You've probably noticed that native speakers don't always pronounce words as they are written. And this isn't just a question of how each word is spelled.
The way words are pronounced often changes in the flow of natural speech. Sounds can blend together, change, or disappear completely.
This is often called "connected speech." It's natural, and very common, but connected speech can it make hard to understand native speakers.
You'll hear connected speech all the time in the stories in American Voices. So we'll be adding tips on the most common types of connected speech, with examples from our stories. Use these examples to "tune your ear" to how native speakers really talk - it's a great way to improve your listening skills.