Hi. It's Day 7.
Can you find a few minutes to study with me?
I got an idea or two to share with you.
Let's start.
English with Jennifer
Small words like AT and AN are function words.
They don't carry a lot of content in a sentence or phrase,
so often we reduce them.
We use weaker vowel sounds.
We use a schwa /ə/.
It's a very relaxed sound.
[uh]
So AT can sound like /ət/.
at noon - /et nun/
AN will sound like /ən/.
an idea - /ən aɪˈdiə/
CAN is also reduced
It's used as a helping verb, and we reduce it
in a question or in a full statement when the main verb is still present.
I asked you, "Can you find a few minutes?"
/kən/...Instead of /kæn/ ... /kən/
Can you find a few minutes?
Note how there's variation when Americans reduce CAN.
Either we use the schwa,
which sounds like "uh." /kən/
Or we use a short I, like in the word "it." /kɪn/
Listen to these examples.
Listen closely.
I'll say a sentence or phrase.
You try to understand.
That's all for now.
Thanks for watching and happy studies!