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Key Concepts

• Linking: The process of connecting words when speaking so that they are pronounced together as a continuous sound.
• Consonants: Letters other than A, E, I, O, U.
• Vowels: A, E, I, O, U.
• Consonant-Consonant Linking: Connecting words where the first word ends with a consonant sound and the second word begins with the same or a similar consonant sound.
• Consonant-Vowel Linking: Connecting words where the first word ends with a consonant sound and the second word begins with a vowel sound.
• Vowel-Vowel Linking: Connecting words where both words begin and end with vowel sounds, typically by inserting a /w/ or /j/ sound.

Part One: Linking Two Consonants

• Main Topic: Connecting words that share the same consonant sound at their boundary.
• Key Points:
  • When a word ends with a consonant sound and the next word starts with the same consonant sound, the two words share that sound, pronouncing it only once.
  • Examples:
    • 'that time' (shares the /t/ sound)
    • 'Red dress' (shares the /d/ sound)
    • 'Cheap places' (shares the /p/ sound)
    • 'Feel lucky' (shares the /l/ sound)
  • Linking depends on sounds, not spelling.
  • Examples (different spellings, same sound):
    • 'look cool' (shares the /k/ sound, from 'k' and 'c')
    • 'quite tall' (shares the /t/ sound)
    • 'nice sofa' (shares the /s/ sound)
• Exceptions:
  • The sounds /tʃ/ (as in 'church') and /dʒ/ (as in 'judge') are not linked. Two distinct sounds must be pronounced.
  • Examples: 'each choice', 'orange juice'.
• Sentence Examples:
  • "She bought a really nice red dress last week."
  • "Do you know any cheap places to stay in Barcelona?"
  • "I feel lucky—let’s play poker!"
  • "You look cool in those jeans."
  • "He’s quite tall for his age, I suppose."
  • "That’s a nice sofa!"
  • "Each choice you make is important."
  • "Would you like some orange juice?"

Part Two: Linking Similar Consonant Sounds

• Main Topic: Connecting words with similar, but not identical, consonant sounds.
• Key Points:
  • Similar consonant sounds, particularly voiced and unvoiced pairs, can be linked. The key is to maintain the mouth position for the first sound and transition to the second.
  • Examples:
    • /z/ and /s/: 'cheese sandwich' (ends in /z/, starts with /s/). The speaker's tongue stays behind the top teeth for both.
    • /ð/ (voiced 'th') and /θ/ (unvoiced 'th'): 'breathe through' (ends in /ð/, starts with /θ/). The tongue position is between the teeth for both.
  • Other Linkable Pairs:
    • /d/ and /t/: 'I need two kilos of shrimp.'
    • /k/ and /g/: 'The water was a kind of dark green colour.'
    • /p/ and /b/: 'I sleep better if the room’s really dark.'
    • /f/ and /v/: 'Have you packed enough vests?'
  • The order of the sounds doesn't matter (/d/ to /t/ or /t/ to /d/).
• Sentence Examples:
  • "Get me a cheese sandwich, would you?"
  • "Do you have to breathe through your mouth like that?"
  • "I need two kilos of shrimp."
  • "The water was a kind of dark green colour."
  • "I sleep better if the room’s really dark."
  • "Have you packed enough vests?"
  • "She asked Dave what would happen."

Part Three: Linking Consonants to Vowels

• Main Topic: Connecting words where a consonant sound at the end of one word meets a vowel sound at the beginning of the next.
• Key Points:
  • This is a very common type of linking. The consonant sound is pronounced as if it starts the next word.
  • Example: 'when Anna' is pronounced /we'nænə/. The /n/ sound from 'when' links directly to the vowel sound in 'Anna'.
  • Sentence Examples:
    • "Do you remember that time when Anna and Amy fell in the swimming pool?" (Links: 'when Anna', 'Amy fell', 'fell in')
    • "There’s an elephant in the garden." (Links: 'There's an', 'elephant in', 'in the')
    • "I ate an apple and two pears." (Links: 'I ate', 'ate an', 'an apple', 'two pears')
    • "These are the best tomatoes I’ve ever had." (Links: 'These are', 'tomatoes I've', 'I've ever')
• Methodology/Trick: To make this easier, imagine the consonant sound is at the start of the second word. This helps to avoid a pause.

Part Four: Linking Two Vowel Sounds

• Main Topic: Connecting words that begin and end with vowel sounds.
• Key Points:
  • A consonant sound, typically /w/ or /j/, is inserted between the two vowel sounds to create a smooth transition.
  • Examples:
    • 'two apples': The /u:/ vowel in 'two' and the /æ/ vowel in 'apples' are linked with a /w/ sound: 'two apples'.
    • 'He asked': The /i:/ vowel in 'He' and the /æ/ vowel in 'asked' are linked with a /j/ sound: 'He asked'.
  • Determining the sound: While there are rules, the most practical approach is to relax and try saying the words fluently. The easiest sound to produce is usually the correct one.
• Practice:
  • 'See Andrew': Add a /j/ sound ('See_y_Andrew').
  • 'Go out': Add a /w/ sound ('Go_w_out').
• Sentence Examples:
  • "There are two apples in the bowl."
  • "He asked for a glass of water."
  • "I’m going to see Andrew this weekend."
  • "Shall we go out to get something to eat?"

Part Five: Review

• Main Topic: Recap of the different linking methods.
• Key Points:
  • Consonant to Consonant: Link when words share the same or similar consonant sounds. The sound is shared.
  • Consonant to Vowel: Link any consonant sound to any vowel sound. Imagine the consonant belongs to the second word.
  • Vowel to Vowel: Link by adding a /w/ or /j/ sound between the vowels. If unsure, try saying the words fluently; the easiest sound is usually correct.
• Overall Goal: Linking is intended to make speaking easier and more fluent, not more difficult.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video emphasizes that fluent English pronunciation involves linking words together to create a continuous flow of sound, mimicking native speakers. It details four primary linking techniques: linking identical consonant sounds, linking similar consonant sounds (including voiced/unvoiced pairs), linking consonant sounds to vowel sounds, and linking vowel sounds by inserting /w/ or /j/. The core principle across all methods is to connect sounds smoothly, often by sharing sounds or inserting transitional ones, with a strong emphasis on sound over spelling. While specific rules exist, particularly for vowel-vowel linking, the ultimate guide is natural, fluent pronunciation. The lesson aims to equip learners with practical strategies to improve their spoken English by reducing pauses and creating a more natural rhythm.