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Common English Reductions

In this lesson, students learn some common English reductions. Have students do the practice activity, and then go over the charts below.

 

English Reductions Practice

When we speak, we reduce the pronunciation of certain words and phrases. This can be confusing for non-native speakers who are often unfamiliar with these reductions. Learning some common English reductions will improve your comprehension and make you sound more natural to native speakers.

 

Work with a partner. Look at the dialogue below. What would the expressions in bold sound like in a casual conversation?

Kelly: Hey, Brad.  How are you?  Did you have a nice weekend?
Brad: It was okay.
Kelly: What did you do?
Brad: Well, I had a lot of work to do, and I didn’t want to fall behind with my work. So, I worked all day Saturday. Then, on Sunday, we were going to go to the beach, but we decided not to.
Kelly: Oh, you should have gone. I went to the beach and it was beautiful. Why didn’t you go?
Brad: I didn’t want to drive that far. I guess I could have taken a bus, but I ended up deciding to just stay home and rest.  Maybe I’ll go next weekend if I don’t have to work.
Kelly: What do you mean?
Brad: Well, it’s the end of the fiscal year, so we’ve been working really hard.
Kelly: Can’t you get everything done during the week?
Brad: Yeah, and my boss might be able to help me as well. I’ll ask him if he can help me.

 

how are you sounds like ____________.
did you sounds like  ____________.
what did you sounds like  ____________.
a lot of sounds like  ____________.
want to sounds like  ____________.
going to sounds like  ____________.
should have sounds like  ____________.
didn’t you sounds like  ____________.
could have sounds like  ____________.
have to sounds like  ____________.
what do you sounds like  ____________.
working sounds like  ____________.
can’t you sounds like  ____________.
ask him sounds like  ____________.

 

Below are some of common reductions in English.

Reductions of “you” Sounds Like
bet you
don’t you
can’t you
get you
got you
want you
would you
could you
should you
How do you…?
What are you..?
What do you…?
betcha
don’tcha
can’tcha
getcha
gotcha
wantcha
wouldja
couldja
shouldja
Howdaya…?
Whadarya…?
Whadaya…?

 

Reductions of “you” in “did” questions Sounds Like
Who did you…?
What did you…?
When did you…?
Where did you…?
Why did you….?
How did you….?
Did you…?
Who-didja…?
Wha-didja…?
When-didja…?
Where-didja…?
Why-didja…?
How-didja…?
Didja…?

 

Reductions of “of” Sounds Like
kind of
kinds of
lots of
a lot of
out of
sort of
type of
kinda
kindsa
lotsa
allotta
outta
sorta
typa

 

Reductions of “to” Sounds Like
going to
got to
have to
has to
ought to
want to
gonna
gotta
hafta
hasta
oughtta
wanna

 

Reductions of “have” Sounds Like
could have*
might have*
may have*
must have*
should have*
would have*
could’ve
might’ve
may’ve
must’ve
should”ve
would’ve

* Reduced when followed by the past participle (I should have told you about it, for example).

 

Reductions of “and” and “or” Sounds Like
and
or
 ‘n
 ‘er

 

Reductions of “me” Sounds Like
give me
let me
gimme
lemme

 

Other Reductions Sounds Like
to
them
until
I don’t know
gerunds (going, taking, eating, etc.)
because
ta
’em
’til
I dunno
goin’, takin’, eatin’
cause