Linking of American English
At its simplest, linking is the blending of multiple words together until they sound as if they are only one word. Native speakers of English all do this naturally, to an extent which few are aware. Linking is one of the major things which make it so difficult for new English learners to understand what a native speaker is saying. It is why English learners think native speakers are speaking too quicky to differentiate words, when in fact it is not the speed of speech at all, but the lack of space between words that makes comprehension difficult.
For non-native speakers, mastering the techniques of linking marks a significant step toward the mastery of English. Time spent practicing linking can quickly benefit any person who began learning English after late childhood.
Linking is based on the last sound of the first word and the first sound of the next word. At least a minimal understanding of sounds is important when trying to understand and learn linking. There are varying degrees of simplicity and difficulty in linking English words. The huge number of possible sound combinations makes it increasingly difficult to give each combination specific practice. Therefore, the lessons in the menu at left are intended to give the broadest range of possible linking combinations and general rules to lessen the burden of learning them all.
Linking
