[ti:Say ‘Yes, I am’ not ‘Yes I’m’] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]Today, we answer a question from our reader Miguel. [00:03.60]He writes: [00:05.28]Why is it wrong to answer a question like this: [00:09.88]"Yes, I'm" or "Yes, it's" or "Yes, he's" ? Thank you. – from Miguel [00:19.16]Dear Miguel, [00:20.36]Thank you for your question. [00:22.24]Your examples use short answers [00:25.16]that include what grammar experts call "weak" forms. [00:29.72]When a speaker uses a contraction, or shortened word, [00:33.56]the sound of the vowel almost disappears. [00:37.08]An example is the word "I'm." [00:40.84]In this contraction, the /ae/ sound in "am" is harder to hear. [00:47.64]This happens because the speaker uses less force to say the vowel sound. [00:53.68]There are two rules that apply to these forms. [00:56.96]These rules help explain why you cannot answer "Yes, I'm." [01:03.12]The first rule has to do with an answer [01:05.64]that leaves out part of a thought. [01:07.88]Here is an example. [01:10.56]Is that your dog? [01:13.28]Yes, it is. [01:16.12]After "it is," we understand that the words [01:20.60]needed to make a complete thought are "my dog." [01:25.72]The speaker does not need to say "my dog" [01:29.32]because the listener understands what they are talking about. [01:34.60]But the speaker cannot reduce this answer to "Yes, it's." [01:41.68]So the rule is that when something is left out [01:45.64]at the end of a statement, you cannot end the statement with a weak form. [01:53.64]But this is not true when the short answer is "No." [01:59.36]In that case, the negative word "not" follows directly after the verb. [02:06.88]So the weak form is not at the end of the statement. [02:11.96]Here is an example: [02:14.48]Are you ready? [02:17.92]No, I'm not. [02:20.04]There is still something missing at the end of the statement – the word "ready." [02:25.44]But the statement does not end with the weak form "I'm." [02:30.28]The second rule has to do with stress, [02:32.96]the loudness or force a speaker uses on different sounds in a sentence. [02:38.28]Listen to the stress pattern here: [02:42.00]Will we all GO? [02:44.36]I think we WILL. [02:47.32]The speaker says the words "go" and "will" with more force or stress. [02:54.40]If a word is stressed, English does not permit reduced or weak forms. [03:01.80]So you cannot say *"I think we'll." [03:05.76]However, a speaker can stress the negative form, [03:11.56]"I think we won't." [03:13.92]I hope this helps you understand, Miguel. [03:17.88]Thank you for the question. [03:20.04]And that's Ask a Teacher. [03:22.88]What question do you have about American English? [03:25.88]Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com [03:31.80]I'm Jill Robbins. [03:33.92]And I'm Greg Stachel. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM