Several of my students tell me that they have trouble understanding the spoken English of native speakers. This is not at all unusual.
One reason that native English speakers are difficult to understand is because they often use reduced speech. When native speakers use reduced speech the words seem to run together and this can make it very difficult to understand what they are saying.
Click on the link below to hear a list of phrases that American English speakers commonly reduce in everyday speech. You do not necessarily have to pronounce these reduced phrases, however it is critical that you are aware of them because native speakers use them all the time!
AMERICAN ENGLISH AUDIO REDUCED SPEECH
The very best book for learning to use reduced speech is Nina Weinstein’s Whaddaya Say? Take a look at this great book & CD.
Tags: american english audio, American English Pronunciation, Books & CDs, learn american accent, nina weinstein, pronunciation books, Reduced Speech, whaddaya say
