What is Intrusion (V-V)

Intrusion is like catenation (C-V linking) except it happens when a word ending in a vowel sound (a e i o u) comes before another word starting with a vowel sound.

Two kinds of V-V linking

When one word ends with a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, we link the words with a sort of Y [J] or W sound. It depends on the shape of our mouth at the end of the first word.

When the first word ends in a LONG a, e, i vowel sound, our lips are wide. Then we say a Y sound to join the next word:

Examples

• pay all becomes payyall

• the end becomes theyend

• lie on becomes lieyon

When the first word ends in a LONG o, u vowel sound, our lips are round. Then we insert a W sound at the beginning of the next word:

Examples

• no other becomes nowother

• you are becomes youware

• too often becomes toowoften

Let's look at how some of the sentences from Unit 9 change even more when spoken with V-V links:

1. Are youWand Julie free tomorrow?

2. Would chu like to go toWa concert-on Saturday?

3. Do ya want ta play tennis-on MondayYat-eight?

4. Would ju like ta goWout for dinner tomorrow?

5. We're going toWa concert next Friday.

6. Would ju like to seeYa play next weekend?

7. We want ta have-a partyYon Saturday.

8. We don't enjoy theYopera at-all. It's boring!

How Do I Practice on My Own?

Tools

1. AI listener like Live Transcribe

2. Good source of leveled readings [Breaking News English]

Steps

1. Copy and paste reading into your word processor (or KAMIapp)

2. Mark up the links

3. Practice reading with AI listener providing feedback

Knowing how natives connect speech helps you understand it when you hear it, and recreate it when you’re speaking yourself. 

Understanding connected speech when it’s used is extremely important. This is how native English speakers really talk. If you can’t understand English as it’s really spoken, you’re not really able to use the language. 

Knowledge of connected speech patterns gives you greater ability to parse fast speech.  

Producing connected speech is important if your goal is to sound more native. Native speakers don’t need you to use connected speech to understand you. If you speak English clearly, carefully enunciating each syllable, you’ll certainly be understood. 

But using connected speech yourself does improve your fluency to the native speaker's ear.