{"id":4279,"date":"2021-04-03T19:45:14","date_gmt":"2021-04-04T02:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/?p=4279"},"modified":"2021-04-06T11:57:00","modified_gmt":"2021-04-06T18:57:00","slug":"linking-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/english-speaking\/linking-words\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Sound More Natural: By Linking Words"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many English learners pronounce each word separately because they want to make sure their speech is clear and easily understood or because they may \u201cthink\u201d in individuals words instead of thought groups. Speaking this way may help with clarity, but it also creates speech that sounds non-native and a bit choppy and mechanical, somewhat like computer-generated speech.\u00a0 Linking words is key to avoiding this unnatural sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Native English speakers connect, or \u201clink,\u201d words together when communicating one thought group. Linking means connecting the last sound of one word to the first sound of the following word. The result? Smooth, natural, fluent-sounding English.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you sometimes drop word endings by not pronouncing the final consonant? This problem will be solved if you apply the rules of linking to your speech since linking requires you to connect the final consonant with the following word, if it begins with a vowel. As a result, the final sound becomes the first sound of the word that follows it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You know what? This will make things easier for you, too!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Linking Consonants to Vowels<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s look at an example.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Which is more difficult for you to pronounce: \u201cburned out\u201d or \u201cburn doubt?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re guessing the first one is more of a challenge for you.\u00a0 The good news is that a native speaker would pronounce \u201cburned out\u201d as we would read \u201cburn doubt.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another example? \u201cIt\u2019s – a – cold – evening\u201d can be a mouthful when pronounced separately, but if you say \u201cit sa col devening,\u201d you\u2019ll sound more natural and will spend less effort getting that phrase out!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n