Which linking sound is inserted between two rounded vowels, as in 'you are' or 'you eat'?

Which linking sound is inserted between two rounded vowels, as in 'you are' or 'you eat'?

• A. Intrusive /w/
• B. Intrusive /j/
• C. Glottal stop
• D. Epenthetic vowel

Answer: (A)

When two vowels come together in connected speech, English often adds a linking sound to make the transition smooth. Between rounded vowels, the preferred bridge is a /w/ sound. This intrusive /w/ keeps the lip rounding consistent as you move from the first vowel to the next word, so phrases like “you are” come out roughly as youːwɑː in many accents and “you eat” as youːwiːt. The /w/ acts as a subtle glide that connects the two vowels without adding a full extra vowel. The other options don’t fit that smooth, rounded-vowel connection. An intrusive /j/ would link with a different tongue position (more like a “y” sound) and isn’t the typical link between rounded vowels. A glottal stop isn’t used to connect two vowels in this way, and an epenthetic vowel would insert a noticeable extra vowel instead of a glide, which wouldn’t yield the same seamless pronunciation.

When two vowels come together in connected speech, English often adds a linking sound to make the transition smooth. Between rounded vowels, the preferred bridge is a /w/ sound. This intrusive /w/ keeps the lip rounding consistent as you move from the first vowel to the next word, so phrases like “you are” come out roughly as youːwɑː in many accents and “you eat” as youːwiːt. The /w/ acts as a subtle glide that connects the two vowels without adding a full extra vowel.

The other options don’t fit that smooth, rounded-vowel connection. An intrusive /j/ would link with a different tongue position (more like a “y” sound) and isn’t the typical link between rounded vowels. A glottal stop isn’t used to connect two vowels in this way, and an epenthetic vowel would insert a noticeable extra vowel instead of a glide, which wouldn’t yield the same seamless pronunciation.