Listening: Understanding Natural Connected Speech (Basic) A2 - Lesson 2: Understanding Simple Questions and Statements at a Slightly More Natural Pace

Listening A2

Why is English So Fast?

Lesson Goals

• Understand why native speakers sound fast.
• Learn about "Linking" (connecting words).
• Identify "Disappearing Sounds" (Elision).

When you learn English in a book, words are separate. But in real life, words hold hands! They stick together to make sentences smoother and faster.

1. Linking (Consonant + Vowel)

When a word ends in a consonant (like T, N, S) and the next word starts with a vowel (A, E, I, O, U), we connect them.

• Textbook: Wake up.
• Real Life: Wak_up. (Sounds like "Way-kup")
• Textbook: Turn it on.
• Real Life: Turn_i_t_on. (Sounds like "Tur-ni-ton")

2. Disappearing Sounds (Elision)

Sometimes, we cut sounds out completely to speak faster! The sounds /t/ and /d/ at the end of a word often disappear if the next word starts with a consonant.

• Textbook: Next door.
• Real Life: Next door. (Say "Nex-door")
• Textbook: Good morning.
• Real Life: Good morning. (Say "Goo-morning")

3. Common Question Changes

Questions change a lot in fast speech. "Do you" often becomes "Dja" or "Ju".

• Textbook: Do you want coffee?
• Real Life: Dja want coffee?
• Textbook: Did you eat?
• Real Life: Didja eat?

Why is this important?

If you listen for every single word (e.g., "Do", "you", "want"), you will get lost. You must learn to hear the groups of words.

Don't try to speak this fast yet—just try to understand it when you hear it!

Practice Activity: What did they say?

Listen to the fast sentence. Choose the correct written sentence.

1. Audio: "Pickitup."
   -> Pick it up OR Pick a cup?
2. Audio: "I wan-go."
   -> I want to go OR I went go?
3. Audio: "Hooz-zat?"
   -> Who is that? OR Who sat?

Vocabulary List

• Linking (noun) /ˈlɪŋkɪŋ/ [ការតភ្ជាប់សំឡេង] - Connecting the end of one word to the start of the next.
• Elision (noun) /ɪˈlɪʒn/ [ការលុបបំបាត់សំឡេង] - Leaving out a sound (usually /t/ or /d/) to speak faster.
• Consonant (noun) /ˈkɒnsənənt/ [ព្យញ្ជនៈ] - Sounds like B, C, D, F, T (not vowels).

Your Mission 🎙️

Listen to a short English video (YouTube or TikTok). Try to find one example where two words sound like one word. Write it down!

Example: "Stop it" -> "Stoppit"