Better English Pronunciation for CommunicationA Practical Course for Students of English ByFaculty of English Language 2. To serve as the basis for the rhythmical structure of the sentence. nEx. 1 Content words are usually stressed and function n words unstressed:n I called her at home, but she was at school.n Keep her from moving so I can take her picture.n Nothing happened to Ted during the storm.n Take it or leave it; the choice is up to you.nEx. 2 Content words are not always stressed:n- Hello, Im John. Whats your name?n- My names Frank. Im Simon Browns cousin. Where do you live?n- Next door to the Browns. Where do you live?Ex. 3 The following sentences contain the same amount of stressed syllables. Read them at a steady, regular speed.nHe asked me to give him a ticket.nHe should ask if we could give him a ticket.Ex. 4 Give suitable answers to the three questions you hear.ni) (No.) Its on the twenty-first.nii) Ive got a ticket.niii) (No.) She sells clothes.niv) (No.) Hes got a cold.nv) (Yes.) (No.) Were not going till Thursday night.Ex. 5 Respond to the two different things you hear.ni) Hes got a new car.nii) Ive got some flowers.niii) Ive been to Paris.niv) Then Ill have some soup.nv) He said hed phone.II. Rhythm and the length of sounds1. Vowels are longer when final or followed by a voiced consonant than when followed by a voiceless consonant. 2. Vowels are longer in stressed monosyllables than when followed by an unstressed syllable or syllables. 3. Vowels are longer in stressed syllables than in unstressed syllables.Table 3: Length of /i:/ in different phonetic contexts in accented monosyllables III. Rhythm and sound linking 1.To blend or join the final consonant of one word with the initial word of the following word, as in “postoffice“. 2.To link the final vowels /:/ and / to a following vowel by adding the /r/ sound, which is called linking-r, as in “her own“, or intrusive-r, as in “the ideaof“. 3.To make smooth transitions when words are separated by more than two consonants, i.e. treat them as consonant sequences, as in “nexttopic“. 4.To make smooth transitions when the preceding word ends with a vowel and the following word begins also with a vowel sound by adding a slight /j/ or /w/, as in “myarm”,”how often” . 5.To change the pronunciation of some final and initial consonants, as in “Didyou “.Ex. 6 Write down the phrases you hear. 1. _ 2. _3. _ 4. _5. _ 6. _7. _ 8. _Key: Ex. 6What of it? 2. Its after nine already. 3. Come on in. 4. They looked as if theyre angry. 5. How much is it? 6. Are you sure about all of it? 7. Shes on the phone. 8. If its time, Ill go.Ex. 7 Read the following dialogues, paying special attention to the linking.1. - CanI helpyou, sir? -Yes, Imina rush Imafraid. CanI havea pieceof apple cake please, withicecream? - Certainly, sir. Illask the waiter to comeoveras soonas possible. 2. - Switchoff the light, David. Itsalmosteleven. - Im scaredof the dark. I thinkI hearda noise. Look over there! Somethingon the window ledgeis moving!3. - Howoften doI have to doit? - Youought to doeveryexercise oncea week. - DoI have to doeveryexercise? - Yes, it should takeyouabout twohours. ThoughI dont supposeit will! 4. - Actually, Iought to practise more regularlyI suppose. - Well, dont worryaboutit. Ioften forget myself. - Perhaps weought to tryand go together.5. - Howisit going, Edward? - Not badatall. Its notexactlya busy place though. - Whereare you staying? - Justa little pubon theedgeof town. - And whatare you doingon yourown? - Nota lotactually. Thisevening theresa match on TV, soIll geta snackin townand watcha bitof footballafterwards.IV. Rhythm and Assimilation and Elision1) _ 2) _3) _ 4) _5) _ 6) _Key: Ex.1. That man. 2. Of course. 3. Weve phoned him. 4. That goat. 5. Good morning. 6. I cant go.Ex. 8 Fill in the blanks with the words you hear.1) Theyre _ arent they? 2) I cant find mine. Can I _? 3) I _ it. Do you? 4) Everyone can see that it _. 5) _so often if you can manage by yourself. 6) Thats the _ to start. 7) This is his _. 8) _ looks nice.Key: Ex.8 1) Theyre _nice shoes_ arent they? 2) I cant find mine. Can I _use yours_? 3) I _I dont believe_ it. Do you? 4) Everyone can see that it _it cant be done_. 5) _Dont go_ so often if you can manage by yourself. 6) Thats the _right place_ to start. 7) This is his _own car_. 8) _That cup_ looks nice.Ex. 9 Write down the words you hear.Dropping of vowels and consonants with