1. Weak & Strong Forms

2. we saw stressed and unstressed syllables in individual words

3. something similar happens in complete sentences

4. Where are you from?

5. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

6. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

7. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

8. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

9. Where are you from? ɒ
I’m from London. ə

10. Are they from Italy?

11. Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.

12. Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.

13. Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.

14. Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.

15. Are they from Italy? ə
Yes, they are. ɑː

16. some words have two pronunciations

17. a weak form
from / frəm /
are / ə /

18. and a strong form
from / frɒm /
are / ɑː /

19. the weak form is the usual pronunciation

20. the weak form is the usual pronunciation it’s used when the word is unstressed

21. the strong form is used only when the word is stressed

22. the strong form is used only when the word is stressed eg
the strong form is used only when the word is stressed eg. when it’s the last word

23. the vowel is simplified (in most cases) to ə or ɪ

24. which words have weak and strong forms?

25. prepositions

26. prepositions auxiliary verbs

27. prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs

28. prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns

29. prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives

30. prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns

31. prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions

32. prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions articles

33. prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions articles

34. ‘grammar’ words
prepositions auxiliary verbs modal verbs pronouns possessive adjectives possessive pronouns conjunctions articles

35. which words only have strong forms?

36. nouns

37. nouns main verbs

38. nouns main verbs adjectives

39. nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs

40. nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs

41. nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs
‘meaning’
words
nouns main verbs adjectives adverbs

42. prepositions
weak form
strong form
from
frəm
frɒm to tə
tuː at ət æt in ɪn on ɒn

43. aux. verbs
weak form
strong form am əm æm
are ə ɑː
have
həv
hæv
had
həd
hæd
does
dəz
dʌz

44. modal verbs
weak form
strong form
can
kən
kæn
will
wɪl
would
wəd
wʊd
shall
ʃəl
ʃæl
must
məst
mʌst

45. articles
weak form
strong form a ə eɪ an ən æn
the ðə
ðiː

46. when do weak forms become strong?

47. 1. the end of the sentence

48. Where are you from?

49. Yes, I am.

50. No, I’m not.

51. 2. negatives

52. I can speak German.

53. I can speak German. ə

54. I can’t speak German.

55. I can’t speak German. ɑː

56. You aren’t listening.

57. NB

58. I’m not listening.

59. the stress is always on ‘not’ even when it’s abbreviated

60. 3. auxiliary or modal substitutes or includes the main verb

61. I can’t speak German but my friend can.

62. Do you like English coffee? No, I don’t.

63. 4. double stress for emphasis

64. I do like your hat!

65. I didn’t crash my car!

66. I didn’t crash my car. I crashed hers!

67. look at this passage from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities How many weak forms can you find?

68. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

69. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

70. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.

71. now find the stressed and unstressed syllables in these words How many have ə or ɪ ?

72. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.

73. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.

74. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf cəmparɪsən onlɪ.

75. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf cəmparɪsən onlɪ.

76. HOMEWORK make a list of the weak forms that you used in your latest writing homework