The

Music of English Pronunciation

Practice Activity: Linking, Part 1



Words link together like this: They’re not all separate like this:

v You’ve practiced three kinds of linking
1. Consonant + Consonant this school
y
2. Vowel + Vowel
three apples
3. Consonant + Vowel big elephants

v Circle the places where you might hear linking in these sentences. The practice the sentences.

1. We stayed in the hotel for seven nights.
2. How is the weather in that town?
3. It’s warm in the summer and cold in the winter.

v Add three sentences of your own. Read them, linking the words together.
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________


v Practice reading this story. Circle the places where you hear linking.
Tom and Ellie are recent college graduates, and now they both need to find jobs. Ellie was an
engineering major, but Tom studied economics. Ellie has a job interview tomorrow and she’s a
little nervous.
“Interviews are so awful!” she told Tom. “They always ask confusing questions: Why should we
hire you? What are your goals? I never know what to say.” “It’ll be OK,” answered Tom.
“I hope so,” said Ellie. “I guess I’ll just do my best and hope it goes well. I really want this job.”
Tom and Ellie both agree: Real life is not always easy.