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The 100 MOST COMMON WORDS in ENGLISH

Rachel's English・97 minutes read

The most common words in American English are analyzed for pronunciation variations and reductions, with examples illustrating proper stress and intonation patterns. Learning reductions and stressed pronunciation is essential for fluent and natural American English speech, encouraging continued practice and exploration through educational videos.

Insights

Pronunciation of common English words involves specific sounds and reductions to improve natural speech.
Contractions like "I'm" for "I am" and "you're" for "you are" are common in American English, aiding in smoother speech.
Stressing specific words is crucial for clarity and understanding in spoken English.
Reductions in pronunciation, like dropping sounds in words such as "I am" becoming "I'm," are essential for natural American English speech.
The pronunciation of words like "and" can be altered by dropping sounds, facilitating smoother linking between words in phrases.
The study of the top 500 most common English words can significantly enhance spoken English fluency and comprehension.

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Recent questions

How is the word "THE" pronounced?
With a schwa sound when followed by a consonant, and with an EE vowel sound when followed by a vowel or diphthong.

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Summary

00:00

Common American English Pronunciations and Reductions

The most common word in American English is "THE", pronounced as "the" with a schwa sound when followed by a consonant, and with an EE vowel sound when followed by a vowel or diphthong.
The word "BE" is usually pronounced in contractions like "I'm" for "I am", "you're" for "you are", and "he's" for "he is", with the possibility of reducing to just the M sound in some cases.
The word "TO" is often pronounced with a schwa sound and a flap T, like "go to", emphasizing a quick pronunciation.
"OF" is typically pronounced as "of" with a light V sound, and sometimes without the V sound, especially in phrases like "kind of" and "sort of".
Practice sentences with reductions like "I am" becoming "I'm" to improve natural American English speech.
The word "AND" can be reduced by dropping the D sound, pronouncing it as "an'", or just the N sound, like "n'", to link words smoothly in phrases.
The articles "A" and "AN" are pronounced as "a" and "an" with a schwa sound, requiring minimal mouth movement.
The word "IN" should be pronounced as "in" with a short, less clear sound to indicate unstressed usage.
"THAT" can be reduced to "that" with a schwa sound, and the pronunciation of the T depends on the following word, either a flap T or a stop T.
The verb "HAVE" is often contracted in spoken English, like "I've" for "I have", "you've" for "you have", and "he's" for "he has", with variations in pronunciation based on the following word.

16:00

Key Word Stress in American English Pronunciation

Stressing certain words in American English is crucial for clarity and understanding.
The word "on" is highlighted as an example of proper stress and pronunciation.
The word "with" can be pronounced with a voiced or unvoiced TH sound.
The word "he" often reduces to just the EE sound, dropping the H.
The word "as" reduces to "uhz" with a schwa sound.
The word "you" can be reduced to "yuh" in casual speech.
The word "do" can be reduced to D plus schwa in certain contexts.
The word "at" is often pronounced as "ut" with a schwa sound.
The word "this" is usually unstressed and said quickly in conversation.
The word "but" is typically unstressed and pronounced with a Flap T or Stop T.

31:02

Understanding English Verb Contractions and Pronouns

The indefinite article 'a' was discussed in a previous video of the series.
The word 'will' is stressed when it's the only verb in a sentence.
'Will' is used to indicate future actions.
'Will' is often contracted, like 'I'll', 'you'll', 'he'll', 'she'll', 'it'll', 'we'll', 'they'll'.
Contractions of 'will' can be pronounced differently, like 'yull', 'hill', 'hull', 'shull'.
The contraction 'will' can be placed at the end of third person singular nouns.
'My' is a possessive pronoun that can also be used as an expression of surprise.
'One' can be stressed when used as a noun or adjective, but reduced to 'un' when used as a pronoun.
'All' is usually stressed and commonly used as an adjective, noun, or adverb.
'Would', 'could', and 'should' can be reduced by changing the vowel to a schwa and dropping the 'd' sound.

45:49

Pronunciation and Usage of Common English Words

The word "up" is broken down into its pronunciation components: UH vowel and P consonant, with the P being a stop consonant.
Stop consonants like P are explained as involving a halt in airflow followed by a light release, as in the word "up."
Exceptions to releasing stop consonants are noted, such as when they occur at the end of a thought group or before a consonant sound in the next word.
Common phrasal verbs using "up" are listed, highlighting its frequent usage in English language.
The pronunciation and reduction rules for the word "out" are detailed, emphasizing the stop consonant T and its variations based on word placement.
Examples of the pronunciation of "out" in different contexts, including the flap T when followed by a vowel or diphthong, are provided.
The reduction of the word "if" in unstressed situations is explained, with examples showcasing its quick and flat pronunciation.
The word "about" is discussed in terms of its pronunciation variations when stressed or unstressed, with examples illustrating pitch and volume changes.
A correction is made regarding the reduction of "about" to "bout" in certain contexts, with examples provided.
The pronunciation and stress patterns of the word "who" are outlined, highlighting its reduction when used in the middle of a sentence.

01:01:10

Stressed and Unstressed Words in English

In American English, words are categorized into Content Words and Function Words, with Content Words like "make" being stressed in sentences.
The word "make" is typically stressed, with an up-down intonation shape, contrasting with flatter words like "when."
"Can" is often a helping verb and reduces in pronunciation, changing to "kn" in phrases like "Who can help?"
"Like" can be stressed or unstressed, with no reduction in pronunciation even when unstressed.
"Time" is always a stressed word, pronounced with a True T and AI diphthong, with the lips coming together for the M sound.
"No" is another always-stressed word, with lip rounding for the diphthong and an up-down intonation shape.
"Just" can reduce in pronunciation, dropping the T when followed by a consonant, like in "jus' thought."
The word "him" often reduces, dropping the H and linking to the previous word, as in "gave 'im."
"Know" is a homophone with "no," often reduced in common phrases like "I dunno."
"Take" is generally stressed, with a True T and AY diphthong, pronounced longer with an up-down shape.
"People" is a stressed word, with the first syllable emphasized and a detailed pronunciation guide provided.
"Into" is an unstressed preposition, pronounced with a flat pitch, a T sounding like a D, and a final schwa vowel.

01:16:06

American English Pronunciation Tips: Year, Your, Good

Americans pronounce 'into' with a D or Flap T sound connected to the N, not a True T sound.
Learning only the stressed pronunciation in American English won't make your English sound natural due to frequent reductions.
The word 'year' is generally stressed in a sentence, with no reduction, and pronounced with an up-down shape of stress.
Pronunciation of 'year' differs from 'ear' mainly due to the Y sound and tongue movement.
'Year' involves the jaw dropping more to accommodate tongue movement and throat closure for the Y sound.
'Your' is often reduced to 'yer' in sentences, with the vowel changing to the schwa and pronounced quickly and low in pitch.
'Good' is a content word with an up-down shape of stress, where the D sound can be subtle due to skipping the release.
The word 'some' can be fully pronounced or reduced to 'sum' depending on its usage in a sentence.
'Them' is a pronoun that can be pronounced with or without the TH sound, sounding the same as 'him' when reduced.
'See' is generally a stressed verb with an up-down shape and longer syllable in a sentence.

01:31:25

Pronunciation Tips for Common English Words

'Than' is used for comparisons, 'then' for timing and sequences.
'Then' is often reduced to a schwa sound in casual speech.
'Then' pronounced fully has the EH vowel sound.
'Now' is an adverb that doesn't reduce and is stressed in sentences.
'Look' is a verb or noun, pronounced with the 'uh' sound, not 'Luke'.
'Only' is a content word with a diphthong 'oh' sound, not 'uh'.
'Come' is a verb, stressed in sentences, with a relaxed 'uh' vowel sound.
'It's' without an apostrophe shows possession, pronounced as 'ts'.
'Over' is a preposition, unstressed, with an 'oh' diphthong and quick 'r' sound.
'Think' is a verb, usually stressed, with a tricky 'th' sound and a diphthong 'ee' sound.

01:46:31

English Pronunciation: Stressed vs. Unstressed Words

Unstressed words in English are flatter, less clear, and mumbled, like "after."
Stressed words in English are longer, have stressed syllables, and an up-down pitch, creating contrast.
The word "use" changes pronunciation depending on its part of speech, with an S sound as a noun and a Z sound as a verb.
The word "two" is a homophone, pronounced the same as "to" but not fully pronounced like "to."
Question words like "how" are generally stressed in sentences, with a clear, longer pronunciation.
The word "our" is a function word that reduces in pronunciation to sound less clear and more natural in sentences.
The verb "work" is a content word that is stressed in a sentence, with a clear pronunciation and the R vowel sound.
The word "first" has the R vowel sound, with the letter I not pronounced as a vowel but just the R sound.
The word "well" can be stressed as a content word or unstressed as an interjection at the beginning of sentences.
The word "way" is a noun that is fully pronounced and stressed in a sentence, with the W consonant and AY diphthong.

02:01:17

Pronunciation Tips for Common English Words

The word "even" is two syllables, with stress on the first syllable, pronounced as "ee."
Pronunciation involves the tongue tip down, touching the back of the bottom front teeth, with the top front part of the tongue arched towards the roof of the mouth.
The word "even" is followed by "V, schwa, N," with the schwa absorbed by the N, creating a flat, low-pitched, and quickly said unstressed syllable.
Sample sentences like "I didn't make much money, but I did break even" show the word "even" stressed or unstressed based on importance in the sentence.
The word "new" is pronounced as "N consonant and oo vowel," with the pronunciation "new" being more common than "new" with the EW diphthong.
The word "want" is usually stressed as a verb or noun, but the T at the end is commonly dropped, as seen in sentences like "We want him to succeed."
The pronunciation of "want" can vary based on the following word, with the T being dropped before a vowel or diphthong, creating a stop sound before a consonant.
The word "because" can be pronounced with the AH, AW, or UH vowel, but it is often reduced to "cuz" or even further to "cuz" with the schwa sound.
The word "any" can be stressed or unstressed, with no reduction, and the pronunciation varies based on stress, with examples like "any kid" or "Do you feel any better?"
The word "these" can be stressed or unstressed, with the TH sound sometimes pronounced without bringing the tongue tip through the teeth, and examples like "Everyone wants one of these" show the pronunciation differences.

02:16:20

Stress and pronunciation in American English words

"Call it a day" is an idiom meaning to stop working, often used by colleagues to suggest ending work.
The word "most" is generally stressed but may have a reduced T sound when followed by a consonant for smoother speech.
The word "us" is typically unstressed as a pronoun, pronounced as "uh" or "us" quickly, but stressed if it's the last word in a sentence.
The speaker studied the 100 most common words in American English and decided to expand to the top 500 words for further analysis.
The word "more" is a content word stressed in a sentence, pronounced with either the "a" as in law vowel or the "o" diphthong.
"Very" is an adjective or adverb that adds intensity to a sentence, pronounced with the "e" as in bed vowel followed by R.
The verb "find" is a content word stressed in a sentence, with the ending D dropped between two consonants but pronounced before a vowel.
The word "where" is often stressed in a sentence, pronounced with the "a" as in bed vowel followed by R.
"Thing" is a noun usually stressed in a sentence, pronounced with the unvoiced "th" sound followed by the "i" as in sit vowel and NG consonant.
"Should" can be reduced to just the "sh" sound when followed by a consonant, pronounced as "sh" plus "schah."

02:31:44

Mastering Reductions for Fluent English Speaking

Used "such" twice, first unstressed and then stressed
Made 11 videos as a fun project to help learn
Understanding reductions will enhance spoken English fluency
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