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Learn English Pronunciation: Rhythm and Stress

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Rule 4: Reduce small, common words.

Below is a list of common words which are reduced when people speak. This is not informal. It is a part of the natural rhythm of the language. Some students express concern about reducing words. I recommend you practice for two reasons:

1) Reducing small words improves stress. When small words become even smaller, the stressed words sound even more important.
2) Americans speak this way. You will have more difficulty hearing what others say if you do not study reduced words.

If you find this difficult, try it with one word at a time. For instance, start with the word "and." Then reduce other small words later.


Word
 Reduced Sound
 Examples
 Extra Notes
and
 'n
 bread 'n butter                          
pencil 'n paper                          

or
 'r
 more 'r less
his 'r hers
for
 fr
this is fr you
the flowers are fr my mother   

can
 cn
 cn you do it?
I cn finish by Monday
 We tend to reduce "can" and stress "can't."
of
 uv
 it's on the corner uv 1st and Bell St
to
 t'
 t'day, t'morrow
t' the store, t'work
 Sometimes "to" is not reduced
when people are thinking,
as in, "Now let's go to ... that store over there."
all forms of "to have"
 can drop the "h" about half the time
 where 'ave you put it?
what 'ad she done?
 the "h" will be dropped
when a conversation or story
involves known information,
i.e. during the middle of a topic
pronouns with "h,"
i.e. his, her, he
 can drop the "h" about half the time
 what's 'iz name? ("s" sounds like "z" in "his")
how'd 'e do that? (for "how did he do that?")
 The "h" will be dropped
when a conversation or story
involves known information,
i.e. during the middle of a topic.
a
an
 u (join with the next word)
"an" does not reduce,
but connects smoothly
with the next word
 a man = uMAN
an apple = anAPPLE
 This should be done always--
only separate "a" or "an" from the noun
for special emphasis.
If you learned both pronunciaitons for "a," you can
attach either sound to the noun.
the
 thu (join with the next word)
 the news = thuNEWS
 This should be done always--
only separate "the" from the noun
for special emphasis.
If you learned both pronunciaitons for "the," you can
attach either sound to the noun.

A few extra notes on this list:

The word "to" reduces all the time. You will even notice that names, such as "The Today Show" are pronounced with this reduction. On TV, they will say, "The T'day Show." On the other hand, you often hear people saying a regular "to" when thinking of what to say next. So reduce "to" in words like "today" and "tomorrow" and in complete thoughts, as in "we're going t'the store now."

There is a lot to learn about the articles, A, An and The, both for sound and grammar. Learn more about A, An and The.

If you are not doing so already, you want to pronounce contractions (i.e. he's, they'll, wouldn't). Americans pronounce contractions regulary--they are not considered informal. Learn about pronouncing contractions.
Rhythm and Stress: Rule 1
 		Rhythm and Stress: Rule 2
 		Rhythm and Stress: Rule 3
 		Rhythm and Stress: Rule 5



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