/ə/ Function Words
– Find two schwa sounds /ə/ in the following sentence:
The call's for John.
/ðəˈ kɔːlz fə ˈdʒɒn/
Many small grammatical words like ‘for’, ‘of’ & ‘the’
are normally pronounced with /ə/
in connected speech.
These words are called function words.
Many function words are prepositions, auxiliary verbs, pronouns, conjunctions & articles.
– Practise the phrases with a schwa in the underlined words:
1. go to work
2. pass the biscuits
3. ride a bike
4. send some money
5. this could happen
6. where was Peter
7. bring them back
8. more than three
9. what do they want
10. as good as gold