Sounds- Strong and weak forms

Content

• Sounds- Strong and weak forms

Many English words can be pronounced in two different ways , using either a strong form or a weak form . In the words listed below, the weak forms are more common – an usually use the :

^{/Ə/ sound}

Word      strong form   weak form   Examples

them      /dem/            dƏm               I don’t like them

at           /at/                /Ət/                at once

are       /a:/                /Ə/                they’re ready!

and     /ænd/            /Ənd/         touch and go

The /i:/ sounds becomes the short /I/

^{The               /i:/                         /I/                  the alphabet}

^{be                 /bi:/                     /bI/                  i shan’t be long}

^{been           /bi:n/                   /bIn/                she’s been out}

^{me              /mi:/                     /mI/                 give me a piece}

^{she              /i:/                       /I/                    she’s absent today}

my        /mai/             /mI/             where’s my pen?

Grammar

Parts of speech– Conjunction

A conjunction can be a word (and, because, but, or, etc) or a phrase (as though, as well as, in order that, so that). There are three groups of conjunction:

1. Coordinating conjunction: Coordinating conjunctions join words, phrases, and clauses. Some examples of coordinating conjunctions are and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet. The most commonly used of these conjunctions are and and but.

Example: The rain got heavier, so the match had to be abandoned.

2.Subordinating conjunctions: This join a subordinate clause (also called dependent clause) to an independent /main clause. Subordinating conjunctions introduce subordinate clauses that are less important than or less than equal to the main clause, although they do help in adding to the content of the main clause.

Example:These ladies are already drunk although they have drunk only a little.

3.Correlative conjunctions: They are paired conjunctions, which means they do not come in singles words.They come in the form of pairs of words: either … or; neither … nor; both … and; not only … but also, and whether … or.

Example: I could not decide whether to marry her or her sister.

Some basic ideas of the conjunction ‘that‘:

1. That as a conjunction is commonly used.
2. That introduces that-clauses.
3. That-clauses can be the subject or object of a sentence.
4. That can be left out but not if it begins a clause.

Assessment.

1. What is a Conjunction?
2. List and explain the three groups of conjunction with examples.