American English speakers use linking to join words together so that they flow together smoothly. The problem is that when words in a sentence are linked they don't sound the same as they do when they are pronounced individually. This often makes it difficult for English learners to understand what native English speakers are saying.

When English learners don't link words in English sentences their speech sounds accented and choppy to Americans.

Two of the most common types of linking in spoken English are consonant to vowel linking and vowel to vowel linking.

Consonant to vowel linking

When words that end in a consonant sound are adjacent to words that begin with a vowel sound the consonant sound becomes part of the second word. Americans hold the consonant sound of the first word until they say the vowel sound of the second word in order to link the words together.

Here are some examples:

1. likes it = likes-sit
2. laughed at = laught-tat
3. explain it = explain-nit
4. wake up = wak-kup

In these phrases the final consonant is the last sound of the first word and the first sound in the adjacent word.

Vowel to vowel linking

When words that end in a vowel sound are adjacent to words that begin with a vowel sound American English speakers add a /y/ or /w/ sound to link them together.

Here are some examples:

1. too + early = toowearly
2. who + is + it = whowizit
3. I + am = Iyam
4. do + it =dowit

Non-native English speakers tend to stop the sounds between words and instead of linking or blending the sounds together. Unfortunately this creates a speech pattern that sounds very choppy to American listeners and significantly contributes to your foreign accent. If you can use linking when you are speaking with Americans your accent will improve and people will understand you more easily!

Susan Ryan teaches American English pronunciation and accent reduction online and in Washington, D.C. Visit her Accent Reduction Classroom or her American English Pronunciation blog http://www.confidentvoice.com/blog/ to find more tips and lessons that you can use to start improving your American English pronunciation today.