Listening: Understanding Natural Connected Speech B2 - Lesson 1: Understanding Features of Fluent Speech (assimilation, elision, intrusion)

🔗Listening: B2 - Understanding Connected Speech

Learning Objectives: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Define and identify examples of assimilation, elision, and intrusion in spoken English.
• Understand how these features of connected speech make English sound fluent and natural.
• Improve your ability to comprehend speech where these sound changes occur.
• Recognize that these sound changes follow patterns and are not random errors.

Hello B2 learners! When you listen to fluent English, you might notice that the pronunciation of words in a sentence can be different from how they sound alone. This is because of connected speech—the way sounds link together, change, or disappear to create a smooth flow. This lesson will introduce you to three important features of connected speech.

How Fluent English Sounds Connect

To understand natural speech, you need to be aware of how sounds can change when words are spoken together. Click the cards to learn more.

Assimilation

Assimilation: When a sound changes to become more like a nearby sound. For example, "good boy" often sounds like "goob boy" because the /d/ sound changes to match the /b/ that follows.

Elision

Elision: When a sound is dropped or disappears, especially in fast speech. For example, "next door" often sounds like "nex' door" because the /t/ sound is omitted to make it easier to say.

Intrusion

Intrusion: When an extra sound is added between two words to make them flow together smoothly. For example, "I agree" can sound like "I-y-agree" (with an intrusive /j/ or 'y' sound).

✍️ Interactive Activities

Activity 1: What is Happening Here?

In fast, natural speech, the phrase "I must go" often sounds like "I mus' go." What is happening to the /t/ sound in "must"?

It is becoming much louder.

It is being dropped or disappearing (Elision).

It is changing to a /p/ sound (Assimilation).

Activity 2: Identify the Feature

Listen to the short phrases. For each one, identify the connected speech feature being described.

1. When "that blue" sounds like "thap blue."

Assimilation

Elision

Intrusion

2. When "next door" sounds like "nex' door."

Assimilation

Elision

Intrusion

3. When an extra /r/ sound is heard in "the idea of it."

Assimilation

Elision

Intrusion

🚀 Strategies for Understanding Connected Speech

• Don't Listen Word-by-Word: Try to hear phrases and sentences as whole units of meaning.
• Focus on Stressed Words: Important content words are usually stressed and clearer. Use them as anchors to understand the meaning of the whole phrase.
• Train Your Ear: The more you listen to authentic, natural English (like in movies, podcasts, and songs), the more your brain will get used to these patterns automatically.
• Practice Shadowing: Listen to a short phrase and try to repeat it exactly as you hear it, with the same rhythm and connected sounds. This helps your own pronunciation and your listening.

Summary: This lesson introduced key features of connected speech: assimilation, elision, and intrusion. These are the natural ways that sounds link, change, or disappear in fluent English to make it smoother and faster. Recognizing that these patterns exist is the first step to improving your comprehension of natural, everyday spoken English.