prepared to comment on the weak form words.

a. ________ bank opens _________.

b. He goes _________ seven ________.

c. This office ________ half past two.

d. we get up _________ o’clock.

e. Her plane ______ two fifteen.

f. The programme _________ about _________ thirty.

g. The film _________ at half _________.

h. My train _______ about ________.

Exercise 43.

Complete the sentences below with suitable prepositions. Listen to the tape and check your answers. Practise reading the sentences.

a. I’d like a pot ___ hot tea ___ breakfast, lease.

b. Let’s meet ___ Waterloo station ___ eight.

c. Give it ___ Julie and say it’s ___ me.

d. We’ll be closed ___ Monday because ___ the strike.

e. Elvis went ___ Las Vegas ___ four months.

Which sentences goes with which stress pattern?

Exercise 44

Listen to the conversation. Fill in the missing prepositions and practise reading the conversation with a partner.

Boss: Hello. Can I speak ___ Miss Moneypenny?

Secretary: Speaking.

Boss: Hello, M here. I’m phoning ___ the Ritz.

I’m looking ___ James bond. We had a lunch

appointment ___ twelve. Is here there?

Secretary: I’m sorry, sir, but he’s gone ___ Budapest.

Boss: I was afraid ___ that. Where exactly?

Secretary: He’s staying ___ the Hotel Royal.

Boss: Why didn’t he listen ___ me? He’s just asking

___ trouble.

Secretary: He’s only staying there ___ a couple ___ days

Boss: All right. Contact him and tell him ___ me he’s

a damn fool. Oh, and you can tell him

I’m waiting ___ his call.

Secretary: Yes, sir.

Exercise 45

Listen to the short dialogues at a party and fill in the missing words. Are they weak or strong? Practise saying the dialogues with a partner.

1. How long are you here ___?

Only ___ another couple ___ days.

2. My brother’s working ___ Macdonald’s this summer.

Oh, what’s he working ___?

___ a cook!

3. Where’s the other half ___ that bottle ___ whiskey?

You left it ___ the bottom ___ the stairs.

4. Would you like ___ come back ___ my flat ___ a drink?

I’d love ___!

Exercise 46

A. Answer the questions using short answers. What form auxiliary verbs do you use each time?

B. Mark the auxiliary verbs in the fallowing sentences ‘W’ if they are weak and ‘S’ if they are strong. Practise saying the questions and the answers with the tape.

Exercise 47

Rewrite the following sentences using contractions where possible. Listen and check your answers. Repeat the sentences with the tape.

We use contractions in conversations and I informal writing. Here are some rules for contractions:

1/ There are no contractions in affirmative answers: Is he French? - Yes, he is.

2/ The only contraction with nouns and names is “’s” (from ‘is’ or ‘has’): Mary’s arrived. ( not: The children’ve arrived.)

3/ The only contraction with non-personal pronouns ( e.g. what, who, here, that, etc.) is “‘s”: Where’s the ball? ( not: Where’ve you been?)

4/ There are no “’s” contractions with wh-questions ending I the word ‘it’: What is it?

5/ The contracted form of ‘am I not’ is ‘Aren’t I’: Aren’t I going with you?

a. You should not eat fatty foods.

b. The planet will not survive if people are not more careful.

c. She cannot speak German very well.

d. You have not read it, have you?

e. When is your birthday?

f. There is a good film on TV tonight.

g. Jane would like to be an English teacher.

h. Her boyfriend has got a Volkswagen.

i. I am late, am I not?

j. It will be over 500 floors high.

k. What are your names?

l. Luckily the plane did not crash, and the passengers were not hurt.

m. Who is it?

n. I did not use to like vodka.

Exercise 48

Listen to the dialogue and fill in the correct verb forms (affirmative or negative): can, could, was, were. Practise saying the dialogue line by line paying attention to the pronunciation of these verbs.

: My mother’s parents, Thomas and Frida, _____ a strange couple. There ___ married nearly twenty years. They _____ very rich, but they _____ very happy.

: Why?

: Frida _____ English… she _____ speak English very well.

: Where _____ she from?

: Berlin… Germany.

: _____ Thomas speak German?

: Well, he _____ speak many languages, but he _____ speak German.

: That’s strange! And what about your mother? _____ she speak German?

: Well, she _____ understand it very well, but she _____ really speak it.

Exercise 49

Listen to the conversation between three friends. State where they say can or can’t in each case. Put the dialogue down and practise reading it.

If the stress and sound s are said incorrectly, it is often difficult to hear the difference between can and can’t in connected speech.

Exercise 50

Study the table below. Learn the weak forms of auxiliary verbs and their contractions, then practise saying them in the sentences that follow.

Do you [d u] or [d ә] They’re [ðeә] We’re [wiә] or [wә] You’re [juә] or [jә] be [bi] Being [biiŋ] been [bin] Was [wәz] wasn’t [ w znt]

Were [wә] Weren’t [w ε :nt] I’m [aim] or [ æm] I’ll [ail] or [ æl] We’ll [wil] Have [hәv] or [әv] Haven’t [hævnt] They’ve [ðeiv] or [ðev] We’ve [wiv]

a. Do you really like Beethoven?

b. You weren’t I when I called.

c. They’re leaving this Wednesday.

d. She’s just being difficult.

e. I was worried about you.

f. I’ve been waiting for you to phone.

g. We’re dealing with the problem.

h. I haven’t said a word to anyone.

i. I’m afraid we were too late.

j. I’ll have finished typing it by lunchtime.

k. They’ve never been happy together.

Listen to the sentences and write the missing words in the gaps. Practise saying the sentences with the tape, paying attention to the weak form verbs.

a. ___________________ here a lot?

b. They ____________________ us.

c. They ___________________ another argument.

d. The car _________________ at the moment.

e. This letter _______________ two months ago.

f. That ____________________ me all day.

g. We _____________________ to help..

h. We _____________________ anything yet.

i. I’m sure we ______________ just then.

j. I _______________________ home by eight o’clock.

k. They ___________________ a lot of problems lately.

l. We _____________________ for you at the entrance.

Exercise 51

Listen to the following sentences, write them down. Which of the auxiliary verbs here are weak and which are strong?

Exercise 52

Listen to the dialogue, practise reading it line by line with the tape first and then on your own. Be prepared to comment on the weak and strong forms of form-words in it.

A: Have you ever been to Ireland, Pete?

B: Yes, loads of times. My parents go over there every year, you see.

A: Do they? Why’s that then?

B: Oh, my Dad was born in Dublin.

A: Was he really? He doesn’t sound Irish at all?

B: No… well his family left when he was about ten. What about you? Have you ever been there?

A: Well, we were going to Dublin last summer and then there was that long ferry strike…

B: That’s right, there was.

A: Anyway we were hoping to go this year instead, but hotel prices have gone up so much…

B: Yes, I know they have, it’s terrible. I tell you what, shall I give you my cousin’s address? Perhaps you can stay with her for a few days?

A: Are you sure we can? It seems a bit cheeky…

B: No…

LINKING

In connected speech words are not separated from each other. To achieve this, the following rules should be observed:

1. A word ending in a consonant blends with the initial vowel of the next word, no glottal stop should be heard.

e.g. as a rule

2. The letter ‘r’ is sounded at the end of a word if the next word begins with a vowel sound. But there is no linking [r] between two words separated by a pause.

e.g. nearer and nearer

He paused there, and then spoke again.

3. Between the word final [i] and the initial vowel of the next word an extra [j] sound can be heard to link them.

e.g. the apple [ ðijæpl]

4. Between the final [u] and the initial vowel of the next word an extra [w] sound can be heard to link them.

e.g. go and do that [gәuwәndu:ðæt]

Mark the links in the following phrases and sentences:

a. free entrance

b. blue eyes

c. no understanding

d. The awful aunty is here in a new outfit.

e. The doctor advised me to eat only apples.