Linking Patterns

5.Link vowels /u:/, /Əʊ/,/aʊ/ to a following vowel using /w/.

I couldn’t do◡ /w/◡ anything◡about it.

Let’s go◡ /w/◡ into the next room.

Do you know◡ /w/◡ everyone here?

I’ve moved to◡a new◡ /w/◡ office – next to◡ /w/◡ Oxford Circus station.

I knew◡ /w/◡ I would be late.

Are you◡ /w/◡ in the same place?

You◡ /w/◡ always say that.

It was so◡ /w/◡ exciting.

I don’t know◡ /w/◡ all the students, but I know◡ /w/◡ all the teachers.

How◡ /w/◡ old is he?

There was snow◡ /w/◡ and◡ice◡everywhere.

We travelled through◡ /w/◡ Africa.

I don’t know◡ /w/◡ anything◡ about him.

For a good example of linking /w/ after /u:/ listen to this 1979 performance, by the now-defunct Swedish group Abba, of the song called “ I do, I do, I do, I do, I do“. These words, linked together, sound like “I do why do why do why do why do“.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdRESyMPxDA

Also observe the excellent lip-rounding of Frida (the one with the poodle hairstyle) when she says /w/. Top marks! Agnetha (the blond) could try a bit harder; she’d probably only get a grade 2 in the oral exam.