Linking Lecturer: Zhao Xiaoling

Introduction English Pronunciation: Connected speech Elision: losing sounds Linking: adding or joining sounds between words Assimilation: changing sounds Chinese Pronunciation: 字正腔圆 (speak with a clear and rich tone)

Linking Arrange words into groups and join together the stressed and unstressed words within the group; Move smoothly from one word to the next without making any sudden stops; The end of one word flows straight into the beginning of the next.

How to link words in English speech? blending or joining the last sound of a word with the initial sound of the following word

ways to help you achieve the linking so that your speech will become fluent and natural. 1. To blend or join the final consonant of one word with the initial word of the following word, as in "post office". Examples: Consonant + Vowel: keep off come out take it off put it off I’m afraid a bunch of flowers Not at all I’m on a diet. Good evening. I came out well in that photograph. Will you fetch it for me?

Consonant + Consonant Help yourself a good cheese The highest floor couldn’t help I hope to find a good job. Hearing the bad news I couldn’t help crying. I live in a two bed-room flat with my parents.

2. To link the final vowels /з:/ and /  / to a following vowel by adding the /r/ sound, which is called linking-r, as in "her own", or intrusive-r, as in "the idea of". Examples: answer it after all on your own a pair of socks Can I take your order? as far as I know Where is Mr. Brown? I like drama and music. The vase is made of China and glass. The room has an area of 12 square metres.

3. To make smooth transitions when words are separated by more than two consonants, i.e. treat them as consonant sequences, as in "next topic". Examples:

4. To make smooth transitions when the preceding word ends with a vowel and the following word begins also with a vowel sound by adding a slight /j/ or /w/, as in "my arm".

adding a slight /j/ You can see it. Please copy it. Say it again. Enjoy it, please. Absolutely impossible. My ears hurt. I like drama and music.

adding a slight /w/ Don’t do it. Go easy. It’s too easy. We don’t know each other. The bird flew in the sky.

5. To change the pronunciation of some final and initial consonants, as in "Did you …". Examples: this year What’s your name? Has your friend come? Is your brother home? didn’t you won’t you would you in case ten girls this ship this year is she those young men with thanks he has to of course have to

Loss of Explosion Complete Loss: bookkeeper handbag blackboard September sit down that time Partial Loss: advance success picture object a good job my best friend

Exercises

Assignments Reading Practice: Additional Reading Material Speaking Exercises in Unit 11