The small words that manage the grammar in English have two different pronunciations. These are called weak and strong forms. The weak forms are unstressed and the strong forms stressed. Most weak forms have either schwa or short 'i' vowel sounds and they are difficult to hear. These words are very important for the pronunciation of English grammar--they are like the gluer in the phonetic system.
67. look at this passage from
Charles Dickens’
A Tale of Two Cities
How many weak forms
can you find?
68. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it
was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the
epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it
was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of
hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all
going direct the other way—in short, the period
was so far like the present period, that some of its
noisiest authorities insisted on its being received,
for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of
comparison only.
69. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the
epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it
was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of
hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all
going direct the other way—in short, the period
was so far like the present period, that some of its
noisiest authorities insisted on its being received,
for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of
comparison only.
70. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had
everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs,
wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all
going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period
wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts
noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf
comparison only.
71. now find the stressed and
unstressed syllables in these
words
How many have ə or ɪ ?
72. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had
everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs,
wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all
going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period
wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts
noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf
comparison only.
73. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had
everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs,
wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all
going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period
wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts
noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf
comparison only.
74. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had
everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs,
wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all
goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd
wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts
noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf
cəmparɪsən onlɪ.
75. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had
everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs,
wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all
goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd
wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts
noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf
cəmparɪsən onlɪ.
76. HOMEWORK
make a list of the weak forms
that you used in your latest
writing homework