SOUNDS IN COMBINATION
Ellie Cavalcanti

Exercise 1
There are four types of linking. Match the rule to the type of linking.

a. / c`sImcleiSn /
b. / `kAtcneiSn /
c. / I`lIZcn /
d. / In`tru;Zn /

RULE 1
When a consonant sound comes before a vowel sound, the consonant sound shifts to link with that vowel sound:
/ pu ti ton /

RULE 2
Plosives:
when 2 plosives come together and the first is alveolar, it's articulated in the same place as the second.
i.e. / t / becomes / p / before / p / or / b /
e.g. right place / raip pleis /
/ d / becomes / b / before / p / or / b /
e.g. good place / gUb pleis /
/ t / becomes / k / before / k / or / g /
e.g. right kind / raik kaind /
/ d / becomes / g / before / k / or / g /
e.g. good kind / gUg kaind /
Nasals:
/ n / becomes / m / before / p / / b / or / m /
e.g. ten people / tempi;pcl /
unpleasant / ymplczcnt /
/ n / becomes / N / before / k / or / g /
e.g. ten kings / teNkiNz /
incredible / INkredIbl /
thin girl / TINgE;l /
Others:
/ t / and / d / before / j /
The / j / is dropped and the / t / and / d / change to / tS / and / dZ /
Why did you ? / wai dIdZu; /
Might you ? / maitSu; /

RULE 3
The sounds / w / / j / or / r / are inserted between two vowel sounds:
e.g. blue apple / blu; wApcl /
Thursday evening ?/ TE;zdei ji;vnIN /
four o'clock / fO; rcklok /

RULE 4
When / s / / sk / or / st / are followed by / b / or / d / and sometimes others, the consonant is left out unless it is followed by a vowel, semi vowel or / h /
e.g. last Monday / la;smyndei /
most people / mcUspi;pcl /
Christmas / krIsmcs /
ask them / AsTem /

Exercise 2
Mark the links, then write the words or phrases in phonemic script.
Catenation
1. Look at these pictures.
2. One or two friends.
3. I'll have these instead.
4. He's quite old.
5. It's upstairs.
6. I'm going in April.

Assimilation
1. Right kind.
2. Right girl.
3. Good kind.
4. Good girl.
5. Ten kings.
6. Ten girls.
7. Thin girl.
8. Unpleasant.
9. Unpopular.
10. Why did you?
11. Bad years.
12. Good yellow coat.

Elision
1. Listen.
2. Christmas.
3. First girl.
4. Ask them.

Intrusion
1. We pay about 50 pounds.
2. Did you know it's my birthday?
3. Never again.
4. Where are you?
5. Four o'clock.