Pronunciation: Assimilation of /d/ and /b/

Hi. I'm Tim and this is my Pronunciation workshop. Here I'm gonna show you how English is

really spoken. Come on, let's go inside.

Now, do you know the word speeb? No, of course not because it's not a real word. Or is it?

Listen to some people in London talking about this.

It's a speed boat. Speed boat.

Speed boat. Speed boat.

Speed boat.

Now, the word speed ends in the sound /d/, doesn't it? Well not always. Watch and listen

again, what sound can you actually hear?

It's a spee? boat. Spee? boat.

Spee? boat. Spee? boat.

Spee? boat.

In everyday speech, when we're speaking fluently, if one word ends in a vowel sound followed

by a /d/ and the next begins in a /b/, then the /d/ changes to a /b/ and then merges with

the /b/ from the following word. So 'speed boat', becomes 'speebboat'. Watch again, this

time in slow motion. Look at the mouth shape. Can you see /d/ or is it just /b/?

Speeb boat. Speeb boat.

Speeb boat. Speeb boat.

Speeb boat.

This is another case of assimilation. Here are some more examples.

My son is a really good boy. I'm sorry if I was rude before.

My car had to be towed back to the garage. You should buy him a present.

So, you've heard the examples, and now it's your turn. You know the drill. Listen and

repeat.

My son is a really good boy.

I'm sorry if I was rude before.

My car had to be towed back to the garage.

You should buy him a present.

Well done. And remember, if you want to learn more about pronunciation, then please visit

our website, bbclearningenglish.com. And that is about it from the pronunciation workshop

for this week. I'll see you soon. Bye bye! Aah - you know, one day I'm gonna get one

of these. Not a toy, obviously, but the real thing. My dad promised. He said if I was a

good boy he'd buy me a boat. That was quite a long time ago actually. I think I was five

years old - and I have been a good boy. Maybe he's just forgotten. I'm never gonna get

my speed boat, am I?