Improve your English with Pronunciation Reductions

#1. Planning a Picnic


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Published: 1.28.2018
Level 3   |   Time: 1:05
Accent: Canadian, New Zealand
Listen in English

Improve your understanding of English pronunciation with a conversation about two friend planning a picnic.

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You can download the file [ HERE ].

    

triangle Directions


  1. Review the REDUCTION PREVIEW.
  2. Listen to the AUDIO. The conversation plays THREE times (normal, slow, normal).
  3. The FIRST time, answer the QUESTIONS.
  4. The SECOND time, fill in/choose the LANGUAGE REDUCTIONS
  5. The THIRD time, review your answers.
  6. CHECK your answers (Show Answers)

triangle Reduction Preview


  • I don't know → I-dunno
      I don't know what to do.
  • You know → ya-know
      You know, I am pretty hungry.
  • I want to → I-wanna
      I want to see a movie.
  • What do you → Whaddaya
      What do you want to do?
  • What are you → Whadderya
      What are you thinking about?

★ Try watching [ this video ] for a more detailed explanation.


triangle Questions


  1. Mike wants to have a picnic on Sunday.
    True
    False

  2. The weather has been very good lately.
    True
    False

  3. Mike and Aron plan to invite four people.
    True
    False

  4. Mike wants Kathleen to bring all of her dogs.
    True
    False

  5. Sarah is a good guitar player.
    True
    False

  6. Aron wants to bring beer to the picnic.
    True
    False

  7. Mike and Aron plan to make hamburgers for the picnic.
    True
    False


triangle Language Reductions (fill in)


Directions: Listen to the conversation and fill in the expression that you hear.
You can download a pdf version [ here ] .

  • Hi Aron. (3) What are you doing this Saturday?
  • Hi Mike. Nothing special. (3) What do you have in mind?
  • The weather has been so nice. I (3) want to have a big picnic. What do you think?
  • That’s a great idea. (3) Who do you want to invite?
  • Well, how about Marcus, Anna, Kathleen, and Sarah?
  • Oh. I (2) don't know about Kathleen. She will (3) want to bring her dogs.
  • Okay. We can tell her only one dog.
  • And Sarah will (3) want to play her guitar.
  • Oh right. She just started taking lessons, and she still isn’t very good. I’ll ask her (3) not to bring it.
  • So (3) what do we need to bring?
  • Lots of everything! (3) What do you like to eat?
  • Oh, all the usual things. Chicken, fruit, chips, cookies, beer. (2) You know, talking about food is making me hungry.
  • Me, too! (3) What do you say to going (1) for a hamburger?
  • (3) What do you think? Let's go!


triangle Language Reductions (choose)


Directions: Listen to the conversation and choose the expression that you hear.

  • Hi Aron. (What are you) doing this Saturday?
  • Hi Mike. Nothing special. (What do you) have in mind?
  • The weather has been so nice. I (want to have) a big picnic. What do you think?
  • That’s a great idea. (Who do you) want to invite?
  • Well, how about Marcus, Anna, Kathleen, and Sarah?
  • Oh. I (don't know) about Kathleen. She will (want to bring) her dogs.
  • Okay. We can tell her only one dog.
  • And Sarah will (want to play) her guitar.
  • Oh right. She just started taking lessons, and she still isn’t very good. I’ll ask her (not to bring) it.
  • So (what do we) need to bring?
  • Lots of everything! (What do you) like to eat?
  • Oh, all the usual things. Chicken, fruit, chips, cookies, beer. (You know) , talking about food is making me hungry.
  • Me, too! (What do you) say to going (for) a hamburger?
  • (What do you) think? Let's go!


triangle Script


You will hear the conversation three times - at normal speed, at slow speed, and at normal speed again.

This is the first time. Listen and answer the questions - true or false.

MIKE: Hi Aron. What are you doing this Saturday?

ARON: Hi Mike. Nothing special. What do you have in mind?

MIKE: The weather has been so nice. I want to have a big picnic. What do you think?

ARON: That’s a great idea. Who do you want to invite?

MIKE: Well, how about Marcus, Anna, Kathleen, and Sarah?

ARON: Oh. I don’t know about Kathleen. She will want to bring her dogs.

MIKE: Okay. We can tell her only one dog.

ARON: And Sarah will want to play her guitar.

MIKE: Oh right. She just started taking lessons, and she still isn’t very good. I’ll ask her not to bring it.

ARON: So what do we need to bring?

MIKE: Lots of everything! What do you like to eat?

ARON: Oh, all the usual things. Chicken, fruit, chips, cookies, beer. You know, talking about food is making me hungry.

MIKE: Me, too! What do you say to going for a hamburger?

ARON: What do you think? Let's go!

This is the second time. Listen and fill in or choose the correct expression.

This is the third time. Listen and check what you filled in or chose.