1. Good Morning !

2. Connected Speech
When speaking, Americans connect – or “link” – the end of one word with the beginning of the next word.
Not every word is linked, since it is sometimes necessary to pause. But more often than not, this “strategy” is used.
Together with reduced forms of speech, this allows us to speak more smoothly and fluently.

3. Linking Consonant to Vowel the next word begins with a vowel
Rule 1:
When a word ends
in 2 consonants and . . .
L e f t
the next word begins with a vowel
i t
then . . .

4. L e f t i t Linking Consonant to Vowel Rule 1:
the 2nd consonant (in this case, a “t”)
L e f t
. . . is pronounced with the next word
i t

5. Left it
sounds like
Lef dit

6. “Where’s your textbook?” “I left it in my dorm room.”

7. Send it
sounds like
Sen dit

8. “Please send it to me as soon as possible.”

9. Camp out
sounds like
Cam pout

10. “Do you want to camp out this weekend?”

11. Hold on
sounds like
Hole don

12. “Hold on for dear life!”

13. Linking Consonant to Vowel the next word begins with a vowel
Rule 2:
When a word ends
in 1 consonant and . . .
I s
the next word begins with a vowel
i t ?
then . . .

14. I s i t ? I s i t ? Linking Consonant to Vowel Rule 2:
The consonant is pronounced with both words.
I s i t ?
I s i t ?

15. “Is it time for lunch yet?”
“Try to keep up with me”

16. All three of these expressions mean: Hurry! Go Faster! Move Faster!
Step it up.
Step on it.
Get a move on.
All three of these expressions mean: Hurry! Go Faster! Move Faster!
Step on it comes from driving a car, and “stepping” on the gas pedal to speed up.

17. Hey! Step it up with your work.

18. We’re walking too slowly
We’re walking too slowly. We’d better step on it, or we’ll be late for class!

19. We had1 better get a move on, otherwise we’ll never finish this project.
1 In spoken English, “had” is often omitted in these types of sentences. It sounds grammatically incorrect, but in casual language, it’s acceptable.

20. Fill in the blanks with verbs ending in 1 or 2 consonants.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with verbs
ending in 1 or 2 consonants.
it in it down up.
out at me about it.
over here.

21. Fill in the blanks with verbs ending in 1 or 2 consonants.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with verbs
ending in 1 or 2 consonants.
Stuff it in Put it down Hold up.
Get out Look at me Think about it.
Stand over here.

22. Analyze the following sentence:
If I were you, I’d think about it for a while before doing anything impulsive1.
First, how would you break up this sentence into “chunks” so you could make it more manageable for practicing?
1Impulsive – an adjective, meaning to do something without thinking about it first – being hasty and careless.

23. Idea #1:
If I were you, I’d think about it for a while before doing anything impulsive.
If I were you,
I’d think about it
for awhile
before doing
anything impulsive.

24. Idea #2:
If I were you, I’d think about it for a while before doing anything impulsive.
If I were you,
I’d think about it for a while
before doing anything impulsive.

25. Second, where would you use connected speech and reduced forms of speech so you could say the sentence smoothly?

26. 1. If I were you,
Connect the “f” & “I”

27. 2. I’d think about it Connect the “d” & “t” Connect the “t” & “i”
Connect the “k” & “a”

28. 3. for a while
Reduce “for” to “fer”
Connect the “r” & “a”

29. 4. before doing 5. anything impulsive. Very lightly link the “g”
to the “a” in “anything”
Very lightly link the “g” & “i”