Слабкі форми та фразовий наголос
Weak forms and sentence stress
Які слова в реченні мають наголос, чому to, of і can скорочуються до /tə/, /əv/ і /kən/ і як із цього складається ритм англійської мови.
When it matters
In a normal English sentence some words are strong and clear, and others are so short that they almost disappear. I want to go sounds like /aɪ ˈwɒnt tə ˈɡəʊ/, not like four equal words. If you give every word full weight, your English sounds slow and mechanical, and listeners find it harder to hear which words are important. The bigger problem is listening: if you expect to to sound like /tuː/ and of like /ɒv/, you will not hear them in real speech. Learning the weak forms is one of the fastest ways to understand native speakers better.
How it works
Words in a sentence fall into two groups.
- Content words carry the meaning: nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs, question words such as what and where, and negatives such as not, can't, never. They are normally stressed.
- Function words hold the sentence together: articles, prepositions, auxiliary verbs, pronouns and conjunctions. They are normally unstressed.
An unstressed function word is usually said in its weak form: the vowel is reduced to /ə/ and the word becomes very short. The same word has a strong form, which you hear when you say it on its own or stress it.
English rhythm is built on this contrast. Stressed syllables tend to come at fairly regular intervals, and the unstressed syllables between them are squeezed to fit. Cats chase mice and The cats will have chased the mice have the same three stresses, and the second sentence takes only a little longer to say than the first. Not exactly the same time, but the tendency is strong and easy to hear.
The strong form is used in four situations:
- At the end of a sentence: Where are you from? /frɒm/, Who are you waiting for? /fɔː/.
- In short answers: Yes, I can. /kæn/, Yes, it was. /wɒz/.
- When you stress the word for contrast: The keys are on the table, not under it.
- When you talk about the word itself, as this lesson does.
Any word can be stressed for contrast, and moving the stress changes the message. Tom bought a new car is neutral. Tom bought a new car means Tom, not Anna. Tom bought a new car means he did not rent it.
Practice words
| Word | Weak form | Strong form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | /ə/ | /eɪ/ | a cup /ə ˈkʌp/ |
| an | /ən/ | /æn/ | an egg /ən ˈeɡ/ |
| the | /ðə/, before a vowel often /ði/ | /ðiː/ | the shop /ðə ˈʃɒp/ |
| and | /ən/, /n/ | /ænd/ | fish and chips /ˌfɪʃ ən ˈtʃɪps/ |
| but | /bət/ | /bʌt/ | small but nice /ˈsmɔːl bət ˈnaɪs/ |
| of | /əv/ | /ɒv/ | a cup of tea /ə ˈkʌp əv ˈtiː/ |
| to | /tə/ | /tuː/ | I want to go /aɪ ˈwɒnt tə ˈɡəʊ/ |
| for | /fə/ | /fɔː/ | wait for me /ˈweɪt fə mi/ |
| at | /ət/ | /æt/ | at work /ət ˈwɜːk/ |
| from | /frəm/ | /frɒm/ | from home /frəm ˈhəʊm/ |
| can | /kən/ | /kæn/ | I can swim /aɪ kən ˈswɪm/ |
| was | /wəz/ | /wɒz/ | it was late /ɪt wəz ˈleɪt/ |
| were | /wə/ | /wɜː/ | they were out /ðeɪ wər ˈaʊt/ |
| are | /ə/ | /ɑː/ | where are you /ˈweər ə ju/ |
| have | /həv/, /əv/ | /hæv/ | should have gone /ˈʃʊd əv ˈɡɒn/ |
| has | /həz/, /əz/ | /hæz/ | Anna has left /ˈænə həz ˈleft/ |
| do | /də/ | /duː/ | what do you think /ˈwɒt də ju ˈθɪŋk/ |
| does | /dəz/ | /dʌz/ | where does he work /ˈweə dəz i ˈwɜːk/ |
| some | /səm/ | /sʌm/ | some bread /səm ˈbred/ |
| them | /ðəm/ | /ðem/ | tell them /ˈtel ðəm/ |
| us | /əs/ | /ʌs/ | help us /ˈhelp əs/ |
| than | /ðən/ | /ðæn/ | older than me /ˈəʊldə ðən mi/ |
| that, conjunction | /ðət/ | /ðæt/ | I think that it's true /aɪ ˈθɪŋk ðət ɪts ˈtruː/ |
That as a pointing word (that book) is always strong: /ðæt/. Only that joining two clauses is weak.
Say these sentences aloud. Stress the words in bold and keep everything else short: I want to go to the shop. A cup of tea, please. We were waiting for the bus. What do you think?
Common mistakes
- ✗ /aɪ ˈwɒnt ˈtuː ˈɡəʊ/, /ə ˈkʌp ˈɒv ˈtiː/
✓ /aɪ ˈwɒnt tə ˈɡəʊ/, /ə ˈkʌp əv ˈtiː/
You learned each word on its own, in its strong form, and then kept that form in sentences. Russian speakers already reduce unstressed vowels inside words (молоко sounds like малако); English applies the same idea to whole small words. - ✗ Every word with the same weight: /ˈaɪ ˈwɒz ˈæt ˈðiː ˈʃɒp/
✓ /aɪ wəz ət ðə ˈʃɒp/
Ukrainian and Russian also have unstressed words, but prepositions and conjunctions in those languages keep their vowels fairly clear. In English, even-weighted speech sounds robotic, and the important word shop gets lost. - ✗ I /kæn/ swim, said with a full vowel in the middle of the sentence
✓ I /kən/ swim. I /kɑːnt/ swim.
Listeners often decide between can and can't by the vowel and the stress, because the final t is easy to miss. A weak /kən/ means can; a strong, stressed vowel suggests can't. In American English can't is /kænt/, so the stress matters even more. - ✗ Where are you from /frəm/? Who is it for /fə/?
✓ Where are you from /frɒm/? Who is it for /fɔː/?
At the end of a sentence a preposition takes its strong form, even though it is not stressed. A weak form at the very end sounds cut off.
Try it
- How is to usually pronounced in "I want to go"?
- Which words are stressed: "I bought a new car for my brother"?
- Weak or strong form of can: "Yes, I can."
- Weak or strong form of from: "Where are you from?"
- Stress the word that shows Tom, not Anna, bought the car.