在口语交流中，尤其是英语母语人士在交谈时，一些单词中的元音，甚至个别单词，会被简化读成一个类似 /Ə/ 的 “懒音”。学习这类缩略音的发音规律有助于让我们的英语听起来更自然、流畅。看视频，和主持人 Sian 一起学一学。

Let's find out how to make your pronunciation more natural.

So, in fast speech we don't pronounce every word equally.

Fast words are often pronounced as this sound – the schwa.

It's a lazy sound like this: /Ə/ Here are some examples.

In natural speech, grammar words like articles, prepositions can be reduced to a schwa.

A and of can become /Ə/. An becomes /Ən/. To becomes /tƏ/.A cup of tea becomes /Ə/ cup /Ə/ tea.

Also the auxiliary have is often reduced to just /Ə/.Would have becomes /ˈwʊd·ə/, should have – /ˈʃʊd·ə/ and could have – /ˈkʊd·ə/.You should've told me, I would've helped.

And with going to, the to often becomes /Ə/ so we get /ˈɡə.nə/ and want to becomes /ˈwə.nə/.So, if you wanna sound more natural you're gonna have to use the schwa.

口语交流中，有些元音会被弱化成 “非重读央元音” /Ə/。比如：

1. 冠词 “a”、“an”，介词 “to”、“of” 等语法词：A cup of tea → /Ə/ cup /Ə/ teaI'll talk to him later → I'll talk /tƏ/ him laterWhat an odd thing to say → What /Ən/ odd thing to say

2. 助动词 “have”：You should have told me, I would have helped. → You /ˈʃʊd·ə/ told me, I /ˈwʊd·ə/ helped.I could have done that → I /ˈkʊd·ə/ done that

3. 搭配 “going to” 和 “want to”： I'm going to go there and check → I'm /ˈɡə.nə/ go there and checkDo you want to come? → Do you /ˈwə.nə/ come?