Consonant cluster reductions in English

Question

In English language, consonant cluster reductions (CCR) are frequently occured.   This makes non-native speakers of English difficult to listen to, in particular it occurs at the final position of the word.   Do you have some good ideas to make aware or how to teach CCR effectively?   I'd appreciate if you give me some advice or suggestions.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

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I suppose that you know there are texts available for this sort of work. Here in Japan, I use English Pronunciation Exercises for Japanese Students, by Harriette Grate. You can also have fun making up dialogues containing the clusters under question. Here is one of mine:

TV Reporter: I see that each person tends individual gardens here.
Gardener: Yes, everyone fights his own weeds.
TVR: Why are there so many birds around?
Gardener: Oh, they see the seeds and swarm in like bees. My plot feeds dozens.
TVR: Do you use any fertilizers on your collards and peppers?
Gardener: Just along the sides, where the shade retards their size.
TVR: Well, thanks and regards.

One teaching anomaly is that on the one hand, you must be sure that students learn proper pronunciation on behalf of the many cases where confusion can otherwise reign (as in 'cars' vs 'cards'), while at the same time making it clear that native speakers themselves often elide or minimize difficult combinations in such words as 'month's (/muns/).
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Anonymous · Answer

Thank you for using my mother's book.

Philip · Answer

One can also make a game of trying to decipher a cluster, but it works best in a context.

A. My stomach is bothering me.

B. Jeetchet?

A. No, I haven't had time because I got up late this morning.

[Jeetchet = Did you eat yet?]

Consonant cluster reductions in English

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