|
One of the most interesting thing about English is that you
can have a simple sentence such as...
Dogs
eat bones.
... and the same sentence with a much more complex verb
tense, but you will keep the same intonation pattern:
The
dogs will have eaten the bones.
Because they are both Noun-Verb-Noun sentences
with no contrast, you automatically stress the noun each
time. The verb is said very quickly and without much stress
at all. Furthermore, the natural liaisons make the
sound very different from the spelling:
Dogs
eat bones.
[däg zeet bounz]
The
dogs will have eaten the bones.
[the däg z'l'veetn the bounz]
When you switch to a Pronoun-Verb-Pronoun sentence, the
liaisons are the same, but the main verb is stressed.
They
eat them.
[they ee d'm.]
They will
have eaten them.
[they l'v ee(t)n'm.]
Listen carefully to a radio broadcast and notice how complex
verb tenses are used and pronounced.
|
