Weak & Strong Forms

we saw stressed and unstressed syllables in individual words

something similar happens in complete sentences

Where are you from?

Where are you from? I’m from London.

Where are you from? I’m from London.

Where are you from? I’m from London.

Where are you from? I’m from London.

Where are you from? ɒ I’m from London. ə

Are they from Italy?

Are they from Italy? Yes, they are.

Are they from Italy? Yes, they are.

Are they from Italy? Yes, they are.

Are they from Italy? Yes, they are.

Are they from Italy? ə Yes, they are. ɑː

some words have two pronunciations

a weak form from / frəm / are / ə /

and a strong form from / frɒm / are / ɑː /

the weak form is the usual pronunciation

the weak form is the usual pronunciation it’s used when the word is unstressed

the strong form is used only when the word is stressed

the strong form is used only when the word is stressed eg the strong form is used only when the word is stressed eg. when it’s the last word

the vowel is simplified (in most cases) to ə or ɪ

which words have weak and strong forms?

prepositions

prepositions auxiliary verbs

prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs

prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns

prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives

prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns

prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions

prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions articles

prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions articles

‘grammar’ words prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions articles

which words only have strong forms?

nouns

nouns main verbs

nouns main verbs adjectives

nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs

nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs

nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs ‘meaning’ words nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs

prepositions weak form strong form from frəm frɒm to tə tuː at ət æt in ɪn on ɒn

aux. verbs weak form strong form am əm æm are ə ɑː have həv hæv had həd hæd does dəz dʌz

modal verbs weak form strong form can kən kæn will wɪl would wəd wʊd shall ʃəl ʃæl must məst mʌst

articles weak form strong form a ə eɪ an ən æn the ðə ðiː

when do weak forms become strong?

1. the end of the sentence

Where are you from?

Yes, I am.

No, I’m not.

2. negatives

I can speak German.

I can speak German. ə

I can’t speak German.

I can’t speak German. ɑː

You aren’t listening.

NB

I’m not listening.

the stress is always on ‘not’ even when it’s abbreviated

3. auxiliary or modal substitutes or includes the main verb

I can’t speak German but my friend can.

Do you like English coffee? No, I don’t.

4. double stress for emphasis

I do like your hat!

I didn’t crash my car!

I didn’t crash my car. I crashed hers!

look at this passage from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities How many weak forms can you find?

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.

now find the stressed and unstressed syllables in these words How many have ə or ɪ ?

ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.

ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.

ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf cəmparɪsən onlɪ.

ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf cəmparɪsən onlɪ.

HOMEWORK make a list of the weak forms that you used in your latest writing homework

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