Intrusive sounds

•The intrusive or linking sounds are: /w/ /j/ (‘y’ as in yes) and /r/

Intrusive /w/

•Words ending in /u:/ sound + word beginning with a vowel

•Word ending in ‘o’ sound + word beginning with ‘o’

Examples: You/w/are Who/w/are you? Go/w/on

following word also begins with a vowel, many speakers often insert the /r/ sound.

Examples:

I saw_it → I sor_it

Law_and order → Lor_ran_order

The media_is responsible → The media_ris…. Media_exploitation → media_rexploitation

Intrusive /j/

Words ending in an /i:/ or /ei/ sound + word beginning with a vowel sound

Examples

See/j/if you can do it

Twenty/j/eight

They/j/are

Practice

•Look at worksheet ex.B and try to find the intrusive sounds /w/, /r/ and /j/

•1. He opened the box

•2. Draw an arrow to the answer

•3. I have a great idea about our presentation

•4. You’ll have to ask him

•5. Tell me if you don’t understand

Practice

•Look at worksheet ex.B and try to find the intrusive sounds /w/, /r/ and /j/

•1. He /j/ opened the box

•2. Draw/r/an arrow to the/j/answer

•3. I have a great idea/r/about our presentation

•4. You’ll have to/w/ask him

•5. Tell me/j/if you don’t understand

Weak sounds

•The most common sound in English is the schwa //

•How would you pronounce the following words?

Peter

I can do it

Can you come to the party?

Where are you from?

Weak sounds

•The most common sound in English is the schwa //

•How would you pronounce the following words?

Peter

I can do it

Can you come to the party?

Where are you from?

Weak forms

•When we speak at normal speed, many vowel sounds in unstressed words (the ‘function’ words) become ‘weak’ as we push the words together.

•Some words have both weak and strong forms depending on how they are used.

Weak or strong?

Practise saying these sentences. Which underlined words are weak and which are strong?

•Can you tell me the time?

•Yes, I can.

•Where are you from?

•I’m from Australia.

•Have you been to the Gold Coast before?

•Yes I have