Speaking: Pronunciation B2 - Lesson 1: Connected Speech: Assimilation & Elision (e.g., "did you" -> /dɪdʒu/)

Speaking: Pronunciation B2

Connected Speech: Assimilation & Elision

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and use two key features of connected speech, assimilation and elision, to improve your fluency and listening comprehension.

The Sound of Fluent Speech 🗣️

At the B2 level, we focus on what makes speech sound truly natural: Connected Speech. Fluent speakers don't pronounce every word separately. Instead, sounds change or disappear to make speech faster and smoother. Today, we'll learn two key processes: Assimilation and Elision.

Scenario: A Casual Chat

Listen to this natural conversation. The text below is what is written, but pay close attention to how the bolded phrases actually sound.

Nita: "Hey, Sam. Did you hear the news about the concert next Saturday?"

Sam: "No, what's up? Don't you mean the one in May? I suppose so."

Nita: "Yeah, that one. I used to love that band. I've got to buy the tickets soon. Can you lend me some money?"

Sam: "(Laughing) I dunno... ten pounds maybe? Just kidding. Of course. But I must go now, I'm late for a class."

The Two Key Processes of Connected Speech

Assimilation: When Sounds Change

Assimilation is when a sound changes to become more like a neighboring sound, making it easier to say. It’s a key shortcut in fluent speech.

• /d/ + /j/ → /dʒ/ (like in juice): "Did you" becomes "/dɪdʒu/"
• /t/ + /j/ → /tʃ/ (like in chair): "Don't you" becomes "/doʊntʃu/"
• /n/ → /m/ (before /p/ or /b/): "ten pounds" becomes "/tem paʊndz/"

Elision: When Sounds Disappear

Elision is the complete dropping of a sound from a word to simplify the pronunciation, especially in unstressed syllables or consonant clusters.

• Elision of /t/ and /d/: This is common when the sound is between two other consonants.
  • "next Saturday" becomes "/neks sædədeɪ/"
  • "I must go" becomes "/aɪ məs gəʊ/"
• Elision of unstressed vowels:
  • "I don't know" often becomes "dunno" /dʌnoʊ/
  • "chocolate" becomes "/tʃɒklət/"

Why This Matters for Fluency

🧠 A Key to Better Listening and Speaking

For Your Listening: If your brain is waiting to hear "did... you...", you might completely miss the real sound of "/dɪdʒu/". Recognizing these patterns helps you decode fast, natural speech.

For Your Speaking: You don't have to use every single one, but starting with common examples (like "did you" or dropping the 't' in "must go") will instantly make your English sound more natural and fluent.

Practice & Mission 🎯

Practice Quiz: Identify the Process

Read the phrase and identify the main connected speech process happening to the sound in bold.

1. In the phrase "I'm going to meet (h)im", the disappearance of the /h/ sound is an example of:
   A) Assimilation   B) Elision   C) Something else
   → Answer: B) Elision. The /h/ sound is dropped.
2. In "Don't you believe me?", the change of the sound to /tʃ/ is an example of:
   A) Assimilation   B) Elision   C) A mistake
   → Answer: A) Assimilation. The /t/ and /j/ sounds blend to make a new sound.

Your Mission: Become a Speech Detective

Your mission is to find these features in the real world.

1. Listen: Watch a 1-2 minute clip from a movie or TV show with native English speakers.
2. Identify: Try to find at least one example of assimilation and one example of elision.
3. Imitate: Pause the video and say the phrase out loud exactly as the speaker did. Copy the connected, fluent sound. This is a powerful way to improve your own pronunciation.

Vocabulary Glossary

• Fluent (Adjective) | ស្ទាត់ជំនាញ
  Able to speak a language easily, well, and quickly.
• Connected Speech (Noun Phrase) | ការនិយាយតភ្ជាប់
  The way sounds are linked together in natural speech, which can cause them to change or disappear.
• Assimilation (Noun) | សមានីកម្ម
  A process where a speech sound changes to become more like a nearby sound.
• Elision (Noun) | ការលុបសំឡេង
  The process of not pronouncing a sound in a word.