SUPRASEGMENTAL FEATURES OF SPOKEN ENGLISH Unstressed pronouns
Personal pronouns (we, you, him, it, etc Personal pronouns (we, you, him, it, etc.) and prop-words (one, ones, some, etc.) are normally without stress, even when they are at the end of a phrase. The following exercises offer reading practice on this topic. Try to endeavour to place no stress at all on the pronouns, allowing them to form a single sound-unit with the preceding stressed syllable.
Exercise 1
Exercise 2 Give me a´nother one. I want her to show you ´round. She told him not to ask you a´gain. Let me help you ´do it. I asked her to take them a´way. She´ll give you one next time you ´come. I asked her to buy me some this ´morning. I knew she had one to ´give you. I saw him ´give you them. He invited us to go and ´see them. He caught one and ´gave me it. She asked him to find her a ´bigger one. I wanted him to give you a ´new one. Give her one if she ´wants it. Allow me to ´ buy you some. Exercise 2
Exercise 3 – unstressed pronouns (with adverbial particals)
Exercise 4: unstressed pronouns (prepositions and pronouns) The final combination ʺtalk to himʺ etc. needs careful practice to acquire its characteristic rhythm. Both the preposition and the pronoun are normally unstressed, though there is a tendency to place a slightly heavier pulse on the PREPOSITION. This weak secondary stress is readily apparent if the final stressed syllable is gradually removed from the preposition + pronoun. In the examples: ´look at it / ´looking at it / ´wondering at it there is already an appreciable but low-pitched stress on the third ´at. It is also present, but to a lesser degree, in the other two examples. The pronoun “it” is completely unstressed. Exercise 4: unstressed pronouns (prepositions and pronouns)
In this exercise, the pronouns (in italics) are always quite unstressed; the preposition may be given a very weak stress if joined closely to the pronoun, viz.: ´laugh at-him. If the three words are spoken as one close group, both the last words will be unstressed, viz.: ´laugh-at-him. ´think of it ´ask for him ´sleep on it ´wait for me ´read to her ´talk to them ´listen to me ´go to him dream of her ´run up it ´look for him ´call for them ´laugh at them ´whisper to her ´look at them ´sit by her ´argue with him ´walk with him ´cut with it ´wish for it
Exercise 5. Unstressed pronouns (preposition between pronouns) A common final phrase is the group VERB + PRONOUN + PREPOSITION + PRONOUN, e.g. ´take it from her. In this pattern the slight stress on the preposition is clearly felt, whereas the two pronouns are completely unstressed. ´give it to me ´pin it on him ´clean it for me ´throw it to me ´play it with me ´hide it from them ´lay them under it ´read it with me ´take it to him ´show it to her ´eat some with me ´place it over him ´break it for her ´tell it to me ´open it for me ´buy them for them ´lend it to her ´cut it for him ´sell it to me ´study it with me ´stand it by me ´choose one for me ´steal it from them ´keep them for me ´interview her for me Exercise 5. Unstressed pronouns (preposition between pronouns)
Exercise 6: Unstressed pronouns (miscellaneous) fold them carefully and 'give them to him ´show them to them take them a 'way from them let me 'see them why didn´t you 'give it to him? where did you 'see them? I´ve told him I´ll look 'everywhere for them go up to him and 'tell him about it what can I 'dofor you? take them all a'way with you put them in my 'car for me, please take 'care of her for me, 'won´t you? my father ´bought me them the assistant will wrap it 'up for you what did he 'tell you about us? I bought them for him 'yesterday Exercise 6: Unstressed pronouns (miscellaneous)