Non-native English speakers think that they should pronounce each word, sound and syllable clearly and distinctly but that’s not how spoken English works.
Americans use reduced vowels and speech when they talk. They do not say every sound and syllable clearly and distinctly.
Look at the words in the careful speech column below. If you use careful speech forms your accent will sound too formal to American listeners.
If you use the corresponding reduced speech forms in the second column your accent will sound more natural.
Careful Speech ->Reduced Speech
want tosounds like wannə
going to sounds like gonnə
have to sounds like haftə
did you sounds like didjə
In reduced speech the last consonant sound in the first word changes (or is deleted) as it blends into the following preposition. The vowel in the preposition takes on a schwa vowel sound. These sound changes help create the speech rhythm that is so important for an American English accent.
Tags: Accent Reduction Techniques, learn american accent, Reduced Speech, schwa sound
