reduced speech

[PelajarBaru]

Hello Teachers,

Do the British use reduced speech like gotta, gonna and wanna in their everyday conversations just like the Americans? When is it not proper to use such words? Are such words used only by young people?

[colloquium]

Hello Teachers,

Do the British use reduced speech like gotta, gonna and wanna in their everyday conversations just like the Americans? When is it not proper to use such words? Are such words used only by young people?

They are widely used by the British.

When is it not proper to use such words? Whenever you want the listener to think you are capable of producing proper English!

But lots of people do it.

It's not just the young or poorly educated: it's simply a way of making sentences less of a mouthful, which at times is very helpful; but if you're trying to present a serious point, it's best to pronounce each word individually.

[Raymott]

Hello Teachers,

Do the British use reduced speech like gotta, gonna and wanna in their everyday conversations just like the Americans? When is it not proper to use such words? Are such words used only by young people?

These aren't words to be learnt. They are (usually) simply the way the right words are pronounced when your speaking fast or very casually - they sound natural that way.

[naomimalan]

These aren't words to be learnt. They are (usually) simply the way the right words are pronounced when your speaking fast or very casually - they sound natural that way.

I quite agree and would like to add a further comment: sometimes students in this forum actually write these words the way native speakers pronounce them (Dear Teacher, I gotta a question....Hi everyone, I'm gonna take an exam soon and I wanna know if ....). This is incorrect. I'm afraid it only makes it evident that they are learners and not native speakers. In other words, it has the opposite effect to the effect it's intended to have.