How to Pronounce ‘do’
Listen to the conversation- How many pronunciations of ‘do’ can you hear?
Do cats really have 9 lives?
They don’t, but some act as though they do!There are three pronunciations of ‘do’ in the dialogue:
Do /də/ cats really have 9 lives?
They don’t, /dəʊnt/ but some act as though they do /du:/!How is ‘do’ pronounced?
- The pronunciation of ‘do’ depends on stress, function and position.
- When ‘do’ is weak (unstressed) it is pronounced as: /də/ before a consonant and /du/ before a vowel.
- When ‘do’ is strong (stressed) it is pronounced as /duː/.
- The negative form of ‘do’ is always pronounced as /dəʊnt/.
- ‘Do you’ can be said slowly as /də ju/, or quickly as /dju/ or /dʒu/ (assimilated)./li>
DRILL
Weak /də/: How do sharks breathe? Do they work? Why do cats meow?
Weak /du/: Do ants live underground? How do I spell it? Where do I begin?
Strong /duː/: Let’s do it. You do, do you? Please do it now.
Negative /dəʊnt/: Why don’t you like me? Don’t you want it? I don’t care.
EXERCISE
Listen to the recording and decide which pronunciation of ‘do’ is missing?
A. ____ you want to some?
B. Why ____ I help you. C. That simply won’t ____. D. I ____ think I’ll bother. E. Where ____ you live? F. ____ be so dramatic. G. Let’s ____ it together. H. ____ help yourself. I. What ____ elephants eat? J. How ____ bees make honey?A. /də/ you want to some? * ‘do you’ can be /dju/ or /dʒu/.
B. Why /dəʊnt/ I help you.
C. That simply won’t /duː/.
D. I /dəʊnt/ think I’ll bother.
E. Where /də/ you live? * or Where /dju/ or /dʒu/ you live?
F. /dəʊnt/ be so dramatic.
G. Let’s /duː/ it together.
H. /du:/ help yourself.
I. What /du/ elephants eat?
J. How /də/ bees make honey?