STRONG AND WEAK FORMS

Most of English functional words such as auxiliaries, determiners prepositions and

conjunctions have both strong and weak forms, and they are usually pronounced in
their weak forms. Strong forms are only used when (5):
 They occur at the end of a sentence. E.g.: He called me.
 They are contrasted or coordinated. E.g.: him not her.
 They are emphatic. E.g.: I do want to go.
 They are cited or quoted. E.g.: The pronoun “she” is used to…
 They are used in the negative form in the case of auxiliaries. Some
even change their vowels: won’t, don’t, can’t, shan’t.

WORD STRONG FORM WEAK FORM

The ði: ð∂ + consonant / ðI + vowel
A æ ∂
An æn ∂n
And ænd ∂n
But bλt b∂
That (conjunction) ðæt ð∂t
Than ðæn ð∂n
You ju: jʊ
He hi: I / hI (at initial position)
She ∫i: ∫I
We wi: wI
Him hIm Im
Her hз: ∂ / h∂ (at initial position) / ∂r + vowel
Us λs ∂s
Them ðem ð∂m
Your jɔ: j∂ + consonant / j∂r + vowel
His hIz Iz
As æz ∂z
At æt ∂t
For fɔ: f∂ + consonant / f∂r + vowel
From frαm fr∂m
Of αv ∂v
To tu: t∂ + consonant / tʊ + vowel
Some sλm s∂m
There (demonstrative) ðe∂ ð∂ + consonant / ð∂r + vowel
Am æm ∂m
Are a: ∂
Be bi: bI
Been bi:n bIn
Can kæn k∂n
Could kud k∂d
Do du: d∂ + consonant / dʊ + vowel
Does dλz d∂z
Have hæv ∂v / h∂v (at initial position)
Has hæz ∂z / h∂z (at initial position)
Had hæd ∂d / h∂d (at initial position)
Must mλst m∂st
Shall ∫æl ∫∂l / ∫l
Should ∫ʊd ∫∂d
Was wαz w∂z
Were wз: w∂
Will wIl l
Would wʊd w∂d