Accents and connected speech
Understand fast natural speech: linking, elision, assimilation, weak forms and reductions like gonna, wanna, dunno — plus a range of accents.
In this lesson you will
- Recognise linking, elision and assimilation
- Understand weak forms and common reductions
- Adapt to different accents
Learn
Linking: consonant + vowel join: turn_it_off → /tɜːnɪtɒf/. Linking /r/ in British English: far_away; intrusive /j/ and /w/: I_(j)agree, go_(w)out.
Elision: sounds disappear: next day → /neks deɪ/, mostly → /məʊsli/, handbag → /hæmbæg/. Assimilation: sounds change: ten boys → /tem bɔɪz/, did you → /dɪdʒu/, don’t you → /dəʊntʃu/.
Weak forms: unstressed function words reduce to /ə/: to, for, of, and, can, was: cup of tea → /kʌpəti:/. Reductions: gonna (going to), wanna (want to), gotta (got to), dunno (don’t know), kinda, lemme, whatcha.
Accents: vowels and /r/ vary (bath /bɑːθ/ vs /bæθ/; rhotic vs non-rhotic). Listen to many accents (UK, US, Irish, Scottish, Australian, Indian, Nigerian, South African) and focus on stressed words — they carry the meaning.
Examples
- What do you want to do? → /wɒdʒə wɒnə du/
- I don’t know → dunno
- Get out of here → /gedaʊdəvhɪə/
- Did you eat yet? → /dʒiːt jet/ (very casual US)
Vocabulary
elision
leaving out a sound
assimilation
a sound changing because of a neighbouring sound
weak form
reduced pronunciation of an unstressed word
rhotic
pronouncing /r/ after vowels (e.g. car)
reduction
a shortened spoken form
Practice
“Gonna” means…
Listening: Fast, informal chat
Audio isn’t available in this browser — read the transcript instead.
Jess: Whatcha doin’ later?
Ray: Dunno. Might go to the gym. Wanna come?
Jess: Can’t — gotta finish this report. It’s kinda urgent.
Ray: Lemme guess, the one for Monday?
Jess: Yep. I’m gonna be up all night.
Ray: Want me to bring you a cup of tea?
Jess: You’re a star.
1.What might Ray do later?
2.Why can’t Jess come?
3.When is the report due?
4.Write the full form of “gonna”.
5.Ray offers to bring Jess a cup of tea.
Speaking
Say these sentences twice — carefully, then naturally with linking and reductions: “What are you going to do?”, “I want to get out of here”, “Did you eat yet?”, “I don’t know what to do.”
Writing
Transcribe a 30-second clip of natural speech (a podcast or vlog) as heard, then rewrite it in standard written English. Note five connected-speech features you noticed.
Lesson quiz
“Cup of tea” with weak “of” sounds like…
Review
Key points
- Linking, elision, assimilation.
- Weak forms (/ə/).
- Reductions: gonna, wanna, dunno.
- Many accents; focus on stressed words.
What you learned
- ✓ I understand fast speech.
- ✓ I recognise reductions.
- ✓ I cope with different accents.