Lesson 5 | Jogging
Look at Claire. She’s gettun ready to jog. And now she’s joggun slow.
Notice that I didn’t say “getting ready”, I said “gettun ready.” And I didn’t say “jogging slow,” I said “joggun slow.”
I often change the sound from “ing” to “un” as I speak.
Listen
She’s joggun slow.
Read
She’s joggun slow.
This is a very common change in conversation. Let’s practice it.
Exercise 1
For practice, read and repeat these sentences slowly.
He’s washun the dishes.
He’s washun the windows.
He’s washun the windshield.
He’s cleanun the mirror.
He’s cleanun the rug.
Repeat (reading)
Now read these sentences quickly.
He’s washun the dishes.
He’s washun the windows.
He’s washun the windshield.
He’s cleanun the mirror.
He’s cleanun the rug.
Exercise 2
For practice, read and repeat these sentences slowly.
He’s writun a check.
He’s puttun on a stamp.
He’s payun a bill.
He’s puttun it in the mailbox.
He’s checkun for mail.
Repeat (listening)
Now repeat these same sentences quickly.
He’s writun a check.
He’s puttun on a stamp.
He’s payun a bill.
He’s puttun it in the mailbox.
He’s checkun for mail.
Exercise 3
Now listen to these sentences and repeat them slowly.
“He’s waitun for food.”
Notice that the word “for” is now pronounce “fer.”
He’s waitun fer food.
He’s waitun fer a bus.
He’s waitun fer class.
He’s waitun fer a taxi.
He’s waitun fer a friend.
Repeat (listening)
Now listen to these sentences and repeat them quickly. Be sure to say “fer” instead of “for.”
He’s waitun fer food.
He’s waitun fer a bus.
He’s waitun fer class.
He’s waitun fer a taxi.
He’s waitun fer a friend.
Exercise 4
Let’s try a few more examples. Listen to these sentences and repeat them slowly. Remember that the word “to” is now pronounce “ta.”
I’m hopun ta see him.
I’m hopun ta go home soon.
I’m hopun ta catch a taxi.
I’m hopun ta see my friend.
I’m hopun ta leave work early.
Repeat (listening)
Now listen to these sentences and repeat them quickly.
I’m hopun ta see him.
I’m hopun ta go home soon.
I’m hopun ta catch a taxi.
I’m hopun ta see my friend.
I’m hopun ta leave work early.
Exercise 5
Next read these sentences and then say them quickly using the change.
They’re riding on the beach.
He’s waiting by the ocean.
He’s sitting and watching the ocean.
They’re walking and enjoying the weather.
They’re fishing and feeding the gulls.
Repeat (listening)
Try saying these sentences slowly without the change.
He’s cleanun the counter.
He’s cleanun the stove.
He’s loadun the dishwasher.
He’s goun fer a walk.
She’s walkun on the pier.
Listen and Change
Now listen to these same sentence said slowly, and you repeat them quickly.
He’s cleaning the counter.
He’s cleaning the stove.
He’s loading the dishwasher.
He’s going for a walk.
She’s walking on the pier.
Exercise 6
Before we finish this lesson, let’s look at a change that I make when asking simple questions.
Ya ready? Ya listenun? You hearun it?
Instead of asking, “Are you listening?” I said, “Ya listenun?” “Ya listenun?” I dropped the question word “are.”
Listen
Are you ready? Ya ready?
Are you hearing it? Ya hearun it?
Exercise 7
Listen to these questions.
Ya eatun dinner?
Ya goun home?
Ya walkun home?
She buyun that dress?
He workun taday?
Repeat (reading)
Now read these questions and shorten them as you might in conversation.
Are you eating dinner?
Are you going home?
Are you walking home?
Is she buying that dress?
Is he working today?
Read and Change
Now, read these questions and shorten them as you might in conversation.
Do you want to dance?
Have you seen Tom around?
Are you looking to buy a car?
Is she staying home?
Are you looking for something?
Exercise 8
A common way to ask politely about something is to ask using
“Aren’t you?”
For example, if I’m not sure that you’re going to work, I might ask
Aren’t you going to work?
And if I say it a little faster, I say
Aren’t ya going to work? Aren’t ya?
But, if I say it really quickly, I would say “arntcha?”
Arntcha going to work? Arntcha?
Listen
Arntcha going ta the movies?
Arntcha going home?
Arntcha gunna have dinner?
Arntcha gunna call her?
Arntcha gunna visit her?
Repeat these questions using Arntcha:
Arntcha going ta the movies?
Arntcha going home?
Arntcha gunna have dinner?
Arntcha gunna call her?
Arntcha gunna visit her?
Some people pronounce “Arntcha” slightly differently.
They say “Arntchew.”
.
Arntchew going ta work?
You can say “Arntcha” or “Arntchew,” it makes no difference.
For practice, ask these questions using “Arntchew.”
Arntchew going ta the movies?
Arntchew going home?
Arntchew gunna have dinner?
Arntchew gunna call her?
Arntchew gunna visit her?
Comment
Remember that there are two speeds for speaking with changes. You must be able to speak clearly and slowly without the changes. And you can use the changes to speak quickly in casual conversation. You should not really use this pronunciation when speaking slowly. It can sound odd or maybe even uneducated if you do.
Final Conversation
Listen to this conversation and see if you can hear the changes that you’ve learned in this lesson.
Hi, ya comun home soon?
No, I’m workun late. I’m gunna be here fer another hour.
Ya want me to start cookun somethun?
Fer sure. I’m leavun as soon as I can.
Okay, I’ll be waitun. Bye.