What “Sound Linking” Means in Real Speech
Sound linking is the way spoken English connects the end of one word to the beginning of the next so the speech stream stays smooth. In careful reading, you might pronounce each word separately: pick / up / the / phone. In natural conversation, English speakers usually connect them: pick-up-the-phone. Linking is not “speaking fast” or “slurring.” It is a set of predictable transitions that reduce awkward stops between words.
Linking matters because listeners process speech in chunks. If you insert a strong pause between every word, your message can sound hesitant or unnatural, even if every individual sound is correct. Linking helps your speech flow, supports rhythm, and makes stress patterns easier to hear.
In this chapter you will learn the most common linking patterns and how to practice them step by step. The goal is clarity with smoothness: you want the listener to hear your words easily, but without the “robotic” spacing that happens when every word is isolated.
Two Key Ideas: “No Gaps” and “One Breath Group”
1) No unnecessary gaps
In English, many word boundaries do not need a pause. If your mouth is already moving toward the next sound, you can often connect directly. Think of linking as keeping the airflow and voicing moving forward unless a pause is needed for meaning.
2) Speak in breath groups (thought groups)
Linking works best inside a short phrase you can say on one breath. These are often called thought groups. For example:
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- Good: I’ll call you / after the meeting.
- Less natural: I’ll / call / you / after / the / meeting.
Inside each thought group, link smoothly. Between thought groups, a small pause is normal and can improve clarity.
Linking Pattern 1: Consonant + Vowel (C→V)
This is the most common type of linking. When a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, English speakers usually connect them without a break. The consonant “moves” to the next word in your mouth movement (not in spelling).
Examples
- pick it → sounds like pi-ckit
- turn off → sounds like tur-noff
- need it → sounds like nee-dit
- take a → sounds like tay-ka
Notice that the linking is based on sounds, not letters. For example, move on ends with a consonant sound /v/ and begins with a vowel sound /uː/ or /ɒ/ depending on accent, so it links smoothly: moo-von.
Step-by-step practice (C→V)
Step 1: Say the words separately. Example: turn / off. Make each word clear.
Step 2: Remove the pause but keep the sounds. Say turnoff as one unit, without changing the stressed word.
Step 3: Keep the final consonant “alive.” Many learners drop final consonants, which makes linking impossible. Hold the final consonant briefly, then release into the vowel: tur-n(off).
Step 4: Practice in short sentences.
- Turn off the light.
- Turn off your phone.
- Turn off the oven.
Record yourself and listen for a smooth connection between turn and off. The sentence should still have clear word stress (usually off is not stressed; the main stress is on the content word like light, phone, oven).
Linking Pattern 2: Vowel + Vowel (V→V) with a Glide
When one word ends in a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, English often inserts a very small “glide” sound to avoid a hard stop. This glide is not a full extra syllable; it is a quick movement that makes the transition easy.
Two common glides are:
- /j/ (a “y” sound) after front vowels like /iː/ or /eɪ/
- /w/ (a “w” sound) after rounded back vowels like /uː/ or /oʊ/
Examples with /j/ glide
- see it → see-yit (/siː jɪt/)
- they are → they-yare (/ðeɪ jɑːr/)
- I agree → often I-yagree (glide between /aɪ/ and /ə/)
Examples with /w/ glide
- go out → go-wout (/ɡoʊ waʊt/)
- do it → do-wit (/duː wɪt/)
- two apples → two-wapples (/tuː wæpəlz/)
Important: you are not adding a new word. You are simply letting your mouth transition naturally between two vowels.
Step-by-step practice (V→V)
Step 1: Identify the vowel-to-vowel boundary. Example: do / it.
Step 2: Say the first vowel and keep the airflow going. Hold doooo for a moment.
Step 3: Slide into the next vowel with a tiny /w/. do-wit. Keep it light; do not over-pronounce the /w/.
Step 4: Use it in phrases.
- Do it again.
- Do it on Monday.
- Do it after lunch.
Linking Pattern 3: Same Consonant (C + C) “Hold and Release”
When one word ends with a consonant sound and the next word begins with the same consonant sound, English usually does not pronounce it twice. Instead, speakers typically “hold” the consonant (a longer contact or closure) and then release once.
Examples
- big game → hold /g/: bi(g)game
- best time → hold /t/: bes(t)time
- nice song → hold /s/: ni(ce)song (continuous /s/)
- full list → hold /l/: ful(l)list
This pattern is especially helpful for clarity. If you try to pronounce both consonants separately with a gap, the phrase can sound choppy. If you drop one completely, it can sound like a different word. “Hold and release” keeps the boundary clear without adding extra effort.
Step-by-step practice (same consonant)
Step 1: Say the first word and stop at the final consonant. Example: best. End with your tongue in position for /t/.
Step 2: Keep the tongue in place (hold). Do not add a vowel after the consonant. Avoid best-uh.
Step 3: Release into the next word. best time with one /t/ release.
Step 4: Practice with a metronome rhythm. Tap once per word: best (tap) time (tap). The consonant hold happens between taps, not as an extra beat.
Linking Pattern 4: Similar Consonants (C + C) and “Simplification”
When consonants are different but produced in similar mouth positions, English often simplifies the transition. This does not mean “lazy speech”; it is a common efficiency pattern. The key is to keep the phrase understandable while avoiding difficult clusters.
Common situations:
- Stop + stop (like /t/ + /d/, /k/ + /g/): the first stop may be unreleased.
- Stop + fricative (like /t/ + /s/): the stop may blend into the fricative.
- Consonant clusters across words (like /st/ + /p/): speakers may reduce one element in fast speech, especially in unstressed contexts.
Examples (listen for smoothness, not “extra vowels”)
- next day → often nex(t)day (the /t/ is very light)
- asked him → often ask(t)him (the /t/ may be subtle)
- just say → often jus(t)say (the /t/ blends into /s/)
- first place → often firs(t)place
For learners, the safest approach is: keep the important consonants, but avoid inserting a vowel to “help.” Adding a vowel (like next-uh day) breaks linking and can reduce clarity.
Step-by-step practice (similar consonants)
Step 1: Mark the cluster. Example: next day has /kst d/ across the boundary.
Step 2: Practice slowly without extra vowels. Keep the consonants close together: nextday.
Step 3: Make the first stop unreleased if needed. For many speakers, the /t/ in next day is not fully released. Your tongue touches for /t/ but you move directly into /d/.
Step 4: Put it in a sentence. I’ll see you next day. (Also practice: the next day, next door, next week.)
Linking Pattern 5: Linking /r/ (for accents that pronounce /r/)
In many accents (such as General American and many Canadian accents), /r/ is pronounced whenever it appears in spelling, so linking happens naturally: far away connects smoothly because the /r/ is already there.
In other accents (such as many British, Australian, and New Zealand varieties), /r/ is pronounced mainly before a vowel. In these accents, an /r/ may appear at word boundaries to link two vowels smoothly. This is often called linking R. If your accent does not use this feature, you do not need to force it. If your target accent uses it, it can greatly improve smoothness.
Examples (linking /r/ in non-rhotic accents)
- far away → fa-r-away
- here is → hee-r-is
- more apples → mo-r-apples
Note: This is about sound connection, not spelling rules. The /r/ appears to prevent a gap between vowels.
Step-by-step practice (linking /r/)
Step 1: Choose your target accent. If you are learning a rhotic accent (like General American), pronounce /r/ consistently and linking will follow. If you are learning a non-rhotic accent, practice /r/ mainly before vowels.
Step 2: Practice vowel-to-vowel boundaries where an “r” is available. Example: more / often → mo-r-often.
Step 3: Keep it light. The linking /r/ should not sound like a strongly stressed consonant; it is a bridge.
Linking Pattern 6: Intrusive /r/ (optional, accent-dependent)
Some non-rhotic accents also insert an /r/ sound between two vowels even when there is no “r” in spelling. This is called intrusive R. It is common in natural speech in those accents, but it is also socially noticeable in some contexts. If you are unsure, you can skip it and use a gentle /j/ or /w/ glide instead, or separate the vowels with a small boundary (without a full pause).
Examples (non-rhotic accents)
- idea of → sometimes idea-r-of
- law and order → sometimes law-r-and order
Use this only if it matches the accent you are aiming for and you have heard it consistently from your model speakers.
Linking with Function Words: Where Smoothness Usually Happens
Linking is especially strong around short grammatical words (often called function words): to, of, and, a, an, the, for, at, in, on, you, him, her. These words frequently sit between stressed content words, so linking through them helps the whole phrase flow.
Examples
- a lot of → a-lo(t)of (smooth boundary between words)
- out of → ou(t)of
- go to → go-to (often very tight connection)
- in a → i-na
Be careful: linking does not mean making function words disappear. The listener still needs to hear them, especially in important information (addresses, instructions, numbers). Your goal is a light, connected pronunciation, not deletion.
A Practical Routine: Build Linking into Your Daily Speaking
Routine A: “Underline the Bridges” (reading practice)
Choose a short paragraph (4–6 lines). Read it once normally. Then mark the places where linking is likely:
- Consonant → vowel boundaries (C→V)
- Vowel → vowel boundaries (V→V)
- Same consonant boundaries (hold and release)
Read again, focusing only on those bridges. Keep your speed moderate. The goal is smooth transitions, not fast speech.
Routine B: “Chunk and Link” (speaking practice)
Take a sentence you often use (work, study, daily life). Break it into 2–3 thought groups. Then link inside each group.
Example sentence: I can send it to you after I check the details.
- Thought groups: I can send it to you / after I check the details.
- Linking targets: send it (C→V), to you (V→V glide), after I (V→V glide), check the (C→C), the details (V→C, usually easy)
Practice each thought group three times, then say the full sentence once.
Routine C: “Minimal Pair Phrases” (clarity check)
Linking should not destroy meaning. Use pairs of phrases that could be confused if linking is unclear, and practice making them distinct with stress and clean boundaries.
- an aim vs a name
- ice cream vs I scream
- gray day vs great day
Say each phrase slowly, then naturally, keeping the linking smooth but the words recognizable. If a listener could misunderstand, slow down slightly and make the boundary clearer (often by slightly lengthening the stressed word, not by inserting pauses everywhere).
Troubleshooting: Common Problems and Fixes
Problem 1: Adding extra vowels between consonants
Learners often insert a short vowel (like /ə/) to make clusters easier: best-uh time, next-uh day. This breaks linking and changes the rhythm.
Fix: Practice “hold and release.” Stop at the consonant position and move directly into the next word. Use very slow practice at first, then increase speed.
Problem 2: Dropping final consonants
If final consonants disappear, the next word may sound like it starts a new phrase, and meaning can change.
Fix: Over-articulate the final consonant in practice (not in performance). For example, practice need it with a clear /d/ release into the vowel. Then reduce to a natural level while keeping the connection.
Problem 3: Overdoing glides (/j/ or /w/)
Some learners make the glide too strong, creating an extra syllable: do-wuh-it or see-yuh-it.
Fix: Make the glide shorter. Think of it as a “slide,” not a consonant you pronounce separately. Record yourself and check that the number of syllables stays the same.
Problem 4: Linking across a place where a pause is needed
Sometimes learners link so much that the message becomes confusing, especially around lists, contrast, or new ideas.
Fix: Use thought groups. Link inside the group, but allow a small pause at the boundary: I wanted to call you / but I got busy.
Targeted Drills (Ready-to-Use)
Drill 1: C→V chains
Say each line three times: slow, medium, natural.
- pick it up
- take it out
- turn it on
- send it over
- leave it alone
Drill 2: V→V glide chains
- do it
- go out
- see it
- they are
- we agree
Drill 3: Same consonant holds
- big game
- good day
- best time
- full list
- nice song
Drill 4: Sentence-level linking
- Can you pick it up after work?
- They are out of town this week.
- I’ll send it over in a minute.
- We can do it on our own.
- Turn off your phone when you enter.
For each sentence: (1) mark thought groups, (2) circle linking points, (3) read slowly with smooth bridges, (4) read naturally while keeping the same bridges.
Self-Check: Are You Linking Without Losing Clarity?
Use this checklist while listening to your recording:
- Do stressed words still stand out clearly?
- Are there fewer “gaps” between words inside a thought group?
- Do vowel-to-vowel boundaries sound smooth (no hard stop), without adding extra syllables?
- Do consonant clusters stay clean (no extra vowel inserted)?
- Can you slow down and keep linking when you need extra clarity?
If you answer “no” to any item, choose one linking pattern and practice it for two days before adding another. Linking improves fastest when you isolate one transition type, then apply it to your own frequent phrases.
