Part 1 of 4

The music of English

Saying every word correctly is not enough to sound natural. Learn which words get the stress, where to pause, how your voice goes up and down, and how words connect when you speak.

This is a sentence with all the marks. By the end of this page, you will be able to read every one of them.

About the audio

Start here: how to study this partAbout 60 minutes in total

Goal:By the end of this part you will hear and use the music of English: which words are strong, where to pause, how your voice moves and how words connect.

  1. Find a quiet place and use headphones. Chrome, Edge or Safari work best.
  2. Go in order, from the first section to the last. In each section: read, play the examples (the round play buttons), and then do the practice.
  3. For every example, follow four steps: listen, notice, repeat out loud, and listen again to compare.
  4. Use Slow mode to follow the marks, and Normal mode when you repeat or do shadowing.
  5. Finish with the dialogue, the fill-in activity, the final quiz and Say it, which uses your microphone.

Tip:Two or three short sessions work better than one long one. You can repeat any activity as many times as you want, and nothing is graded.

If it does not work:No sound? Check the volume and the silent mode of your phone. No microphone? Tap Allow when the browser asks, or try Chrome.

Your browser has no English voice available. Try Chrome, Edge or Safari to hear the audio.
How to read the marksAbout 3 minutes

Goal:Learn to read the marks, because every example in the course uses them.

  1. Look at the bold words. They are the content words, the words that carry the message.
  2. Find the underlined word in each group. It has the main stress. Say it a little louder and longer.
  3. Look for the vertical lines. They divide the sentence into thought groups. You can take a small pause between groups.
  4. Follow the arrow at the end of a group. A down arrow means your voice falls, a flat arrow means it stays neutral, and an up arrow means it rises.
  5. A small curve between two words means they link. Say them together, like one word.

Tip:Tap Hide marks to test yourself. Try to remember the marks, and then show them again to check.

Bold = content words Light = function words Underline = main stress = thought group ↘ falling → neutral ↗ rising ‿ = linking
1

Content words and function words

In English, not all words have the same weight. Some carry the message and are strong. Others just connect the message and are quick and soft.

Content words: the message

Stronger, longer and clearer.

  • Nouns: client, report, meeting
  • Main verbs: call, send, need
  • Adjectives and adverbs: quick, great, tomorrow
  • Wh- words: what, where, why
  • Negatives: not, can't, don't

Function words: the glue

Quick and soft. Their vowel usually reduces to /ə/.

  • Articles: a, an, the
  • Prepositions: to, for, of, at, in
  • Pronouns: I, you, it, them
  • Auxiliary verbs: do, can, have, is, are
  • Conjunctions: and, but, or

The text message test: if you read only the content words, you still get the message: need, call, client, tomorrow. That is why native listeners focus on them.
How to do this activityAbout 5 minutes

Goal:Find the content words in each sentence.

  1. Read the sentence and, if you want, tap the audio button to hear it.
  2. Ask yourself: which words carry the message? Nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs, question words and negatives.
  3. Tap each content word. It changes color. Tap it again to remove it.
  4. Tap Check. You will see which words were right and which ones you missed.
  5. Read the feedback, and tap Try again to repeat the practice.

Tip:A quick test: imagine you are sending a text message and you pay for every word. The words you keep are the content words.

If it does not work:If you are not sure, listen again. Content words sound longer and clearer.

Practice 1

Tap the content words in each sentence. Then tap Check.

2

Main stress: the word you hear the most

In every group of words, one word stands out: the main stress. Your voice goes up or changes on it, and the syllable gets longer.

Basic rule: it is usually the last content word in the group.

When it changes

When you correct or contrast something, the stress moves to the new information:

In compound nouns, the stress goes on the first word:

How to do this activityAbout 4 minutes

Goal:Find the word with the main stress in each sentence.

  1. Tap the audio button and listen to the whole sentence. Listen at least twice.
  2. Notice the word that sounds longest and strongest. Your voice goes up or changes on it.
  3. Tap that word.
  4. You will see right away if you are correct, with a short explanation. Read it.
  5. At the end, check your score and tap Try again if you want to improve it.

Tip:The main stress is usually on the last content word of the group. It moves when someone corrects or contrasts something.

Practice 2

Listen and tap the word with the main stress.

3

Thought groups: speaking in chunks

Native speakers do not speak word by word. They speak in chunks of meaning. There is a short pause between chunks, and each chunk has its own main stress.

Groups usually break at commas, before a new idea (and, but, because, when, if) and around extra information.

Common mistake: breaking in the middle of a chunk (When I got | to the office the meeting…). It sounds choppy, even when every word is pronounced well.
How to do this activityAbout 4 minutes

Goal:Choose how to divide each sentence into thought groups.

  1. Read the sentence and listen to it.
  2. You will see several options. In each one, the lines show where the speaker pauses.
  3. Choose the option that keeps together the words that belong together: a subject with its verb, a time or place expression, or one item of a list.
  4. Read the explanation, and then say the sentence out loud with those pauses.

Tip:A thought group usually has one idea and one main stress. If an option has a pause in the middle of an idea, it is probably wrong.

Practice 3

Choose the most natural way to divide the sentence into thought groups.

4

Intonation: where your voice goes

At the end of each group, your voice falls, rises or stays up. This tells the listener if you are finished, asking a question, or going to continue.

↘ Falling

Statements, wh- questions and instructions. It sounds sure and finished.

↗ Rising

Yes/no questions, surprise, and checking information.

→ Neutral: it stays up

You are not finished yet: before another group, in lists, and after words like Honestly, Well, So.

Be careful: in Spanish, we often raise our voice at the end of everything. In English, a statement that rises sounds unsure or like a question.
How to do this activityAbout 4 minutes

Goal:Decide if the voice falls or rises at the end of the sentence.

  1. Tap the audio and listen to the end of the sentence, not the beginning.
  2. Does your ear hear the voice go down (finished, certain) or up (a question, surprise, or not finished)?
  3. Choose the option that matches what you heard.
  4. Read the explanation. Then say the sentence yourself and follow the arrow with your voice.

Tip:Statements and wh- questions usually fall. Yes/no questions and surprise usually rise.

Practice 4

Listen to each sentence and decide: does the voice fall or rise at the end?

5

Linking: words connect

When we speak, the end of one word connects to the start of the next. That is why you sometimes hear one long word where there are three. These are the five most common cases.

Consonant + vowel

The final consonant jumps to the next word.

sounds like: tur-ni-toff

sounds like: che-ki-tout

Same consonant

You say it only once, a little longer.

sounds like: nex-time

sounds like: a ba-day

Vowel + vowel

A bridge sound appears: /w/ or /y/.

sounds like: go-won

sounds like: ai-yagree

t / d + you

They blend into a /ch/ or /j/ sound.

sounds like: di-jyu finish

sounds like: wu-jyu like

Weak forms

Function words that almost disappear: to, for, and, of, can.

sounds like: salt-ən-pepper

sounds like: a cu-pə coffee
How to do this activityAbout 4 minutes

Goal:Choose how the words really sound when they are connected.

  1. Read the written sentence.
  2. Tap the audio and listen to how the words are joined.
  3. Choose the option that is written the way it sounds.
  4. Read the explanation, and then say the connected version out loud.

Tip:Do not look at the spelling. Trust your ears. In real speech we link words, so pick it up sounds like pi-ki-tup.

Practice 5

Listen and choose how it really sounds.

6

Putting it all together: the dialogue

Laura needs help with a presentation, so she asks Marco. Listen with the marks, repeat each line, and then hide the marks.

How to do this activityAbout 15 minutes

Goal:Practice everything together with a real conversation.

  1. Choose Slow mode. Tap Listen to the dialogue and follow the marks with your eyes.
  2. Play one line at a time and repeat it out loud. Copy the stress, the pauses and the melody.
  3. Repeat each line three times. If you can, record yourself on your phone and compare your voice with the model.
  4. Tap Hide marks and read the dialogue again. Try to remember where the stress, the pauses and the links are.
  5. Change to Normal mode and do shadowing: speak at the same time as the audio, a tiny bit behind it.

Tip:Shadowing is hard at first. Start with one line, then two, and then the full dialogue. It gets easier day by day.

Bold = content words Light = function words Underline = main stress = thought group ↘ falling → neutral ↗ rising ‿ = linking

How to practice

  1. Listen to the full dialogue in Slow mode and follow the marks.
  2. Play each line and repeat it out loud. Copy the stress, the pauses and the intonation.
  3. Hide the marks and read the dialogue on your own, with the same pauses and linking.
  4. Change to Normal speed and speak at the same time as the audio (shadowing).
7

Fill in and personalize

The missing words are content words: the words that carry the stress. Listen, fill in the blanks, and then create your own sentences.

How to do this activityAbout 8 minutes

Goal:Listen and complete the missing words.

  1. Tap the play button next to a line and listen. You can listen as many times as you want.
  2. Tap a word in the vocabulary box. You hear the word and it goes into the next empty blank. You can also type the word.
  3. The box has two extra words. They do not belong in any blank.
  4. Tap Check to see which blanks are correct. Fix the others and check again.
  5. Stuck? Tap Show solution and read the answers. Then tap Try again and do it without help.

Tip:The missing words are content words, the words that carry the stress. Listen for the strong words.

Listen and fill in the blanks

Listen to each line from the dialogue and fill in the blank. Tap a word in the box to hear it and put it in the blank, or type it.

Vocabulary box

Tap a word to hear it and put it in a blank. There are two extra words.

How to do this activityAbout 8 minutes

Goal:Create your own sentences and hear them with the right rhythm.

  1. Read each sentence and look at the blank.
  2. Choose an option from the vocabulary ideas, or type your own words.
  3. Tap Check to be sure that every blank is complete.
  4. Tap Listen to my version to hear your complete sentences.
  5. Repeat each sentence three times. Stress the content words and let your voice fall at the end of each statement.

Tip:Use real information about your life and your work. You will remember it better, and your sentences will sound more natural.

Personalize

Complete the sentences with your own information. Choose an option from the box or write your own.

Hear your own sentences. When you finish, tap Listen to my version. Repeat 3 times. Stress the content words and let your voice fall at the end of each statement.

Vocabulary ideas

Choose one option for each blank, or write your own.

8

Final quiz

Twelve questions to review everything: content words, main stress, thought groups, intonation and linking. Listen to each one before you answer.

How to do this activityAbout 10 minutes

Goal:Check what you learned in this part.

  1. Tap the audio button and listen to the question or the sentence.
  2. Choose your answer. The bar at the top shows your progress.
  3. You see the explanation right away. Read it before you go to the next question.
  4. At the end you see your result and what to do next.

Tip:A good goal is 70% or more. If you get less, go back to the sections you missed, listen in Slow mode, and take the quiz again. It is normal to repeat it.

How much did you learn?

Tap the audio button, listen and choose your answer. You will see the explanation right away.

How to do this activityAbout 10 minutes

Goal:Say the items out loud and let the app check your pronunciation.

  1. Tap the play button to hear the model. Listen to the stress, the rhythm and the sounds.
  2. Tap Say it. The first time, your browser asks for permission to use the microphone. Tap Allow.
  3. Wait for Listening and say the whole item at normal speed, like the model.
  4. The app shows the words it heard well and marks in red the words it did not hear clearly.
  5. Listen to the model again and try again until you are happy with it.

Tip:Use a quiet place and speak clearly. Nothing is recorded or saved. On a computer with Chrome or Edge you also see an analysis of your melody and rhythm.

If it does not work:If you see We did not hear anything, tap Say it and try again. If the microphone is blocked, allow it in the browser settings or use Chrome or Edge.

9

Consolidation: read and pronounce

Consolida lo que practicaste. Escucha el modelo, toca Dilo y di cada frase en voz alta. La app revisa tu pronunciación y marca cualquier palabra que no escuchó con claridad. Si escucha un homófono, como son en lugar de sun, cuenta como correcto, porque las dos palabras suenan igual.

Practiced: 0/8Correct: 0/8Works best in Chrome or Edge. The browser asks for the microphone the first time.

LEVEL 1 · THE MUSIC OF ENGLISH · MINI COURSE

PART 1

Rhythm and melody

Content words, stress, thought groups, intonation and linking.

You are herePART 3

The sounds of English

Vowels, diphthongs, consonants, word stress, and prolong, stress, connect.

OpenPART 4

Sound games

Sound order, Click & Say, memory games and the minimal pairs lab.

Open
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