Spontaneous Native Speech
Build your vocabulary with practical examples
Level C2
Filler Words & Hesitations
you know
/juː noʊ/
It's, you know, complicated to explain.
I mean
/aɪ miːn/
I mean, it's not exactly what I expected.
well
/wel/
Well, that's one way of looking at it.
sort of
/sɔːrt əv/
It's sort of like a meeting, but more casual.
Reduced Contractions
gonna
/ˈɡʌnə/
I'm gonna grab a coffee — want one?
wanna
/ˈwɒnə/
Do you wanna come with us?
gotta
/ˈɡɒtə/
I gotta run — see you later!
kinda
/ˈkaɪndə/
It's kinda chilly tonight.
Conversational Hedging
if that makes sense
/ɪf ðæt meɪks sens/
It's like a soft no, if that makes sense.
or whatever
/ɔːr wɒtˈevər/
Coffee, tea, or whatever you have.
or something
/ɔːr ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
Maybe she's tired or something.
Intonation & Discourse Cues
rising intonation
/ˈraɪzɪŋ ɪntəˈneɪʃən/
So you went to Paris? (genuine question)
falling intonation
/ˈfɔːlɪŋ ɪntəˈneɪʃən/
So you went to Paris. (statement / confirmation)
right?
/raɪt/
We agreed on Tuesday, right?
yeah?
/jæ/
You'll call me later, yeah?