Linking words for speaking English fluently - PART 1: CONSONANT TO VOWEL LINKING | How to speak English fluently & naturally

PART 1: CONSONANT TO VOWEL LINKING SOUNDS - Linking words for speaking English fluently

Part 2: VOWEL TO VOWEL LINKING SOUNDS | Linking words for speaking English fluently

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RULE 1: CONSONANT TO VOWEL LINKING:

When one word ends with a consonant sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, we link words together.

+ Consonants sound: 

• These consonants are voiced and voiceless pairs (16): p b; t d; k g; f v; s z; θ ð; ʃ ʒ; ʈʃ dʒ
• These consonants are voiced (8): h; w; n; m; r; j; ŋ; l

+ Vowels sound:

• Short vowels (7): ɪ, e, æ, ʌ, ʊ, ɒ, ə
• Long vowels (5): i:, ɑ:, ɔ:, ɜ:, u:
• Diphthong vowels (8): ei, ɔi, ai, iə, eə, uə, əu, au

WHAT ARE LINKING IN ENGLISH?

Linking is a way of joining the pronunciation of two words so that they are easy to say and flow together smoothly.

In English there are different ways that linking sounds:

- Consonant to vowel linking.

E.g: this us /ðɪs ɪz/; is an /ɪz ən/; these are /ðiz ɑːr/

- Vowel to vowel linking.

E.g: she is /ʃi ɪz/; see an /si æn/

- Linking two consonants.

E.g: that time /ðæt taɪm/; feel lucky /fil ˈlʌki/; look cool /lʊk kul/; black car /blæk kɑr/; quite tall /kwaɪt tɔl/; this city /ðɪs ˈsɪti/

- Linking similar consonant sounds.

E.g: need two /nid tu/; choose somebody /ʧuz ˈsʌmˌbɑdi/; five fishes /faɪv ˈfɪʃɪz/

+ Linking 'r'.

E.g: car is /kɑr ɪz/; more ice /mɔr aɪs/; there are/is /ðər ɑːr/ɪz/

* NOTE: Remember that links depend on the sounds, not the spelling.

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When one word ends with a consonant sound.

The next word begins with a vowel sound.

There is a smooth link between the two.

These letters are vowels in English.

Have you an idea or a project?

About us and our work.

The war was finally at an end.

Can I have a bit of egg?