One way to better understand Native Speakers and also to speak as fluently as a Native English Speaker is to work on connected speech. This means that there is linking between the sequences of sounds in utterances and in conversations. This is why pronunciation might be difficult not only to understand but also to replicate. And connected speech is the key!
We’re going to have a look at a few common phrases for you to add to your own repertoire and also identify when you hear them in the real world!
Let’s get started.
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Alright, so it’s no doubt that Native Speakers have the tendency to speak fast. Moreover, because of connected speech, pacing aside, it might be tricky to understand what they are saying.
Have a look at the following:
Where ya from?
We don’t say “where are you from?” We say “where ya from.” That almost sounds like a standalone words, even though it’s actually four separate words whose sounds got linked together to make “where ya from?”
Where are you gets reduced to where ya (but ya is a schwa) and from stays the same.
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Howya doin?
How are you doing? This turns into hoywa doin? Again, a schwa sound after the “how” and we also don’t pronounce the g at the end of going, it just phases out.
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Wherdja grow up?
Where did you grow up? Did you becomes dja. So when linked, that’s “wheredja”
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Whaddya do?
“What do you do” becomes “whaddya do?” so you might say “Whaddya do for a living?” or “Whaddya do for fun?”
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Whadaryur hobbies?
“What are your” becomes “whadaryur”. You might say Whadaryur hobbies? Or Whadaryur interests? Or Whadar sumayur hobbies? (That was “what are some of your hobbies?”
Try saying “Whadar sumayur” 10 times fast. Talk about a tongue twister!
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Howzit goin. You’ve probably encountered this from Native Friends or American sitcoms.
How is it going, meaning how is life going or how is your day going, that’s generally what the “it” stands for in that greeting.
How is it, gets turned into “howzit” with the linking phenomenon in linguistics. Pretty cool right?
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How do you say the following utterances like a Native English speaker?
You may want to pause the lesson and try saying it yourself before I say the utterance. Or, you can repeat after me. Do whatever works best for you.
I’m going to go to the store. Do you need anything?
How do you say this with linking and connected speech?
ummuna go to tha store. Neenanything?
I am kind of tired. How are you feeling?
How do you say this with linking and connected speech?
um kinda tired. How ya feeling?
I have got a lot on my plate right now.
How do you say this with linking and connected speech?
avgotalot on ma plate right now.
Let me get you a cup of coffee
How do you say this with linking and connected speech?
Let me get you a cup of coffee. How do you take it?
How do you say this with linking and connected speech?
Lemme getcha cuppa coffee? Howdya take it?
I didn’t sleep a lot. I am zonked.
How do you say this with linking and connected speech?
Didn’t sleep a ton um zonked
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Wow terrific work. How fun is that? When I am learning another language, I love learning proper linking and connected speech. It makes me feel like I have a way more sturdy grasp on the language as well as being better equipped to converse with Native speakers in the language I’m learning at the time and also to better understand TV and movies in that language. I hope that you had fun today learning about connected speech and practicing the linking in these utterances. Practice them as much as you can. And with new phrases and utterances you hear in the real world, try to unpack each phoneme, meaning each distinct sound and reverse-engineer the utterance so that you know what the unlinked version is. Knowing and practicing linking with connected speech is empowering because it gets you that much closer to increased fluency in English!
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Alright Advanced English learners, thanks for joining me in this lesson.
The full transcript of this lesson can be found on our blog, so be sure to check out advanced english dot co forward slash blog. If you prefer to listen to this lesson, check out our podcast; it's available on our website. And if you love the podcast, be sure to leave us a 5 star review, that really helps us out! See you in the next one where we’ll continue advancing your English together! Until then, keep up the awesome work.
About the Author and the Explearning Academy:
Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive skills and professional development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.
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