The Phonemic Alphabet 1

ACTIVITY 1
Look at the phonetic transcription of a word. Read it aloud
and write it in ordinary spelling.

1. / θɔːt /
2. / sɪŋ /
3. / tʃiːp /
4. / ðeə /
5. / preʃə /
6. / leʒə /
7. / jet /
8. / wʊd /
9. / aɪz /
10. / dʒiːnz /

ACTIVITY 2

A. Look at the following chart. Which vowel sound is NOT present in any word?

1 2
BELL BILL
BULL BALL
FOOL FULL
FELL FEEL
HAT HUT
HURT HEART
COT COURT

Listen and decide if the word you hear is in column 1 or 2. Repeat the word you hear. Can
you provide further examples with the same vowel sound?
B. Read the set of words below. Which sound(s) is (are) different in each case?

1 2
WASHING WATCHING
THANK SANK
JAW SURE
GENE SHIN
BEAR BEER
SIN SING
DARE THERE
LOUD LOAD
WOOD GOOD
BOAT VOTE
RACE RAISE

Listen and decide if the word you hear is in column 1 or 2. Repeat the word you hear. Can
you provide further examples with the same vowel sound?

ACTIVITY 3

Dictation: Listen and write the word you hear in ordinary spelling
The Phonemic Alphabet 2

You will be introduced to the symbols used to transcribe the

sounds of English. In other words, the phonemic alphabet helps
us transcribe what we actually say when we speak.

1-Follow the link below to listen to each sound so that you

familiarise yourselves with the symbols to make sure you can
“read” them and “write” with them.

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/apps/learnenglish-sounds-
right?_ga=2.7700658.1266522775.1553862657-1601025652.1434489673

With Learn English Sounds Right on your phone or tablet you can practise
anywhere and anytime. Just tap a sound and you will hear it. Tap the downward
arrow sign and listen to three example words with that sound.

Always remember there’s only one symbol for each sound.

1. Can you try and read from the transcriptions in the chart below?
2. How many sounds are there in the English phonemic alphabet? How are sounds
organized in the chart? Is there a logic behind this organization? Watch the
following video:

Chart Explained

https://youtu.be/JfwVXfl0EnI

3. Now it’s your time to start writing the symbols.

……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
……………………………………
 4. Go to the Introduction to phonemic symbols1 in Campus and complete the
activities.
Once you finish them, you can check them against the Key Introduction to
phonemic symbols provided.

5. Go back to the chart, the video and the reading material from the theoretical
class. Here are some further questions for you to think of in connection with the
chart. We will be discussing these and your questions in our next class.

▪ Why are consonants distributed in three columns?

▪ Why does /h/ stand alone?
▪ What is peculiar about the shaded vowel sounds?
▪ Read these words aloud. Which ones contain schwa? So, what is special
about / ə /?
▪
about bus under different element Wednesday

▪ Which consonants do you consider unfamiliar?

▪ Are those sounds the most difficult ones for you to produce?
▪ Which of these sounds do you think do NOT exist in Spanish?

1 Hancock, M., 2007. Pronunciation in Use (Intermediate). C.U.P.

Silent letters

Letters and sounds are not to be confused. While it is

conventional to use letters in writing, phonetic transcriptions
use internationally agreed symbols (IPA).

One principle governing the use of these phonetic

symbols is that there should ONLY be one symbol for every
sound; regardless of the number of letters. In that way, it sometimes takes several letters to
“spell” a sound, as it´s the case in taxi , swimming  or food . Similarly,
other letters are “silent” (they have no corresponding sound), such as the “w” in write .

In addition, because symbols are not letters, you cannot ‘personalize’ them and
create your own version of them. Symbols must be drawn as they appear in the
pronunciation dictionary. Words may be in capitals, symbols CAN’T.

1- Read the following words and write them in ordinary spelling. Watch out! They all
contain “silent” letters.

1. /θʌm/ ………….. 9. /wɔːk/ …………..

2. /det/ ………….. 10. /ʃʊd/ …………..

3. /siːn/ ………….. 11. /dæm/ …………..

4. /sænwɪdʒ/ ………….. 12. /saɪkəʊ/ …………..

5. /fɒrən/ ………….. 13. /aɪl/ …………..

6. /eərəs/ ………….. 14. /kɑːsl̩ / …………..

7. /naɪf/ ………….. 15. /rɒŋ/ …………..

8. /pɑːm/ ………….. 16. /sɔːd/ …………..

2 – Now, compare the spelling and the transcription. Can you infer the rules for silent
letters? Read on and find out if you were right.

1. thumb
2. debt

3. scene/seen

4. sandwich

5. foreign

6. heiress
7. knife

8. palm
9. walk
10. should

11. damn

12. psycho

13. aisle/isle

14. castle

15. wrong
16. sword
 3 – Just for fun!

4 – More PRACTICE

https://view.genial.ly/605b76c1f4f3880ceee9fda6/presentation-genially-sin-titulo

Consonants 1 / Difficult Sounds: /b/ vs /v/

1. Why is the contrast between these two sounds /v/ vs /b/ difficult for some Spanish
speakers? Follow the link and find the answer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghb6qapA_gM

Look at the head diagrams. Which diagram represents each sound?

2. Now it’s your time to distinguish between /b/ and /v/.
Listen to the words in bold. Then, read them aloud. It is a good idea to use the front
camera of your phone (or a mirror!) to look at the position of the lips as you read the
words.

3. Now listen to the minimal pair sentences. Then, read them aloud. It is a good idea to use
the front camera of your phone (or a mirror!) to look at the position of
the lips as you read the words.

Consonants 2 / Plosives and Aspiration

For the articulation of plosives or stops the

airflow is completely stopped at some point
in the vocal tract by the temporary physical
contact between articulators.

Look at the head diagrams: which organs are

involved in the articulation of each pair of
plosives?
Voiceless plosives in stressed syllables in a word
are aspirated. What is aspiration? Watch the
following video by Geoff Lindsay, and practise
producing aspiration.

Now it’s your time to practise plosives.

The different tasks in the material take you step by step into production:
recognise, practise/repeat and produce.
Also, look out for, practise and produce aspiration. Use the tips in the
previous video if necessary.

● Go to SELECTION from Unit 8 /p/ pen /b/ bad2 and complete the tasks. Circle the
words which have an aspirated plosive in tasks 1.1,1.3 and 4.1.
● Go to SELECTION from Unit 9 /t/ tea /d/ did3 and complete the tasks. Circle the words
which have an aspirated plosive in tasks 1.1,1.3 and 4.1a.
● Go to SELECTION from Unit 10 /k/ cat /g/ get4 and complete the tasks. Circle the
words which have an aspirated plosive.in tasks 1.1,1.3 and 4.2a

KEYS

Key to UNITS 8, 9 and 10

Key to ASPIRATION recognition and practice.

UNIT 8

2 O’Connor, J.D. and Fletcher, D. 1993. Sounds English A pronunciation practice book. Longman.
3 O’Connor, J.D. and Fletcher, D. 1993. Sounds English A pronunciation practice book. Longman.
4 O’Connor, J.D. and Fletcher, D. 1993. Sounds English A pronunciation practice book. Longman.
UNIT 9
UNIT 10
Consonants 3 / More difficult consonants

The following consonants usually prove difficult to master for

speakers of Spanish: /d/ (as opposed to /ð/), /dʒ/ (as
opposed to /ʃ/) and /z/ (as opposed to / θ / or /s/)

PART 1. thin /θ/ this /ð/ tea /t/ did /d/

1. Work with the following videos. Pay attention to

the way the woman articulates each sound.

/d/ /t/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA5ZYC89oso&list=PLD6B222E02
447DC07&index=29
/θ/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Aj3k65HSo&list=PLD6B222E02447DC07&index=
10
/ð/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu1t3Fn5Lw8&list=PLD6B222E02447DC07&index=1
8

Now it’s your time to practise.

The different tasks take you step by step into production: recognise,
practise/repeat and produce. Whenever you read in the material practise or
repeat, it’s your turn to do so. Go ahead!

1. Listen and practise the difference.

Thin Tin Heath heat

Thank Tank Sheath sheet
Thick Tick Fourth fort
Three Tree Path Part
Theme Team North nought

2. Listen and practise the difference.

There dare breathe breed

Then den worthy wordy
Than Dan lather ladder
Though dough
3. Say /d/ at the end of words. Listen and say these adjectives ending in /d/

afraid bad boiled good hard loud old red

Now use them to fill the gaps in these phrases and then read them aloud. Record yourself
with your phone.

• A ……………… accident • ……………. white and blue

• An ………………friend • A ………….… apple

• A …………………friend • …………………. of the dark

• A …………………explosion • A ………………egg

Listen and say these nouns ending in /d/

bed side Head end

Now use them to fill the gaps in these phrases and then read them aloud. Record yourself
with your phone.
• The …………… of the line

• The …………… of the road

• The …………… of Department

• …………….. and breakfast

4. Say /θ/ and /ð/. Listen and practise: read aloud and record yourself.

John Blythe is thirteen. His brother Timothy is fifteen. Their

sister Heather is eleven. Their mother and father come from
Northern Ireland, but the children were all born in London.
Their mother is called Thelma and she is 38. Their father’s
name is Matthew, and he is 39.
PART 2. chin /tʃ/ treasure /ʒ/ judge /dʒ/

1. Work with the following videos. Pay attention to the way the woman
articulates each sound.

/dʒ/ /tʃ /
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IeQmGdo7gQ&list=PLD6B222E0
2447DC07&index=34

/ʒ/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTxeAiBF61I&list=PLD6B222E02447DC07&
index=34

/ʃ/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF92RdZC6wE&list=PLD6B222E02447DC0
7&index=19

Now, it’s your turn to practice

1. Listen and practise the difference between /tʃ/ and /dʒ/. Read aloud. Record yourself.

Chin gin
Cheer jeer
H age
Larch large

2. Listen and practise these conversations. Read aloud. Record yourself.

/tʃ/

A: Can you play chess?

/ kən ju pleɪ tʃes /

B: Yes, I enjoy chess very much. I was a chess champion when I

was a child.
/ jes / aɪ ɪndʒɔɪ tʃes veri mʌtʃ / aɪ wəz ə tʃes tʃæmpɪən wen aɪ wəz ə tʃaɪld /

A: And are you still a champion chess player?

/ ənd ə ju stɪl ə tʃæmpɪən tʃes pleɪə /

B: No, things have changed. In my last match, I was beaten by a seven-year-old child. I think
she’s a future champion!
/ nəʊ / θɪŋz həv tʃeɪndʒd / ɪn maɪ lɑːst mætʃ / aɪ wəz biːtn baɪ ə sevən jiər əʊld tʃaɪld / aɪ
θɪŋk ʃiz ə fjuːtʃə tʃæmpɪən /

/dʒ/

A: Hello, Janice Jones speaking.

/ hələʊ / dʒænɪs dʒəʊnz spiːkɪŋ /
B: Hello, Janice. This is John Johnson. Is Jenny in?
/ hələʊ / dʒænɪs / ðɪs ɪz dʒɒn dʒɑːnsən / ɪz dʒeni ɪn /

A: No, she’s not. Can I take a message?

/ nəʊ / ʃiz nɒt / kən aɪ teɪk ə mesɪdʒ /

B: Yes, please. Tell her that I’ve got her luggage. Could she
collect it?
/ jes / pliːz / tel hə ðət aɪv ɡɒt hə lʌɡɪdʒ / kəd ʃi kəlekt ɪt /

/ʒ/

A: Did you watch Treasure Island on television yesterday?

/ dɪd ju wɒtʃ treʒə aɪlənd ɒn telɪvɪʒən jestədi /

B: No, I watched a programme called Leisure Time.

/ nəʊ / aɪ wɒtʃt ə prəʊɡræm kɔːld leʒə taɪm /

PART 3. Thin /θ/ this /ð/ so /s/ zoo /z/

1. Work with the following videos. Pay attention to the way the woman
articulates each sound.

/z/ /s/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1ZvmX80t7Q&list=PLD6B222E02
447DC07&index=38

Now, it’s your turn to practice

Listen and practise the difference between /θ/ and /s/. Read aloud. Record yourself.

thick sick Path pass

think sink Mouth mouse
theme seem Moth moss
thumb sum Worth worse
thing sing Tenth tense

Listen and practise the difference between / ð/ and /z/. Read aloud. Record yourself.

breathe breeze Then Zen

teething teasing Though zone
clothing closing This zip
bathe bays These zero
More PRACTICE

https://view.genial.ly/606113cc410dd80d483b6369/presentation-difficult-pairs

Consonants 4 – alveolar & dental sounds /d/ /t/ /ð/ /θ/

1. Read the dialogue. Circle or highlight the four focused sounds in four different
ways.

Now, listen and check.

2. Complete the following chart with the words you marked in the dialogue

/d/ /t/ /ð/ /θ/

→ The key to the exercises will be found at the end of this document
 3. Practise saying the lists of words by column in front of a mirror.
→ Check out your pronunciation against the recording if necessary.
→ Check visually that you are producing correctly the alveolar sounds
/d//t/,where the tip and blade of the tongue are NOT visible because they are
always placed behind the teeth.
→ Check visually that you are producing correctly the dental sounds
/ð//θ/,where the tip and blade of the tongue ARE visible in between the teeth.
→ Check that the plosive sounds /d//t/ are actually produced as stops
(and do not “continue” as the fricatives)
→ Check that the fortis plosive sound/t/ is released with a puff of air to the back of
your hand if it should be aspirated.

4. Once you are confident with your production of all the words in the chart in exercise 2,
proceed to reinserting the words in the original text.
→ Listen to and repeat the dialogue in short sections.
→ Do not lose control over the focus sounds.
→ If possible, practise reading the dialogue with a partner.

5. Record yourself reading aloud the dialogue.

→ Try hard not to lose control of the focus sounds, while your text remains as natural as
possible.
→ Make several recordings to attempt this, if necessary.

6. Get in contact with a partner, and swap recordings.

→ Listen to your partner´s file attentively.
→ Be ready to provide them with your feedback.

7. Ideally, meet synchronously with your partner.

→ Discuss in pairs how difficult/easy and useful/useless the previous exercises were for
you.
→ Share the respective feedback to you previous recordings.

8. Repeat similar process with a text of your choice with these sounds or any pair or group of
sounds that you find personally challenging.
KEY

BONUS!

In the light of the videos and the practice material you worked with, how can
you explain the three following jokes?

1−

2- Modern Family 3. The Coast Guard

Inflectional endings

You have been introduced to and you have examined the

relationship between phonology and morphology by describing the
regular morphological inflections and part-of-speech alternation in
English. These inflections follow particular phonological rules when
they are produced. At the same time, these phonological rules turn
into phonetic signals that will help the listener decode the incoming
messages. If they are ignored or produced incorrectly there might
be confusion or misunderstanding in a conversation.

Now it’s your time to practise.

PART1 // Inflectional -S
Paul´s calls, Max´s faxes5

A- Inflectional –S with same number of syllables

Usually the –S ending is just a consonant (C), NOT another syllable. And it is pronounced
/s/ or /z/
Listen and notice /s/ or /z/. Listen and repeat.

Claire´s chairs
Bob´s jobs
Di´s pies
Rose knows
Pat´s hats

B- Inflectional –S which adds an extra syllable

Sometimes, the -S ending IS another syllable, since it is adding a vowel too:  This
happens when the original word ends in a sibilant sound:
Listen and notice. Listen and repeat.

 Chris´s kisses; the nurse´s purses; Max´s faxes

 Trish´s wishes

 Rose´s roses

 The witch´s watches

 George´s fridges

5 Hancock, M. 2017. English Pronunciation in Use. Intermediate book with answers. Cambridge: CUP.
C- Make sure you pronounce the –S endings correctly, it’s very important to the meaning of
the utterance.
Listen to the examples and notice how the –S ending changes the meaning. Listen and
repeat.

NOUN VERB
Jane´s nose Jane knows
Nick´s weights Nick waits
SINGULAR PLURAL
My friend spends a lot My friends spend a lot
Our guest came late Our guests came late

PART 2 // Inflectional -ED

Pete played, Rita rested6

A-
The verb play has only one syllable and the past tense also has one syllable played
/. Usually the -ed ending is just a consonant sound and not another syllable.
So, for example, smile / rhymes with child //. Listen to the rhymes. Notice that
–ed rhymes either with /t/ or /d/.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YxFHtRq0SX0CB5h97XJPx441UJZ2dIYg/view?usp=shari
ng

He looked round first,

And then reversed.
The car that passed
Was going fast.
It hit the side.
The driver cried.
He never guessed,
He’s pass the test.

Listen to the poem again and write /t/ or /d/ in the following verbs. Pay attention to the
rhymes.

/riv3:s__/ /pas__ / /kraI__ / /ges__ /

Now, practice reading the poem. Remember you can track or shadow the recorded speaker.
Then record yourself.

6 Adapted from Hancock, M. (2017). English Pronunciation in Use. Intermediate book with answers. Cambridge: CUP
B-
If the infinitive of the verb ends with the sounds /t/ or /d/, -ed or-d is a new syllable, and it is
pronounced . For example:

hate  – one syllable

hated  – two syllables

Listen and compare the sentences on the left and the right below.

One syllable Two syllables

Pete played Rita rested
Dan danced Colin counted

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pzAV4U_5b1F-
jJ6WJG7lO2scNv_hkXwT/view?usp=sharing

Now, listen to the following phrases and decide if they have one syllable or two
syllables. Then, repeat. 7

One syllable Two syllables

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10UmhMhL2UYRjhMRYtl_CJBGzgea1q2Lt/view?usp=shari
ng

7One syllable: Liz laughed; Clare cleaned; Steve stopped; Will watched. Two syllables: Wendy waited;
Sheila shouted; Stacey started, Mayra mended.
PART 3 // Elizabeth´s story
Elizabeth’s story
Look at the pictures and think: What is the problem? How do the people in the pictures
cope with it? Have you ever been in a similar situation? How did you cope with it?

1. Elizabeth is talking about a time when she had to find her way in a strange
town. What was she looking for at the time? Listen and follow her way on the
map.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M206meBwiLxG3ALT2CAsmC1G0tmq
hKqD/view?usp=sharing
 2. Listen to the first short section of the recording. Complete the gaps.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yhCTlkxZ9Dcw_ZsO_667_fyLmfLxboL
6/view?usp=sharing

It (1)…………………………… to take an age to get there, but

eventually the bus (2)………………………. We’d got to the
terminus and everyone got out. We were somewhere in the
commercial district but I wasn’t sure where. I couldn’t
recognize anything. The others (3)…………………..off. I
(4)……………………….. wondering which way to start.

3. Transcribe the words. Use a dictionary to check.

1. ……………………………………………………
2. ………………………………………………….
3. ………………………………………………….…
4. ……………………………………………………

Complete the rule.

If the word base ends in a voiceless sound, then the –ed ending is pronounced
…………..……
If the word base ends in a voiced sound, then the –ed ending is pronounced
…………………….
If the word base ends in /t/ or /d/ already, then the –ed ending is pronounced
………………….

4. Read the next section of Elizabeth’s story and find instances of –ed endings.
Transcribe them. Listen and check.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QvoOdPITmo6GmI6yCgJ90Q4ApJnA
AZkU/view?usp=sharing

The street was empty, even the bus driver had gone. I
hurried across and turned into an alleyway and started to
walk. It was dark and drizzling a bit. I went through an
archway and into another street, where there were street
lights. It was one of those pedestrian precincts, no cars
admitted.
5. Listen to the next part of the story. Write down what Elizabeth passed as she
tried to find Market Street. The first one has been done for you as an example.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/107DzAjLRIfDc5axWQ-
OvC5YqZTwCeS9Q/view?usp=sharing

I passed some…SHOPS………………………………….....................................
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. Transcribe what Elizabeth passed as she tried to find Market Street. Use a
dictionary to check.

1 - ………………………………………
2 - ………………………………………
3 - ………………………………………
4 - ………………………………………
5 - ………………………………………
6 - ………………………………………
7 - ………………………………………
8 - ………………………………………

7. Complete the rule

If the word ends in a voiceless sound, then the –s ending is pronounced

……………………

If the word ends in a voiced sound, then the –s ending is pronounced

……………………

If the word ends in /s, /dʒ, /tʃ/or /ʃ/ already, then the –es ending is pronounced
………………….

8. Read the transcribed version of the following extract. Spot the mistakes. Listen
and check.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TLTISp-kceHhYfaw4B8zqO8ZJv1jkFri/view?usp=sharing

// ˈaɪ ˈwɔːkd əˈlɒŋ / ˈlʊkɪŋ ɪn ðə ˈwɪndəʊs / ðə lɑːst əv ðə ʃɒp əsɪstənts

wəz dʒəst ˈkləʊzɪŋ ðə ˈdɔ:s / kəd ˈʃi tel mi/ ˈpli:z / weə ˈmɑ:kɪt stri:t
wɒz //
 9. Here’s the end to Elizabeth’s story. Listen and practice reading from phonetic
script. Follow the steps suggested in the Oral Practice Tutorial. Record yourself.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RWuc51QNdldUnEExDumrzU2Lo9GOSSI1/view?usp=sharing

FOLLOW-UP: Inflectional endings in -ed adjectives

Adjectives ending in -ed (such as embarrassed, bored or interested) generally follow the
same phonological rules as for the regular past tense.
However, there are historically based differences in pronunciation between certain forms
ending in -ed, depending on whether they function as adjectives or verbs. Let’s have a look
at some of the exceptions that confirm the rules.

How do you pronounce the following adjectives? Not sure? Follow the links and
listen carefully.

<naked> 515 pronunciations of naked in British English

<ragged> 36 pronunciations of ragged in British English
<wicked> 264 pronunciations of wicked in British English
<rugged> 49 pronunciations of rugged in British English
<beloved> 264 pronunciations of beloved in British English
<wretched> 115 pronunciations of wretched in British English
<jagged> 40 pronunciations of jagged in British English
KEY
Elizabeth’s story part 1

* These correspond to exercise 7

So, the rule is…

If the verb base ends in a voiceless sound, then the –ed ending is pronounced ……………
If the verb base ends in a voiced sound, then the –ed ending is pronounced ……………
If the verb base ends in /t/ or /d/ already, then the –ed ending is pronounced ……………

Elizabeth’s story part 2

So, the rule is

If the word ends in a voiceless sound, then the –s ending is pronounced……

If the word ends in a voiced sound, then the –s ending is pronounced ………
If the verb base ends in /s, z /dʒ, tʃ/or /ʃ/ already, then the –es ending is pronounced…………

Key to exercise 10.

There are 3 mistakes

ANOTHER STORY

https://view.genial.ly/622259ae869e780018e1cd55/interactive-content-untitled-genially
Consonant Clusters

When we have two or more consonant sounds together we call them a consonant cluster.
Clusters, then, are combinations of consonants. English words can have clusters at the
beginning, in the middle and at the end of words. For example:

Initial position pray /preɪ/ spray /spreɪ/

Within the word escape /ɪˈskeɪp/ control /kənˈtrəʊl/ upstream /ˌʌpˈstriːm/

Final position grabbed /ɡræbd/ crisps /krɪsps/ texts /teksts/

Clusters can sometimes be difficult to pronounce so work on their pronunciation with the
following tasks. Let’s work on clusters at the beginning and at the end of words.

EPU Advanced – Unit 7 Worksheet + audios

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KdjuG4_Ltrp5B4zL7LLCl28du4Plj0ho?usp=sharing

EPU Advanced - Unit 8 Worksheet + audios https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-

3v23bGtumAQVMpAdqMezr4VgYwpwA9U?usp=sharing

Weak forms and Strong Forms 1

As you already know, the context is very important when

you deliver a message. In connection to this, there is a
variation in pronunciation of some function words. These
can have two possible pronunciations according to the
context: a weak form and a strong form.

Watch the following videos. Which kind of

words do they analyse?
what do they all have in common?
Now it’s your time to practice.

1. Listen to the following dialogues and decide if you hear the strong or the weak form
of the highlighted words. Write W if the word is weak or S if the word is strong.

A: Will you be at the meeting on Friday?

B: Yes. Will you be there?

A: Can you help me carry this suitcase?

B: Hey, wait for me!

A: Is he there?
B: Who?
A: The boss.
B: No. Everybody else is working, but he's gone home!

2. Transcribe the dialogues paying special attention to how you transcribe the weak
and strong forms.

3. Practice saying the dialogues. Watch the Oral Practice tutorial for more suggestions
on how to practice.

4. Now, listen to the following dialogues and transcribe the weak or strong form of the
pronoun according to what you hear.

/_______ dʌznt sməʊk ɔː drɪŋk /

/ɑː/ ðæts wɒt _________ təʊld _________ /

/lʊk ˈɪts _________ /

/weə / aɪ kɑːnt ˈsi: _________/

/də ju nəʊ ðæt wʊmən /

/_________ / nəʊ /aɪ dəʊnt rekəɡnaɪz _________

/aɪm əfreɪd _________ kɑːnt steɪ eni lɒŋɡə /

/wɒt də ju miːn _________ /aɪv ɡɒt plenti əv taɪm /

/ðeɪ təʊld _________ tə ɡəʊ ðɪs weɪ /

/wel /ðeɪ dɪdnt tel _________ /

/wen aɪ sed ɡɪv _________ ə drɪŋk aɪ dɪdnt miːn _________ /aɪ ment ðə piːpl /
 5. Practice saying the dialogues. Watch the Oral Practice tutorial for more suggestions
on how to practice.

So, according to the context of the message, some personal and object pronouns may be
either weak or strong. Look at the table below:

WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

you /ju/ /ju:/
me /mi/ miː
he /hi/ /hi:/
she /ʃi/ /ʃi:/
him /ɪm/ (though this choice depends on the speaker) /hɪm/
her /ə/*(though this choice depends on the speaker) /hə/ or /hɜː/*
we /wi/ /wi:/
us /əs/ /ʌs/
them /ðəm/ /ðem/

Many possessives, conjunctions, prepositions and auxiliary verbs also have a weak and
strong form. Normally we use the weak form, but if the word is stressed because it is
especially important, or because we want to show a contrast, we use the strong form.

6. Listen to the following dialogues and circle according to whether you hear the
strong or the weak form.

/ ɡɪv mi jə / jɔː hænd /

/ jə / jɔː tɜːn |
/nəʊ / ɪts jə / jɔː tɜːn /

/ðæts ˈaʊə ˈnju: ˈneɪbə |

/ənd /ænd ˈwɒts hɪz ˈneɪm |
/nəʊ / hɜː/hə
/əʊ / ˈsɒri / ˈwɒts hɜː/hə ˈneɪm /

7. Practice saying the dialogues. Watch the Oral Practice tutorial for more suggestions
on how to practice.

8. Now, the words in bold type can be either weak or strong. Read the dialogues
thinking of the context and decide if they are weak or strong. Then, listen and check
if you were right.
A: She must be rich! Look at her car.
B: I think that's his car, actually!

A: They've sold their old house, I see.

B: They've sold their house, yes, but they haven't bought another one yet.

A: Would you like some ice cream or some cake.

B: I’d like some ice cream and some cake, please.

A: Do you like those sweets?

B: Well, some of them are good.

The shop’s closed from one to two.

There’s a bus to the village at six, but there’s no bus from there tonight.
So, look at the table below.

WEAK FORM STRONG FORM

Your /jɔː/*/jə/* (Although this use is not always /jɔː/*
accepted)
His /ɪz /(though this choice depends on the speaker) /hɪz/
And /ən/ or /n/ /ænd/
But /bət/ /bʌt/
Some /səm/ /sʌm/
At /ət/ /æt/
For /fə/* /fɔː/*8
From /frəm/ /frɒm/
Of /əv/ /ɒv/
To /tə/ or /tu/ (when followed by a word that starts with /tuː/
a vowel sound. For example: <to act> / tu ækt /

9. Transcribe the dialogues paying special attention to how you transcribe the weak
and strong forms.

10. Practise saying the dialogues. Watch the Oral Practice tutorial for more suggestions
on how to practice.

8The words that appear with * have an r in spelling which is generally pronounced if the following word
begins with a vowel sound. For example: <Come in for a minute> /kʌm ɪn fər ə mɪnɪt/
WEAK FORMS - A POEM
BOYS WILL BE BOYS by Leon Rosselson

1. The following words appear, in that order, in the first stanza of the poem.
Can you make sense of them? What is the poem talking about?

Look /little / Peter - Isn't / terror / shooting / neighbours/ cowboy gun?

Screaming / jet plane - Always throwing something.

I / can't control - Trouble? - He / one.

Boys / boys - Fact / human nature - Girls / grow up / mothers.

Now listen to the first stanza of the poem. Were you right?

Think of the following questions:

● Which words did you need to make sense of the poem?

Listen again and complete the following verse:

Shooting all ……… neighbours ……………… cowboy gun

● Which words did you hear that - most probably - did not change your idea of the
content of the poem before you listened to it?

2. Listen to the second stanza of the poem, and fill in the blanks with the words you
hear.

Look _____ little Janie, doesn't ______ look pretty

Playing with ______ dolly, proper little mum?
Never being dirty, never being noisy,
Don´t touch _______ sister, Peter, now look what you _________ done!!
Ah, ______ boys will be boys,
It´s ______ fact ______ human nature,
______ girls will grow up ______ ______mothers.
All the missing words are weak forms. Transcribe them as they are produced in the poem.
Which vowels are used? Are there any consonants elided?

<be>  <he>  <of> 

<a> 

<but>  <her>  <the> 

<and> 

<have>  <him>  <to> 

<at> 

3. This is the next stanza. Transcribe it, paying special attention to weak forms.

Now what’s come over Janie? Janie’s turning nasty!

Left hook to the body, right hook to the eye!

Vicious little hussy! Now, Peter’s started bawling!

What a bloody cissy! Who said you could cry?!

Listen to the third stanza and check.

● Why do you think <the> is pronounced differently in <to the body> and in <to the
eye>? What is the rule?

4. Read the end of the poem, which has been transcribed by an online app,
disregarding weak forms. Listen to the fourth stanza and mark the sounds or words
which are different from the transcription.
5) Listen and practice reading complete the poem
✓ First, try to shadow the audio and then read it on your own. You may want to record
yourself and share your recording with a partner
✓ Enjoy a song of the poem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqy8vY5uExc
✓ Be ready to read the poem in our next class







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




















Weak forms and Strong Forms 2

Whether to use the weak or strong form will change

according to the context. There are also some rules that
you can follow to decide. Let's revise them together:

✔ CITATION: strong form when a function word is

being cited or quoted (not actually being used)
example: The word “AND” /ænd/ doesn´t usually appear in
its strong form.

✔ EMPHASIS & CONTRAST: strong form when a function word is being emphasized
for some reason or used to contrast it with another implicit word.
examples: She DOES /dʌz/ work hard and she DOES /dʌz/ do all her homework! (although you don´t
believe her!)
Excuse me, are you talking to ME /miː/? (not to HER or HIM?)

✔ STRANDING: strong form when a function word is grammatically needed in final

position of the given structure, especially prepositions.
example: What are you thinking OF /ɒv/ right now?
(ATTENTION: notice that in the example the word OF is grammatically stranded, but not necessarily
in final position)

✔ ELLIPSIS: strong form when an auxiliary verb or the verb TO BE stands alone but is
elliptical: i.e., it is in fact representing a longer stretch of referred to language.
examples: I don´t like jazz, but my friend DOES /dʌz/
You don´t like it, DO /duː/ you? [question tag]
“I´m so relaxed!” “ARE /ɑː/ you?” [echo question]
“Are you at home?” “Yes, I AM /æm/ [short yes/no answers]
Now it’s your time to practise.

The strong form is used in the cases below. Listen and repeat. Then, decide which rule
applies in each case.

1) A: Are you ready? B: Yes, I am.

2) A: It isn't raining, is it? B: Yes, it is.
3) A: I'm not very good at English. B: Of course you are!
4) A: Is your father a teacher? B: He was, but he's retired now.
5) A: How many people are there in your class? Ten? B: There were ten, but one left
last week.
6) A: Have we met before? B: I don't think we have.
7) A: Has it started: B: Yes, come on, it has.
8) A: I don't like this music. B: Oh, I do.
9) A: Does the supermarket open on Sundays? B: I think it does.
10) A: I can't open this door. B: Let me try. Maybe I can.
11) A: Can you play tennis? B: Not now. I could when I was younger

11. Transcribe the dialogues paying special attention to how you transcribe the weak
and strong forms.

12. Practice saying the dialogues. Watch the Oral Practice tutorial for more suggestions
on how to practise.
 KEY

2)
/wɪl ju bi ət ðə mi:tɪŋ ˈɒn ˈfraɪdeɪ / (W)
/jes/ wɪl ju: bi ðeə/(S)

/kən ju help mi ˈkæri ðɪs ˈsuːtkeɪs/ (W)

/heɪ /weɪt fə miː/ (S)

/ɪz hi ðeə/ (W)

/hu/
/ ðə bɒs/
/nəʊ /ˈevriˌbɒdi els ɪz ˈwɜːkɪŋ bət hi:z ɡɒn həʊm/(S)

3)
/ʃi ˈdʌznt ˈsməʊk ɔː drɪŋk / (W)
/ɑː/ ðæts wɒt ˈʃi təʊld ju: / (W/S)

/ˈlʊk ˈɪts hɪm / (S)

/weə /ˈaɪ kɑːnt ˈsi: (h) ɪm/ (W)

/də ju ˈnəʊ ðæt ˈwʊmən /

/hɜː / nəʊ /aɪ dəʊnt ˈrekəɡnaɪz hə | (S/W)

/aɪm əˈfreɪd wi kɑːnt ˈsteɪ ˈeni ˈlɒŋɡə / (W)

/wɒt də ju miːn wi: /aɪv ˈɡɒt ˈplenti əv ˈtaɪm /(S)

/ðeɪ təʊld əs tə ˈɡəʊ ðɪs ˈweɪ / (W)

/wel /ˈðeɪ ˈdɪdnt tel ʌs / (S)

/wen ˈaɪ ˈsed ɡɪv ðəm ə drɪŋk ˈaɪ ˈdɪdnt miːn ðem /ˈaɪ ment ðə ˈpiːpl̩ / (W / S)

7)
/ ɡɪv mi jə hænd /

/ jɔː tɜːn |
/nəʊ / ˈɪts / jɔː tɜːn /

/ðæts ˈaʊə ˈnju: ˈneɪbə |

/ənd ˈwɒts hɪz ˈneɪm |
/nəʊ / hɜː/
/əʊ / ˈsɒri / ˈwɒts hɜː ˈneɪm /

9)
/ ˈʃi məst bi rɪtʃ /ˈlʊk ət hə kɑː / (weak)
/ˈaɪ ˈθɪŋk ðæts hɪz kɑː ˈæktʃuəli /(strong; can’t be pronounced ɪz)
/ˈðeɪv səʊld ðər əʊld ˈhaʊs /ˈaɪ ˈsiː / (weak)
/ˈðeɪv səʊld ðeə ˈhaʊs /jes /bət ˈðeɪ ˈhævn̩t ˈbɔːt əˈnʌðə wʌn jet / (strong)

/wʊd ju laɪk səm ˈaɪs kri:m ɔː səm keɪk / (weak)

/aɪd laɪk səm ˈaɪs kri:m ænd səm keɪk pliːz /(strong)

/də ju laɪk ðəʊz swiːts / (weak)

/wel /sʌm əv ðəm ə ɡʊd / (strong / weak / weak))

/ðə ˈʃɒps kləʊzd frəm wʌn tə ˈtuː / (weak)

/ðəz ə bʌs tə ðə ˈvɪlɪdʒ ət sɪks (weak) / bət ðəz ˈnəʊ bʌs frɒm ðə ˈvɪlɪdʒ təˈnaɪt/(strong)

12)
/ ə ju ˈredi /
/jes / ˈaɪ æm / (short answer / ellipsis)

/ˈɪt ˈɪznt ˈreɪnɪŋ /ɪzˈɪt /

/jes /ˈɪt ɪz/ (short answer / ellipsis)

/aɪm nɒt ˈveri gʊd ət ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ /

/əv kɔːs ju ɑː / (ellipsis)

/ɪz jə fɑ:ðə ə ˈtiːtʃə /

/ˈhi wɒz / bət hiz riˈtaɪəd naʊ / (ellipsis)

/ˌhaʊ məni ˈpiːpl̩ ə ðər ɪn jə klɑ:s/ ten/

/ ðə wɜː ten /bət wʌn left lɑːst wiːk / (Contrast)

/həv wi met biˈfɔː/

/aɪ dəʊnt ˈθɪŋk wi hæv / (ellipsis)

/ˈhəz ˈɪt ˈstɑːtɪd/

/ jes /ˈkʌm ɒn /ˈɪt hæz /(ellipsis)

/ˈaɪ dəʊnt laɪk ðɪs ˈmjuːzɪk /

/əʊ /ˈaɪ duː / (ellipsis, contrast)

/dəz ðə ˈsuːpəmɑːkɪt ˈəʊpən ˈɒn ˈsʌndeɪz /

/ˈaɪ ˈθɪŋk ˈɪt dʌz /(ellipsis)

/ˈaɪ kɑːnt ˈəʊpən ðɪs dɔː /

/ˈlet miˈtraɪ /ˈmeɪbi aɪ kæn / (ellipsis, contrast)

/kən ju pleɪ ˌtenɪs / nɒt naʊ /ˈaɪ kʊd wen ˈaɪ wəz ˈjʌŋɡə / (contrast, ellipsis)
STRONG FORMS - A conversation

THERAPISTS

1) Watch this video once answer the following questions:

▪ What is going on?

▪ What is the relationship between the two people?
▪ What has happened?
▪ What can you say about gender roles?
▪ How could you connect with the poem Boys will be boys?

2) Watch this first part (up until 0:53 sec) and account for the strong
forms (underlined) in this section using the rules in the previous section.

3) In the last intervention by Tom, there are two strong forms that haven’t been
underlined in the script. Find them and account for them.
 4) Now listen again to the second part (as from 0.53 sec). Read the script and
decide if the function words that are marked in red are weak or strong,
according to what you hear. If they are strong, say why.

5) Finally, select one of the two sections and read it with a partner. You could
use other choices of strong/weak forms.

More on Weak and Strong forms

Limmericks
https://view.genial.ly/6089ef0b1b29540cecfa33d0/presentation-weak-forms-limericks

Short dialogues
https://view.genial.ly/6093201dc9c42d0ce2cea69d/presentation-weak-and-strong-forms-z7
STRONG FORMS – Short Exchanges

1. Watch the following video to identify some of the rules for strong forms.

● Watch and take notes.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MTwzrggAuynS1c2hvDwOfSZTiKg2KUQw/vi
ew?usp=sharing
● Transcribe each script below in the light of what you hear on video. Which
strong forms of function words can you spot?
● Account. Which rule is each example illustrating?
● Which two kinds of strong forms are missing?
● Practise reading aloud the scripts.

The Love Punch

A: Get out there!

B: I do get out there!
A: Taking your laptop out into the garden is not getting out there.

The devil wears Prada

Miranda: I don´t understand why it´s so difficult to confirm an

appointment.
Assistant: I´m sorry Miranda, I actually did confirm last night.
Miranda: Details of your incompetence do not interest me.

Miranda: Don´t be ridiculous Andrea, everybody wants this.

Everybody wants to be us.

Friends

Rachel: I´m pregnant

Ross: We used a condom.
Rachel: I know… but you know, condoms only work like 97% of
the times
Ross: What? WHAT!? Well, they should put that on the box!
Rachel: They do.
Ross: No, they don´t.
Ross: Well, they should put it in huge block letters.
Rachel: Ross, let´s just forget about the condoms.
Ross: Well, I may as well have!
 Rachel: Listen, you know what? I was really freaked out too
when I found out.
Ross: Freaked? Hey, I´m not freaked out. I´m indignant as a
consumer!

Starwars

Yoda: Much anger in him. Like his father.

Father: Was I any different when you taught me?

Yoda: There... he´s not ready.

Luke: Yoda! I am ready! Ben! I can… I can be a jedi! Ben! Tell
him I´m ready!
Yoda: Ready are you!

The big bang theory

Penny: I was wondering if you could help me out with

something…?
Leonard: Yes!
Penny: Oh! Okay,great, I´m having some furniture delivered
tomorrow and I may not be here so…

Penny: Oh! Hello!

Howard: (speaks in Russian)
Penny: I´m sorry?
Howard: Haven´t you ever been told how beautiful you are in
flawless Russian?
Penny: No, I haven´t.
Howard: Get used to it.
Penny: I probably won´t.
Modern family

Phil: What do you mean you´re out? Where are you going?
Luke: Dad, no offence, but I´ve seen you with a glue gun. I
think the nails are going to be harder to get out of my hair.
Phil: No, don´t go. I´m doing this for you!
Luke: Are you dad? Are you?

Phil: The kid made me think with

that one. Who was I really doing
this for?
Processes in Connected Speech - Linking

1. In the theoretical classes you have already

been working on LINKING, and its different
kinds.
2. Now it’s your time to practise: work in the
following FILE and its AUDIOS

The Last Brownie

(Notting Hill by Richard Curtis)

A group of friends are having dinner together, in

celebration of one of their birthdays (Honey´s).
After coffee, there´s only one brownie left, and
the host (Max) offers it to the “saddest-act”
winner, for which each of the characters will try
to convince the others that he/she is the one
deserving the treat.

1 – LISTENING COMPREHENSION:
Watch the scene and note down each
character´s arguments to win the last brownie.

2- What is linking? When and why does it occur? Which are the 3 ways in which
words can be linked together? Label the following examples.
MAX : Having you here, Anna, firmly establishes what I've long suspected, that we really
are the most desperate lot of under-achievers. I'm going to give the last brownie as a prize
to the saddest act here.

3 - Label the cases of linking in Bernies’s argument (as from 1:07)

.
WILLIAM Bernie.
BERNIE Well, obviously it's me, isn't it -- I work in the City in a job I don't understand
and everyone keeps getting promoted above me. I haven't had a girlfriend
since... well, since puberty and nobody fancies me, and if these cheeks get any
chubbier, they never will.
HONEY Nonsense. I fancy you. Yeah, or I did before you got so fat.

4 – Transcribe Honey´s argument:

MAX … Honey here earns twenty pence a week flogging her guts out at London's worst
record store.
HONEY Yes. And I haven´t got hair -- I've got feathers, and I've got funny goggly eyes,
and I'm attracted to cruel men. And, actually, no one will ever marry me because…
um… my boosies have actually started shrinking.
MAX You see… it’s incredibly sad.
BELLA On the other hand, her best friend is Anna Scott.

a) Now listen and check if the instances marked in the text above are actually linked in
the video. (as from 1:37)
b) Which one of the instances marked in grey is not a possible case of linking? Why?
5 – Dictation: Bella’s argument (as from 2:03)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………....

................................................................................................................................................

a) Mark the cases of linking.

b) Which is the type of linking that does not appear in Bella’s argument?
6 – There is an instance of intrusive  in William´s argument. Can you predict it? Then,
listen and check. (as from 2.43)

7 - After Anna´s argument:

a) Why do Max and William say the following?

MAX: Nice try gorgeous… but you don´t fool anyone.

WILLIAM: Pathetic effort to hog the brownie!

b) Eventually, it is William who gets the brownie. Do you agree with the decision? Who
(if any other) should receive the brownie?

KEY

Bernie:
→ Has a difficult job that he doesn´t understand
→ Is getting chubby
→ has never had a girlfriend
Honey:
→ has feather hair
→ has goggly eyes
→ has shrinking boosies
→ has a badly-paid job
→ is attracted to cruel men
Bella:
→ is in a wheelchair
→ has given up smoking
→ can´t have children

William:
→ is very unsuccessful professionally
→ is divorced
→ used to be handsome
→ had “Floppy” as nickname

Anna:
 → has to watch her diet
→ hasn´t had nice boyfriends
→ has had surgery
→ hasn´t got a private life
→ has no future

2 – Linking is a way of joining the pronunciation of two words so that they are easy to say
and flow together smoothly. Lack of linking can make an accent sound choppy. In English
there are different ways that this happens.

Vowel to vowel linking - when certain vowels come next to each other an extra sound is added to make the
link smooth.

Consonant to vowel linking - when the first word ends with a consonant sound and the second word begins
with a vowel sound.

Linking 'r'
In standard GB the letter 'r' after a vowel sound at the end of word is often not pronounced. However, when the
following word begins with a vowel the /r/ sound is pronounced to make a smooth link.

3 – Bernie´s argument




4 – Honey´s argument

a)

c) Which one of the instances marked in grey is not a possible case of linking? Why?
because it´s vowel to consonant
 5 – Bella´s argument: Dictation key + linking cases






→ Which is the type of linking that does not appear in Bella’s argument?

Linking 

INTRUSIVE 

What’s the difference between linking and intrusive?
Linking occurs when there´s a letter R in the spelling; intrusive when there isn´t.

Intrusive insertion rule: any word that ends in  + another word
beginning in a vowel sound. There isn´t a letter R in the spelling.

The  can be inserted to prevent hiatus, two consecutive vowel sounds.

Intrusive may also occur between a root morpheme and certain suffixes, such
as drawing /drɔːrɪŋ/

5 - William´s argument










Processes in connected speech - ELISION

The following exercises9 have been selected to

provide further practice into the different instances of
elision. Work thoroughly through them, both during
recognition and listening steps, as well as –and
particularly- when you are asked to produce.

The key to these exercises can be found at the end

of this document.

We here also provide a reference document, taken

from the same bibliography10, for you to refer to in
case of need.

⇒ ELISION of consonants
1. Say these sentences aloud and cross out any letters representing  at the end of words
that you think are likely to be elided.

Now listen, check your answers and repeat.

2. Listen to these sentences and focus on the highlighted  sounds. Write the number of the
sentence in the table below according to what happens to .

9 Hewings, M (2017) English Pronunciation in Use Advanced. CUP

10 Hewings, M (2017) English Pronunciation in Use Advanced. CUP
 Check your answers in the key. Then say the sentences aloud as they are said on the
audiofile.
3. Say these sentences aloud and cross out any letters representing at the ends of words
that you think are likely to be elided.

Now listen, check your answers and repeat.

4. The  sounds at the beginnings of words are highlighted in these conversations. Cross
them out if you think they are likely to be elided in rapid speech.

Now listen and check your answers. Then practise the conversations.
⇒ ELISION of vowels
5. Complete each sentence with words from the same group.

Now listen and check your answers. Then say the sentences aloud, focusing on producing
syllabic consonants.
6. Listen to the conversations. PAUSE the audio before each B part and read it aloud. Focus
on syllabicity. Then continue listening and compare your pronunciation with what follows.

7. Complete these sentences using the pairs of words below. Notice that you may need to
change the order of the words.

Now listen and check your answers. Then read aloud the sentences making sure you
pronounce the words written with compression.

8. Listen to 14 words. Write them down in phonetic script. Write exactly what you hear. Then
check them against the key at the end of this document.

9. Listen to the words from exercise 8 in context. Are they pronounced the same way as
before? Or are sounds or syllables elided? Listen and transcribe the same 14 words again
and compare.
 Now check your answers in the key. Then read the sentences aloud, producing elision as in
the audiofile.

⇒ ELISION in actual speech

1- Watch the opening scene of the film Love Actually.

⇒ Do you agree with the speaker? To what extent?
⇒ Are you of the opinion that love (of any kind) needs constant confirmation?

'Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow
airport. General opinion makes out that we live in a world of hatred and greed
but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or
newsworthy but it's always there. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives,
boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends.
When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from people on
board were messages of hate or revenge, they were all messages of love.
If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.'

2 - Match the highlighted words in the script with the following cases of elision. Then, listen to
the text again and confirm if there´s elision in all the cases.

1 –/t/ and /d/ are usually elided when in mid-position in consonantal clusters (preceded and
followed by a consonant).
2 - /t/ can´t be elided when preceded by /l/ or /n/; except in contractions with “not” followed
by a consonant.
 3 – schwa can be elided when followed by a lateral or nasal, thus resulting in their
syllabicity.
4 – schwa is regularly elided before /r/
5 – weak syllables may be elided altogether when the following syllable contains the
consonant being elided. The result is known as compression.
6 – sounds are usually elided in the weakening of grammatical words.

3 - Transcribe the underlined words.

1 – often:
2 – boyfriends:
3 – old:
4 – people:
5 – find:
6 – actually:

● Now, listen to the scene again and decide if they are pronounced in the way you
transcribed them. Were there any elision cases? Which? Where?
KEY

⇒ ELISION of consonants

⇒ ELISION of vowels
⇒ ELISION in actual speech
2 -
1 – HUSBANDS 
2 – DON´T SEE 
3 – ARRIVALS 
4 – GENERAL 
5 – PARTICULARLY 
6 – AND 

3 –
1 – often: 

2 – boyfriends: 

3 – old: 

4 – people: 

5 – find: 

6 – actually:  
Vowels 1

There are twelve vowels or monophthongs in English. The following are front and central
vowels. Watch the video linked to each vowel button.
PART ONE

Work on the practice exercises for these sounds

SCHWA 

1. Read, listen to and practise the following dialogue, notice the syllables with the sound
 highlighted in yellow.

TRACK

A: What shall we have for supper?

B: Would you like bacon and eggs?
A: No, not bacon and eggs tonight. What else have we got?
B: There are some potatoes and lots of tomatoes. We could have baked potatoes and a
tomato salad.
A: I had a baked potato yesterday.
B: Well, then you can have some fish and chips from the shop at the end of the road.
A: OK. Shall we have a bottle of wine?
B: No, just a jug of sugar.

2. Read the following dialogue. Cross out all the syllables with the sound / /. Listen
and check.

TRACK

A: My sister is coming to see me tomorrow. I’d like to take her to the theatre. I wonder
what’s on.
B: Look in the newspaper in the section called Entertainment.
A: Oh, yes, look, at the Players Theatre there is a comedy with Amanda Morgan and
Michael Allen.
B: I’ve heard of Amanda Morgan but who’s Michael Allen?
A: He was in that television series about a hospital. He played the doctor who came from
Canada.
B: Oh yes, I remember. Tomorrow is a good night to go to the theatre. On Mondays you
can get two seats for the prize of one.
A: That’s good. Usually, when I go to the theatre, I sit at the back. It’s not as comfortable
but it’s cheaper. But tomorrow you can afford better seats, at the front.
FLEECE AND KIT 

3. Listen and practise the difference:

TRACK

green grin
Bead bin
reason risen
Meal mill
Feet fit
Cheek chick
Deep dip
Each itch

4. Read and listen to the following dialogue between two doctors. Notice the syllables with
the sound /  / highlighted in blue and the sound / highlighted in orange. Practise
reading aloud the text. Make sure you produce the contrast between /  / and /  /

TRACK

A: Have you been busy this evening?

B: Pretty busy. My first patient was Jim Beaton. He had twisted his knee. He slipped on a
banana skin on the street. I think he just needs to rest his knee. He is very fit.
A: My first patient was Mrs. Neale. She keeps being sick, and it is just because she eats
too
much.
B: A lot of patients don’t really need treatment. They feel ill because they do silly things.
We
can give them pills to treat some illnesses, but they need to keep fit and eat sensibly.

TRAP and DRESS

4. Listen and practise the difference: TRACK

Had head
Bag beg
Land lend
Can Ken
Pan pen
Mat met
Pack peck
Marry merry
Pat pet
Cattle kettle
6. Highlight the sounds  in pink and  in green. Then listen and check. TRACK

A: I’m a reporter from the Hendon Standard. Were you present when the accident
happened?
B: Yes, I was standing at the end of Elm Avenue, by the park.
A: What happened?
B: There was a red van travelling west, and several cars and vans behind it.
A: Was the red van going fast?
B: No. The driver kept glancing at a map on his lap. Then a black taxi started to pass the
redvan.
A: Was that the cause of the accident?
B: It wasn’t the taxi that caused the accident. It was the red van. The van driver suddenly
turned, and crashed into the taxi.
A: what happened then?
B: The taxi smashed into a lamppost. The taxi driver wasn’t badly hurt, but he was very
angry.

TRAP and STRUT 

7. Listen and practise the difference:

TRACK

Bug bag
Mud mad
Puddle paddle
Fun fan
Sung sang
Butter batter
Hut hat
Truck track
Much match
Drunk drank
Cut cat
Uncle ankle
 K E Y S

PART 1

EX 2
A: My sister is coming to see me tomorrow. I’d like to take her to the theatre. I wonder
what’s on.
B: Look in the newspaper in the section called Entertainment.
A: Oh, yes, look, at the Players Theatre there is a comedy with Amanda Morgan and
Michael Allen.
B: I’ve heard of Amanda Morgan but who’s Michael Allen?
A: He was in that television series about a hospital. He played the doctor who came from
Canada.
B: Oh yes, I remember. Tomorrow is a good night to go to the theatre. On Mondays you
can get two seats for the prize of one.
A: That’s good. Usually, when I go to the theatre, I sit at the back. It’s not as comfortable
but it’s cheaper. But tomorrow you can afford better seats, at the front.

EX 6
A: I’m a reporter from the Hendon Standard. Were you present when the accident
happened?
B: Yes, I was standing at the end of Elm Avenue, by the park.
A: What happened?
B: There was a red van travelling west, and several cars and vans behind it.
A: Was the red van going fast?
B: No. The driver kept glancing at a map on his lap. Then a black taxi started to pass the
red van.
A: Was that the cause of the accident?
B: It wasn’t the taxi that caused the accident. It was the red van. The van driver suddenly
turned, and crashed into the taxi.
A: what happened then?
B: The taxi smashed into a lamppost. The taxi driver wasn’t badly hurt, but he was very
angry.

PART TWO

Read the dialogue between Ross and Marsha

in an episode from and think:

- Why does Marsha think the cave

woman should look angry?
- Why doesn’t Ross agree?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zPvgFT0nnQ
Sort out the words according to the highlighted vowel sound:

KIT FLEECE DRESS TRAP STRUT SCHWA

ROSS: No, it's good, it is good, it's just that- mm- doesn't she seem a little angry?

MARSHA: Well, she has issues.

ROSS: Does she.

MARSHA: He's out banging other women over the head with a club, while she sits at home trying to get the
mastodon smell out of the carpet!

ROSS: Marsha, these are cave people. Okay? They have issues like 'Gee, that glacier's getting kinda close.'
See?

MARSHA: Speaking of issues, isn't that your ex-wife? (CAROL HAS ENTERED BEHIND THEM, OUTSIDE
THE EXHIBIT)

ROSS: (TRYING TO IGNORE HER) No. No.

MARSHA: Yes, it is. Carol! Hi!

ROSS: Okay, okay, yes, it is. (WAVING) How about I'll, uh, catch up with you in the Ice Age.

PART THREE

https://view.genial.ly/60c01fe6c455270d104dbe74/interactive-content-genially-sin-titulo
Vowels 2

It’s the turn of back vowels now. Watch the video

linked to each vowel button.

PART 1

Work on all the exercises. Once you finish you can check your work with a dictionary. You
may wish to watch the tutorial on Dictionary Use again.

LOT & THOUGHT 

1. Listen and practise the difference. AUDIO

  
not nought
stock stalk
pot port
cot court
spot sport
cod cord
cock cork
fox forks
 2. Listen and practice this interview for a job. Notice the words with the sound 
highlighted in pink and the sound  highlighted in green. AUDIO

A: Why do you want a job with the Northern Record?

B: I’d like to become a sports reporter. I always read the Northern Record. I saw
your advertisement. So I filled in an application form.
A: What other jobs have you done?
B: I’ve got a job in a sports shop, at the moment. Last August, I was a hotel porter.
It was a holiday job, in a seaside resort.
A: Are you interested in sport?
B: Yes, I like watching football; I always watch my local football team when the play
at the sports centre. I also watch sport on television quite often. And I go jogging
every morning.
A: Right, now, I’ll tell you what this job involves…

FOOT & GOOSE

1. Listen and practise the difference. AUDIO

  
fool full
pool pull
Luke look
boot foot
food good
tool wool

2. Listen to the first part of a conversation from a radio programme. Notice the words
with the sound  highlighted in yellow and the sound highlighted in blue.
Transcribe the highlighted words. AUDIO

Judith Brookes: In the Food programme studio today, we have two cooks, Julian
Woolf and Susan Fuller. They are going to choose Christmas presents for a new
cook. Julian Woolf, your kitchen is full of useful tools. if you could choose just two
things for a new cook, what would you choose?

Julian Woolf: I’d choose a fruit juice maker. You just put the fruit in and it produces
fruit juice. It’s super. and secondly, I’d choose a really good butcher’s knife. Every
cook could do with a good knife.

NURSE / & PALM 

1. Listen and practise the difference. AUDIO
/  
firm farm
burn barn
stir star
heard hard
dirt dart
hurt heart
birth bath
purse pass
PART 2

Stranger than Vowels

Are you a routine person?

Do you usually follow the same routine when you wake
up every day?
Do you always have the same for breakfast, or
choose the same dish or ice-cream flavour every time
you eat out?

1. Use the words and expressions in the box to

predict what happens in the scene you are
about to watch.

walk wristwatch numbers remarkably back and forth

toothbrush coffee Wednesday bus words

2. Watch the scene and check your predictions.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ULCK4JFw7xnUHmKYr9Eg17fZgs6vGlz6/view?
usp=sharing

3. Transcribe the following passage.

This is a story of a man named Harold Crick and his wristwatch. Harold Crick
was a man of infinite numbers, endless calculations and remarkably few
words. And his wristwatch said even less

4. Listen to your teacher and take down the dictation.

5. Go through the previous and following passages and add words to the charts according
to the vowel sound. Watch the scene again, if necessary. Then practise saying the words.

Every weekday, for twelve years, Harold would tie his tie in a single Windsor knot,
instead of the double. Thereby saving up to 43 seconds. His wristwatch thought the
single Windsor made his neck look fat, but said nothing.
Every weekday, for twelve years, Harold would run at a rate of nearly fifty seven steps
per block for six blocks, barely catching the 8:17 Kronecker bus. His wristwatch
would delight in the feeling of the crisp wind rushing over its face. And every
weekday, for 12 years, Harold would review 7.134 tax files as a senior agent for the
Internal Revenue Service.
6. Go back to the texts transcribed in exercises 1 and 2, highlight the
vowels in the stressed syllables, and practise reading the texts aloud
paying particular attention to those vowels.

7. Think about your morning routine in as much detail as Harold. Write

down some key words, to guide your speech. Pay special attention to the
vowels in those key words.
After you have practised it, record yourself in no more than 1 minute.
Swap audios with a partner and analyze their text. Make comments.
Integration

On this occasion we are going to be working

with a short story. We have already worked
together with Little Red Riding Hood. This
time, we have chosen The Wolf´s Tale, by
Louise Cooper.
Let´s start working!
1. Read the beginning of the story and
transcribe it. (ignore the highlighting at this
point)

You all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, right? Well, I'm sure of one thing. You don't
know what really happened. No one does, except me. I know people don't believe in fairy tales
these days, but the Riding Hood story happens to be true. I should know. You see, I'm the
wolf. And the rest of them—the girl, the woodsman, all the other people—they got it wrong.
All wrong.

Now check your transcription against the audio, where the story is read aloud by the author herself!
● Why do you think “they got it all wrong”? What do you think “really happened”?

2. Read very carefully the options and listen to four extracts from the rest of the story.
Which do you hear: A, B or C? (the key is provided at the end of this document)

1 - I wouldn't have harmed a hair of her head.

A -
 B - 
 C - 

2 - I can remember the pain; it was horrible.
A - 
 B - 
 C - 

3 - I can't be killed that way.
A - 
 B - 
 C - 
4 - A monster that no one can control.
A - 
 B - 
 C - 

● After reading the four extracts, how do you think the story continues?
3. Read the second part of the story and check your predictions.

They think I killed and ate old Granny. I didn't. I wouldn't have11 harmed a hair of her head,
but when I tried to tell them so, of course they couldn’t12 understand me. So the woodsman
cut me open. Oh, how that13 hurt . I can remember the14 pain; it was horrible. Even now I
have15 nightmares about it, and I shudder and cry out in my sleep, until I wake up screaming.
They didn't kill me16, you see. They thought they did, but they didn't. I can't be killed that
way. It has17 to be something else. A silver bullet, that's the18 only thing that19 will work.
A silver bullet, for a werewolf. Because that's what I really am20. I was attacked by a
werewolf one night, years ago. It bit me, and infected me with its curse. I'd give anything
to be free. I'd rather die than live like this, changing every full moon into a monster that
no one can control.
.
4. Analysis of weak and strong forms of function words.

● How would you account for the instances in yellow? Why are they weak or
strong?

>> Use expressions like the following to account for the realization of weak and strong
forms in the text.
examples
OF in the line “the story of Little Red Riding Hood” is weak. It is produced with the
unstressed vowel called schwa.
DOES in “no one does” is strong because there is ellipsis. It is used elliptically replacing a
longer stretch of language (no one does=no one knows what really happened)
ME in “except me” takes its strong form because the pronoun is in contrast (“me” in implicit
contrast with “everyone else”)

5. Let´s for a moment go back to previous weeks´ assignments:

● How many instances of words with silent letters can you find in The Wolf´s
Tale? Transcribe them.
● How many instances of –ED and –S inflectional endings are there? Transcribe
them.
● Find examples of the different kinds of linking we have worked on. Transcribe
them. Can you find examples of all of them?

11 have
12 couldn´t
13 that
14 the
15 have
16 me
17 has
18 the
19 that
20 am
6. Think ahead to our next :
● How does the story end?

7. We will be discussing your answers and looking

at your transcriptions in our virtual meeting
space.

KEYS

EX1







EX2

1–C
2–B
3–A
4–B
Plosives - Allophonic variations / PART 1

A shocking accident – discussion

• What do you think of Jerome’s reaction to the news of his father’s death?
• How do his friends react?
• What are the two versions of his father’s death that Jerome narrates? Why?
• Is it easy for Jerome to overcome the loss of father?
• Would you say that the story deals with death in a humorous way?

Complete the chart below with the name of the process and tick the plosives where
the different processes occur. Then follow this link to work with your partners and
provide an example of each process.

https://view.genial.ly/6112bb9c9e6b890da5b37530/interactive-content-plosives-0
Plosives – Plosives & Allophonic variations / PART 2

Find all the AUDIO FILES for this section here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1InLxDUCbV3JTgBssoE42pnjrwk-
0qZ7E?usp=sharing

/b/ /p/
i.Look at the head diagram to see how to make these sounds. See that for both sounds the lips
are COMPLETELY CLOSED. Be particularly careful because in Spanish the ‘b’ in SABER or
BEBA, for example, is a FRICATIVE sound!

ii. Listen to the sound /b/ in the words below and compare it with the words on each side.

iii. Listen and repeat. Make sure your lips are COMPLETELY CLOSED when you articulate /b/.

iv. Is the release stage for /b/ the same in all the examples above? Explain

v. Transcribe the following line. Then, listen and repeat the many times. Use a mirror. Pay attention
to your lips.

Bernie brought a big breakfast back to bed.

 vi. Listen to the sound /p/ in the words below and compare it with the words on each side.

vii. Listen and repeat. Make sure your lips are COMPLETELY CLOSED when you articulate /p/

viii. In which of the examples above are /p/ sounds fully aspirated? Which is unaspirated? What
different kinds of release can you find in the examples? Explain.

ix. Transcribe the following line. Then, listen and repeat the many times. Use a mirror. Pay attention
to your aspiration.

Pat put purple paint in the pool

/d/ /t/

i. Look at the head diagram to see how to make these sounds. Make sure the tip of the tongue is
in FULL CONTACT with the alveolar ridge in both cases.

Be particularly careful when /d/ is intervocalic as in SUDDEN because in Spanish the intervocalic
‘d’ in SODA or DADO, for example, is a FRICATIVE sound!

ii. Listen to the sound /d/ in the words below and compare it with the words on each side.
 iii. Listen and repeat. Make sure the tongue makes firm contact with the alveolar ridge when you
articulate /d/.

iv. In which of the words above can the release be nasal? Explain

v. Transcribe the following line. Then, listen and repeat the many times. Use a mirror.

David’s daughter didn’t dance but David’s dad did

vi. Listen to the sound /t/ in the words below and compare it with the words on each side.

vii. Listen and repeat. Make sure the tongue makes full contact with the alveolar ridge when you
articulate /t/.

viii. Which of the /t/ sounds in the words above are fully aspirated? Which /t/ sounds are
labialised? Explain.

ix. Transcribe the following line. Then, listen and repeat the line many times.

Betty bought a bit of butter

 /g/ /k/

i. Look at the head diagram to see how to make these sounds. Make sure the back of the tongue
is in FULL CONTACT with the top of the mouth in all cases. Be particularly careful when
/g/ is intervocalic as in AGAIN because in Spanish the ‘g’ in SEGUIR or GOTA, for
example, is a FRICATIVE sound!

ii. Listen to the sound /g/ in the words below and compare it with the words on each side.

iii. Listen and repeat. Make sure the back of the tongue makes full contact with the velum when
you articulate /g/.

iv. Listen and repeat. Make sure the back of the tongue makes full contact with the velum when
you articulate /g/.

v. In which of the words above is /g/ fronted? Explain.

vi. Transcribe the following line. Then, listen and repeat the many times. Use a mirror.

Grandma gave the guests eggs and frog legs

vii. Listen to the sound /k/ in the words below and compare it with the words on each side.

viii. Listen and repeat. Make sure the back of the tongue makes full contact with the velum when you
articulate /k/.

ix. Mark all the allophonic variants of /k/ that you can find in the words above.

x. Transcribe the following line. Then, listen and repeat the line many times.

The King cooked the carrots and the Queen cut the cake

Plosives - Allophonic variations / PART 3

Series & films

You have 30’ to talk to your partners about the last series or film you have
watched.

Now, follow this link and do as instructed

Enunciate by spitting
https://view.genial.ly/61126002bdf8150d89060783/interactive-content-genially-sin-
titulo
Plosives - Allophonic variations / PART 4

Down in Paris and London

(George Orwell)

1. Listen to Orwell describing his experience as a tramp in London in the 1930’s

(audio file ‘Down in London. Orwell’). Answer the following questions. Use the
script from ex. 2 to check your answers.

AUDIOFILE

a) How did the speaker feel the night he is recalling?

b) Why would people notice a ‘disparity’ between his accent and his clothes?
c) Why do you think he was so shocked when he was called ‘mate’?
d) Do you agree with him when he says ‘clothes are powerful things’?

2. Transcribe the fragment and check it with the key at the end of this
document.

3. Reflect upon processes in connected speech. Answer the following questions.

a. Do you perceive any difference between the /t/ sounds in ‘streets’, ‘late’ and ‘time’?
Lines 1 and 2: Find one example of an aspirated plosive and one of an unaspirated plosive.
Are there cases of plosives that are weakly aspirated in these two lines?

b. What happens when alveolar sounds /t, d, n, l/ are followed by dental sounds?
Lines 3 and 4: Find two examples of dentalization.

c. What are homorganic and non-homorganic sounds?

Lines 5 and 6: Find an example with 2 homorganic plosives together and another with 2
non-homorganic plosives together. How do you call these processes and how do they
differ from each other?

d. Which sounds can be devoiced and when?

Line 7: Find examples of devoicing.

e. In what way does the lateral affect the release of a plosive?

Line 8: Find one example of lateral release.

f. What happens when a plosive is preceded by its homorganic nasal?

Lines 9 and 10: Find 2 examples of omission of the onset.
g. And if the plosive is followed by its homorganic nasal?
Line 12: Find one example of nasal release.

h. There are two possible ways of releasing a plosive that is followed by a pause or a
silence. Which ones?
Line 11: Find one example of non-audible release.

i. Repeat the words /kiːp/ (line 1) and /kɔːld/ (line 6) paying attention to the
production of the initial sound in each word. You can probably feel that the contact
between the main articulators is advanced in the 1st case and more retracted in the
2nd. How do we call these processes and when do they occur? Are there other
examples in the fragment?
KEY





















Assimilation – Part 1

In the theoretical classes you have already

been working on assimilation of place.

1- The following videos show how some

sounds assimilate some characteristic to
the surrounding sounds. These are just
some examples as there are many
sounds that assimilate to others in
English!
Now watch the videos and practise
assimilating different sounds.

Assimilation of /t/ followed by /p/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ohrkQmzdQ&list=PLcetZ6gSk96-
ayXj5thbTpbh2vHWpP08o&index=4&t=167s

Assimilation of /n/ followed by /p/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrzg7DDo0ao&list=PLcetZ6gSk96-
ayXj5thbTpbh2vHWpP08o&index=14&t=0s

Assimilation of /d/ with /j/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rXlFsd-yUA&list=PLcetZ6gSk96-
ayXj5thbTpbh2vHWpP08o&index=8&t=0s

Assimilation of /t/ with /j/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzCvN1dJP1Y&list=PLcetZ6gSk96-
ayXj5thbTpbh2vHWpP08o&index=15&t=10s

2- The different tasks in this material take you step by step into production: recognise,
practise/repeat and produce. Remember that whenever you read in the material
practise or repeat, it’s your turn to do so.
Do the exercises below for further practice on assimilation:

1a. The underlined word in each sentence sounds like one of the words in the box. Match
them. Then listen and check:

EXAMPLE: torch / talk

a. I taught classes this morning . talk
b. You taught yourself French . torch
sum / sung

a. The sun burnt my neck.

b. The sun came up over the mountains.

beak / beach

a. I can't beat you at this game.

b. I can beat Carol at tennis.

coke / coach

a. I can't get this coat clean.

b. Is this the coat you bought?

cheap / cheek

a. They cheat quite a lot.

b. They cheat people out of their money.

1b. What kind of assimilation do the sentences exemplify? In each case, specify if the
assimilation is progressive/regressive, of voice/place or coalescent.

2a. Think of a computer which people speak into and it writes what they say. This
computer wrote these sentences incorrectly. Listen. Guess from the content what is wrong
in each case and correct the mistakes. Sometimes there is more than one mistake!

EXAMPLE: Watch your name? What’s

i. I hake going to museumz and arc galleriez. …………………………………

ii. Have you ever tribe Belgian beer? …………………………………………..

iii. I got ache questions correct out of ten……………………………………….

iv. She'z a goob player and can wing games against mosp people.………….

v. He copied out the text lime by line. ………………………………………

vi. It was a bag question; nobody got the answer right. ……………………..

2b. What kind of assimilation do the ‘mistakes’ exemplify? In each case, specify if the
assimilation is progressive/regressive, of voice/place or coalescent.
3. You will hear sentences with one of the two beginnings given. Listen and complete the
correct sentence. Put a ‘—‘ in the other space.

EXAMPLE
He put the soup back in the pan___
He put the suit back in the __--____

1. I got this cut by __________________________

I got this cup by __________________________

2. I’ll have to warn my__________________________

I’ll have to warm my__________________________

3. Her heart broke when__________________________

Her harp broke when__________________________

4. It’s the last turn before__________________________

It's the last term before__________________________

4. Listen to the tracks in exercise 1, 2 and 3 again. Repeat the sentences. You may want
to use a mirror or the front camera of your phone. Think about how you articulate the
sounds. Record your production and compare it to the original tracks. Go back to the Oral
Practice Tutorial for further ideas.
KEYS

1.

a. The sun burnt my neck. sum - regressive assimilation of place

b. The sun came up over the mountains. sung - regressive assimilation of place

a. I can't beat you at this game. beach – coalescent assimilation

b. I can beat Carol at tennis. beak - regressive assimilation of place

a. I can't get this coat clean. coke - regressive assimilation of place

b. Is this the coat you bought? coach – coalescent assimilation

a. They cheat quite a lot. cheek - regressive assimilation of place

b. They cheat people out of their money. cheap - regressive assimilation of place

2.
1. I hake going to museumz and arc galleriez. = I hate going to museums and art galleries
hate/ hake + art/ arc = regressive assimilation of place
museums/ museumz + galleries / galleriez = progressive assimilation of voice

2. Have you ever tribe Belgian beer? = Have you ever tried Belgian beer?
tried / tribe = regressive assimilation of place

3. I got ache questions correct out of ten. = I got eight questions correct out of ten.
eight / ache = regressive assimilation of place

4 She’z a goob player and can wing gamez against mosp people. = She's a good player
and can win games against most people
She’s / she’s + games/ gamez = progressive assimilation of voice
good / goob + mosp / most = regressive assimilation of place

5 He copied out the text lime by line. = He copied out the text line by line
Lime/ line = regressive assimilation of place

6 It was a bag question; nobody got the answer right. = It was a bad question; nobody got
the answer right
bad / bag = regressive assimilation of place}

3.

1. I got this cut by ______--_________________

I got this cup by ___winning the game_____

2. I’ll have to warn my________--________________

I’ll have to warm my______hands_______________

3. Her heart broke when___he left her_______________

Her harp broke when_____--_____________________
4. it’s the last turn before__________--________________
It's the last term before_____the holidays_________
Assimilation – Part 2

Do you recognize the character in the picture?

How would you describe her without using her name?
Do you know her story?

Now, follow this link and do as instructed

https://view.genial.ly/6128598bc401400de24b9c66/interactive-content-processes-
assimilation-allophonic-phonemic-variants

Assimilation – Part 3

In the theoretical classes you have been working on phonemic and

allophonic assimilation.

1 - Dictation: You will listen to twenty isolated sentences. Complete

the transcriptions with one, two or more words.

1. / bi keəfəl / ðæts …………………………. /

2. / kiːp ɒn ðə………………………………… /

3. / həv ju klɪəd…………………………….. /

4. / ðeɪ………………………….dʒɒb ɒn fraɪdeɪ /

5. /……………………………….lʌki ɔːr ʌnlʌki /

6. / baɪ/…………………………… /

7. / aɪ dʒəst kept ɡəʊɪŋ əntɪl aɪ sɔːr ə striːt……………………….. /

8. / aɪ ɪkspekt ðəl bi ə dɪleɪ…………………….. /

9. / aɪ tɔːkt tə ðə kəmpjuːtə mæn……………………… /

10. /aɪ…………………….. du: səm ʃɒpɪŋ ɒn ðə weɪ /

11. /……………… brəzɪl wɪn /

12. /aɪ……………… jud ɡɒn bæk /

13. /ðeɪ hævn̩t…………………….. /

14. /……………………………….bisaɪd mi /

15. /ʃi……………………..dezətɒn ə kæməl /

16. /wiv ɡɒt tə ……………..baɪ sɪks /

17. /dəʊnt……………………………. /

18. /jul siː ə ………………………….ɒn jə left /

19. /ðə ……………………….niːd kliːnɪŋ /

20. /aɪ………………………maɪ maɪnd /

Check your answers to exercise 1. You can see the version of your answers in ordinary spelling, too.

1. / bi keəfəl ðæts wep peɪnt / Be careful – that’s wet paint!

2. /kiːp ɒn ðə fʊppɑːθ / Keep on the footpath

3. /həv ju klɪəd ðə brekfəst teɪbl ̩ / Have you cleared the breakfast table?

4. /ðeɪ fɪnɪʃt ðə dʒɒb ɒn fraɪdeɪ / They finished the job on Friday.

5. /ə blæk kæts lʌki ɔːr ʌnlʌki / Are black cats lucky or unlucky?

6. /baɪ teɪk keə / Bye - take care!

7. /aɪ dʒəst kept ɡəʊɪŋ əntɪl aɪ sɔːr ə striːt aɪ I just kept going until I saw a street I
rekəɡnaɪzd / recognized.

8. /aɪ ɪkspekt ðəl bi ə dɪleɪ əʒuːʒʊəl / I expect there’ll be delay as usual.

9. /aɪ tɔːkt tə ðə kəmpjuːtə mæn ɒn tʃuːzdeɪ / I talked to the computer man on Tuesday.

10. /aɪ stɒpt tə du: səm ʃɒpɪŋ ɒn ðə weɪ / I stopped to do some shopping on the way.

11. /dɪb brəzɪl wɪn / Did Brazil win?

12. /aɪ θɔːt jud ɡɒn bæk / I thought you’d gone back.

13. /ðeɪ hævn̩ t peɪdʒet / They haven’t paid yet.

14. /stæmb bɪsaɪd mi / Stand beside me.

15. /ʃi krɒst ðə dezət ɒn ə kæməl / She crossed the desert on a camel.

16. /wiv ɡɒt tə stɑːp baɪ sɪks / We’ve got to start by six.

17. /dəʊnt weɪsp peɪpə / Don’t waste paper.

18. /jul siː ə waɪk ɡeɪt ɒn jə left / You’ll see a white gate on your left.
 19. /ðə siːk kʌvəz niːd kliːnɪŋ / The seat covers need cleaning.

20. /aɪ tʃeɪndʒd maɪ maɪnd I changed my mind.

2. Concentrate on the highlighted words and phrases. Do you consider that the highlighted
words and phrases represent examples of assimilation? If so, what kind? Complete the
following chart with the highlighted phrases.

Some phrases appear in more than one box. Some boxes have no
examples. Be careful! There are two highlighted words/phrases that are not
examples of assimilation.

Allophonic Phonemic Coalescent

VOICE (Regressive)

VOICE (Progressive)

PLACE (Regressive)

PLACE (Progressive)

Now, check your answers with the KEY below. Then, practice saying the phrases in front of a
mirror. Do you produce assimilation in all the cases?
KEY

Allophonic Phonemic Coalescent

------ ------ 8. /aɪ ɪkspektðəl bi ə

(Regressive)

dɪleɪ əʒuːʒʊəl /
VOICE

3. /həv ju klɪəd ðə brekfəst 5. /ə blækkætslʌkiɔːrʌnlʌki / 9. /aɪ tɔːkt tə ðə

teɪbl ̩ / (devoicing on /l/) (inflection for plural) kəmpjuːtə mæn ɒn
tʃuːzdeɪ /

7. /aɪ dʒəst kept ɡəʊɪŋ əntɪl

aɪ sɔːr ə striːt aɪ rekəɡnaɪzd / 13. /ðeɪ hævn̩ t
peɪdʒet /
VOICE (Progressive)

10. /aɪ stɒpt tə du: səm

ʃɒpɪŋ ɒn ðə weɪ / (inflection
for past tense)

15. /ʃi krɒst ðə dezət ɒn ə

kæməl /

20. /aɪ tʃeɪndʒd maɪ maɪnd /

 3. /həv ju klɪəd ðə brekfəst 1. / bi keəfəl ðæts wep peɪnt
teɪbl ̩ / (dentalization in /d/) /

2. /kiːp ɒn ðə fʊppɑːθ /

4. /ðeɪ fɪnɪʃt ðə dʒɒb ɒn

fraɪdeɪ /
11. /dɪb brəzɪl wɪn /

10. /aɪ stɒpt tə du: səm

ʃɒpɪŋ ɒn ðə weɪ / 14. /stæmbbɪsaɪd mi /
(labialization in /t/)
PLACE (Regressive)

16. /wiv ɡɒt tə stɑːp baɪ sɪks

/

17. /dəʊntweɪsppeɪpə /

18. /julsiː ə waɪkɡeɪtɒnjə left

/

19. /ðə siːk kʌvəz niːd kliːnɪŋ

/

10. /aɪ stɒpt tə du: səm 12. /aɪ θɔːt jud ɡɒn bæk /
ʃɒpɪŋ ɒn ðə weɪ /
(labialization in /p/) (labialization in /t/)
PLACE (Progressive)

12. /aɪ θɔːt jud ɡɒn bæk /

(labialization in /θ/

There are no assimilation examples in:

6. /baɪ teɪk keə /

Assimilation – Part 4

Discussion
How is university life different from school life? What habits have you changed?
How valuable, do you think, is a university degree nowadays?

Now, follow this link and do as instructed

https://view.genial.ly/611418ef9b477e0d785c1fe3/interactive-
content-untitled-genially

Vowels and Diphthongs – Allophonic variations PART 1

1) Watch the following scene from the movie

and answer the questions below.

● What’s the problem with the pair of gloves?

● Why can’t the old man calm down?
● Does the old man believe Jonathan’s and Sara’s story?

2) All the words in the boxes are used in the scene. Look at them and answer yes or no.

1 2 3

/ˈfɜːst/ /ðiːz/ /ment /

/ˈwɜ:k/ /peɪd/ /niːd /
/fiːt/ /tiːm/
/teɪk/
/daʊn /

a) All the words are pronounced with a vowel or a diphthong.

b) All the words in group 1 have a vowel sound + voiceless stop.
c) All the words in group 2 have a vowel sound + voiced consonant.
d) All the words in group 3 have a vowel sound preceded and/or followed by a nasal.
⮚ Now, which columns exemplify allophonic variations of vowels and diphthongs? Can you
add the name of the allophonic variations at the bottom of the columns? What are the
diacritics used in each case?
⮚ Can you explain the processes? Use the statements a to d and make the necessary
changes to explain the processes.

3) Listen to the following fragment of the film. Circle the pronunciation of the pronoun you
hear.

AUDIO

/ ðiːz ə r aʊəz / / ðiːz ə r aəz /

Can you explain the process that affects the possessive pronoun?

4) Here’s a short fragment of the conversation. Transcribe it and check it against the KEY at
the end of this document. Then, find at least 3 examples of nasalization and pre-fortis
clipping.

Jonathan: Excuse me, sir.

Old man: Yeah?
Jonathan: These are ours.
Old man: Oh. Your gloves? How come? - They're just sort of hanging there, sleeping with
their little price tag on.
Jonathan: We were just discussing them, all right?
Old man: Well, I have news for you. You can go on discussing them long after I've paid for
them.
Jonathan: Calm down, all right?
Old man: Calm down? It's five days before Christmas. I'm in the middle of a New York
department store. He's asking me to calm down.
Jonathan: Well, these were meant to be a very special gift for someone.
Sara: Yeah, we put quite a lot of thought into those.

5) More practice on allophonic variations. Find an example of the following processes in the
fragment you transcribed. Find the key at the end of this document.

Aspiration: ………………………….…

Dentalization: ……………………….……

Gemination: …………………………….
 Release masking: ……………………………

Lateral release: ……………………………

Omission of the onset: …………….……………

Labialization: ……………………………

Non audible release: ……………………………

Devoicing: ……………………………………..

Velarization: ………………………………………..

Retraction / Fronting: ……………………………………

Phonemic regressive assimilation of place: ……………………………………

Phonemic progressive assimilation of voice: ……………………………………

Allophonic regressive assimilation of place: ……………………………………

Allophonic regressive assimilation of voice: ……………………………………

6) Practice reading the fragment. Remember your practice on clusters. Pay special attention to
/sl-/, /st-/ and /sp/. There shouldn’t be a schwa before /s/.

Key to exercises 2 to 5

Ex.2

1 2 3

/ˈfɜːst/ /ðiːz/ /ment /

/ˈwɜ:k/ /peɪd/ /niːd /
/fiːt/ /tiːm/
/teɪk/
/daʊn /

PRE FORTIS CLIPPING -- NASALIZATION

/ˈfɜst/ /tiːm/
/teɪk/

a) All the words are pronounced with a vowel or a diphthong. YES

b) All the words in group 1 have a long vowel or diphthong + voiceless stop. NO, first
has vowel+voiceless fricative
c) All the words in group 2 have a vowel sound + voiced consonant. YES
 d) All the words in group 3 have a vowel sound preceded and/or followed by a nasal.
YES
Ex. 3

/ ðiːz ə ˈɑːz / (in the audio)

/ ðiːz ə ˈaʊəz / - full form –a triphthong

/ ðiːz ə ˈaəz / - levelling or smoothing (the second element of the triphthong is elided)

/ ðiːz ə ˈɑːz / - monophthongatization (only the first vowel remains)

Ex. 4 & 5
Below you will find a narrow transcription of the fragment.

NASALISATION

PRE-FORTIS CLIPPING
These are only possible answers; there may be other examples-.

Aspiration: ………[khʌm]………………….…

Dentalization: ……… [ɪn ðə ]……………….……

Gemination: …………[ menttə ]… [dʒəstdɪˈskʌsɪŋ]

Release masking: …… [ˈjɔ:k > dɪˈpɑːtmənt] ……………

Lateral release: ………… [lɪtLl ̩]…………………

Omission of the onset: ………… [men͡t ]….……………

Labialization: …… [ˈpwʊt] ………………………

Non audible release: ……… [ˈraɪt ]……………………

Devoicing: …… [ðiːz ]………………………………..

Velarization: ………… [ɔ: ]

 Retraction / Fronting: ……… [kɑːm] …………… [ɡɪft] ………………

Phonemic regressive assimilation of place: …[kŋ ɡəʊ] ……[dɪpɑːpmənt ]………

Phonemic progressive assimilation of voice: ………[ɪts]………………………….

Allophonic regressive assimilation of place: ……[ɪn ðə ]… [ˈpwʊt]

Allophonic regressive assimilation of voice: …[njuːz fə]…………

Vowels and Diphthongs – Allophonic variations PART 2

Let’s watch another scene from Follow the link and do as

instructed.

https://view.genial.ly/61577f4cdb77860dd30e026d/interactive-content-allophonic-
variants-clusters-vowels

Can you explain the meme below?

Write down the phrases in the meme in ordinary

spelling and then which process(es) took place.

More examples on levelling / monophthongization: click on the videos and mark which form
you hear.
FIRE

/ faɪə / /faə / /fɑː/

Video 1
“A secret louder than a fire could tell”
Video 2
“Putting your feet to the fire”
Video 3
“There’s a good fire going”
TOWER
 /ˈtaʊə / /ˈtaə / /ˈtɑː/
Video 1
“I made a terrible mistake in the
Jordan Tower”
Video 2
“bolt of lightning is going to strike the
clock tower at precisely 10:04 p.m”
Video 3
“a terrorist take over at Jordan Tower”

Processes in connected speech – INTEGRATION 1

Read and listen to poem.

 What is the poem talking about? Who is the writer writing to?

Love Sonnet XXVII by Pablo Neruda (Read by Sting)

1. Naked you are simple as one of your hands,

2. smooth, earthy, small, transparent, round.
3. You have moonlines, apple pathways,
4. Naked you are slender as a naked grain of wheat.

5. Naked you are blue as the light in Cuba,

6. You have vines and stars in your hair;
7. Naked you are spacious and yellow
8. as summer in a golden church.

9. Naked you are tiny as one of your nails,

10 Curved, subtle, rosy, till the day is born
11 And you withdraw to the underground world

12 As if down a long tunnel of clothing and of chores,

13 your clear light dims, gets dressed, drops its leaves,
14 and becomes a naked hand again.

 Analyze the poem and decide if the following statements are TRUE or FALSE.

 Be ready to account for your answers.

1. There´s omission of the onset on line 1

2. There might be non-audible release on line 2
3. There´s aspiration on line 2
4. There´s phonemic progressive assimilation of voice on line 3
 5. There´s devoicing of an approximant on line 4
6. There´s an intrusive /r/ on line 4
7. There´s devoicing on line 5
8. There´s aspiration on line 6
9. There may be coalescent assimilation on line 7
10. There´s a syllabic contoid on line 8
11. There´s nasal release on line 8
12. There are two instances of linking on line 9
13. There´s lateral release on line 10
14. There´s allophonic regressive assimilation of place on line 10
15. There´s release masking on line 10
16. There´s pre-fortis clipping on line 11
17. There´s release masking on line 12
18. There are no cases of gemination in the poem
19. There are no cases of smoothing in the poem
20. There might be cases of phonemic regressive assimilation of place in the poem.}

Processes in connected speech – INTEGRATION 2

PART 1

Look at the picture. Do you recognize this monster?

What do you think this monster represents in the story

Frankenstein? What does it mean to you?

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was written by Mary

Wollstonecraft Godwin (Mary Shelley) and was first published in
1818. What do you think the monster represented for her at that
time?

Watch the trailer of the film MARY SHELLEY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-

WGaZaojFc
Have you changed your mind?

PART 2

Now, let’s concentrate on some phrases that appear in the trailer. Transcribe the phrases.
Answer the following questions in as much detail as you can.

‘I feel a frustration, a constant whisper that I am no closer to achieving my dreams’.

1. Concentrate on the word FRUSTRATION. Can you explain the different realizations
of the approximant in this word? Add the diacritics to your transcription.
‘Who amongst you has ever wondered if the dead could return to life?

1. How is the realization of the voiced alveolar plosive different in WONDERED and
DEAD? Which realizations are the same? Which are different? Add the diacritics to
your transcription.

2. What other process can the second voiced alveolar plosive in DEAD undergo?

‘We’ve been invited to Geneva by Lord Byron’

1. How is the realization of the voiced alveolar plosive different in INVITED and in
LORD?
2. Are the diphthongs in INVITED and BYRON different? Why / Why not?
3. Is the nasal in BYRON devoiced? Why / Why not?
4. Is there any possible instance of phonemic regressive assimilation of place? If so, in
which case?

Add the diacritics corresponding to your answers in the questions above.

‘We are each going to write a ghost story. It’s a competition’

1. Are the voiceless alveolar plosives produced in the same way in STORY and in
COMPETITION? Why / Why not? Add the diacritics to your transcription.

‘If I had not learned to fight through the anguish, I would not have found this voice’.

1. Why are the realizations of the voiceless alveolar plosive in FIGHT and the voiced
alveolar plosive in FOUND similar? Add the diacritics to your transcription. What kind
of assimilation can you identify in these examples?

Now that you’ve finished compare your answers to the sample answers at the end
of this document. Then follow this link and do as instructed.

https://view.genial.ly/6128deee0ec5d20dc3cb0dd1/interactive-content-
frankenstein
SAMPLE ANSWERS

‘I feel a frustration, a constant whisper that I am no closer to achieving my dreams’.

/aɪ fiːl ə frʌstr̥eɪʃn | ə kɒnstənt wɪspə ðət aɪ əm nəʊ kləʊsə tu ətʃiːvɪŋ maɪ driːmz/

1. While the first approximant is fully voiced, the second approximant is devoiced
because it is after a voiceless plosive.[ For a complete answer, make sure you explain
what devoicing is]

‘Who amongst you has ever wondered if the dead could return to life?
/ hu əmʌŋst ju həz evə wʌn͡dəd ɪf ðə ded̩ kəd ritɜːn tə laɪf /

1. The first voiced alveolar plosive in WONDERED undergoes omission of the onset
stage, both /d/ in this word are fully voiced. In DEAD the first /d/ is fully voiced but the
last one is devoiced and incomplete, since its release stage is masked.. Therefore,
the last /d/ in wondered and the first one in DEAD are the same. The others are
different (we may compare the last /d/ in WONDERED and the last in DEAD as similar
in the sense that both are incomplete). [For a complete answer, make sure you
explain what omission of the onset, devoicing and release masking are.]
2. The second voiced alveolar plosive can undergo phonemic regressive assimilation of
place. Because of the influence of the following voiceless velar plosive, the speaker
may produce a voiced velar plosive: /deg/. This voiced velar plosive would be
devoiced, too.
‘We’ve been invited to Geneva by Lord Byron’
/ wiv biːn ɪnvăɪtɪd͡ tə dʒɪniːvə baɪ lɔːd baɪrən /

1. The voiced alveolar plosive in INVITED is devoiced and geminated while the one in LORD
has its release stage masked. [For a complete answer, make sure you explain what
germination and release masking are.]

2. Yes, there is pre fortis clipping in the diphthong in INVITED but the one in BYRON is not
clipped. [For a complete answer, make sure you explain what pre fortis clipping is.]

3. No, nasals are devoiced when they are preceded by the voiceless alveolar fricative in the
same syllable.

4. Yes, the voiced alveolar plosive in LORD may become the voiced bilabial plosive under
the influence of the following voiced bilabial plosive, resulting in / lɔːb baɪrən/. In turn, there
is germination: / lɔːb_ baɪrən/

‘We are each going to write a ghost story. It’s a competition’

/ wi ər iːtʃ gəʊɪŋ tə raɪt ə gəʊst stɔːri / ɪts ə kɒmpətʰɪʃn /

1. No, the voiceless alveolar plosive in STORY is unaspirated but it is fully aspirated in
COMPETITION [For a complete answer, make sure you explain what unaspiration and
aspiration is.]

‘If I had not learned to fight through the anguish, I would not have found this voice’.
/ ɪf aɪ həd nɒt lɜːnd tu faɪt̪ θruː ði æŋɡwɪʃ | aɪ wʊd nɒt həv faʊnd̪ ðɪs vɔɪs /

1. Because they are both dentalised. [For a complete answer, make sure you explain what
dentalisation is.] These are examples of allophonic regressive assimilation of place.