Are you trying to pronounce each word clearly and perfectly when you speak English? In this English lesson, we explain that native English speakers use reductions, which are sounds that change or disappear when spoken at normal speed. Learn and practice common reductions to improve your American accent and how to speak English more naturally.
Natural spoken English contains reductions – those are sounds that change and disappear when spoken at normal speed. This sometimes makes it hard for English learners to understand.
Like instead of saying “What are you going to do?” We say: “Whatcha gonna do?”
Today you’ll learn and practice 10 of the most common reductions in fast spoken English - it will help you speak more naturally AND understand native speakers more easily.
Before we get started, I’ve got a free gift for you - it’s my pronunciation guide to all the sounds of American English! This guide covers all the consonants and vowel sounds we use, with practice words and audio so you can listen and repeat. Click on the link in the video description and enter your e-mail address to receive that free PDF download. It’s essential for improving your English pronunciation.
OK, are you ready to listen and repeat? Let’s learn these reductions.
Now you know 10 of the most common reductions in English — and once you start hearing them, you’ll notice them everywhere.
If you’d like to improve your pronunciation and practice speaking more naturally, come join me in the Espresso English Pronunciation + Shadowing Courses!
🎧 The lessons help you listen, repeat, and train your mouth to speak English smoothly and accurately — just like a native speaker. The link to those courses is in the video description if you’d like to check it out - along with the link to that downloadable pronunciation guide I mentioned.
Thanks for practicing English pronunciation with me today, and I’ll talk to you next time!
Are you trying to pronounce each word clearly and perfectly when you speak English?
Warning! Native English speakers don't do this.
Natural spoken English contains reductions.
These are sounds that change and disappear when spoken at normal speed.
This sometimes makes it hard for English learners to understand.
Like, instead of saying, what are you going to do?
We say, whatcha gonna do?
Today you'll learn and practice 10 of the most common reductions in fast spoken English.
It will help you speak more naturally and understand native speakers more easily.
Before we get started, I've got a free gift for you.
It's my pronunciation guide to all the sounds of American English.
This guide covers all the consonants and vowel sounds we use,
with practice words and audio so you can listen and repeat.
Click on the link in the video description and enter your email address to receive that free PDF download.
It's essential for improving your English pronunciation.
Okay, are you ready to learn these reductions?
Number one, going to becomes gonna when used for future plans or intentions.
For example, I'm going to grab some coffee. Want anything?
They're going to call you later.
It's going to rain tonight.
Note that we only do this when going to is followed by a verb.
So in the sentence, I'm going to London tomorrow, we don't say, I'm gonna London.
It's not correct.
Going to only becomes gonna before a verb.
So we could say, I'm gonna fly to London tomorrow.
Number two, want to becomes wanna.
For example, I want to learn how to cook.
She doesn't want to go out tonight.
Number three, have to becomes have to.
For example, I have to finish this project today.
You have to see this. It's amazing.
We have to be there by five.
Similarly, has to and had to become has to and had to.
For example, he has to leave early for work.
She has to check her schedule first.
I had to cancel the meeting last minute.
They had to get their car fixed.
Number five, got to becomes gotta.
To express something that must be done.
For example, I gotta go.
You gotta try this cake.
We gotta talk about your trip.
You know, learning about pronunciation is important.
But what will help you even more is actually practicing it.
And that's what you can do inside my American English pronunciation course.
Not only do I teach you all the sounds of the language,
but I also help you practice through hundreds of listen and repeat exercises,
both words and sentences.
At the end of the course, we'll personally evaluate your pronunciation
and give you specific feedback.
Click on the link in the video description
for more information about the pronunciation course.
Now let's keep going with these reductions.
Number six, should have becomes shoulda.
That also works with could have, coulda, and would have, woulda.
For example, I shoulda studied more for the test.
You coulda called me and I woulda helped.
He shouldn'ta done that.
Number seven, let me becomes lemme.
This is used in offers or actions.
For example, lemme help you with that.
Lemme know if you need anything.
Lemme think about it.
Number eight, give me often becomes gimme for informal requests.
For example, gimme a second.
Gimme your phone number.
Gimme a break.
Now this is very informal, and it's not really super polite.
Parents often have to teach their kids to say,
can I please have a snack instead of gimme a snack.
But you do sometimes hear it among friends
or in specific expressions like gimme a minute or gimme a break.
Number nine, what are you becomes whatcha.
And what do you can become whatcha or whatdya in casual fast speech.
For example, whatcha thinking about?
Whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha wanna eat tonight?
Or I could say it like this, what do you wanna eat tonight?
Number 10, do you becomes dya.
Don't you becomes doncha.
And did you becomes didja.
These are all common in fast questions.
For example, do you wanna come with us?
Don't you love this song?
Didja see that?
Now you know 10 of the most common reductions in English.
And once you start hearing them, you'll notice them everywhere.
Again, if you'd like to improve your pronunciation
and practice speaking more clearly,
come join me inside the pronunciation and shadowing courses.
These lessons help you listen, repeat, and train your mouth
to speak English smoothly and accurately, more like a native speaker.
The link to these courses is in the video description if you'd like to check them out,
along with the link to that downloadable pronunciation guide I mentioned.
