In this lesson, we are going to look at pronunciation and specifically in everyday conversations. There are 3 areas that help us produce the pronunciation that we create in every day conversations:
Contractions,
Reductions and
Linking.
In this lesson, we’ll talk about the first area, contractions. These are basic contractions that are used with pronouns and wh questions.
Please practice each of the sentences below and turn the boldfaced expressions into contractions. If you don't know the meaning of specific vocabulary words, I do provide a list of definitions at the end of this lesson.
TO BE
1. Roger said he is running behind on his bills.
2. Susan thinks she is going to be late for the meeting.
3. Steve and I are running late. We are going to get there as soon as we can.
4. I am swamped. I have so much work to do.
5. The blue book value on that car is $5000. That is expensive for a 2000.
6. The company is going bankrupt. It is sad because the company has been in business for years.
7. David was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago. When is he going to get here?
8. So what is on the agenda?
9. Steve is barely breaking even. How is he going to fix his finances?
10. Who is in charge?
Note: Vocabulary is related to business vocabulary.
WILL
1. I am strapped for cash. I only have enough to get by. I will try to figure out a budget.
2. Jason landed a great new job. He will be able to catch up on his payments.
3. Susan can’t keep track of what she spends things on. She will have to improve because she’s broke.
4. Sharon wants to move downtown but it will cost her a fortune to live there because the standard of living is so much more expensive.
5. That will be $5 bucks.
6. Steve lost his job. He earned 50,000 a year. What will he do?
7. He’s going to try to get another job but I’m not sure who will hire him. He’s 60 years old.
8. A: Leah is moving out.
B: Where will she live?
Note: Vocabulary is related to business vocabulary.
NEGATIVES
Because of the storm, my power’s out. I do not know when we’ll get it back.
My computer crashed and I cannot afford a new one.
The A.C. is not working and it’s 90 degrees outside.
The toilet is stopped up and I do not have a clue how to fix it.
Peter needs to cut the grass but he does not have enough time.
We have cockroaches but I have not had time to call the exterminator.
The kids need to set the table. I should not have to tell them to do it.
Hunter, you need to take out the trash this instant. I will not tell you again.
I used a plunger to try to fix the toilet that was stopped up but it did not work.
Glen, were not you going to take out the dog? He needs to go.
This vacuum cleaner must not be working. The carpet is still dirty.
Mike wanted to help his dad with the yard work but his dad would not let him.
Britt was supposed to be home by 6:00 but he had not arrived when I called.
George needs to fix the sink but he has not done it yet.
Note: The vocabulary is related to problems in the house that need fixing.
HAS OR HAVE
1. It has been raining for like a week. It’s driving me crazy.
2. Steve got soaked yesterday because he didn’t have his umbrella. He has got to find it.
3. It has been drizzling or sprinkling all day long.
4. John and Steve were really upset yesterday. They have got to control their tempers.
5. Janice was ticked because she has got four kids and they’re driving her crazy because of all the rain.
6. They have got to chill.
Note: The vocabulary is related to weather and emotions.
HAD/WOULD
1. I would be pissed off if I were you.
2. I was bummed out by all the bad weather. You would have been to.
3. He had gone by the time I left. He was pretty upset.
4. They had finished their argument by the time I walked up.
5. Let us chill.
If you need to know the vocabulary, the list of vocabulary words is below. In this lesson, we looked at some basic contractions. In our next lesson, I will give you the answers.
Vocabulary definitions
TO BE
1. running behind on his bills - running late
2. swamped – very busy
3. the blue book value – the wholesale value of the car
4. going bankrupt – a company is going under and will not exist anymore
5. barely breaking even - only has money to pay his bills and nothing more
Note: Vocabulary is related to business vocabulary.
WILL
1. strapped for cash – barely have enough money
2. landed a great new job – got a new job
3. keep track of – follow/keep up with
4. broke – a person doesn’t have enough money
5. bucks - dollars
Note: Vocabulary is related to business vocabulary.
NEGATIVES
1. power’s out – electricity is out.
2. my computer crashed – not working at all.
3. A.C. – air conditioning
4.The toilet is stopped up – not working
5. cut the grass or mow the grass with a lawnmower
6. plunger – tool used to fit a toilet
Note: The vocabulary is related to problems in the house that need fixing.
HAS OR HAVE
1. got soaked – a person gets all wet
2. drizzling/sprinkling – a little rain
3. ticked – a little angry
4. got to chill – relax
Note: The vocabulary is related to weather and emotions.
HAD/WOULD
1. pissed off – ticked/a little angry
2. bummed out – a little sad
3. pretty u