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Common Function Words with Weak Forms
| Function Word | Strong Form | Weak Form | Example Sentence | Natural Pronunciation |
|---|
| to | /tuː/ | /tə/ | I want to go. | /aɪ ˈwɑnə ɡoʊ/ |
| for | /fɔːr/ | /fər/ | It’s for you. | /ɪts fər juː/ |
| and | /ænd/ | /ən/, /n/ | Bread and butter. | /brɛd ən ˈbʌtər/ |
| of | /ʌv/ | /əv/ | A cup of tea. | /ə ˈkʌp əv ˈtiː/ |
| can | /kæn/ | /kən/ | I can help. | /aɪ kən hɛlp/ |
| have | /hæv/ | /həv/ | We have seen it. | /wi həv ˈsiːn ɪt/ |
| are | /ɑːr/ | /ər/ | They are late. | /ðeɪ ər leɪt/ |
| was | /wʌz/ | /wəz/ | She was there. | /ʃi wəz ðɛr/ |
| were | /wɜːr/ | /wər/ | They were happy. | /ðeɪ wər ˈhæpi/ |
| do | /duː/ | /də/ | What do you want? | /wʌt də ju wɑnt/ |
| does | /dʌz/ | /dəz/ | What does he say? | /wʌt dəz hi seɪ/ |
| them | /ðɛm/ | /ðəm/ | Give them to me. | /ɡɪv ðəm tə miː/ |
| us | /ʌs/ | /əs/ | Tell us the truth. | /tɛl əs ðə truːθ/ |
| him | /hɪm/ | /ɪm/ | I saw him yesterday. | /aɪ sɔː ɪm ˈjɛstərdeɪ/ |
| her | /hɜːr/ | /ər/ | I called her. | /aɪ kɔːld ər/ |
| your | /jɔːr/ | /jər/ | Here’s your book. | /hɪrz jər bʊk/ |
| our | /aʊər/ | /ər/ | That’s our house. | /ðæts ər haʊs/ |
| at | /æt/ | /ət/ | Look at me. | /lʊk ət miː/ |
| in | /ɪn/ | /ən/ | Put it in the box. | /pʊt ɪt ən ðə bɑks/ |
| on | /ɒn/ | /ən/ | Sit on the chair. | /sɪt ən ðə ʧɛr/ |
| with | /wɪð/ | /wɪθ/ or /wɪð/ | Come with me. | /kʌm wɪð miː/ |
| that | /ðæt/ | /ðət/ | I think that it’s true. | /aɪ θɪŋk ðət ɪts truː/ |
| than | /ðæn/ | /ðən/ | Better than ever. | /ˈbɛtər ðən ˈɛvər/ |
| as | /æz/ | /əz/ | As good as new. | /əz ɡʊd əz nuː/ |
| be | /biː/ | /bɪ/ | He’ll be fine. | /hil bɪ faɪn/ |
| will | /wɪl/ | /əl/ or /l/ | I will go. | /aɪl ɡoʊ/ |
| would | /wʊd/ | /əd/ or /d/ | I would like that. | /aɪd laɪk ðæt/ |
| should | /ʃʊd/ | /ʃəd/ | You should go. | /ju ʃəd ɡoʊ/ |
| must | /mʌst/ | /məst/ | You must be tired. | /ju məst bi ˈtaɪərd/ |
| not | /nɒt/ | /nət/ (in contractions) | He’s not here. | /hiz nət hɪr/ |