Stress timing and rhythm in longer sentences

Say each pair aloud. If the two words sound the same when you record yourself, slow down and go back to the steps above.

• She can SPEAK three LANGUAGES./She CAN speak three LANGUAGES.
• We were WAITING for the TRAIN./We WERE waiting for the TRAIN.
• I've BOUGHT some FRESH BREAD./I HAVE bought some fresh bread.
• He had LEFT before NOON./He HAD left before noon.
• They must BOOK a quick MEETING./They MUST book a quick meeting.
• You should TELL him the TRUTH./You SHOULD tell him the truth.

1. 1

   I usually take the underground because it's much quicker than sitting in traffic.

   rhythm: US-u-al-ly TAKE the UN-der-ground / MUCH QUICK-er than SIT-ting in TRAF-fic

2. 2

   My hometown has changed an awful lot over the past couple of decades.

   rhythm: HOME-town has CHANGED an AW-ful LOT / PAST COUP-le of DEC-ades

3. 3

   Whenever I get some spare time, I really enjoy heading out for a stroll.

   rhythm: when-EV-er I GET some SPARE TIME / REAL-ly en-JOY HEAD-ing OUT for a STROLL

4. 4

   Public transport in my city is reasonably reliable, though it gets crowded during rush hour.

   rhythm: PUB-lic TRANS-port / REA-son-ab-ly re-LI-a-ble / CROWD-ed dur-ing RUSH hour

5. 5

   I'm currently trying to pick up a few practical skills for my future career.

   rhythm: CUR-rent-ly TRY-ing to PICK UP / PRAC-ti-cal SKILLS for my FU-ture ca-REER

6. 6

   Living in a shared flat can be quite noisy, but it saves me money.

   rhythm: LIV-ing in a SHARED FLAT / NOIS-y, but it SAVES me MON-ey

7. 7

   If I had the opportunity, I'd definitely travel around South America for a few months.

   rhythm: op-por-TU-ni-ty / DEF-in-ite-ly TRAV-el / a-ROUND South A-MER-i-ca / FEW MONTHS

8. 8

   Most people nowadays seem to spend far too many hours staring at screens.

   rhythm: MOST PEO-ple / SEEM to SPEND / FAR too MAN-y HOURS / STAR-ing at SCREENS

9. 9

   I've been working at a local charity shop to gain some valuable work experience.

   rhythm: WORK-ing at a LO-cal CHAR-i-ty SHOP / GAIN some VAL-u-a-ble WORK ex-PE-ri-ence

10. 10

    The weather was absolutely terrible yesterday, so we ended up staying indoors all afternoon.

    rhythm: WEATH-er was ab-so-LUTE-ly TER-ri-ble / END-ed up STAY-ing in-DOORS all af-ter-NOON

11. 11

    Governments ought to invest much more money in renewable energy projects across the country.

    rhythm: GOV-ern-ments OUGHT to in-VEST / MUCH MORE MON-ey in re-NEW-a-ble EN-er-gy

12. 12

    I'm not particularly keen on fast food because it's really bad for your health.

    rhythm: not par-TIC-u-lar-ly KEEN / FAST FOOD / REAL-ly BAD for your HEALTH

• Contrastive stress to correct or compare
• Sentence stress on content words
• Stress to show your opinion in Part 3 answers
• Weak forms of function words (to, for, of, can)
• All 59 pronunciation sets
• Part 1 topics
• Part 2 cue cards
• Part 3 questions