Hi. I'm Tim and this is my Pronunciation Workshop. Here, I'm gonna show you how English is
really spoken. Come on, let's go inside.
Oh dear, excuse me. I'm a bit tired: I was out
late last night, with the lads. I know, yeah, we didn't get back until 9.30. In the evening.
It was a wild night. I know, I know, I am a party animal. Anyway, while I get myself
together a bit, let's ask some other people in London what they got up to last night.
At 9 o'clock last night I was watching a movie.
I was laying in bed. I was invited to a dinner at my friend's house.
I was playing football I was out drinking.
Well well, what interesting lives we all lead.
Now they all used the past form of the verb 'to be' - was. Now the word 'was' is made of
the sounds /w/, /ɔ:/, / z/, isn't it? Or is it? Listen again. What sound can you actually hear?
At 9 o'clock last night I was watching a movie.
I was laying in bed. I was invited to a dinner at my friend's house.
I was playing football I was out drinking.
When the word 'was' is unstressed, as in the
examples we've just heard, then the vowel sound changes to a schwa - /ə/. So 'was' becomes
/wəz/, and also 'were' becomes /wə/. These are called weak forms. Here are some more examples.
I was there when it happened.
We were delighted with the results.
We were having a good time until it rained.
He was feeling much better last night.
Right, now you've heard the examples, and
now it's your turn. Listen and repeat.
I was there when it happened.
We were delighted with the results.
We were having a good time until it rained.
He was feeling much better last night.
Great work. Remember, if you want to learn
more about pronunciation, then please visit our website, bbclearningenglish dot com. And
that is about it from the Pronunciation Workshop for now. I'll see you soon. Bye bye! Now...
oh look! Hey, you know what this is? This is WAS backwards. Get it? WAS backwards...
it's a SAW. Now, I know what you were thinking. You were thinking that I was going to have
some terrible accident. Well don't worry - it's not even switched on - look! Wooahhhhh!!!