Connected Speech Features – Winter English (Schwa in Cherry Red)

A. Weak Forms & Reduced Articles / Function Words

• (in_the_winter) → /in-thə-win-tə/
• (in_the_snow) → /in-thə-snoʊ/
• (at_the_weekend) → /ət-thə-wiːk-end/
• (by_the_fire) → /bai-thə-fai-ə/
• (in_the_evening) → /in-thə-eev-ning/
• (on_the_ice) → /on-thə-ais/
• (for_the_winter_days) → /fə-thə-win-tə-deiz/
• (through_the_winter) → /thruː-thə-win-tə/
• (during_the_winter) → /djuə-ring-thə-win-tə/
• (in_the_cold) → /in-thə-koʊld/

B. Consonant–Vowel Linking

• (put_it_on) → /pu-di-ton/
• (pull_it_on) → /pu-li-ton/
• (take_it_off) → /tei-ki-tof/
• (zip_it_up) → /zi-pi-tup/
• (wrap_it_up) → /ra-pi-tup/
• (heat_it_up) → /hee-di-tup/
• (drink_it_slowly) → /drin-ki-sloʊ-li/
• (warm_it_up) → /wɔːr-mi-tup/
• (leave_it_on) → /liː-vi-ton/
• (brush_it_off) → /bru-shi-tof/

C. Joined Consonants (Assimilation & Deletion)

• (packed_coat) → /pakt-koʊt/
• (closed_doors) → /kloʊzd-dɔːrz/
• (cold_days) → /koʊld-deiz/
• (missed_snowfall) → /mist-snoʊ-fɔːl/
• (packed_scarves) → /pakt-skarvz/
• (hot_tea) → /hot-tiː/
• (soft_snow) → /soːft-snoʊ/
• (dark_mornings) → /dark-mor-ningz/
• (short_days) → /shɔːrt-deiz/
• (frost_bite) → /frost-bait/

D. Reduced of, to, for, and

• (a_lot_of_snow) → /ə-lot-ə-vsnoʊ/
• (a_cup_of_tea) → /ə-cup-ə-vtiː/
• (end_of_winter) → /end-ə-vwin-tə/
• (part_of_winter) → /pɑːt-ə-vwin-tə/
• (ready_for_winter) → /re-di-fə-win-tə/
• (time_to_go) → /taim-tə-goʊ/
• (need_to_warm_up) → /niːd-tə-wɔːrm-up/
• (try_to_sleep) → /trai-tə-sliːp/
• (hat_and_scarf) → /hat-n-skarf/
• (gloves_and_boots) → /glʌvz-n-buːts/

E. Mixed Connected Speech (Winter Phrases)

• (we_stayed_in_the_warm) → /wi-steid-in-thə-wɔːm/
• (they_went_into_the_snow) → /ðei-wen-tin-tə-thə-snoʊ/
• (we_sat_by_the_fire) → /wi-sat-bai-thə-fai-ə/
• (I_made_a_hot_drink) → /ai-mei-də-hot-dringk/
• (we_had_a_lot_of_snow) → /wi-had-ə-lot-ə-vsnoʊ/
• (they_put_it_on_quickly) → /ðei-pu-di-ton-kwik-li/
• (we_took_it_off_inside) → /wi-tu-ki-tof-in-said/
• (I_went_to_the_window) → /ai-wen-tə-thə-win-doʊ/
• (they_came_in_the_evening) → /ðei-keim-in-thə-eev-ning/
• (we_stayed_for_a_while) → /wi-steid-fə-rə-wail/