Connected Speech – Winter (Schwa Highlighted)

Connected Speech Features – Winter English (Schwa in Cherry Red)

A. Weak Forms & Reduced Articles / Function Words

  • (in_the_winter) → /in-thə-win-tə/
  • (in_the_snow) → /in-thə-snoʊ/
  • (at_the_weekend) → /ət-thə-wiːk-end/
  • (by_the_fire) → /bai-thə-fai-ə/
  • (in_the_evening) → /in-thə-eev-ning/
  • (on_the_ice) → /on-thə-ais/
  • (for_the_winter_days) → /fə-thə-win-tə-deiz/
  • (through_the_winter) → /thruː-thə-win-tə/
  • (during_the_winter) → /djuə-ring-thə-win-tə/
  • (in_the_cold) → /in-thə-koʊld/

B. Consonant–Vowel Linking

  • (put_it_on) → /pu-di-ton/
  • (pull_it_on) → /pu-li-ton/
  • (take_it_off) → /tei-ki-tof/
  • (zip_it_up) → /zi-pi-tup/
  • (wrap_it_up) → /ra-pi-tup/
  • (heat_it_up) → /hee-di-tup/
  • (drink_it_slowly) → /drin-ki-sloʊ-li/
  • (warm_it_up) → /wɔːr-mi-tup/
  • (leave_it_on) → /liː-vi-ton/
  • (brush_it_off) → /bru-shi-tof/

C. Joined Consonants (Assimilation & Deletion)

  • (packed_coat) → /pakt-koʊt/
  • (closed_doors) → /kloʊzd-dɔːrz/
  • (cold_days) → /koʊld-deiz/
  • (missed_snowfall) → /mist-snoʊ-fɔːl/
  • (packed_scarves) → /pakt-skarvz/
  • (hot_tea) → /hot-tiː/
  • (soft_snow) → /soːft-snoʊ/
  • (dark_mornings) → /dark-mor-ningz/
  • (short_days) → /shɔːrt-deiz/
  • (frost_bite) → /frost-bait/

D. Reduced of, to, for, and

  • (a_lot_of_snow) → /ə-lot-ə-vsnoʊ/
  • (a_cup_of_tea) → /ə-cup-ə-vtiː/
  • (end_of_winter) → /end-ə-vwin-tə/
  • (part_of_winter) → /pɑːt-ə-vwin-tə/
  • (ready_for_winter) → /re-di-fə-win-tə/
  • (time_to_go) → /taim-tə-goʊ/
  • (need_to_warm_up) → /niːd-tə-wɔːrm-up/
  • (try_to_sleep) → /trai-tə-sliːp/
  • (hat_and_scarf) → /hat-n-skarf/
  • (gloves_and_boots) → /glʌvz-n-buːts/

E. Mixed Connected Speech (Winter Phrases)

  • (we_stayed_in_the_warm) → /wi-steid-in-thə-wɔːm/
  • (they_went_into_the_snow) → /ðei-wen-tin-tə-thə-snoʊ/
  • (we_sat_by_the_fire) → /wi-sat-bai-thə-fai-ə/
  • (I_made_a_hot_drink) → /ai-mei-də-hot-dringk/
  • (we_had_a_lot_of_snow) → /wi-had-ə-lot-ə-vsnoʊ/
  • (they_put_it_on_quickly) → /ðei-pu-di-ton-kwik-li/
  • (we_took_it_off_inside) → /wi-tu-ki-tof-in-said/
  • (I_went_to_the_window) → /ai-wen-tə-thə-win-doʊ/
  • (they_came_in_the_evening) → /ðei-keim-in-thə-eev-ning/
  • (we_stayed_for_a_while) → /wi-steid-fə-rə-wail/