Linking
The third feature of rhythm that we
teach at Accent Master is linking. This
is how words flow together so that you don’t have a halting sound to your
speech. Many words can be linked
together not just making you sound smoother but saving even more time in pronouncing
words that are unstressed, an important skill for the ESL speaker
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Let’s get started with our first
example of linking:
When saying: “An easy test” you will actually
say
“aneasy test” It may sound like “akneesE
test”
We don’t’ say “An Easy Test” This can sound stiff and formal.
In this example “It’s like ashes”
Do you hear cashes when you flow the
words together?
These are examples of a final
consonant sound (not letter) linking to the word following that begins with the
vowel.
Say these phrases using
smooth linking between the consonants and the vowels
Try these:
The speaker’s attitude
To check in
Some other ones
Homework assignments
Writing essays
One example
In October
You can also link a final vowel to a
word that begins with a vowel. Sometimes this requires that you insert a w or y
sound between
Try these:
As in
Go on
Carry out
Two algorithms
Knew about it
Now it’s over
Three offices
Another situation in which linking
works is when a word ends with a stop consonant ( stop consonant is one that is
made by stopping the airflow and then releasing it as in /p/,/d/, /t/, /k/,
/g/, and /b/) and the next word begins
with a stop. In these cases we stop the
airflow and change the place of articulation without releasing the air in
between
For example: “Like music”
Don’t release the air after the /k/
just flow right into music “likmusic”
Try these:
A hard night
A good memory
The right moment
Stick together
Keep notes
Stop trying
Pop quiz
So the three rules for linking are:
- Final consonant sound (not letter) linking to the word following that begins with the vowel
- Final vowel to a word that begins with a vowel. Sometimes this requires that you insert a w or y sound between
- A word ending with a stop and the next word begins with a stop.
It is a lot of rules our Accent Master’s software has great videos, lessons and practice so you can really
master this part of the American Accent.
Lynn founder of
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