weak & strong forms
DESCRIPTION
The small words that manage the grammar in English have two different pronunciations. These are called weak and strong forms. The weak forms are unstressed and the strong forms stressed. Most weak forms have either schwa or short 'i' vowel sounds and they are difficult to hear. These words are very important for the pronunciation of English grammar--they are like the gluer in the phonetic system.TRANSCRIPT
Weak & Strong Forms
we saw stressed and unstressed syllables in
individual words
something similar happens in complete sentences
Where are you from?
Where are you from?
I’m from London.
Where are you from?
I’m from London.
Where are you from?
I’m from London.
Where are you from?
I’m from London.
Where are you from?
I’m from London.
ɒ
ə
Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?
Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?
ɑː
ə
some words have two pronunciations
a weak form
from / frəm /are / ə /
and a strong form
from / frɒm /are / ɑː /
the weak form is the usual pronunciation
the weak form is the usual pronunciation
it’s used when the word is unstressed
the strong form is used only when the word is stressed
the strong form is used only when the word is stressedeg. when it’s the last word
the vowel is simplified(in most cases)
to ə or ɪ
which words have weak and strong forms?
prepositions
prepositionsauxiliary verbs
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbs
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbspronouns
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbspronounspossessive adjectives
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbspronounspossessive adjectivespossessive pronouns
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbspronounspossessive adjectivespossessive pronounsconjunctions
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbspronounspossessive adjectivespossessive pronounsconjunctionsarticles
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbspronounspossessive adjectivespossessive pronounsconjunctionsarticles
prepositionsauxiliary verbsmodal verbspronounspossessive adjectivespossessive pronounsconjunctionsarticles
‘grammar’ words
which words only have strong forms?
nouns
nounsmain verbs
nounsmain verbsadjectives
nounsmain verbsadjectivesadverbs
nounsmain verbsadjectivesadverbs
nounsmain verbsadjectivesadverbs
‘meaning’words
prepositio
ns
weak form strong
form
from frəm frɒm
to tə tuː
at ət æt
in ɪn ɪn
on ɒn ɒn
aux. verbs weak form strong
form
am əm æm
are ə ɑː
have həv hæv
had həd hæd
does dəz dʌz
modal
verbs
weak form strong
form
can kən kæn
will wɪl wɪl
would wəd wʊd
shall ʃəl ʃæl
must məst mʌst
articles weak form strong
form
a ə eɪ
an ən æn
the ðə ðiː
when do weak forms become strong?
1.the end of the sentence
Where are you from?
Yes, I am?
No, I’m not?
2.negatives
I can speak German.
I can speak German.
ə
I can’t speak German.
I can’t speak German.
ɑː
You aren’t listening.
NB
I’m not listening.
the stress is always on ‘not’even when it’s abbreviated
3.auxiliary or modal substitutes or
includes the main verb
I can’t speak German
but my friend can.
Do you like English coffee?
No, I don’t.
4.double stress for emphasis
I do like your hat!
I didn’t crash my car!
I didn’t crash my car.I crashed hers!
look at this passage from Charles Dickens’
A Tale of Two Cities
How many weak formscan you find?
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.
now find the stressed and unstressed syllables in these
words
How many have ə or ɪ ?
ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.
ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs, wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf comparison only.
ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf cəmparɪsən onlɪ.
ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived, fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf cəmparɪsən onlɪ.
HOMEWORK
make a list of the weak forms that you used in your latest
writing homework
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