Listen in English - Pronunciation Reductions

Directions

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

Reduction Preview

I don't know → I-dunno
You know → ya-know
I want to → I-wanna
What do you → Whaddaya
What are you → Whadderya

Questions

Mike wants to have a picnic on Sunday.
True
False
The weather has been very good lately.
True
False
Mike and Aron plan to invite four people.
True
False
Mike wants Kathleen to bring all of her dogs.
True
False
Sarah is a good guitar player.
True
False
Aron wants to bring beer to the picnic.
True
False
Mike and Aron plan to make hamburgers for the picnic.
True
False

Language Reductions (fill in)

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

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!

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!

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: Hey Aron.

ARON: Hey Mike.

MIKE: What are you going to do this afternoon? Do you want to go downtown with me? I want to get some new jeans.

ARON: Sorry, I can't. I'm going to be busy.

MIKE: Oh? What are you going to be doing?

ARON: I'm going to the barber. I’ve got a date tomorrow night. I want to look good.

MIKE: What? What do you want to do that for? Your hair's not that long.

ARON: Oh, I'm not going to get it cut.

MIKE: I don't understand what you mean. What are you going to the barber for if you’re not going to get your hair cut?

ARON: Oh, I'm just going to get it trimmed. Say, tell me what you think about my sideburns. Are they too long?

MIKE: Maybe. It'll depend on how hair your looks when it's trimmed. Why don’t you just show the barber a picture of you with a hair style that you like? You can ask him to make it look like the photo.

ARON: That’s a good idea.

MIKE: Say, who are you going out with tomorrow?

ARON: Oh right. I forgot to tell you. I’m going to meet your sister.

MIKE: What?

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.

Improve your English with Pronunciation Reductions