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Contractions

Contractions collapse two words into one and often into a single syllable. The reduced forms are standard spoken English, not slang, and failing to use them sounds formal and slow. Listen for how little of the original word survives.


15 words · beginner · your accent and voice are remembered across the site. More options on the settings page.

The words

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Thirteen or thirty? Fifteen or fifty? The stress is the only clue. Hear the pairs contrasted.
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Simple, fun words for young learners: animals, colours and everyday objects, said clearly.
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Actually, probably, definitely, whatever: the filler and softener words of real conversation.
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Words you need at a doctor's appointment: symptoms, prescriptions and appointments.
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Agenda, deadline, colleague, schedule: the vocabulary of every meeting, said correctly.
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The words almost everyone says wrong: espresso, sherbet, mischievous, prerogative.
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Keep practising

Browse every practice list or the word index, hear two accents back to back on Compare, or test your ear with the listening quiz.

To read the rules behind these words, see the pronunciation guides — including silent letters, word stress and American vs British. Or hear each accent on its own page: American, British, Australian.