Listening · Unit 4: Band 7 to 8.5
L40: Connected speech: "gonna", "wanna" and linked words
Target band 7.5 to 8.5
When native speakers talk naturally, they don't say each word separately. Words join together. Sounds disappear. Small words become tiny. "What do you want to do?" becomes "Whaddya wanna do?" This is called connected speech. If you've only learned English from textbooks, it can make fluent English sound like one long blur.
Why this matters
Most IELTS recordings use clear, natural speech. That means connected speech is everywhere, especially in Parts 3 and 4. At band 8, you need to hear the words inside the blur. This lesson shows you the five main patterns.
Pattern 1: Linking
When a word ends in a consonant and the next word starts with a vowel, they join.
| Written | Sounds like |
|---|---|
| turn off | tur-noff |
| pick it up | pi-ki-tup |
| an apple | a-napple |
| look at it | loo-ka-tit |
Pattern 2: Weak forms
Small grammar words become very short and quiet.
| Word | Strong form | Weak form |
|---|---|---|
| to | "too" | "tuh" |
| for | "for" | "fuh" |
| and | "and" | "un" or just "n" |
| of | "ov" | "uv" or "uh" |
| can | "can" | "kun" |
| was | "woz" | "wuz" |
So "a cup of tea" sounds like "a cuppa tea". "Fish and chips" sounds like "fish 'n' chips".
Pattern 3: Disappearing sounds
Some sounds, especially t and d, disappear between consonants.
| Written | Sounds like |
|---|---|
| next day | nex day |
| last week | las week |
| old man | ol' man |
| I don't know | I dunno |
Pattern 4: Sounds that change
When some sounds meet, they become a new sound.
| Written | Sounds like |
|---|---|
| did you | didja |
| would you | wouldja |
| got you | gotcha |
| don't you | doncha |
Pattern 5: Common short forms
| Written | Sounds like |
|---|---|
| going to | gonna |
| want to | wanna |
| have got to | gotta |
| let me | lemme |
| kind of | kinda |
These are fine in speech. Never write them in your Writing test.
Why this is extra hard for us
In Bangla, we tend to give each syllable similar weight. English doesn't. It stresses important words and squashes the rest. So our ears expect every word to be clear, and get confused when they're not. Shadowing (L37) and dictation (L38) are the best fixes.
Try it yourself
What are these sentences in full, written English?
- "Whaddya wanna do this weekend?"
- "I'm gonna grab a cuppa tea."
- "Didja finish the essay?"
Show the answers
1) What do you want to do this weekend? 2) I'm going to grab a cup of tea. 3) Did you finish the essay?
Honest note
You don't need to speak like this to get a good IELTS score. Clear English is fine in Speaking. But you do need to understand it in Listening.
Your task today
Watch 5 minutes of an unscripted interview with subtitles. Pause whenever you see a phrase from this lesson. Say it the fast way and the slow way.