Chapter 10 extras

10c. Compare strong and weak function words

LOTS more examples of function words used in both a strong and weak way:

DETERMINERS: a, an, the, some, that

”A” /eɪ/. (Difficult to make this strong in a phrase).
That’s /ə/ great idea.

”AN” /æn/. (Difficult to make this strong in a phrase).
That’s /ən/ excellent idea.

This is /ðiː/ place to eat!
Weak TO + [consonant sound] = It’s in /ðə/ car.
Weak TO + [vowel sound] = It’s in /ði/ office.

Let’s take /sʌm/.
Let’s get /səm/ food.

It’s /ðæt/ one.
The one /ðət/ always works.

PREPOSITIONS: to, for, of, at, from, than

Who should I send it /tuː/?
Weak TO + [consonant sound] = Let’s go /tə/ Canada.
Weak TO + [vowel sound] = Let’s go /tu/ Iceland.

Who’s that /fɔː/?
Is it /fə/ you?

It’s /fɔːr/ Anna, not FROM Anna.
Is it /fər/ Anna?

What’s it made /ɒv/?
Lots /əv/ people.

”AT” /æt/.
It’s /ət/ home.

Where’s he /frɒm/?
He’s /frəm/ Brazil.

“THAN” /ðæn/. (Difficult to make this strong in a phrase).
It’s better /ðən/ nothing!

CONJUNCTIONS: and, but, so, that

Dogs /ænd/ rabbits are welcome!
Fish /ən/ chips. (Could also say /ənd/).

/bʌt/ - the thing you have to remember...
We went there /bət/ it was closed.

It’s /səʊ/ hot today!
/sə/ what shall we do?

”THAT” /ðæt/.
We ran so fast /ðət/ I fell over.

PRONOUNS: I, you

Could /aɪ/ try?
/ə/ don’t think so...

It’s for /juː/.
Do /ju/ want to go?
Do /jə/ want to go? (These last two sentences really sound very very similar - it doesn’t make any difference).

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS: your, her

That’s /jɔː/ present!
It’s in /jə/ bag.

That’s /jɔːr/ elephant!
It’s in /jər/ other bag.

That’s /hɜː/ phone, not his.
Where’s /hə/ phone?

That’s /hɜːr/ aunt, not mine.
That’s /hər/ aunt Linda.

AUXILIARY VERB: am, are

I /æm/ going to Hogwarts!
/əm/ I going too?

Why /ɑː/ you going there?
What /ə/ you eating?

What /ɑːr/ Emma and Lucy doing?
How /ər/ Emma and Lucy getting there?

MAIN VERB: am, are

Yes I /æm/.
/əm/ I right?

I don’t know who they /ɑː/.
How /ə/ you?

/ɑːr/ elephants dangerous?
/ər/ igloos warm?

AUXILIARY VERB: was, were

She /wɒz/ going to go, initially...
It /wəz/ raining earlier.

They /wɜː/ going to go, initially...
We /wə/ singing together.

They /wɜːr/ initially going to go...
We /wər/ eating pizza.

MAIN VERB: was, were

Yes he /wɒz/.
How /wəz/ the food?

I don’t know where they /wɜː/.
We /wə/ so happy.

How /wɜːr/ all the presentations?
We /wər/ in New York!

AUXILIARY VERB: have, has

Yes I /hæv/?
/həv/ they finished?

I don’t think he /hæz/.
/həz/ she been before?

AUXILIARY VERB: do, does

I /duː/!
Weak DO + [consonant sound] = /də/ they know?
Weak DO + [vowel sound] = /du/ all of them know?

That’s just what she /dʌz/.
/dəz/ she know?

AUXILIARY VERB: could, should, would

I didn’t know I /kʊd/!
/kəd/ it go here?

I think we /ʃʊd/.
/ʃəd/ I go first?

I didn’t think you /wʊd/!
/wəd/ it be better like this?

AUXILIARY VERB: can, shall

I think I /kæn/.
What /kən/ I do?

You /ʃæl/ go to the ball Cinderella!
/ʃəl/ we go?
/ʃə/ we go? (even faster, lazier version)

THERE

It’s over /ðeə/.
/ðə/ was lots of traffic.

It’s right /ðeər/ in your hand!
/ðər/ are lots of cars.