Pronunciation: How native speakers say TO, FOR, FROM in English

Hi. I'm Rebecca from engVid.

In this lesson I'm going to show you some simple ways in which you can understand native

English speakers when they speak, and some simple changes you might want to make when

you speak so that they can understand you more easily.

Okay?

So let's look at what they are.

They will involve these three prepositions, which we use very often.

Right?

They are: "to", "for", and "from".

Now, normally, if we just say this word: "to", "for", or "from", then we would say it like

that, but you don't normally just say the word: "to", or "for", or "from"; you usually

use it in a sentence.

Right?

So what happens when a native speaker or you use this word in a sentence?

Right now what you're probably doing is actually still saying it like that, as if it was alone,

like: "to".

But what happens when we use it in a sentence is we don't say: "to".

With this one, we say: "t'".

We say: "t'", "t'", "t'".

So what happened to it?

It became shorter, it became reduced, it became a little less stressed.

Okay?

Now, the word: "for", what do we actually say when we're using it in a sentence?

We don't say: "for", we, again, shorten it or reduce it, and we say: "f'r", "f'r", "f'r".

Okay?

I know it sounds weird when I'm saying it like this, but you'll see how it works when

it's in a sentence, and then you will be able to understand what people are saying when

they speak at normal speed.

All right?

The third one: "from" by itself sounds like "from", but when we use it in a sentence we're

shortening it and it ends up sounding like this: "fr'm", "fr'm", "fr'm".

Okay?

Did you hear that?

All right.

Now, because you are used to saying what you see, what I'd like you to do for this first

part just to train your ears right now is close your eyes and just listen to me as I

read out some sentences.

Okay?

Doesn't matter.

Just try to hear it.

"I love to read.", "He wants to go home.", "She's going to the store."

So what do you hear there?

You can open your eyes for a second.

Even though we had: "I love to read", we didn't say: "I love to read."

I said: "I love t' read.", "He wants t' go home.", "She's going t' the store."

So: "to" became "t'".

Okay?

All right.

Again, close your eyes for the next three.

"I'm waiting for someone.", "Our house is for sale.", "Good for you." Okay?

Open your eyes.

Again, you had the word "for" there but it went much faster.

Now try to match what I'm saying with what you see.

"I'm waiting f'r someone.", "Our house is f'r sale.", "Good f'r you."

See how the "for" became "f'r", "f'r"? Okay?

Close your eyes again.

"I'm from Canada.", "It's from your brother.", "We work from 8:00 to 4:00.", "We work from

8:00 to 4:00."

Okay?

So: "I'm fr'm Canada", not: "I'm from Canada."

Okay?

We don't need to say each word separately.

"I'm fr'm Canada.", "It's fr'm your brother.", "fr'm", "We work fr'm 8:00 t' 4:00." Okay?

There you had two of them: "fr'm 8:00 t' 4:00".

Okay?

So, sometimes you have to train your ear and sometimes you have to train your eyes to not

necessarily say exactly what you see.

All right?

And that's what we're going to practice next when you actually practice saying them.

All right?

Here we go.

Oh, I forgot something.

When the word "for" is used at the end of a sentence or a question, then we do say: "for". Okay?

That's a bit of an exception.

For example: "What's this used for?"

We don't say: "What's this used f'r?"

Okay?

That's was when it's in the middle somewhere, but when it's at the end then we do pronounce

it that way.

So: "What's this used for?", "What's this used for?"

Okay?

So then we are saying "for".

Now we can practice.

Okay, so now let's see if you can make the small changes that you need to make in these

three prepositions in order to sound a little bit more natural.

So, what are those changes again?

"To" becomes "t'", "for" becomes "f'r'", "from" becomes "fr'm". Okay?

So, let's try it.

"It's going to rain."

You say it.

"It's going to rain.", "It's going t' rain."

Okay?

You can repeat after me or you can try to say it with me, or before me.

All right?

Number two: "She worked there for a year.", "She worked there f'r a year."

Not: "for a year", "f'r a year".

Good.

"I'm free from Sunday.", "I'm free fr'm Sunday."

Good.

"You forgot to call.", "You forgot t' call."

Not: "to call".

"You forgot t' call."

Okay, good.

"This is for you!", "This is f'r you!"

Good.

"He comes over from time to time.", "He comes over fr'm time t' time.", "They promised to

help us.", "They promised t' help us."

Good.

"He's going for an interview.", "He's going f'r", right?

"He's going f'r an interview."

Good. All right?

So, knowing that these are...

This is the way that these three words are pronounced will help you a lot when you're

watching TV, or you're listening to a movie, or watching the news, so you'll understand

a lot more of what's happening; it won't seem to go by so fast because you'll know which

parts of the sentence they're actually speeding up a little bit, or shortening, or reducing.

Right?

So now when you listen to something, please listen for these three words and see that

you can understand them, they didn't go by too fast because you know what's happening.

All right?

And then the one part is, of course, understanding others; and the second part, if you want to

try, is to try to sound like that yourself because that's what other people expect to

hear.

It's not that they do not understand you if you speak like that: "It's going to rain",

yes, they can understand you for sure.

We can understand you, but if you want to sound more natural then try to make these

words a little bit shorter and reduced. All right?

Now, if you'd like to get more lessons on pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and so

many other things, please subscribe to my YouTube channel; I have lots of lessons which

I think can really help you.

And besides that, please go to our website: www.engvid.com; you'll find an entire section

on pronunciation, and of course on all of the other areas of English, which I know you

want so much to improve. Okay?

So, all the best with your English. Bye for now.