PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY

LCL 226

Weak and Strong Forms (Answer key)

Part 1: Weak Forms

Practice:
1. (Audio B76) Listen and repeat these sentences. Prominent syllables are in capital letter. Focus on
imitating the non-prominent forms of the function words.
1 Do they LIKE each other? /du ðeɪ ˈlaɪk iːtʃ ʌðə/ʌðr̩ /
2 I SAW somebody at the WINdow. /aɪ ˈsɔː səmbədi ət ðə ˈwɪndəʊ/
3 There was a LETter from his BROther. /ðə wəz ə ˈletə frəm ɪz ˈbrʌðə/
4 There should be some MORE in the BOX. /ðə ʃud bi səm ˈmɔːr ɪn ðə bɒks/
5 We were GOing to see her PArents. /wi wə gəʊɪŋ tə siː hə ˈpeərənts/
6 She doesn’t LOOK as OLD as me. /ʃi dəznt ˈlʊk əz ˈəʊld əz mi/
7 WHEN do you get the reSULTS of your TESTS? /ˈwen dju get ðə rɪˈzʌlts əv jə
tests/ 8 I was at HOME from EIGHT o’CLOCK. /aɪ wəz ət ˈhəʊm frəm ˈeɪt əˈklɒk/

2. Do you think the words in bold will have their weak (W) or strong form (S) in these dialogues?
Eg.: a) A: That ice-cream looks nice. B: Do you want some? S
b) A: I’m really thirsty. B: There’s some orange juice in the kitchen. W Speaker A
Japan
1 a) A: Do you think I should apologise? B: Yes, I’m sure that would help. (W) wəd b) B: Did
you get 100% on the test? B: No, I spelt ‘would’ wrong. (S) wʊd

2 a) A: I was in Slovenia last weekend. B: What were you doing there? (W) wər b) B: Why
weren’t you and Amy at the party? B: But we were. (S) wɜː

3 a) A: What have you got there? B: It’s a present from Alex. (W) frəm b) B: Is this a
card for Simon’s birthday? B: No, it’s from Simon. (S) frɒm

4 a) A: Why did you mark it wrong? B: You wrote ‘your’ instead of ‘you’. (S) jɔːr b) A: We are off to
Scotland again in the summer. B: Are you going with your sister? (W) jər
5 a) A: Can I borrow your screwdriver? B: What do you want it for? (S) fɔː b) B: Did
the phone ring? B: Yes, it was for David. (W) fə

3. (Audio B74) Listen and write the number of words you hear in each space.
EXAMPLE __2__ leaving now __3__ staying?
Are you leaving now or are you staying?
1___2____ waiting ___2_____ brother.
2 I knew _____3___ going _____2___ late again.
3 ___2______ take ____3_____ swimming pool?
4 I thought ______4____ station already, _____3_____ wrong.
5 ______2______ go to the zoo, _____4_____ before?
6 ______3_____ more books here ___3____ have.
7 He asked ____3_______ money __2______ lent __3____.
8 She told _____6_____ better off going by bus.

Then listen again and repeat the sentences.

1. ðeɪ wə ˈweɪtɪŋ fə ðə ˈbrʌðə
2. dɪ njuː ðət ʃi wəz ˈgəʊɪŋ tə bi ˈleɪt əˈgeɪn
3. wud ju ˈteɪk hə tə ðə ˈswɪmɪŋ puːl

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LCL 226

4. aɪ ˈθɔ:t wi wər ət ðə sˈteɪʃn ɔːlˈredi bət aɪ wəz rɒŋ

5. ʃəl wi gəʊ tə ðə ˈzuː ɔː həv ju bɪn bɪˈfɔː
6. ðər ə səm ˈmɔː bʊks hɪə ðət i kud hæv
7. hi ˈɑːskt mi fə səm ˈmʌnɪ ənd aɪ ˈlent i tə ɪm
8. ʃi ˈtəʊld mi ðət wi wud ər bin betər ˈɒf gəʊɪŋ baɪ bʌs

Part 2: Prominent Function Words

Practice:
1. (Audio B67) Think about the words in bold in these dialogues and underline them if they are likely to
be prominent.
1. A: Do you know any good restaurants in Brockhurst?
B: Well, I haven’t been for some years, but there used to be some very good ones.
The Oyster was ˈthe place to eat seafood.
A: Mmm. I ˈdo like seafood.
B: But I’m sure ˈany of the restaurants there will be good.
2. A: Try turning the tap off.
B: I ˈhave tried turning it, but it’s stuck.
A: Did you ask anyone for help?
B: No. Look, why don’t ˈyou try?
A: Okay. Hmmm. There must be ˈsome way of doing it.
B: I ˈdid tell you it was stuck.
A: There. It just needed some strength! ˈAnyone could have done it.
Listen and check your answers.
2. (Audio B66) Play the recording. Press ‘pause’ before each part B and read it aloud. Then press
‘play’ again and compare your pronunciation with what follows. Did you put prominence in the same
places? (Speaker A=Jamaica)

1. A: There you are. All finished. B: Is that it?

2. A: You can’t sit there, it’s Kate’s place. B: Oh, is it?
3. A: Are we there yet? B: Yes, this is it.
4. A: Have you finished? B: Yes that’s it.
5. A: Which coat is yours? B: That’s it.
6. A: Your train’s arriving. B: This is it, then.
7. A: Do you like my painting? B: What is it?
8. A: Come on, get up now. B: I can’t. That’s just it.

3. (Audio B65) You will hear seven sentences. After each sentence, press ‘pause’ and say one of
the responses in the box. (Make sure you make the last word prominent.) Press ‘play’ again and you
will hear the correct answer. (Speaker A=China)

EXAMPLE You hear I thought you were going to sell your old car. You say I wish
I HAD.

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LCL 226

3. Who could it have been?

1. Where was he from?

5. There was nothing we could have done.
I wish I had.
2. How many is it for?

6. But isn’t there anything I can do?

4. Yes, but I don’t know who she was.

1. I couldn’t understand a word he said.

2. Can I book a table for tonight, please.
3. While I was out someone left these flower outside my house.
4. That woman you were taking to seemed nice.
5. Couldn’t you have helped him at all.
6. You just sit and relax.