English Pronunciation: Consonant Clusters

Pronunciation Tips- A Guide to Better Speaking

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Vowels	Consonants	Syllables	Intonation
Common Reductions	Consonant Clusters	Contractions	Ending Sounds
Voiced/Voiceless	Linking	Rhythm	Sound Changes

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Consonant Clusters

Sometimes in certain consonant clusters (a string of two or more consonants in a word) the sounds of one of the consonants may be reduced or dropped. Below are some of these reductions.

Other sound changes or reductions occur when certain words or combination of consonants are follow another. Look at these examples. Reduction of is that/is there In rapid speech sometimes speakers reduce 'is there' and 'is that'. Listen to these examples. The first word is with proper enunciation, the second with the reduced sounds. Then listen to the words in sentences.

		Is there becomes zere.
		Is there any tea left?
		Is that becomes zat.
		Is that a raccoon?
Assimilation Sometimes the sounds of words are changed by assimilation, which is linking two sounds to make a new one. Listen to these examples. The first word is with proper enunciation, the second with the reduced sounds. Then listen to the words in sentences.

	't + y' becomes /ch/
	Don't your parents like music? (don't jur)
	'd + y' becomes /j/
	Could you tell me a story? (could ju)

	's + y' becomes /sh/
	Do you miss your mother? (miss sure)
	'z + y' becomes /zh/
	Where's your brother? (where's sure)

Dropped Auxiliaries Sometimes auxiliary verbs are dropped. Listen to these examples. The first word is with proper enunciation, the second with the reduced sounds. Then listen to the words in sentences.
	what are you becomes whachya
	What are you doing?

	what do you becomes whadaya
	What do you do for a living?

	what did you becomes whaja
	What did you do yesterday.

Other Consonants Cluster Pages

Page 1 sts and sks clusters

Page 2 th and nt clusters

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Teaching English Overseas

Reduction of is that/is there

Assimilation

Dropped Auxiliaries