Linking Sounds · Part 1 of 6

Consonant-to-Vowel Linking Exercises

When a word ends in a consonant sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, the consonant moves across. Pick it up becomes pi-ki-tup. This is the most common kind of linking in English.

🇬🇧 British English (RP / General British). Press ▶ to hear any example.

1 The Rule

Say the final consonant as if it were the first sound of the next word. There is no pause and no little “click” in the throat before the vowel.

Written

an old house

Spoken

a‿nold house

[ə nəʊld haʊs]

Sounds, not letters. What matters is the last sound of the first word and the first sound of the next. Make ends in the sound /k/ (the e is silent), so make it links: may-kit.
↑ Back to top

2 Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are full of consonant-to-vowel links, which is one reason they are hard to catch in fast speech.

pick‿it‿up
pi-ki-tup[pɪ kɪ tʌp]
turn‿off
tur-noff[tɜː nɒf]
get‿up
ge-tup[ge tʌp]
look‿out
loo-kout[lʊ kaʊt]
hold‿on
hol-don[həʊl dɒn]
check‿in
che-kin[tʃe kɪn]
put‿it‿on
pu-ti-ton[pʊ tɪ tɒn]
fill‿it‿in
fi-li-tin[fɪ lɪ tɪn]
↑ Back to top

3 Everyday Phrases

an‿old house
a-nold house[ə nəʊld haʊs]
first‿of‿all
fir-sto-vall[fɜː stə vɔːl]
a lot‿of
a lo-tov[ə lɒ təv]
thanks‿a lot
thank-sa lot[θæŋ ksə lɒt]
half‿an‿hour
har-fa-nour[hɑː fə naʊə]
not‿at‿all
no-ta-tall[nɒ tə tɔːl]
this‿is‿it
thi-si-zit[ðɪ sɪ zɪt]
come‿in
cu-min[kʌ mɪn]

Notice half an hour: the h in hour is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound – and an links straight onto it.

↑ Back to top

4 Spelling Traps

1Silent final e

make‿it, use‿it, love‿it – the word ends in a consonant sound, so it links.

2Silent h

an‿hour, an‿honest man – no /h/ sound, so the next word starts with a vowel.

3U and one = consonant sounds

a university, a one-way street – university starts with /j/, one with /w/. These are consonant sounds, so there is no C-V link with a.

4Final -s is often /z/

it’s‿easy = /s/, but he’s‿away and goes‿out link with /z/: hee-za-way.

↑ Back to top

5 Exercises

A · Mark the links

Where do the words link? Write the phrase with ‿ marks, then check.

  1. take it away
    Show answer
    take‿it‿away – tay-ki-ta-way
  2. an orange and an apple
    Show answer
    an‿orange‿and‿an‿apple
  3. What is it about?
    Show answer
    What‿is‿it‿about?
  4. Give it a try.
    Show answer
    Give‿it‿a try.
  5. I lost all of it.
    Show answer
    I lost‿all‿of‿it.
  6. Wait a minute.
    Show answer
    Wait‿a minute.

B · Link or no link?

Does the first word link to the second with a consonant-to-vowel link? Think about sounds, not letters.

  1. a useful idea – a + useful
    Show answer
    No link. Useful begins with the consonant sound /j/. (But useful‿idea does link!)
  2. an hour – an + hour
    Show answer
    Link: a-nour. The h is silent.
  3. like it – like + it
    Show answer
    Link: lie-kit. Like ends in the sound /k/.
  4. one apple – one + apple
    Show answer
    Link: wu-napple. One ends in /n/.
  5. a one-day course – a + one
    Show answer
    No link. One begins with the consonant sound /w/.
  6. his own – his + own
    Show answer
    Link: hi-zown, with /z/.

C · Say it

Listen, then say each sentence – first slowly with every link, then at natural speed.

  1. Can you pick‿it‿up‿on your way home?
  2. Turn‿off the lights‿and lock the door.
  3. I need‿an‿hour, maybe two.
  4. Check‿in‿at‿eight‿o’clock.
  5. Let’s‿ask‿if‿it’s‿open.
  6. Put‿it‿on‿and check‿if‿it fits.
↑ Back to top

Keep It Flowing

Consonant-to-vowel linking is everywhere. For a week, notice it in every podcast, film and conversation – then move on to Part 2.

Learn. Train. Use. Automate. Flow.

Next: Consonant → Consonant → Book a lesson

© 2026 Talking English · Kenneth Gill, Münster