In this episode we're going to help you improve your pronunciation with linking sounds. How words join together in connected speech - because WE DO NOT SPEAK LIKE ROBOTS DO WE? Más podcasts para mejorar tu ingles en: http://www.inglespodcast.com/  More podcasts to improve your English at: http://www.inglespodcast.com/  Audio message from Jose from Mexico. Audio message from Mamen: doubt and hesitate Doubt I doubt if we can help her. Why are you hesitating? Doubt = dudar “I doubt if we’ll be making a special Christmas podcast this year.” “I doubt that I’ll be eating turkey on Christmas day.” “Did you have doubts about the consistency of this podcast when we first started?” To doubt means to lack confidence in something; to disbelieve, question, or suspect. To hesitate means to stop or pause before making a decision or doing something. (dudar , vacilar) Expressions with doubt there is some doubt about it = sobre esto existen dudas beyond doubt = fuera de duda beyond all reasonable doubt = más allá de toda duda to cast doubt on = poner en duda to clear up sb's doubts = sacar a algn de dudas to have one's doubts about sth = tener sus dudas acerca de algo no doubt! = ¡sin duda! to throw doubt on = poner en duda without (a) doubt = sin duda (alguna) to hesitate to do sth = dudar en hacer algo “When I did a bungy jump, I hesitated before I jumped, but I had no doubt it was safe.” Don’t hesitate to contact us, send Reza an email. Don't hesitate to ask us = no vaciles en pedírnoslo, no dejes de pedírnoslo To hesitate before doing sth = dudar antes de hacer algo What do you hesitate before doing? Connected speech. Why do native English speakers connect their speech? We try to say the most we can in the shortest possible time. English is a stress-timed language. Spanish is a syllable-timed language. 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 1 and then a 2 and then a 3 and then a 4 CATS CHASE MICE the CATS CHASE MICE the CATS CHASE the MICE the cats will CHASE the MICE the CATS will have CHASED the MICE "here and there" Do you pronounce the 'r' at the end of 'here' "more examples" "A doctor or a lawyer" "We never ever thought we'd love podcasting" "The biscuits are in the cupboard" “This is a better episode than last week’s.” Does the first word have to end in an ‘r’ sound, and the second begin with a vowel sound (like better and episode)? law and order (‘r’ sound) Pasta and cheese (‘r’ sound) Go away (‘w’ sound) No, I can’t (‘w’ sound) She isn’t there (‘y’ sound) Tea and biscuits (‘y’ sound) Consonant + vowel sound (link the sounds together when a consonant is followed by a vowel) I need it = I needit Say a word = saya word Read a text = reada text Consonant + consonant (if the consonant is the same sound, just pronounce it once) Big girl = bigirl Best teacher = besteacher Good day = gooday (or G’day if you’re Australian!) Take the fast train = fastrain I needto stopeating chocolate = I need to stop eating chocolate. Playa songon ya violin = Play a song on your violin. Are ya gonna sitdown or standup? = Are you going to sit down or stand up? Other examples - dictation: Wacha gonna do? = What are you going to do? I’ve gotta geta lotavit = I’ve got to get a lot of it She can’tavarrivedearly = She can’t have arrived early Sendusanemail = send us an email I’ve never bininafrica = I’ve never been in Africa ('Nicola's been in Benin, Africa') Wadaya do? = What do you do? (for a living) Pickitupoff the floor = pick it up off the floor He mustav eatenitall = He must have eaten it all A similar thing happens in Spanish also - cortado, cuñado, pringado ...and now it's your turn to practise your English. Do you have a question for us or an idea for a future episode? Send us a voice message and tell us what you think. www.speakpipe.com/inglespodcast  Send us an email with a comment or question to craig@inglespodcast.com or belfastreza@gmail.com. If you would like more detailed shownotes, go to https://www.patreon.com/inglespo