When a native English speaker says turn off the light, it sounds like ter-noff the light. The /n/ of turn jumps onto the vowel of off. This jumping rule is called catenation (or C-V linking), and it is why native English sounds like a smooth chain rather than a wall of separate bricks.
The Rule
If word 1 ends in a consonant and word 2 begins with a vowel, link them: the final consonant becomes the onset of the next syllable. Don't pause between the two words.
- turn off → /tɜːr nɔːf/
- pick it up → /pɪk ɪ tʌp/
- come in → /kʌ mɪn/
- an apple → /ə næpəl/
Practice: Linked Phrases
When NOT to Link
Catenation happens within a thought group. It pauses at:
- Punctuation: Turn off. Let's go. (no link at the period)
- Major prosodic breaks: after a long subject, before a key new idea.
Also, two identical sounds in a row (geminates) merge rather than link: black coat is said with one long /k/, not two.
Related: Linking /r/ and /j/, /w/
When word 1 ends in a vowel and word 2 starts with a vowel, speakers insert a glide:
- /j/ after /i/, /eɪ/, /aɪ/: the end → /ðiː jɛnd/, say it → /seɪ jɪt/
- /w/ after /u/, /oʊ/, /aʊ/: do it → /duː wɪt/, go in → /ɡoʊ wɪn/
- /r/ (in rhotic American) at word-final /ər/ + vowel: here is → /hɪr ɪz/
Why This Matters
Learners who pronounce every word in isolation sound choppy and are harder to understand — fluent listeners' ears expect the linking. Without it, a sentence feels robotic. With it, you sound like a native.
Practice Tip
Take any sentence with consonant-vowel boundaries — for example, I've lived in an apartment on Elm Avenue. Mark each link with a curve. Then read it aloud, making sure every curve flows without a pause. Record yourself, compare to a native, repeat.