Elision
The omission of sounds or syllables in connected speech, often for ease of pronunciation. Elided sounds are part of standard speech patterns, not careless mistakes.
Real World
In David Attenborough's narration, 'different' is consistently pronounced as 'diff'rent' with two syllables — a standard elision pattern heard even in the most prestigious broadcasting contexts.
Exam Focus
Transcribe elided forms accurately using IPA or respelling, then explain the phonological process — do not just say 'a sound is missing'.
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