Connected speech
The natural pronunciation of words in sequence, where sounds merge and change due to the influence of surrounding sounds. Connected speech features include elision, assimilation, and other phonological processes.
Real World
When a fast-food server says 'whadya want?' instead of 'what do you want?', they are demonstrating several connected speech processes — elision, assimilation, and reduction — that are entirely normal in fluent spoken English.
Exam Focus
Name the specific connected speech process (elision, assimilation, liaison) rather than just saying sounds 'change'.
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