Let's learn another important rule about English pronunciation that will help you to pronounce
English words correctly.
This one has to do with disappearing syllables.
Let me explain what I mean.
This first word exists in many languages.
In fact, maybe in your native language it's very similar sounding.
But probably in your language you pronounce every vowel sound.
So, it may sound something like this: "cho - co - la - te" or in French "sho co lat"and
in some languages cho ko la da.
People are pronouncing every vowel.
English works differently. Sometimes
there are some words where the vowel completely disappears.
So in English, this word has only two syllables.
So, we don't say Cho -co - lat".
In fact, we also don't say "cho-co-late" which I've heard some of my students say.
We reduce it to two syllables and we say, "chok - late".
The "late" becomes lut" and the "o" completely disappears.
I know that's strange, but that's just the way English works sometimes.
And what you have to do is memorize a list of words that I will give that have these
disappearing vowel sounds.
And therefore one syllable gets eliminated.
Repeat after me: "chok -late."
I'd like some chocolate.
This also happens with another word that's very very common.
The common mistake that I hear my students say is something like this: "veg -e - ta - ble".
If the "e" disappears it's gonna sound like this: veg-tu-bl: Faster it sounds like this"veg-tubl".
I'd like some to order some vegetables please.
Let's look at another word that's also a very common word.
I have heard it pronounced many different ways by my students, and in other languages
the "o" is definitely pronounced.
So, it might sound like: "Ka-TO- leek" or "ka - to -lik" or "Ka -to leek - o".
But the "o" is always pronounced in those languages.
In English the "o"disappears and it's only two syllables, and it sounds like this:"cath
- lik".
So, let's repeat these three words again: "cho - late", veg - table, cath - lik" Let's
look at some more words that you'll have to memorize.
Fortunately there aren't too many of them, but they are very very common words that we
use in English every day.
average
basically
beverage
broccoli
business
Sentences for practice.
What's the average temperature here?
Broccoli is a green vegetable.
I had several pieces of chocolate.
That's an interesting beverage.
I'm going to the opera this evening.
Are you Catholic?