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You are here: Home / Archives for Videos / Intonation, Linking, Rhythm, and Stress / Words that Reduce

Words that reduce are words where a sound is changed or dropped in spoken English. Many of the most common words in English reduce. Knowing how to reduce them will smooth out your speech, and the character of spoken English will be more American.

DO and DOES Reduction

'Do' and 'does' can be reduced to make them easier to say and make more rhythmic contrast in your speech.  But you don't want to reduce them in every case -- learn when to and when not to in this video, as well as how to pronounce these words when … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: DO and DOES Reductions

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda

Shoulda, woulda, coulda!  Not only is this an idiom in American English, but each of these 'words' individually appear frequently in American English.  The 'a' at the end is a reduction of 'have'.  Learn how to pronounce these words, and study some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Linking, Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: Should-Would-Could, Words that Begin with H Reductions

How to Pronounce Should, Would, Could – Reduce and Link!

'Should', 'would', and 'could' can all be simplified and reduced in a sentence.  This is good news!  You'll feel more comfortable pronouncing these words quickly after watching this video.  And don't forget, the L in all of these words is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: Should-Would-Could

How to Pronounce OF

Study the OF reduction.  There are many reductions in conversational American English. It’s important to know what they are to improve listening comprehension, but also to use the reductions in speech yourself.  They are a key part to sounding … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: OF Reduction

How to Reduce ‘THAT’

In this Ben Franklin exercise, you’ll study real English conversation.  We’ll study everything we hear. Try this on your own to improve your listening comprehension and pronunciation! YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: THAT Reduction

How to Pronounce the Word YOUR in a Sentence

Study the YOUR / YOU’RE reduction.  There are many reductions in conversational American English. It’s important to know what they are to improve listening comprehension, but also to use the reductions in speech yourself.  They are a key part to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: YOUR Reduction

Reduction: the word AT

Study the AT reduction.  There are many reductions in conversational American English. It’s important to know what they are to improve listening comprehension, but also to use the reductions in speech yourself.  They are a key part to sounding … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: AT Reduction

How to Pronounce ‘to the’ in a Sentence

Study how to pronounce ‘to the’ in a sentence—simplify it.  There are many reductions in conversational American English. It’s important to know what they are to improve listening comprehension, but also to use the reductions in speech yourself. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: in a Sentence, Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: The Word THE, TO Reduction

Summer Vacation

Vacation is always the best!  Study real English conversation and many interesting points of pronunciation, like the consonant to vowel linking in the phrase ‘made it!’ YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Conversation and Speech Studies, Linking, Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: CAN Reduction, Gonna, Linking Consonant to Vowel, THAT Reduction, Wanna

How to Pronounce the Word THEM

Study the THEM reduction.  There are many reductions in conversational American English. It’s important to know what they are to improve listening comprehension, but also to use the reductions in speech yourself.  They are a key part to sounding … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: THEM Reduction

How to Pronounce the Word ‘TO’

Study the TO reduction.  There are many reductions in conversational American English. It’s important to know what they are to improve listening comprehension, but also to use the reductions in speech yourself.  They are a key part to sounding … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: TO Reduction

TSUP!? – it’s, what’s, that’s as TS

You can reduce IT’S, THAT’S, WHAT’S, and LET’s to just the [ts] sound.  Study this reduction in several sentences. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35syim12-gc Video Text: In a recent video, I said, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Contractions, Videos, Words that Reduce Tagged With: TS Cluster

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