1. Read the exercise paying attention to the differences in the articulation of the monophthongs and diphthongs.

men – mane pen – pain wet – wait sell – sail pepper – paper pot – point spot – spoilt John – join toss – toys olive – oil	tack – take sat- saint cat – Kate fat – fate plan – plain	hat – height fat – fight sad – side man – mine dad – died	pin – pine film – fine myth – mine fifth – five tip – type
	not – no god – go hot – home stock – stone rock – robe	love – low done – dole son – snow London – lonely front – froze	burn – bone turn – tone learn – alone curly – cozy work – woke

2. Read the exercise paying attention to the articulation of the voiced and voiceless consonants.

fetch – chest catch – chat latch – chart such – chuckle

gesture just job jaw join

edge badge large lodge George

Fetch the bag. Catch the dog. Reach the park. Call John. Find Julian. Teach Jane.

3. Practise reading the sentences paying attention to the intonation in different question types.

a/ Is this Nick’s coat?

Whose coat is this?

This is Nick’s coat, isn’t it?

Is this Nick’s or Mark’s coat?

b/ Are those Mary’s gloves?

Whose gloves are those?

Those are Mary’s gloves, aren’t they?

Are those Mary’s gloves or mittens?

c/ Is that Arthur’s girlfriend?

Who is that?

That is Arthur’s girlfriend, isn’t it?

Is this girl or is that girl Arthur’s girlfriend?

4. Put different questions to the sentences below. Practise reading them with proper intonation.

This is Maggie’s house.

These are Janet’s children.

That is George’s Volvo.

This is a Chinese vase.

That is Richard’s letter.

This is orange juice.

Those are Michael’s trainers.

That is Mr. Greggson’s case.

5. Listen to the dialogue. Practise reading them with a partner. Make sure you imitate the intonation on the tape correctly.

: D’you know Polly?

: Polly? What Polly?

: Polly Smith, a model.

: No. Is she a good model?

: Look. This is her port folio. She’s a perfect model.

: Oh yes. These photos are perfect in deed. Let’s meet her.

: It’s a pity Polly isn’t in the city.

: Isn’t she?

: Polly is in Italy. She’ll be back next Thursday.

6. Listen to the dialogue, mark the intonation. Practise reading the dialogue with a partner.

: Have you ever met victor Robertson?

: Victor Robertson? Who’s he?

: He’s an architect from Scotland.

: I’ve never met Victor. Is he a good architect?

: He’s an excellent architect, believe me. Have a look at his blueprints.

: Marvellous! Simply marvellous! Can we meet Victor Robertson?

: It’s a pity victor isn’t in the city. He’s in Finland now.

: When will he be back?

: Pretty soon I guess. In fact, I’ve asked him to come to the conference on Tuesday next week.

: Excellent. So we’ll seeing Victor on Tuesday.

PHONETIC RULES

1. We must watch for the positional length of the vowel […]. It is the longest in the final position, it is shorter before a voiced consonant, it is the shortest before a voiceless consonant.

e.g. [gou] – [goul] – [gout]

2. we must watch for the aspiration of the voiceless consonants [p, t, k ]. They are most strongly aspirated before stressed vowels esp. long monophthongs and diphthongs; they are less aspirated in the final position and before an unstressed vowel; they lose their aspiration after [s].

e.g. [pi:] – [pit] – [nip] – [spit]

3. We must watch for the lateral plosion in the word / in the phrase ______. The plosion of the consonant […] becomes lateral under the influence of the sonorous consonant [l].

e.g. [ ‘setl], [ faind lu:k]

4. We must watch for the nasal plosion in the word / in the phrase _______. The Plosion of the consonant […] becomes nasal under the influence of the nasal sonorants [n], [m].

e.g. [ ‘kitn], [ lend mi]

5. We must watch for the loss of plosion in the word / in the phrase________. The consonant […] loses its plosion under the influence of the following plosive consonant […].

e.g. [ mi:t tim]

6. We must watch for assimilation in the word/phrase _______. The alveolar consonant […] becomes dental under the influence of the interdental […]. The consonant […] becomes rounded under the influence of the following sonorant [w]. The sonorant […] becomes partly devoiced under the influence of the voiceless consonant […].

e.g. [ri:d ðә buk], [swift]

7. We must watch for reduction in the word ________. This word is used in its weak (reduced) form; its strong form is _______. It’s a case of qualitative/ quantitative/ zero reduction.

The parts of speech that are normally reduced (form-words) are as follows: articles, particles, prepositions, conjunctions, modal and auxiliary verbs, personal, possessive and reflexive pronouns.

The parts of speech that are never reduced (notional words) are as follows: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, numerals, interrogative pronouns.

e.g. [hi:] – [hi ] – [hi] – [h], [ ‘iznt]

8. We must watch for the absence of the glottal stop in the word _______ where the vowel occurs in the initial position.

e.g. [ ‘i:zi]

9. We must watch for the absence of palatalization of the consonant [..] before the front vowel […].

e.g. [pen], [bi ‘li:v]

10. We must watch for the linking [r] in the phrase ________.

e.g. [nevәr ә gein]

Comment on the phonetic phenomena to be observed in the following exercises. Practise reading them.

a.

My red pencil Your weak point Her short coat His great trouble Their old clock

Glad to see you. I want to ask you. He hasn’t got it. He doesn’t teach her.

Let me see. I don’t know. We don’t like it. He doesn’t learn it.

Not now Right now Stop Mary Late at night

b.

What nasty weather. What wonderful roses. What lovely violets you’ve got. What valuable pearls she has.

How pretty she is. How clever of you. How nice of you to come to see me. How strange this old man is.

c.

dear – dare- doer tear – tear – tour mere – mare - moor

a rear corner a spare minute a poor animal

bottle double simple riddle

model idle button beaten

rotten pattern hidden forbidden

d.

Oh dear, it’s quite clear.

There are tears in her eyes.

There isn’t much time.

It isn’t quite right.

She hasn’t got a piano.

e.

trial triumph quiet tyrant admire desire

a famous scientist a cruel pirate a fragrant violet a cold shower a clean towel a front vowel