LESSON 5 – linking and stress

I. Pronunciation tips

Linking: Normally we link the ending consonant of the first word and the beginning vowel of the
second word.
Stress Word stress is fixed and can be checked by looking up the dictionary
In a sentence, we stress the content words (Wh-words, nouns, verbs, adjective, adverbs).
Sentence stress can be changed
II. Examples

Linking “is” What is it?

This is our family
There is no point in texting him now
He’s an excellent student in class
Car is human basic necessity
Sentence Stress Don’t judge a book by its cover
IELTs 6 is just a piece of cake
Actions speak louder than words

III. Conversation
Read phonetically. Transcribe it into text and identify linking words
/ wen aɪ lʊk bæk ɒn maɪ ʧaɪldhʊd ॥
aɪ wʌndə haʊ aɪ sə ˈvaɪvd ət ɔːl ॥
ɪt wɒz əf kɔːs ə mɪzərəbl ʧaɪldhʊd ॥
ðə hæpɪ ʧaɪldhʊd ɪz hɑːdlɪ wɜːθ jɔː waɪl ॥
wɜːs ðən ðiː ɔːdɪnərɪ mɪzərəbl ̩ ʧaɪldhʊd
ɪz ðə mɪzərəbl aɪrɪʃ ʧaɪldhʊd ॥
ənd wɜːs jet ɪz ðə mɪzərəbl aɪrɪʃ kæθəlɪk ʧaɪldhʊd ॥ /

IV. Games/Songs
1. Linking with “an”
In pairs, make as many phrases as possible
awful endless enjoyable address aeroplane airport
an excellent impossible incorrect animal apple arm example egg
informal innocent intelligent elephant evening exam
Irish old open overweight example ice cream illness
underground unfinished office onion orange uncle
 2. Identify linking sounds in the following sentences (consonant-vowel; consonant – consonant)
1. Casual dress causes a lot of problems. 10. They’re very comfortable lamps.
2. Most employees say it’s OK. 11. What an offensive vest!
3. Fashion is a pain in the neck. 12. I really like it.
4. She wore stylish shoes. 13. I like to stand out in a crowd.
5. He wore a dark coat. 14. It’s important to dress well.
6. That’s a very hot tie! 15. Could you wait a minute?
7. She’s a very fashionable lawyer. 16. Is it true that your house is far away?
8. It’s an old-fashioned umbrella. 17. They may cost a bit more.
9. I love her elegant tennis skirt! 18. The purses in the magazine are elegant.
3. Identify stress in the following personalities
Athletic adventurous considerate creative courageous decisive
Enthusiastic optimistic generous humorous knowledgeable flexible
Persuasive reliable responsible serious sympathetic
introvert
Note: Stress is normally placed on a syllable immediately before –ic; -ical; -able; -ible; -ive and the
second syllable before –ous

4. Sentence stress and IELTs speaking answer

Sentence stress is used to emphasize your points.
- What do people learn from soft skill courses?
I do believe that there are a number of skills that people can practice and learn from these classes.
The first one is collaboration skill. As you know, most soft skill classes do offer chances to form
and work in teams. Therefore, participants can interact and negotiate with each other and learn
ways to overcome a task as a team. Another skill which is also important is presentation skill. I am
pretty sure that they can gain the skill when giving speeches in front of other members and
making friends with strangers.
- You use “do/does” before infinitive to emphasize the action. Now get ready to answer question
above.

V. Grammar
a. IELTS part 1 listening
( Complete IELTs 4.0-5.5_Practice test)

Answer to Conversation Exercise

When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I survived at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood:
the happy childhood is hardly worth your while. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the
miserable Irish childhood and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.
Further questions to practice emphasizing

- It is clear that …..

- My hometown is a very interesting place
- Tourist should really go and see our landscapes in person

1. What can tourists do in your hometown?

2. Is there something you did for your hometown?
Transcript
Man Good morning, Atlas Hotel, can I help you?
W Oh Yes – a friend has told me about your hotel, and I’d like to book some rooms, please
M OK. When would you like to stay here?
W Well, we’ve booked flights on the 23rd of August.
M OK… I’ll just find that date. That seems to be fine – we have a few rooms available then
W Oh, that’s good. I was a bit worried – we’ve left things rather late.
M Well, you’re lucky – we have two cancellations last week.
W Oh
M Now, how long do you want to stay for?
W Well, last year we only stayed a week, and it wasn’t long enough so this time we thought two
weeks, it’s possible.
M Mmm, that looks fine … yes, you do need plenty of time here to really relax … it’ll be getting
towards the end of the tourist season as well, so it wont be quite so hot then.
W Oh good. Uh … we’ve got two children, and I was wondering if you have any rooms that are next
to each other?
M Mmm. Let’s see … I’m afraid that isn’t possible, but we do have what we call a family room,
which is a lot bigger than a double room and can take two adults and two children.
W Oh, that sounds perfect.
M OK – I’ll book you in for that. So, can I have your name and address, please?
W Yes, it’s Mr and Mrs Shriver
M Can you spell that for me?
W Yes, It’s S-H-R-I-V-E-R
M Thank you. And you said two children, didn’t you?
W Yes, they’re two boys of ten and 12
M Fine – and can I have your home address?
W Yes, we live at flat 29, Tower Heights
M OK- Is that England?
W No, it’s Scotland, actually. We’re from Dunbar. The postcode’s EH41 2GK
M OK. Great- That’s a country I’d really like to visit
W You’d have to bring a lot of warm clothes
M I know …. And can I have a contact telephone number?
W Sure – our home number is 0-1-3-1 double 9-4-6-5-7-2-3
M …7-2-3 Thank you. I hope you don’t mind but we always ask our guests what the purpose of their
trip is. I am guessing yours is a holiday?

VIII. Homework
1. Complete your answer to IV.4. questions and further questions 1-2 and record your answer. Send
your recording to teacher before the next class.
2. Complete unit 3 in the grammar and vocabulary ebook