Connected Speech: Linking R, Intrusive R, Linking J

LESSON NOTES
 

Linking R Sound

In British English, when a word ends in an 'r', we do not pronounce this letter! There is only one exception to this, and that is when the following word begins with a vowel sound, and in this case, we do pronounce it, as it helps us link the two words together. 

This pronunciation technique is known as the Linking R. Watch the video above to hear this Linking R sound in the following examples:

• Father-in law
• The hare and the tortoise
• There are four owls in her old barn.
• Clear as water
• Tower of London

Intrusive R Sounds

In a similar way, we sometimes add an imaginary 'r' sound, even when there isn't an 'r' at the end of the first word. This pronunciation technique is known as the Intrusive R. Again, we do this to speak more fluently and to make one word transition more easily into the next. Watch the video above, and you will hear this Intrusive R being used in the following sentences:

• The United States of America [r] is a big country.
• Donna [r] and her mother.
• A banana [r]  is a yellow fruit.
• Pamela [r] Anderson.
• I want to visit China [r] and Vietnam.
   

LESSON NOTES
 

Watch the video above, and listen to the sound native English speakers put between the words I and always in sentences such as:

"I always have a cup of tea in the morning"
 

This pronunciation technique is known as the linking /j/ sound.

We use the linking /j/ sound in spoken English when one word ends in one of the following sounds:

• /ai/  (e.g. Buy)
• /i:/   (e.g. Tea)
• /ei/  (e.g. Today)
• /oi/  (e.g. Boy)

And the next word begins with a vowel sound (any vowel sound!).

We therefore hear the linking /j/ sound in sentences such as...

• I ate pizza last night
• I own a camera
   
• He always says that
• He always has his English classes on Tuesdays
   
• Day after day after day
• Monday and Thursdays
   
• Boy and girl
• There’s a toy on the floor

We also use the linking /j/ in English pronunciation when the word 'the' is followed by a vowel sound, for example:

• The animal
• The elephant
• The igloo
• The owl
• The umbrella