Connected Speech Features
Work with a partner and try to match the connected speech feature (A) with its definition (B)
and an example of it (C)
A B
1. Assimilation
E, green pen
would you, wouldayou, the end
of d in would takes over the y
and becomes ja
2. elision
F, next please, nex please, no t
old man, ol man, no d
3. Intrusion
A, you are, he is
he iz, he yiz
you are, you war
4. Vowel reduction
D, I can pass my lesson
by itself, can, yes I can strong
If can is in the middle of a
sentence, I ken pass, schwa
sound
If it’s used for emphasis then it’s
a strong can
5. Glottal stop
B, apartment, mountain
aparT-ment
mounT-in
6. Linking sound / liasing
C, birds of a feather
C
a) When an extra sound “I can pass my lesson.”
comes between 2 words.
Normally /r/, /w/ or /j/
b) A short pause created “you are” “he is”
when a closure of vocal
chords stops the air. It is
influenced heavily by
dialect.
c) When the sound of the “next please” “old man”
final letter of a word
merges with the initial
sound of the next to
build rhythm
d) When a vowel sound “apartment” “mountain”
changes from a strong to
weak sound
e) When the sound “green pen” “would you”
changes its quality due
to the influence of
neighbouring sounds. It
usually changes to be
more like them
f) When a sound which “birds of a feather”
would be present in
isolation is omitted in
connected speech