Sound more FLUENT and NATURAL with LINKING: How to Connect Words in Spoken English

hi guys this is the clear English corner and I am Kenan your personal American English pronunciation coach in this lesson we're talking about linking linking refers to how sounds flow together between words and spoken English spoken English is very different from written English in a written English there's very clear distinct white spaces between each word but if you talk like there are white spaces between each word you sound choppy and you don't have that natural fluency and flow that you're striving for the good news is there are patterns as to how sounds join together between words and spoken English so understanding the patterns of linking is all about knowing what type of sound one word is in and what type of sound the next word starts with today we're going to talk about three of those patterns and go over lots of examples together we'll talk about linking consonants to vowels vowels to vowels and consonants to consonants understanding how sounds flow together will help you immensely when trying to understand native English speakers and if you use linking in your own spoken English it will definitely help you sound more fluent and natural before we get started I want to point out that linking is not about speaking fast and smashing all your words together now while there are native speakers that definitely speak this way they're hard to understand for you and me both and this is not the goal linking is really all about understanding how the sounds flow from one word to the next and realizing how it impacts the rhythm and music of the language we can use linking to create a fluent rhythm and flow while still using a clear and controlled speaking rate alright so let's dive in let's talk first about linking consonant sounds two vowel sounds this is my favorite type of linking and if you're going to focus on practicing any of these particular patterns this would be the one I would focus on because it's most apparent in your connected speech when you're not connecting your consonants to your vowels so when one word ends in a consonant sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound that ending consonant jumps on over right in front of the vowel sound in the following word here's some examples does it does it becomes does it does it that ending sound at the end of does jumps on over in front of the it and it so it sounds like zit does it does it make aa make aa becomes make make with that final in make jumping over in front of the word a make make does it make uh does it make a difference does it make a difference I think it does I think it does alright try this one kind of kind of becomes kind of that final depth linking over in front of the word of kind of kind of like it becomes like it like it again that final K sound linking over in front of the in it like it like it kind like it kind of liked it I kinda like it notice also in that sentence how the word of is reducing to just the schwa kinda I kinda like it I kinda like it okay takes ah becomes take stuff takes uh again that final s sound at the end of takes linking over in front of the word uh takes takes a lot of lot of becomes a lot of lot of that final T is turning into a flap T or the sound because it's between two vowels lot of and it's linking over in front of the UH and of a lot of takes a lot of now in connected speech again that word of is going to reduce down to the schwa when it comes before a word that starts with a consonant so listen close it takes a lot of practice it takes a lot of practice nice try this one hold on hold on becomes hold on hold on again that final D and hold jumping over in front of the word on making it sound like dawn hold on hold on on AH becomes on on that final in in the word on linking over in front of the UH on hold on hold on can you hold on a minute can you hold on a minute alright moving let's talk about linking vowels to vowels when one word ends in a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound we're going to glide from word to word using a WA or yeah sound try this example go over becomes go over go over we're gliding between those two vowel sounds with a soft one go over go over the options the options becomes the options the options again we're gliding between those vowel sounds using a yeah sound go over the options go over the options let's go over the options let's go over the options so how are you going to know if you're gliding with Ola or a yeah sound it's really all about the shape the mouth is taking and what's most natural the what sound is a lip rounding sound so when you're moving from a lip rounding vowel to another vowel you're gonna glide with the wah sound there's three vowel sounds that are lip rounders that you'll hear at the end of words and these are Oh as in no oh is in knew and ow as in now so when words end with one of these three lip rounding vowel sounds you're going to glide with a wah because that's what's easiest and most natural it makes sense to say now why but to say now yeah that just feels weird and it sounds funny so let's try a few more examples they offered they offered becomes they offered they offered we're gliding from that final a vowel sound into the aw with a yeah they offered they offered buy it buy it becomes buy it buy it we're gliding from that final I've a sound and by over to the it and it with a gentle yeah buy it they offered by it they offered by it they offered to buy it they offered to buy it now you want to make sure this is a gentle glide it's not they I offered to buy yet unless maybe you're striving for that southern accent it's just a subtle glide they offered to buy it here's another one know if know if becomes know if know if we're gliding from that final Oh and know into the it and if no with a gentle what W sound show up becomes show up show up again gliding from that final o sound and show into the up and up with a gentle wha show up know with show up know if show up I didn't know if you'd show up I didn't know if you'd show up another example so I becomes so why so why and stay in becomes stay in stay in again that final a and stay linking over in front of the it and in with a gentle yeah stayin so why stay in so why stay in I'm tired so I decided to stay in I'm tired so I decided to stay in awesome practice okay last but not least let's talk about linking consonants to consonants when a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word starts with that same consonant you want to keep the airflow going from the ending consonant sound into the beginning of the next one so the sounds flowing from one word to the next and it's continuous and unbroken so for example feel like instead of feel like you're gonna keep that L going from the end of feel into like feel like feel like some more becomes some more some more [Music] we're holding that in at the end of some and continuing it on into the beginning of more some more feel like some more feel like some more I feel like I need some more coffee I feel like I need some more coffee both things both things becomes both things that ending th I'm just holding that sound and releasing it into the next word both things both things this Saturday instead of this Saturday becomes this Saturday that final s-sound at the end of this it's continuing on into the words Saturday this Saturday this Saturday both things this Saturday it's important to grasp the idea that the sound continues on you're not just saying it once because it's not both things the Saturday both things this Saturday you're keeping that air flow going between the words both things this Saturday we scheduled both things for this Saturday we scheduled both things for this Saturday this also works for similar consonant sounds for sister sounds or cognates that are made at the same place in the mouth so for example this s and Z sounds these sounds our sister sounds they're both made the same way with the tongue tip up behind the top front teeth pointing towards the alveolar Ridge they have the same place of articulation he's so he's so becomes he's so he's so she's single becomes she's single she's single he's so she's single he's so happy she's single he's so happy she's single another example the V sound and F sounds both made with the top teeth resting against the bottom lip mm-hmm so have fun becomes have fun have fun I hope you have fun I hope you have fun love for becomes love fur notice how that word 4 reduces to fur love fur we love for you to stay we love for you to stay also our voiced and voiceless th sounds so with that becomes with that with that can I help you with that can I help you with that worth the worth the becomes worth the worth the worth the trouble I'm not sure it was worth the trouble I'm not sure it was worth the trouble alright last but not least let's talk about linking stop consonants to other consonants so in all of our previous examples talking about linking consonants to consonants we were using what's called continuous consonant sounds these sounds like all mm-hmm can all be made as long as you have breath in your lungs you can keep going with these sounds they are continuous this is different from a stop consonant sound with a stop consonant the air comes up from your lungs into the mouth then it stopped in the mouth either by the lips coming together the tongue going up behind the top front teeth to the alveolar Ridge or the back of the tongue coming up to the soft palate and then the air is released the good news is there's only six stop consonant sounds in the English language they are and but both made by bringing the lips together and both made with the tip of the tongue tapping the alveolar Ridge behind the top front teeth and ngah both made by bringing the back of the up to the soft palate so again our six stop consonants are and linking works a little differently when we're working with stop consonants when a word ends in a stop consonant sound and the next word starts with another consonant you're going to hold the stop you're not going to release the air you're going to hold the mouth or tongue position and go directly into the next sound at the start of the next word so let me show you what I mean this is easier when you're going from a stop consonant to the same or similar stop consonant at the beginning of the next word so for example what time instead of releasing that final T at the end of what what time becomes what time what time I'm holding that tongue up in the position for the final T and just releasing it into the beginning T at the next word what time what time is it what time is it again this works if we're talking about similar consonants as well sounds that are made at the same place in the mouth so that day instead of that day with the released T at the end of that becomes that day that day again the tongue goes up behind the teeth to the alveolar Ridge for that final T and then just releases into the beginning D for day that day I think I'm busy that day I think I'm busy that day good time instead of releasing that D at the end of good and saying good time we're going to hold that D we're going to hold the position for the D and go straight into the T good time good time have a good time I hope you have a good time I hope you have a good time another example with the G sound big game instead of releasing that G big game becomes big game big game the back of the tongue is coming up for the final G at the end of big and then releasing into game big game it's a big game it's a really big game it's a really big game again this works for this sister or cognate sound the witch is made at the same place in the mouth so big company big company big holding that tongue up for the final G and big and releasing into the sound for company big company big company it's a pretty big company it's a pretty big company try this one helped me so instead of releasing that final P instead of help me help me the and mm sounds are both made by bringing the lips together so we're going to hold that final P that final stop consonant and go straight into the MM sound help me can you help me with this can you help me with this but even when those stop consonants are not the same or similar you still want to hold those final stop sounds when they're coming before another consonant here's some more examples stop sign becomes stop sign stop sign I'm holding that final P with the lips together and going straight into this four sign stop sign I didn't see the stop sign I didn't see the stop sign grab some grab some again lips coming together for that final but B sound and going straight then into the S so instead of grab some grab some grab some want to grab some lunch want to grab some lunch keep going keep going instead of keep going we're holding that final piece ound and going straight into the guy keep going let's just keep going let's just keep going big deal instead of releasing that big deal you're holding the cut with the back of the tongue up to the soft palate and then going straight into the fore deal big deal big deal this is a really big deal this is a really big deal okay so there you have it that is the scoop on what you need to know about linking now how do you use this information should you be analyzing your next conversation trying to link vowels and vowels and consonants to vowels and consonants to consonants and going crazy no that wouldn't do anyone any good now that you're aware of the patterns of linking I want you to start listening for these patterns in native speakers and try to imitate what you're hearing even if it's just a few words at a time also when you're reading look for opportunities to link between the printed words then practice speaking them out loud these are great ways to practice you can also grab the free practice PDF that goes along with this lesson I called this freebie everything you need to know about linking and it goes over each of the patterns we've discussed in today's less and and includes all of the sample sentences so be sure to click on the link below to grab your copy okay that's a wrap on our lesson all about linking if you found it helpful please leave a thumbs up and share with your friends and if you haven't already don't forget to subscribe to the channel and tap the bell so that you'll get a notification any time new lessons are published as always thanks so much for tuning in and I'll see you next time

Channel: Clear English Corner with Keenyn Rhodes

Views: 745,689

Keywords: fluent, fluent english, natural english, spoken english, linking, how to, connect words, link words, English, spoken English, speak English fluently, english fluently, linking in English, pronunciation, linking words in English, linking in English pronunciation, connected speech, listening practice, understand, fast speech in English, native speakers, connected speech in english, english pronunciation, clear english corner, keenyn

Id: hYcbugrzKSA

Length: 24min 20sec (1460 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 14 2018