1. Thought Groups Thought groups are verbal punctuation. Thought groups are verbal punctuation. They make your speech more understandable. They make your speech more understandable. You can recognize a thought group when you hear a strongly stressed word (the focus word), a sweep of melody, and a pause. You can recognize a thought group when you hear a strongly stressed word (the focus word), a sweep of melody, and a pause.

2. Thought Groups End of a clause (a clause has a subject and verb) End of a clause (a clause has a subject and verb) Write a clause in your scene that is a thought group Write a clause in your scene that is a thought group

3. Thought Groups End of a phrase End of a phrase Prepositional phrase ex. in the classroom Prepositional phrase ex. in the classroom Verb phrase ex. talk too much Verb phrase ex. talk too much Noun phrase ex. An ugly teacher Noun phrase ex. An ugly teacher Write a prepositional phrase, a verb phrase, and a noun phrase from your scene that are thought groups Write a prepositional phrase, a verb phrase, and a noun phrase from your scene that are thought groups

4. Thought Groups Transitional or parenthetical expressions Transitional or parenthetical expressions Ex. First, finally, on the other hand, but Ex. First, finally, on the other hand, but Write a transitional or parenthetical expression from your scene that is a thought group Write a transitional or parenthetical expression from your scene that is a thought group

5. Thought Groups Remember that you can indicate a thought group by a slight drop in pitch and/or a brief pause Remember that you can indicate a thought group by a slight drop in pitch and/or a brief pause Practice the first 10 lines of your scene with your partner using a slight drop in pitch or a brief pause to indicate the thought groups. Practice the first 10 lines of your scene with your partner using a slight drop in pitch or a brief pause to indicate the thought groups.

6. Linking When consecutive words in the same thought group end and begin with the same consonant sound, the sound is held, not pronounced twice. When consecutive words in the same thought group end and begin with the same consonant sound, the sound is held, not pronounced twice. Ex. At twelve (hold t) Ex. At twelve (hold t) Write 3 examples of this from your scene. Practice saying them. Write 3 examples of this from your scene. Practice saying them.

7. Linking When a word begins with a vowel sound, borrow the final consonant sound from the previous word in the same thought group. When a word begins with a vowel sound, borrow the final consonant sound from the previous word in the same thought group. Ex. Take off = ta koff Ex. Take off = ta koff Drop him off – dro pi moff Drop him off – dro pi moff Write 3 examples of this from your scene Practice saying them. Write 3 examples of this from your scene Practice saying them.

8. Linking Stop consonants /p/ and /b/, /k/ and /g/, and /t/ and /d/ at the end of words are spoken at almost the same time as the first consonant sound in the next words. Hold the stop until you are ready to say the next sound. Stop consonants /p/ and /b/, /k/ and /g/, and /t/ and /d/ at the end of words are spoken at almost the same time as the first consonant sound in the next words. Hold the stop until you are ready to say the next sound. Ex. Cab driver (hold the b until ready to say the d) Lab technician Ex. Cab driver (hold the b until ready to say the d) Lab technician Write 3 examples of this from your scene. Write 3 examples of this from your scene. Practice saying them. Practice saying them.

9. When a word ends in /t/ and the next word begins with /y/, the blended sound is /tS/ as in choose. Common in negative questions When a word ends in /t/ and the next word begins with /y/, the blended sound is /tS/ as in choose. Common in negative questions Ex. Don’t you ( sounds like “don chew”) Ex. Don’t you ( sounds like “don chew”) Can’t you, Haven’t you Can’t you, Haven’t you Write 3 examples of this from your scene Practice saying them. Write 3 examples of this from your scene Practice saying them.

10. When a word ends in /d/ and the next word begins with /y/, the blended sound is /dz/ as in juice. Common in past tense questions and questions with could, should and would. When a word ends in /d/ and the next word begins with /y/, the blended sound is /dz/ as in juice. Common in past tense questions and questions with could, should and would. Ex. Did you (sounds like “di joo”) Ex. Did you (sounds like “di joo”) Could you Could you Write 3 examples of this from your scene Practice saying them. Write 3 examples of this from your scene Practice saying them.