Peculiarities of English utterance stress. Content and function words. Weak and strong forms

 

Nearly 40 words in English can be pronounced in two distinct ways: depending on the degree of force with which they are uttered. They are all words which perform a grammatical function – determiners, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, articles and particles. Strong (or Full) forms are used when the word is said in isolation or is being emphasized. WEAK forms are normal in connected speech. Strong forms improperly used in common speech sound unnatural and over formalised, making it difficult for the listener to identify the points of focus.

Weak forms are sometimes represented in writing, e.g. bacon ‘n eggs, cup o’ coffee. In many cases, we need to take note of context. For example, THERE as an adverb of place (Look over THERE) is always strong; but at the beginning of an existential sentence it is always weak (THERE’s no place like home). Also, different forms may appear before vowels and before consonants:

Compare “I must go” /məs/ and “I must eat” /məst/ or ‘for tea’ /fə/ and ‘for Ann’ /fər/.

Function words fall into two groups according to their pronunciation in an unstressed position. The first group includes those words that are never used in their strong form in an unstressed position in an utterance. The strong form of such words is used only when the word is said in isolation or with emphasis. The second group includes auxiliary and modal verbs and prepositions which are reduced when unstressed at the beginning or in the middle of an utterance but retain their strong form when unstressed at the end of an utterance.

Examples:

A: How long are you here for /f ɔ:/? - B: Only for /fər/ another couple of days.  

Or: A: My brother’s working at MacDonald’s this summer! – B: Oh, what’s he working as /æz/? - A: As /əz/ a cook.

 

The table below includes some of the commonest of function words:

Table 3 - Function words

group	word	strong form	weak form
1	a an and the     but that	eɪ  æn ænd ðі: ðə    b∧t ðæt	ə ən ən, n ðɪ (before a vowel: the ant) ðə (before a consonant: the dog)  bət ðət (He said that he’s leaving)
2	am is are was were would shall should have do   must can from to   at of	æm ɪz ɑ:  wɒz w3: (r) wʊd ʃæl ʃʊd hæv du:   m∧st kæn frɒm tu:   æt ɒv	əm, m s, z ə(r) wəz wə (r) wəd, d ʃl, l ʃəd, d əv, v də (before a consonant) dʊ (before a vowel) məst, məs kən frəm tə (before a consonant) tʊ (before a vowel) ət ə

 

Examples:

You ‘don’t understand who I ‵ am / æm/.  

I ‘don’t remember the girl he was ‘talking to /tu:/.  

What are you ‵staring at / æt/? Who was he ‵speaking of / ɒ v/?

A: Who can /k ə n/ ‵do it? – B: ‵I can /k æn/.

 

There is a small group of function words which retain their strong forms in unstressed position. These are the prepositions on, off, in, the indefinite pronoun some and the conjunction when. Examples: He lived on / ɒ n/ the hill. Take off / ɒ f/ your coat. He’s gone on some /s ∧ m/ trip.

The notional (or main) verbs has, have, had, do, does, the demonstrative pronoun that, as all notional words, do not have weak form in an unstressed position, they must not be confused with their function synonyms.

Compare:

We seldom have /h æv/ time. – We have had a nice day /wɪ v  hæd/.

She always does /d ∧ z/ her best. – Does /d ə z/ she know you? 

I ‘knew that / ð ə t/ he was a`way. – I didn’t `know that /ðæt/.

I must answer that /ðæt/ letter.

Full forms are used instead of contractions to give extra emphasis,

e.g.: I ` am surprised. I ` have got a sore throat. She ` will be disappointed. ` Do have a drink. I ` did see him at that place. 

Or   A: Do you want pizza or spaghetti? – B: I want ‘pizza ` and spaghetti!

Speech exercises

Ex. 1 Weak form of and /ænd/ - / /ənd/ - /ən/ - /n/

a) Practise saying the names quickly in pairs. Example: Linda and Sarah.

Hannah, Laura,

Patricia, Sheila,

Sandra, Amanda,

Bobby, Andy,

Lizzie, Cathy,

Charlie, Susie,

Tom, Peter,

Paul, Vincent,

Wendy, Vicky,

Nathaniel, Geoff,

Andrew, Jackie,

Sue, Neil,

Romeo, Juliet,

Othello, Desdemona,

Yoko Ono, John Lennon,

Victoria, Albert,

Mickey, Minnie.

 

b) Practise saying foods which are often found together in Britain:

salt and pepper;

cheese and biscuits;

bread and butter;

fish and chips;

toast and marmalade;

nuts and raisins;

strawberries and cream;

bacon and eggs;

apple pie and custard;

gin and tonic.

 

Ex. 2 Weak forms of at /æt/ - / /ət/

A: Cagney and Lacey ’s on BBC, isn’t it?

B: Yes, that’s right, it’s on at 9.25.

At is usually pronounced as / ə t/ the dialogue. It’s a weak form. On has its strong form. Practise the weak forms and linking. You can start at the end of the sentence, like this:

    …….. nine twenty-five.

     …..at nine twenty-five.

  …on at nine twenty-five.

It’s on at nine twenty-five.

 

Now read the dialogues:

1) A: Gardener’s World ’s on BBC2, isn’t it?

B: Yes, that’s right, it’s on at 1.45.

 

2) A: Postman’s Pat ’s on BBC1, isn’t it?

B: Yes, that’s right, it’s on at 8.35

 

3) A: Countdown ’s on Channel4, isn’t it?

B: Yes, that’s right, it’s on at 5.30.

 

4) A: The Big Shot ’s on Channel 4 too, isn’t it?

B: Yes, that’s right, it’s on at 11.15.

 

5/ A: Family Fortunes is on BBC4, isn’t it?

B: Yes, that’s right, it’s on at 6.00.

 

Ex. 3 Weak forms of was /wɒz/ and were /wɜ:/ with the Past Continuous

Was is pronouncedas /wəz/ Were is pronounced as /wə/.

 

Last month Mr. and Mrs. Bailey went away for a holiday. They left their teenage children at home. Because of bad weather, they came home early. This is the scene they found when they arrived home:

Their teenage children were having a party. Their son Philip was watching a Kung Fu video. Their son Peter was smoking his father’s cigars. Their daughter Sue was dancing on the table. Philips’ girlfriend was lying asleep on the floor. Sue’s boyfriend was drinking Mr. Bailey’s beer. Peter’s girlfriend was phoning her brother in Austria. Two of Philip’s friends were playing poker. Two of Sue’s friends were arguing loudly.

 

Ex. 4 Weak forms of should / ʃʊ d/ - / ʃ əd/

Should is not stressed. If it is stressed, it sounds very emphatic and in the wrong situation it could sound rude.

a) Read the following using weak forms of should:

1 I think we should tell him about it.

2 He should have finished it earlier.

3 You should call for the doctor.

4 Jane should work very hard.

5 You should have taken that chance.

6 What do you think I should do?

7 I don’t think you should worry.

8 You shouldn’t take it close to heart.

9 You should hold your breath.

10 You should drink a glass of water.

11 You should take a little lemon juice.

B) Mini-dialogues

A: I’ve got a terrible cold! – B: You should go to bed.

A: Trains in Britain are so expensive! – B: You should take the bus.

A: My hands are freezing cold! - B: You should wear gloves.

A: I feel so sleepy! – B: You should have a cup of coffee.

A: I’ve got the most terrible toothache! – B: You should go to the dentist’s.

A: I’ve got an awful cough again. – B: You should stop smoking.

A: I feel so unfit these days. – B: You should start jogging.

A: I never practise speaking English. – B: You should go to England.