assimilation of /d/ and /b/

Hi. I’m Tim and this is my Pronunciation workshop. Here I’m going to show you how English is really spoken. Come on, let’s go inside. Now, do you know the word speeb? No, of course not because it’s not a real word. Or is it? Listen to some people in London talking about this.

It’s a speed boat. Speed boat. Speed boat. Speed boat. Speed boat.

Now, the word speed ends in the sound /d/, doesn ‘t it? Well not always. Watch and listen again, what sound can you actually hear?

It’s a spee ? b oat. Spee b oat. Spee b oat. Spee b oat. Spee b oat.

In everyday speech, when we’re speaking fluently, if one word ends in a vowel sound followed by a /d/ and the next begins in a /b/ , then the /d/ changes to a /b/ and then merges with the /b/ from the following word . So ‘speed boat’, becomes ‘spee bb oat’. Watch again, this time in slow motion. Look at the mouth shape. Can you see /d/ or is it just /b/?

Spee b b oat. Spee b b oat. Spee b b oat. Spee b b oat. Spee b b oat.

This is another case of assimilation. Here are some more examples.

My son is a really goo d b oy. I’m sorry if I was ru de b efore. My car had to be towe d b ack to the garage. You shoul d b uy him a present.

So, you’ve heard the examples, and now it’s your turn. You know the drill. Listen and repeat.

My son is a really goo d b oy. I’m sorry if I was ru de b efore. My car had to be towe d b ack to the garage. You shoul d b uy him a present.

Well done. And remember, if you want to learn more about pronunciation, then please visit our website, bbclearningenglish.com. And that is about it from the pronunciation workshop for this week. I ‘ll see you soon. Bye bye! Aah - you know, one day I’m going to get one of these. Not a toy, obviously, but the real thing. My dad promised. He said if I was a good boy he’d buy me a boat. That was quite a long time ago actually. I think I was five years old - and I have been a good boy. Maybe he’s just forgotten. I’m never going to get my speed boat, am I?