The small words that manage the grammar in English have two different pronunciations. These are called weak and strong forms. The weak forms are unstressed and the strong forms stressed. Most weak forms have either schwa or short 'i' vowel sounds and they are difficult to hear. These words are very important for the pronunciation of English grammar--they are like the gluer in the phonetic system.

1. Weak & Strong
Forms

2. we saw stressed and
unstressed syllables in
individual words

3. something similar happens in
complete sentences

4. Where are you from?

5. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

6. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

7. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

8. Where are you from?
I’m from London.

9. Where are you from?
I’m from London.
ɒ
ə

10. Are they from Italy?

11. Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?

12. Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?

13. Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?

14. Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?

15. Yes, they are.
Are they from Italy?
ɑː
ə

16. some words have two
pronunciations

17. a weak form
from / frəm /
are / ə /

18. and a strong form
from / frɒm /
are / ɑː /

19. the weak form is the usual
pronunciation

20. the weak form is the usual
pronunciation
it’s used when the word is
unstressed

21. the strong form is used only
when the word is stressed

22. the strong form is used only
when the word is stressed
eg. when it’s the last word

23. the vowel is simplified
(in most cases)
to ə or ɪ

24. which words have weak and
strong forms?

25. prepositions

26. prepositions
auxiliary verbs

27. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs

28. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs
pronouns

29. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs
pronouns
possessive adjectives

30. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs
pronouns
possessive adjectives
possessive pronouns

31. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs
pronouns
possessive adjectives
possessive pronouns
conjunctions

32. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs
pronouns
possessive adjectives
possessive pronouns
conjunctions
articles

33. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs
pronouns
possessive adjectives
possessive pronouns
conjunctions
articles

34. prepositions
auxiliary verbs
modal verbs
pronouns
possessive adjectives
possessive pronouns
conjunctions
articles

35. which words only have strong
forms?

36. nouns

37. nouns
main verbs

38. nouns
main verbs
adjectives

39. nouns
main verbs
adjectives
adverbs

40. nouns
main verbs
adjectives
adverbs

41. nouns
main verbs
adjectives
adverbs

42. prepositions weak form strong form
from frəm frɒm
to tə tuː
at ət æt
in ɪn ɪn
on ɒn ɒn

43. aux. verbs weak form strong form
am əm æm
are ə ɑː
have həv hæv
had həd hæd
does dəz dʌz

44. modal verbs weak form strong form
can kən kæn
will wɪl wɪl
would wəd wʊd
shall ʃəl ʃæl
must məst mʌst

45. articles weak form strong form
a ə eɪ
an ən æn
the ðə ðiː

46. when do weak forms become
strong?

47. 1.
the end of the sentence

48. Where are you from?

49. Yes, I am.

50. No, I’m not.

51. 2.
negatives

52. I can speak German.

53. I can speak German.
ə

54. I can’t speak German.

55. I can’t speak German.
ɑː

56. You aren’t listening.

57. NB

58. I’m not listening.

59. the stress is always on ‘not’
even when it’s abbreviated

60. 3.
auxiliary or modal substitutes or
includes the main verb

61. I can’t speak German
but my friend can.

62. Do you like English coffee?
No, I don’t.

63. 4.
double stress for emphasis

64. I do like your hat!

65. I didn’t crash my car!

66. I didn’t crash my car.
I crashed hers!

67. look at this passage from
Charles Dickens’
A Tale of Two Cities
How many weak forms
can you find?

68. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it
was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the
epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it
was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of
hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all
going direct the other way—in short, the period
was so far like the present period, that some of its
noisiest authorities insisted on its being received,
for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of
comparison only.

69. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the
epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it
was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of
hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all
going direct the other way—in short, the period
was so far like the present period, that some of its
noisiest authorities insisted on its being received,
for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of
comparison only.

70. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had
everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs,
wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all
going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period
wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts
noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf
comparison only.

71. now find the stressed and
unstressed syllables in these
words
How many have ə or ɪ ?

72. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had
everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs,
wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all
going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period
wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts
noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf
comparison only.

73. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdom, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolishness, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf belief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf incredulity, ɪt wəs thə season əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə season əf Darkness, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə winter əf despair, wɪ had
everything before əs, wɪ had nothing before əs,
wɪ wə all going direct tə Heaven, wɪ wə all
going direct thɪ other way—ɪn short, thə period
wəs so far like thə present period, thət some əf ɪts
noisiest authorities insisted on ɪts being received,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlative degree əf
comparison only.

74. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had
everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs,
wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all
goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd
wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts
noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf
cəmparɪsən onlɪ.

75. ɪt wəs thə best əf times, ɪt wəs thə worst əf times,
ɪt wəs thɪ age əf wisdəm, ɪt wəs thɪ age əf
foolɪshnəss, ɪt wəs thɪ epoch əf bɪlief, ɪt wəs thɪ
epoch əf ɪncrədulɪtɪ, ɪt wəs thə seasən əf Light, ɪt
wəs thə seasən əf Darknəss, ɪt wəs thə spring əf
hope, ɪt wəs thə wintər əf dɪspair, wɪ had
everɪthɪng bɪfore əs, wɪ had nothɪng bɪfore əs,
wɪ wə all goɪng direct tə Heavən, wɪ wə all
goɪng direct thɪ othər way—ɪn short, thə perɪəd
wəs so far like thə presənt perɪəd, thət some əf ɪts
noisɪəst authorɪtɪs ɪnsistɪd on ɪts beɪng rɪceived,
fə good ə fə evil, ɪn thə superlətɪve dɪgree əf
cəmparɪsən onlɪ.

76. HOMEWORK
make a list of the weak forms
that you used in your latest
writing homework

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