| Weak forms | function words are weak inside a clause, strong at its end | a cup of tea /ə ˈkʌp əv ˈtiː/ |
| Sentence stress | content words carry the stress; function words stay weak | We want to go to the park. |
| Linking | a final consonant joins the next vowel; /r/, /j/ and /w/ link vowels | turn off /tɜː.nɒf/ |
| Elision and assimilation | t and d drop between consonants; a final consonant matches the next | next day /neks deɪ/ · ten boys /tem bɔɪz/ |
| Intonation | falls for statements and wh-questions, rises for yes-no questions | Where do you live? ↘ / Do you live here? ↗ |
| Contrastive stress | stress the word that carries the contrast | I didn't say he stole her money. |
| C1Informal reductions | you merges with d and t; gonna for going to; h drops | did you /ˈdɪdʒuː/ · going to gonna |
| C1Attitude | the same words change meaning with the tune | Really? ↗ / Really? ↘↗ |
| C1Focus | new information takes the stress; given words lose it | Who broke it? — Tom broke it. |
| C1Trap | statements fall; a final rise sounds like a question | I live in Leeds. ↘ |
| C2Key and turns | high key engages, low key closes; falls end turns, rises hold them | That is all from me. ↘ |
| C2Stress shift | a stress moves earlier before another stressed syllable | thirteen but thirteen men |