ESL Lesson on Pronunciation: Liaisons

Introduction

Have you ever noticed that native English speakers connect words together when they speak? This is called liaison, which means “linking sounds” between words.

Liaisons help speech flow more naturally and make English sound smooth and fast. However, they can also make listening more difficult for English learners!

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
✔️ Recognize and understand liaisons in spoken English
✔️ Use linking sounds to speak more fluently
✔️ Improve your listening and pronunciation skills

Let’s get started! 🎤🔊

Step 1: What Are Liaisons in English?

📌 Definition:
A liaison occurs when the final sound of one word connects to the first sound of the next word. This makes sentences sound more natural and fluid in spoken English.

📌 Example:

  • “Go on” sounds like “Gowon” /ɡoʊ wɑn/
  • “Turn it off” sounds like “Turnitoff” /tɝː.nɪ.tɑːf/
  • “An apple” sounds like “A napple” /ə ˈnæp.l̩/

🎤 Practice Exercise:
Say these phrases slowly and then connect the words together:

  1. I am → I’m
  2. Do it → Do it (sounds like “Doo-wit”)
  3. Give me → Gimme
  4. What is it? → Wha-tis-it?
  5. Not at all → No-da-tall

Step 2: Three Main Types of Liaisons in English

There are three main types of liaisons that occur in spoken English:

1️⃣ Consonant-to-Vowel Linking
2️⃣ Vowel-to-Vowel Linking (Gliding Sounds: /w/ and /j/)
3️⃣ Dropped Sounds and Intrusion

Let’s explore each type!

1. Consonant-to-Vowel Linking

✅ Rule: When a word ends in a consonant and the next word starts with a vowel, the sounds connect.

📌 Examples:

  • Pick it up → “Pi-kit-up” /pɪkɪtʌp/
  • Turn it off → “Turnitoff” /tɝː.nɪ.tɑːf/
  • Take a look → “Ta-ka-look” /teɪk ə lʊk/

🎤 Practice Exercise:
Say these phrases with smooth connections:

  1. Check it out
  2. Pass it on
  3. Move it over
  4. Look at this
  5. Send it in

2. Vowel-to-Vowel Linking (Gliding Sounds: /w/ and /j/)

✅ Rule: When a word ends in a vowel and the next word also starts with a vowel, a linking sound is added:
✔️ /w/ is added after words ending in “oo” or “o” sounds.
✔️ /j/ is added after words ending in “ee” or “ay” sounds.

📌 Examples:

  • Go on → “Go-won” /ɡoʊ wɑn/
  • You are → “You-were” /juː wɑr/
  • She is → “She-yis” /ʃi jɪz/
  • I agree → “I-ya-gree” /aɪ jəɡri/

🎤 Practice Exercise:
Say these smoothly:

  1. No idea
  2. Do it again
  3. He is here
  4. Go out now
  5. I always eat eggs

3. Dropped Sounds and Intrusion

✅ Rule: Some sounds disappear in fast speech, while others appear to connect words.

📌 Examples of Dropped Sounds:

  • “Next day” → “Nex-day” (No “t” sound)
  • “I don’t know” → “I dunno”
  • “Most common” → “Mos’ common”

📌 Examples of Intrusion Sounds:

  • “Go on” → “Go-won” (inserts /w/)
  • “I agree” → “I-ya-gree” (inserts /j/)

🎤 Practice Exercise:
Say these phrases the natural way:

  1. I don’t know → I dunno
  2. What do you mean? → Whaddaya mean?
  3. Let me see → Lemme see
  4. Give me that → Gimme that
  5. Want to go? → Wanna go?

Step 3: Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

🚨 Mistake 1: Overpronouncing Every Word
🔹 Problem: Speaking each word separately makes English sound unnatural.
🔹 Fix: Link words together smoothly.

🚨 Mistake 2: Ignoring Liaisons in Listening
🔹 Problem: You might not recognize linked words in fast speech.
🔹 Fix: Listen to real English conversations and practice with shadowing exercises.

🚨 Mistake 3: Adding Liaisons Where They Don’t Exist
🔹 Problem: Saying “big egg” as “bi-gewg” instead of “big egg”.
🔹 Fix: Only link vowel-to-vowel and consonant-to-vowel correctly.

🎤 Practice Exercise:
Say the following correctly with linking:

  1. I’ll do it → I’ll do-wit
  2. Take it easy → Ta-kit-easy
  3. Move on → Moo-won
  4. Show up → Sho-wup
  5. Be over there → Be-yover there

Step 4: Listening Practice

Can you hear the liaisons?

🎧 Listen to these sentences in your head and choose the correct linking sound:

  1. Go out now (Linking sound: /w/ or /j/?)
  2. Check it out (Linking sound: /t/ or /d/?)
  3. We are happy (Linking sound: /w/ or /j/?)
  4. Pass it on (Linking sound: /t/ or /d/?)
  5. She is there (Linking sound: /w/ or /j/?)

(Answer Key: 1-w, 2-t, 3-j, 4-t, 5-j)

Step 5: Discussion Questions

Practice speaking by discussing these questions with a friend or writing down your answers.

  1. Which type of liaison is the hardest for you?
  2. How is linking used in your native language?
  3. Can you think of more phrases where words are linked in English?

Step 6: Writing Challenge

✍ Creative Writing Exercise
Write a short dialogue where two people use liaisons naturally in conversation.

🔹 Example Start:
A: “Hey, wanna grab lunch?”
B: “Yeah, lemme check my schedule.”
A: “Okay, we can go at two.”
B: “Sounds good! Let’s meet at the café.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why do native speakers use liaisons?

Liaisons make speech faster, smoother, and more natural. They help words flow together instead of sounding choppy.

2. How can I practice linking sounds?

  • Listen to native speakers and repeat after them.
  • Practice reading aloud, focusing on connecting words.
  • Record yourself speaking and compare with fluent speech.

3. Are liaisons used in formal English?

Yes! Liaisons happen naturally in both casual and formal speech. However, contractions (like “wanna” or “gimme”) are more common in informal English.

4. How do I know when to link words?

If the first word ends in a consonant and the next starts with a vowel, link them together!

Conclusion

This lesson helps you improve pronunciation, fluency, and listening skills by mastering liaisons in English.

✅ What’s Next?

  • Practice speaking with liaisons.
  • Listen to English conversations and identify linking sounds.
  • Try recording yourself speaking with liaisons!