Connected speech

1. The English beat

English has a beat, like our heart. It's the stressed words vs the unstressed words which create this rhythm.

Listen to the following nursery rhyme. Pay attention to the way the words are connected and pronounced together.

Pat-a-cake

2. Pat a cake exercise

Now listen to these extracts and decide which vowels are pronounced stronger.

Now try to imitate them

3. Jack and Jill

The rhyme Jack and Jill is a great example of how rhythm works in the English language.

4. Jack and Jill exercises

Listen again and try to put the sentences in order.

• and home did trot
• to fetch a pale of water
• as fast as he could caper
• Jack fell down
• Jack and Jill went up the hill
• he went to bed
• with vinegar and brown paper
• and Jill came tumbling after
• up Jack got
• and broke his crown

Now try to match each extract with the corresponding sentences.

Are all the vowels pronounced? How are they connected?

5. Linking words

Listen to the nursery rhyme Polly put the kettle on. Can you hear how the words are linked?

6. Stressed and unstressed words

Go to this link and analyse the examples. Click here

Go back and listen to the nursery rhyme again. Which words are 'weaker' and which ones are 'stronger' ?

You can listen to the extracts here

7. Example:Jack Sprat

Listen to the rhyme Jack Sprat. Pay attention to the way the words are connected!

Here you can listen to the bits:

8. Example: Doctor Foster

Listen to the rhyme Doctor Foster. Pay attention to the way the words are connected!

Now listen and write the words.