Lunch & Learn
English Reductions

 What are reductions?
 How can they help our speaking
and listening skills?
Question

 They can help you speak faster
with more fluency!
 If you are aware of reductions, it
will be easier to understand
others!
 They help you work less hard
while speaking English!
Why study English reductions?

Your Resting Mouth Position
• When your tongue is relaxed in your
mouth, where is it touching?
• Every language has a unique resting
mouth position!
• This is called the ‘articulatory setting’, if
you’re interested.

English Articulatory Setting
• What is the English articulatory setting?

English Articulatory Setting

English Articulatory Setting
• While we practice reductions, think
about keeping your tongue ‘ready to
go’ by putting into the English
articulatory setting!

1. Utterances:
This is where two words are
combined into one.
There are 3 common reductions.

Examples:
Correct spelling What we hear
Want to wanna
Going to gonna
Ought to oughda
Have to hafta
Has to hazta
Had to hada

1.What do you wanna do tonight?
Let’s practice the sounds in
context.
2.What is she gonna do now ?
3.You oughda help her.
4. I hafta leave soon.
5.She hazta pay you now.
6.Tom hada pay the bill.

2. n/ er / fer:
These reductions are weak and short.
Correct spelling What we hear
and n
or er
for fer

1. I want cream n sugar.
Let’s practice these sounds in
context:
2. Do you want tea er coffee ?
3. You need to look fer your wallet.

3. Elimination of the “h” sound
There are 3 common reductions.
Correct spelling What we hear
him im
her er

1. I saw er at 10:00 pm last night.
Let’s practice the sounds in
context.
2. Do you want im to help you?

1. I sawer at 10:00 pm last night.
Let’s practice the sounds in
context.
2. Do you wantim to help you?

Let’s practice some more!

Write the reduction that you
hear!
1.

1. Do you wanna go to a show
later?

Write the reduction that you
hear!
2.

2. Do you like country er rock
music?

Write the reduction that you
hear!
3.

3. What time does she hafta
leave?

Write the reduction that you
hear!
4.

4. I like reading n writing.

Write the reduction that you
hear!
5.

5. Tom hada leave early.

Write the reduction that you
hear!
6.

6. What would you like fer supper?

Write the reduction that you
hear!
7.

7. Do you want im to help you?

Write the reduction that you
hear!
8.

8. Can you help er with er shoes?

Write the reduction that you
hear!
9.

9. You oughda help im move his
car.

Write the reduction that you
hear!
10.

10. Tell er she hazta come home
now.

Your turn!
• Come up with a sentence or
sentences containing reductions.
• Share with us!

Questions?
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Thank you for attending!
See you next time!
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