The 5 Rules That Change How English Words Sound Together

You learned "I am going to eat" in class. But Americans say something that sounds like "ahmgənəiːt." What happened to all those clear words?

Here's the truth: English words change when they're next to other words. And these changes follow predictable rules. Once you learn them, fast English will make sense.

This guide gives you the big picture. Think of it as a map. We'll link to detailed guides for each rule so you can practice more.

Why Spanish Speakers Struggle

In Spanish, words keep their pronunciation. "Voy a comer" sounds the same whether you say it slowly or quickly. Each word stays separate.

English is different. Words blend, change, and sometimes disappear in natural speech. If you expect clear word boundaries (like in Spanish), fast English sounds like noise.

The good news? There are only 5 main rules that explain most of these changes.

Rule 1: Words Connect (Linking)

English speakers don't pause between words. They connect them smoothly.

How It Works

• Consonant + Vowel: The consonant "jumps" to the next word
• "turn it off" → "tur-ni-toff"
• "pick it up" → "pi-ki-tup"

• Vowel + Vowel: A small /w/ or /y/ sound appears
• "go out" → "go-wout"
• "see it" → "see-yit"

• Same consonants: They blend into one longer sound
• "black cat" → one long K sound
• "bus stop" → one long S sound

Quick Practice

Learn more: Complete Guide to Linking

Rule 2: Small Words Shrink (Weak Forms)

Words like "to," "for," "of," "and," "can" have two versions:

• Strong form: Clear pronunciation (used for emphasis)
• Weak form: Reduced, fast pronunciation (used 90% of the time)

Common Weak Forms

Quick Practice

Learn more: Complete Guide to Weak Forms and Reductions

Rule 3: Sounds Change to Match Their Neighbors (Assimilation)

When two sounds are next to each other, one often changes to be more similar to the other. This makes speaking faster and smoother.

The Most Common Pattern: N Changes

• N before P, B, M: N becomes M
  "in Paris" → "im Paris"
  "ten boys" → "tem boys"
• N before K, G: N becomes NG
  "in Canada" → "ing Canada"
  "ten girls" → "teng girls"

Quick Practice

Good news: Spanish does this too! "Un peso" sounds like "um peso" and "en casa" sounds like "eng casa."

Learn more: Complete Guide to Nasal Assimilation

Rule 4: Consonant + Y Creates New Sounds (Palatalization)

When certain consonants meet the Y sound (like in "you"), they combine into a completely new sound.

The Four Combinations

This Happens in Words Too

Not just between words! Many English words have these sounds built in:

Learn more:

• T + Y = CH (got you → gotcha)
• D + Y = J (did you → didja)
• S + Y = SH (miss you → mishu)
• Z + Y = ZH (as you → azhu)

Rule 5: Sounds Disappear (Elision)

In fast speech, some sounds simply vanish. This is completely normal and correct.

Common Disappearing Sounds

• T and D between consonants:
  "next week" → "nexweek" (T disappears)
  "hand bag" → "hanbag" (D disappears)
• H in unstressed pronouns:
  "tell him" → "tellim"
  "give her" → "giver"

Quick Practice

Learn more: Complete Guide to T/D Deletion

Quick Reference: All 5 Rules

How to Use This Knowledge

For Listening

1. Expect changes: Don't listen for textbook pronunciation
2. Listen for meaning: Focus on stressed words, not every syllable
3. Practice with real speech: Movies, podcasts, YouTube (not textbook audio)

For Speaking

1. Start with one rule: Pick the easiest one (try weak forms first)
2. Practice phrases, not words: Learn "gonna" as a unit, not "going" + "to"
3. Record yourself: Compare to native speakers

What's Next?

Now that you understand the big picture, go deeper:

• Practice Drills: 50 Common Phrases for hands-on practice
• How the Next Word Changes Pronunciation to predict changes

Remember: These aren't "lazy" or "sloppy" speech. They're standard English. Learning them will transform your listening and speaking.