Weak and strong forms

Question 1

What kind of words can come in either a strong or weak form?

Answer 1

Function words such as:

• conjunctions
• articles
• pronouns
• prepositions
• auxiliaries and modal auxiliaries.

Question 2

When can we find function words in their strong form?

Answer 2

When…

• they are being directly quoted.
• they are being contrasted.
• they appear at the end of a sentence.

Question 3

Word

• 1. a
• 2. and
• 3. as
• 4. at
• 5. can
• 6. has

Answer 3

Word - /strong/ - /weak/

• 1. a - /eɪ/ - /ə/ - //
• 2. and - /ænd/ - /ənd, ̩nd, ən, ̩n/
• 3. as - /æz/ - /əz/
• 4. at - /æt/ - /ət/
• 5. can - /kæn/ - /kən, kŋ/
• 6. has - /hæz/ - /həz, əz, z, s/

Question 4

Word

• 1. a - a cup
• 2. and - you and me
• 3. as - as good as
• 4. at - at home
• 5. can - I can go
• 6. has - he’s left

Answer 4

• 1. a cup - /ə ˈkʌp/
• 2. you and me - /ˈjuː ən ˈmiː/
• 3. as good as - /əz ˈgʊd əz/
• 4. at home - /ət ˈhoʊm/
• 5. I can go - /a| kŋ ˈgoʊ/
• 6. he’s left - /hɪz ˈleft/

Question 5

Word

• 7. he
• 8. must
• 9. she
• 10. that
• 11. to
• ​12. would

Answer 5

Word - /strong/ - /weak/

• 7. he - /hɪ/ - /ɪ, hɪ/
• 8. must - /mʌst/ - /məst, məs, ms/
• 9. she - /ʃɪ/ - /ʃɪ/
• 10. that - /ðæt/ - /ðət/
• 11. to - /tuː/ - /tʊ, tə/
• ​12. would - /wʊd/ - /wəd, əd, d/

Question 6

Word

• 7. he - will he go?
• 8. must - I must sell
• 9. she - did she go?
• 10. that - he said that it did
• 11. to - to Mexico
• ​12. would - it would do

Answer 6

• 7. will he go? - /wɪl ɪ ˈgoʊ/
• 8. I must sell - /a| ms ˈsel/
• 9. did she go? - /ˈdɪd ʃɪ ˈgoʊ/
• 10. he said that it did - /hɪ ˈsed ðət ɪt ˈdɪd/
• 11. to Mexico - /tə ˈmeksɪkoʊ/
• ​12. it would do - /ˈɪt əd ˈduː/