ESL Pronunciation: Connected Speech, Linking, Elision, Reduction, Going to/Gonna

What It Is

Connected speech is when we join words together to sound more natural in English. This happens with linking, elision, and reduction. For example, "I'm going to the store" sounds like "I'm gonna the store". This topic causes difficulty for ESL learners because their first language might not have these features.

Key Rules

• Linking: Use /?/ (schwa) to connect words, like "I'm going to" /a?m ?o? tu/.
• Linking is optional, but it sounds more natural.
• Elision: Drop sounds or words, like "I'm going to" becomes "I'm gonna".
• Elision is more common in informal speech.
• Reduction: Shorten words, like "I'm going to" becomes "I'm gonna".
• Reduction is more common in informal speech.
• Going to is a future tense, but it's often reduced to "gonna".
• Gonna is a contraction of "going to".
• Gonna is often used in informal speech.
• Gonna can be used in formal speech, but it's less common.
• Gonna is often used with the present continuous, like "I'm gonna be late".
• Gonna can be used with the present simple, like "I'm gonna go to the store".
• Gonna is often used with the past simple, like "I was gonna go to the store".
• Gonna can be used with the past perfect, like "I had been gonna go to the store".
• Gonna is often used with the present perfect, like "I've been gonna go to the store".
• Gonna can be used with the future perfect, like "I'm gonna have gone to the store".
• Gonna is often used with the present continuous, like "I'm gonna be studying all night".
• Gonna can be used with the present simple, like "I'm gonna study all night".
• Gonna is often used with the past simple, like "I was gonna study all night".
• Gonna can be used with the past perfect, like "I had been gonna study all night".
• Gonna is often used with the present perfect, like "I've been gonna study all night".
• Gonna can be used with the future perfect, like "I'm gonna have studied all night".

Common ESL Errors

• Error: "I'm go to the store."
• Why it happens: Learners might not know the difference between "go to" and "gonna".
• Correction: "I'm going to the store." (Use "going to" for future tense, not "gonna".)
• Error: "I'm gonna go to the store yesterday."
• Why it happens: Learners might not know the difference between past and present tense.
• Correction: "I was gonna go to the store yesterday." (Use "was gonna" for past tense, not "gonna".)
• Error: "I'm gonna be late."
• Why it happens: Learners might not know the difference between present continuous and present simple.
• Correction: "I'm going to be late." (Use "going to be" for present continuous, not "gonna be".)

Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blank: "I'm ____ (go) to the store yesterday." Answer: "going" Reason: Use "going to" for future tense.
2. Fill in the blank: "I ____ (be) late for the meeting." Answer: "am going to be" Reason: Use "going to be" for present continuous.
3. Fill in the blank: "I ____ (study) all night." Answer: "am going to study" Reason: Use "going to study" for future tense.

Last?Minute Revision

Gonna is often used with the present continuous, but not always.
Gonna can be used with the past simple, but not always.
Gonna is often used with the present perfect, but not always.
Gonna can be used with the future perfect, but not always.
Going to is often used with the present simple, but not always.
Going to can be used with the past simple, but not always.
Going to is often used with the present perfect, but not always.
Going to can be used with the future perfect, but not always.
Gonna is often used in informal speech, but not always.
Gonna can be used in formal speech, but not always.
Going to is often used in formal speech, but not always.
Going to can be used in informal speech, but not always.
Gonna is often used with the present continuous, but not always.
Gonna can be used with the past simple, but not always.
Gonna is often used with the present perfect, but not always.
Gonna can be used with the future perfect, but not always.
Going to is often used with the present simple, but not always.
Going to can be used with the past simple, but not always.
Going to is often used with the present perfect, but not always.
Going to can be used with the future perfect, but not always.