Weak Forms - How to Pronounce Weak Forms in English

英语口语 发音 -轻读

Hi I'm Oli.

您好，我是Oli。

Welcome to Oxford Online English.

欢迎来到Oxford Online English。

In this lesson you can learn about weak forms in English.

在本节课，您可以学习英语的轻读。

Weak forms are a really important pronunciation point.

轻读是非常重要的发音要点。

Learning about weak forms can help your speaking, of course, but if can also make a big difference

学习轻读可以帮助您的口语，当然， 但是是否会让您的英语听力

to your English listening.

有很大提高。

Let's see how.

让我们看看是怎样。

Listen to a sentence:

听一句话：

I gave her a box of chocolates for her birthday.

因为她生日，我给了她一盒巧克力。

So, what are weak forms?

有哪些轻读？

Some words have two possible pronunciations.

有些单词有两个可能的发音。

For example, think about the word for in this sentence.

例如，想想这个句子或这个句子的单词。

If you just read the word by itself, you’ll probably say /fɔː/.

如果仅自己读单词，您可能说/fɔː/。

However, in the sentence, its pronunciation is different.

但是，在句子中，其发音是不同的。

It becomes /fə/.

会是/fə/。

So, the word for has a weak form.

因此，单词有轻音。

Its pronunciation changes.

它的发音改变了。

This isn’t just because we’re saying it very fast.

这不仅是因为我们说得很快。

It has a different sound: /ə/ instead of /ɔː/.

它具有不同的声音：/ə/取代了/ɔː/。

Can you see any other weak forms in our sentence?

您还能在我们的句子中看到其他轻音吗？

Her, a and of are also weak.

在这，a和of也是轻读。

Try it!

试试吧！

Read the sentence.

阅读句子。

Try to pronounce the weak forms:

试下发轻音：

I gave /hərə/ box /əv/chocolates /fəhə/ birthday.

I gave /hərə/ box /əv/chocolates /fəhə/ birthday.

So, do all words have weak forms?

那么，所有单词是否都有轻音？

No, there are many words which have weak forms, but not all words do.

不是的，有许多单词有轻音， 但并非所有单词都有轻音。

In this lesson, you’ll see which words have weak forms, when to use them, and how to pronounce

在本节课中，您将看到有轻音的单词， 何时使用它们，以及如何正确地

them correctly.

发他们的轻音。

Words which have weak forms are often ‘grammar’ words.

有轻音的单词通常是“语法”单词。

Words which carry the main meaning of a sentence don’t usually have weak forms.

表达句子主要含义的单词， 通常没有轻音。

That means most nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs don’t have weak forms.

这意味着大多数的名词、动词、 形容词和副词都没有轻音。

Prepositions like to, for, as, of or at have weak forms.

介词，如to、for、as、of 或at 有轻音。

Pronouns like you, your, that or there can have weak forms.

代词，像you、your、that或是there 可以有轻读。

Some conjunctions like and or but can also have weak forms.

某些连词，例如and或but也可能有轻读。

Also, auxiliary verbs often have weak forms.

同样，助动词通常具有轻读。

That means words like do, does, was, would, can, are, and so on.

这意味着单词像是do、does、was、 would、can、are 等等之类的词。

Lots of information, I know!

信息太多，我知道！

Let’s do some examples.

让我们做一些例子。

Look at a sentence:

看一个句子：

Are you coming to the cinema with us tomorrow?

明天您会和我们一起去电影院吗？

There are five weak forms in this sentence.

这句话有五个轻读。

Can you find them? Listen one more time.

您能找到吗？再听一遍。

Are you coming to the cinema with us tomorrow?

明天您会和我们一起去电影院吗？

Can you hear where the weak forms are?

您能听到轻读在哪里吗？

The weak forms are:

轻读是：

Are, which is pronounced /ə/.

Are，发音为/ə/。

You, which becomes /jə/.

You，发音为/jə/。

To, which is pronounced /tə/.

To，发音为/tə/。

The.

The。

The is almost always weak, but it is technically a weak form: /ðə/.

The几乎总是轻读， 但是是技术上的一个轻读/ðə/。

Finally, us is weak; it becomes /əs/.

最后，us是轻读；它发音 /əs/。

So you can see that the weak forms are the auxiliary verb (are), the pronouns (you, us),

因此，您可以看到轻读是助动词（are）、 代词（you、us）、

and the preposition (to).

和介词（to）。

Also, do you notice anything about the pronunciation of the weak forms?

另外，您是否注意到有关轻读发音的 任何事情吗？

In all of the weak forms, you can see this sound: /ə/.

在所有轻读中，您都可以看到这个音：/ə/。

This sound, the schwa, is common in weak forms.

这个音，schwa在轻读中很常见。

Almost all weak forms have a schwa sound.

几乎所有的轻读都有一个schwa音。

Let’s do one more example, for practice.

让我们再举一个例子来练习。

Listen to another sentence:

听另一句话：

What does he do at the weekends?

周末他做什么？

Can you hear the weak forms?

您能听到轻读吗？

If not, can you guess which words are weak here? Listen one more time.

如果不是，您能猜出在这哪些词是轻音吗？ 再听一遍

What does he do at the weekends?

周末他做什么？

Does is weak.

Does是轻音。

It’s pronounced /dəz/.

发音为/dəz/。

At is also weak.

At也是轻音。

It becomes /ət/.

发/ət/。

The is weak, as before: /ðə/.

The是轻音，像之前一样： /ðə/。

So, here’s a question: why is does weak but do is not?

所以，这有一个问题：为什么Does是轻音？ 但do不是？

It’s because does is an auxiliary verb.

那是因为does是一个助动词。

It’s just there to make a question; it doesn’t add any meaning to the sentence.

这就有一个问题；它在句子里没有任何含义。

Do is the main verb.

Do是主要动词。

It carries meaning.

带有含义。

Words which carry meaning have their full pronunciation, and won’t be weak.

有含义的单词发音完整，不会发轻音。

Again, you can see that all of the weak forms have the schwa sound: /ə/.

再次，您可以看到所有轻读都有schwa声：/ə/。

There are many more weak forms, but the number of words with weak forms is limited.

轻读有很多，但是轻读的单词的数量 是有限的。

Depending on how you define ‘weak form’, there are maybe 30-60 words which have weak

根据您定义“轻读”的方式， 大概有30-60个词是有

pronunciations.

轻音发音。

For now, remember the general idea: ‘grammar’ words like prepositions, pronouns and auxiliary

现在，记住一般的想法：“语法”单词， 像是介词、代词和

verbs often have weak forms.

助动词通常有轻读。

Okay, so now you know a bit about weak forms, but when should you use them?

好了，现在您对轻读有了一点了解， 但是什么时候必须使用它们呢？

In an English sentence, some words are pronounced with more stress than others.

在英语句子中，某些单词的发音 比其他单词更重。

Generally, the words which carry the main meaning are stressed, while ‘grammar’

通常，带有主要含义的单词 发音是重的，同时“语法”

words like prepositions, pronouns and so on are not stressed.

单词，诸如介词、代词之类的 单词不会读重音。

Words which are not stressed can be weak forms.

不是重读的单词可以轻读。

For example:

例如：

How long have you been waiting here?

您在这里等了多久了？

Can you hear which words are stressed?

您能听到哪些单词是重读吗？

The words how, long and waiting are stressed:

单词how、long和waiting是重读的：

HOW LONG have you been WAITING here?

HOW LONG have you been WAITING here?

The unstressed words can be weak.

不是重读的单词可以是轻读的。

Have and you have weak forms.

Have和you有轻读。

They’re pronounced together.

他们合并发音。

You say: /əvjə/.

您说：/əvjə/。

Been and here aren’t stressed, but these words don’t have weak forms, so the pronunciation

Been和here不是重读的，但是这些单词 没有轻读，所以发音

stays the same.

保持不变。

Let’s do one more example:

让我们再举一个例子：

I could have done more if I’d had more time.

如果我能有更多的时间，我本可以做得更多。

Which words are stressed here, and which words do you think are weak?

您认为这里哪些词是重读的，哪些词是轻读的？

Listen one more time.

再听一遍

I could have done more if I’d had more time.

如果我能有更多的时间， 我本可以做得更多。

The stressed words are done, more, had, more and time.

重读单词是done、more、had、more和time。

The weak forms are could and have.

轻读是could和have。

Had is also weak in the contraction I’d; a contraction like I’d is really just a

Had在他的缩略形式I'd也是轻读； 一个缩略形式像I'd真的只是

weak form which is written.

写的那样轻读。

So, could have is pronounced /kədəv/.

因此，它可以发/kədəv/。

The other unstressed words, like if and I, don’t have weak forms, so their pronunciation

其他非重读单词，像是if和I， 没有轻读，因此它们的发音

doesn’t change.

不变。

Okay, so now you know that weak forms are words with two possible pronunciations, and

好吧，现在您知道轻读的是那些有 两种可能发音的单词，并且

you know when to use the weak pronunciation of a word.

您知道什么时候使用一个单词的轻读。

But, if there are two possible pronunciations, what about the other one?

但是，如果有两个可能的单词，那么另一个呢？

The opposite of a weak form is a strong form.

轻读的反义词是强读。

You know that weak forms depend on sentence stress.

您知道轻读取决于句子的重读。

However, sentence stress is not fixed.

但是，句子的重读并不是固定的。

Sentence stress depends on the situation, and the exact ideas you’re trying to express.

句子重读取决于情形和您想要表达的确切想法。

Let’s look at an example we saw before:

让我们看一下我们之前看到的示例：

How long have you been waiting here?

您在这里等了多久了？

We said that in this sentence, the stressed words would normally be how, long and waiting.

我们说过，在这句话中， 重读的单词正常来说是how、long和waiting。

However, imagine you’re talking to several people.

但是，想像您正在与几个人交谈。

You ask the question to one person, but a different person answers.

您问一个人问题，但另一个人回答。

You ask person A, but person B thinks you’re talking to him, and he answers instead.

您问A，但B认为您在跟他说话，他来回答了。

So, you ask the question again to person A. This time, it sounds different:

因此，您再次向A提问。这次看起来不一样：

How long have YOU been waiting here?

How long have YOU been waiting here?

Why does it sound different?

为什么看起来不同？

And what’s the difference?

有什么区别？

This time, you’re emphasising the word you, because you want to make it clear who you’re

这次，您强调这个词you， 因为您想清楚表达您在

talking to.

跟谁说话。

That means that you is pronounced with its full pronunciation: /jʊː/.

这意味着您将用完整的音来发音：/jʊː/。

Let’s do one more example.

让我们再举一个例子。

We’ll look at another sentence from before:

我们会看下之前的另一句话：

Are you coming to the cinema with us tomorrow?

明天您会和我们一起去电影院吗？

Normally, the stressed words would be coming, cinema and tomorrow.

正常来说，重读的单词会是 coming、cinema和tomorrow。

However, imagine that you thought your friend wasn’t coming.

但是，假设您认为您的朋友不去。

Someone had told you that she was busy, and couldn’t come with you.

有人告诉您她很忙，不能和您一起去。

So now, when you ask the question, it sounds different:

所以，当您问问题时，看起来不一样了：

ARE you coming to the cinema with us tomorrow?

ARE you coming to the cinema with us tomorrow?

This time, you emphasise the word are, because you thought your friend couldn’t come, and

这次，您强调一个单词are，因为 您认为您的朋友无法来，并且

you’re showing surprise.

您表现出吃惊。

So, if you want to emphasise a word, you should use the strong form.

因此，如果您想强调一个单词， 您必须使用强读。

Strong forms have the full pronunciation.

强读有完整的发音。

Emphasis depends on meaning, so the same word in the same sentence can be pronounced differently

强调取决于意思，因此在不同情况下， 同一句子中

in different situations.

相同单词的发音可能不同。

There’s one more rule: the last word of a sentence can never be weak.

还有另一个规则：句子的最后一个 单词重来都不是轻读的。

For example:

例如：

What are you looking at?

您在看什么？

The stressed words here are what and looking.

重读的单词是在这您要找的。

Are and you are weak; they’re pronounced /əjə/.

Are和you是轻读；他们发/əjə/音。

At has a weak form, and it’s not stressed in this sentence.

At有一个轻读， 在这句话中不是重读的。

However, the last word of a sentence can’t be weak.

但是，句子的最后一个单词不能是轻读。

That means at gets its full pronunciation, /æt/.

这意味着要完整发音，/æt/。

Now, hopefully you understand what weak forms are, when to use them, and when not to use

现在，我们希望您了解什么是轻读， 什么时候使用它们，什么时候

them.

不使用它们。

So, let’s do some practice!

所以，让我们做一些练习！

First, look at three sentences:

首先，看三个句子：

Think about which words will be stressed, and which words will be weak forms.

考虑哪些单词会是重读的， 以及哪些单词会是轻读。

Pause the video and think about it if you need more time.

如果您需要更多时间， 暂停视频，考虑一下。

Next, I’ll read the sentences.

接下来，我会读这些句子。

Listen for stressed words and weak forms.

听重读的单词和轻读的单词。

Were your ideas right?

您的想法正确吗？

Does she really think she should do it?

她真的认为她应该这样做吗？

What did you do to your hair?

您对您头发做了什么？

What were you doing when she called you?

当她打给您时您在做什么？

Let's look together.

让我们一起看看。

Does she really think she should do it?

她真的认为她应该这样做吗？

Here, really, think and do are stressed.

在这里，really、think和do是重读。

Does and should are weak.

Does和should是轻读。

Try saying the sentence with the stress and weak forms.

试着用重读和轻读说句子。

Repeat after me:

跟着我重复：

Does she really think she should do it?

Does she really think she should do it?

Try once more, a little faster:

再试一次，快一点：

Does she really think she should do it?

Does she really think she should do it?

How was that?

怎么样？

Can you pronounce the weak forms correctly?

您可以正确发轻读吗？

One important point: weak forms are always connected to the words before and after.

重要的一点：轻读始终与前后的单词相连接。

So does needs to be joined to she: /dəsʃi/

所以，does需要和she连起来：/dəsʃi/

Should needs to be pronounced together with she and do: /ʃiʃəd.dʊː/

Should需要和she和do一起发音：/ʃəiʃəd.dʊː/

Let’s look at our next sentence:

让我们看下个句子：

What did you do to your hair?

您对您的头发做了什么？

Here, what, do and hair are stressed.

Here、what、do和hair是重读。

You, to and your are weak.

You、to和your是轻读。

Try saying the sentence with the stress and weak forms.

试着用重读和轻读说出句子。

Repeat after me:

跟着我重复：

What did you do to your hair?

What did you do to your hair?

Let’s try again, at natural speed:

让我们再试一次，用自然速度：

What did you do to your hair?

What did you do to your hair?

Okay, let’s look at our last sentence:

好了，让我们看一下最后一句话：

What were you doing when she called you?

她打给您时您在做什么？

Here, what, doing and called are stressed.

Here、what、doing和called是重读。

Were and you are weak.

Were和you是轻读。

The you on the end is not stressed, but not weak, either, because it’s the last word

那个在句末的you不是重读的， 但也不是轻读的，因为它是

of the sentence.

句子的最后一个单词。

Try saying the sentence with the stress and weak forms.

试着用重读和轻读说出句子。

Repeat after me:

跟着我重复：

What were you doing when she called you?

What were you doing when she called you?

Let’s try again, at natural speed:

让我们再试一次，用自然速度：

What were you doing when she called you?

What were you doing when she called you?

Remember, if you want more practice, you can review this section and try as many times

请记住，如果您想更多练习， 您可以复习本节课并根据您的需要

as you need to!

多试几次！

Okay, hopefully you've learned something new about weak forms and English pronunciation.

好吧，我们希望您对一些有关轻读和 英语发音的新东西有所了解。

Check out our website for more free lessons like this:

请访问我们的网站以获取 更多类似的免费课程：

Oxford Online English.com.

Oxford Online English.com.

Thanks for watching, see you next time!

感谢收看，下次见！