Linking Vowel to Vowel
When one word ends with a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, we link the words with a sort of Y or W sound. It depends on the shape of our mouth at the end of the first word.
Lips wide
| o o | — |
When the first word ends in an a, e, i vowel sound [ eɪ / i: / aɪ ], our lips are wide. Then we insert a Y sound at the beginning of the next word:
| we write | first word ends with |
we say |
|---|---|---|
| pay all | /eɪ/ | payyall |
| the end | /i:/ | theyend |
| lie on | /aɪ/ | lieyon |
| write | They all buy at the arcade. |
|---|---|
| say | theyyall buyyat theyarcade |
Here are some more examples of word pairs that are linked with Y.
- lay out, may I, say it
- he ate, she is, we are
- high up, my arm, why ever
Lips round
| o o | o |
When the first word ends in an o, u vowel sound [ əʊ / u: ], our lips are round. Then we insert a W sound at the beginning of the next word:
| we write | first word ends with |
we say |
|---|---|---|
| go out | /əʊ/ | gowout |
| too often | /u:/ | toowoften |
| write | You all go out too often. |
|---|---|
| say | youwall gowout toowoften |
Here are some more examples of word pairs that are linked with W.
- no other, show off, grow up
- you are, too often, throw it