Weak forms
Certain English words can be pronounced in two different ways: strong forms and weak forms. For example, that can be pronounced /ðæt/ ( strong form ) or /ðət/ (weak form). The words that have strong and weak forms are referred to as function words – words that do not have a dictionary meaning. Such function words are auxiliary verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, etc. Consider the following examples:
- Of (weak form in the middle of the sentence ):
I'm fond of chips /aim fond əv ʧips/.
Of (strong at the end of the sentence ):
Chips are what I'm fond of /ʧips ə wot aim fond ov/.
- When a word is contrasted with another word,. They have strong forms:
The letters from him, not to him / ðə letəz from im not tu: im/.
- Co – ordinated words have strong forms:
I travelled to and from London a lot /ai trævld tu: ən from lΛndən əlot/.
- When a word is stressed for the purpose of emphasis, it has a strong form:
You must give me more money. / ju mΛst giv mo:: mΛni/.
- When a word is cited or quoted, it has a strong form:
You should put ''and'' at the end of a sentence/ju ʃud put ænd ət ði end əv ə sentəns/.
The most common weak – form words are as follows:
- The /ðə/ ( before consonants ): shut the door /ʃΛt ðə do:/.
/ði/ ( before vowels ): Wait for the end /weit fə ði end/.
- A, an
/ə/ ( before consonants ) : Read a book /ri: ə buk/.
/ən/ (before vowels): an apple /ən æpl/.
- And
/ən/ or /n/ after /t, d, s, z, ʃ/: come and see /kΛm ən si:/
Bread and butter /bred n bΛtə/.
- But /bət/: it's good but expensive /its gud bət ikspensiv/.
- That /ðət/: The price is the thing that annoys me/ðə prais iz ðə ϴiŋ ðət ənoiz mi/.
- Than /ðən/: Better than ever /betə ðən evə/.
- His /iz/: Take his name /teik iz neim/.
- Her /ə/ (before consonants ): Take her home /teik ə həum/.
/ər/ (before vowels): Take her out /teik ər aut/.
- Your /jə/( before consonants): Take your trime /teik jə taim/.
/jər/ (before vowels): On your own /on jər əun/.
- a. She /ʃi/: why did she read it? /wai did ʃi ri:d it/.
- He / i/: Which did he choose? /wiʧ did i ʧu:z/.
- We /wi/: How can we get there? /hau kən wi get ðeə/.
- You /ju /: What do you think? /wot də ju ϴiŋk/.
- Him /im/: Leave him alone /li:v im ələun/.
- Her /ə/: Ask her to come /a:sk ə tə kΛm/.
- Them /ðəm/: Leave them here /li:v ðəm hiə/.
- Us /əs/: Write us a letter /rait əs ə letə/.
- At /ət/: I'll see you at lunch /ail si: ju ət lΛnʧ/.
- For /fə/ (before consonants): Tea for two /ti: fə tu:/.
/fər/ (before vowels): Thanks for asking /ϴæŋks fər a:skiŋ/.
- From /frəm/: I'm home from work /aim həum frəm wə:k/.
- Of /əv/: most of all /məust əv o:l/.
- To /tə/( before consonants): Try to stop /trai tə stop/.
/tu/ (before vowels): Time to eat /taim tu i:t/.
- Us /əz/: as much as possible /əz mΛʧ əz posəbl/.
- Some /səm/: Have some more tea /hæv səm mo: ti:/.
- There /ðeə/: There it is /ðeər it iz/. Put it there /put it ðeə/.
- Can, could /kən/, /kəd/: They can wait /ðei kən weit/. He could do it /hi kəd du: it/.
- Have, has, had /əv, əz, əd/:
Which have you seen? /wiʧ əv ju si:n/.
Which has been best? /wiʧ əz bi:n best/.
Most had gone home /məust əd gon həum/.
- Shall, should /ʃəl/ or /ʃl/, /ʃəd/:
We shall need to hurry /wi ʃl ni:d tə hΛri/. I should forget it /ai ʃəd fəget it/.
- Must /məs/(before consonants): You must try harder /ju məs trai ha:də/.
/məst/ (before vowels): He must eat more /hi məst i:t mo:/.
- Do, does /də/ ( before consonants): Why do they like it? /wai də ðei laik it/.
/du/ ( before vowels ): Why do all the cars stop? /wai du o:l ðə ka:z stop/.
/dəz/: When does it arrive? /wen dəz it əraiv/.
- Am, are, was, were
/əm/: Why am I here? /wai əm ai hiə/
/ə/ ( before consonants): Here are the plates /hiər ə ðə pleits/.
/ər/ ( before vowels): The coats are in there /ðə kəuts ər in ðeə/.
/wəz/: He was there a minute ago /hi wəz ðeər ə minit əgəu/.
/wə/ ( before consonants): The papers were late /ðə peipəz wə leit/.
/wər/ (before vowels) : The questions were easy /ðə kwesʧənz wər i:zi/.