Have you ever wondered why native English speakers seem to blend all their words together? They don't say "What. Is. Your. Name." with clear pauses. Instead, it sounds like "Whatsyername?"
This is called linking, and it's one of the biggest differences between intermediate and fluent English speakers. Let's learn how to connect words naturally.
Why Linking Matters
When you speak English word by word with pauses, it:
- Sounds robotic and unnatural
- Makes it harder for native speakers to understand you
- Slows down your communication
- Makes you seem less confident
Linking makes your speech flow smoothly, sound more natural, and actually makes you easier to understand.
The Three Types of Linking
1. Consonant to Vowel Linking
When a word ends in a consonant and the next word begins with a vowel, connect them smoothly as if they were one word.
| Written | Spoken | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| an apple | "a napple" | /əˈnæpəl/ |
| turn off | "tur noff" | /ˈtɜːrnɔːf/ |
| pick it up | "pi ki tup" | /ˈpɪkɪtʌp/ |
| I need it | "I nee dit" | /aɪˈniːdɪt/ |
| look at it | "loo ka tit" | /ˈlʊkætɪt/ |
| what if | "wha tif" | /ˈwɒtɪf/ |
Practice sentences:
- "Can I have an apple?" → "Can I have a napple?"
- "Please turn it off." → "Please tur ni toff."
- "Look at it!" → "Loo ka tit!"
2. Vowel to Vowel Linking
When a word ends in a vowel and the next word begins with a vowel, we add a small linking sound:
- /w/ link: When the first word ends in /uː/, /oʊ/, or /aʊ/
- /j/ link: When the first word ends in /iː/, /eɪ/, or /aɪ/
| Written | Link Type | Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| do it | /w/ | "do wit" |
| go out | /w/ | "go wout" |
| how are you | /w/ | "how ware you" |
| see it | /j/ | "see yit" |
| say it | /j/ | "say yit" |
| I am | /j/ | "I yam" |
| the end | /j/ | "thee yend" |
Practice sentences:
- "Do it now." → "Do wit now."
- "See it?" → "See yit?"
- "How are you?" → "How ware you?"
3. Consonant to Consonant Linking
When the same consonant (or similar consonants) appear at the end of one word and the beginning of the next, hold the sound once and release into the second word.
| Written | Technique | Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| black coffee | hold /k/ | "bla(k) coffee" |
| bus stop | hold /s/ | "bu(s) stop" |
| bad day | hold /d/ | "ba(d) day" |
| want to | hold /t/ | "wan(t) to" or "wanna" |
| some more | hold /m/ | "so(m) more" |
Special Linking Patterns
The Intrusive R
In some accents (especially British), an /r/ sound appears between vowels even when there's no R in the spelling:
- "I saw it" → "I saw rit"
- "the idea of" → "the idea rof"
Linking with 'The'
Before vowels, "the" changes pronunciation:
- "the book" /ðə bʊk/
- "the apple" /ði ˈæpəl/ (thee apple)
Practice Exercises
Read these phrases, focusing on smooth linking:
Consonant to Vowel:
- "Pick it up and put it away."
- "Turn off the light."
- "What about tomorrow?"
- "I need an umbrella."
Vowel to Vowel:
- "I agree with you."
- "She always helps."
- "Go outside."
- "Do it again."
Full Sentences:
- "I need to pick it up at the airport."
- "Can I have a cup of coffee?"
- "What are you going to do about it?"
- "Turn it off and go outside."
Tips for Spanish and Portuguese Speakers
Good news: Spanish and Portuguese also link words! Use the same instincts:
- Spanish "los amigos" links like English "the animals"
- Portuguese "uma hora" links like English "an hour"
The challenge is that English links more aggressively and reduces unstressed syllables at the same time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-separating words: Don't pause between every word.
- Forgetting to link: Practice until linking becomes automatic.
- Adding sounds where they don't belong: Link smoothly without inserting extra vowels (like "an-a-apple").
How to Practice
- Listen and repeat: Find podcasts or videos and mimic how native speakers link words.
- Record yourself: Compare your linking to native speakers.
- Start slow: Practice phrases slowly, then speed up.
- Focus on common phrases: Master everyday expressions first.
Quick Reference Chart
| Link Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| C→V | consonant + vowel | an apple → "a napple" |
| V→V (/w/) | oo/o + vowel | do it → "do wit" |
| V→V (/j/) | ee/ay/i + vowel | see it → "see yit" |
| C→C | same consonant | black coffee → "bla(k)offee" |
Linking is what separates choppy, word-by-word speech from smooth, natural English. Start practicing today, and you'll notice a dramatic improvement in how fluent you sound!
Want to dive deeper into connected speech? Check out our guide on connected speech patterns for more advanced techniques.