Strong forms & weak forms, Linking and Rhythm Huang Wanmei

Strong forms & Weak forms Strong forms: stressed forms Weak forms: unstressed forms (schwa /  /)

WordsStrong VowelsWeak Vowels at /  //  / has /  //  / she /  ://  / could /  //  /

How are strong forms changed into weak forms? From strong vowels to weak ones /  / –Prepositions at for from of to –Aux verbs am are can do does had has have must shall should was were will would –Adverbs conjunctions articles a an and as but some than that the –Pronouns her them us you your

From strong vowels to weak ones /  / –be been he him his she we /  / dropping –Weak forms which drop their initial /  / except at the beginning of utterances –had has had have he her him his

Linking Vowel to Vowel If our lips are round at the end of the first word, we insert a /  / sound: We write it like this:too oftenwho isso Ido all We say it like this:toowoftenwhowissowIdowall

If our lips are wide at the end of the first word, we insert a /  / sound: We write it like this:I amKay isthe endshe asked We say it like this:IyamKayyistheyendsheyasked

Linking Consonant to Vowel When a word ends in a consonant sound, we often move the consonant sound to the beginning of the next word if it starts with a vowel sound. For example, in the phrase "turn off" We write it like this:turn off We say it like this:tur noff

To link the final vowels /  :/ or /  / to a following by adding the /  / sound, for example: answer it answer rit the idea of the idea rof

/  / and /  / before /  / sound: won ’ t you /   / could you /   /

If you're linking the same sound, you should simply hold the sound a little longer: had difficulties kiss someone make coffee

Listen and find out the differences 1.The plane is here. The play is here. 2.We arrive at 9. We arrived at 9. 3.I'm going to bite it. I'm going to buy it. 4.Keep playing. Key playing. 5.Did you know? Do you know?

Rhythm of English Rhythm in English speech is based on stress. A rhythm unit is formed by a stresses syllable, together with unstressed syllables and 2 and 3 and 4 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 1 and then a 2 and then a 3 and then a 4

Tom John Steve Sam Thomson Johnson Steven Samson Thomson and Johnson and Steven and Samson Thomson and then Johnson and then Steven and then Samson

句中重读音节相继出现的地方，通常语速会 慢一些，音节听起来也清楚一些。 重读音节之间拥挤出现的非重读音节听起来 轻快而且含糊。 一句话说起来所需时间长短不取决于句中的 单词数或音节数，而取决于句中有多少个重 读音节。

Patterns of rhythm 1.Sentences with two stressed syllables   Come here. Do it now. Leave it alone. They did it well. I think he ought to.

2.Sentences with three stressed syllables.    Don’t go now. Sam works hard. I think he wants us to go. I’m sorry I’m late again. I wonder if he’ll tell them in advance.

3.Sentences with four stressed syllables.     He used to play it every day. She ought to know the way by now. You said that he wanted us to come for the party.