ASSIMILATION

Assimilation is a process where sounds in separate words change when they are put together in speech. One way this happens is by the second sound changing to be more similar to the first.

Example:The phrase 'white bag', which becomes 'wipe bag' when it is said.

When speaking, people make many assimilations, most of them can only be noticed by the trained ear of an academic speaker and are not important for us.

Assimilation of /t/ and /p/

When a word ending in a /t/ sound is followed by a word beginning in a /p/ sound, sometimes, the two sounds come together - with the /t/ sound changing to /p/. Some examples of phrases where this might happen include:

A piece of white paper
A split personality
I hate pears

Assimilation of /d/ to /g/

In fluent speech the sound /d/ changes to /g/ if it comes before a /g/ or a /k/. This  helps the words to flow together smoothly - and it’s easier to say.
Some examples of phrases where this might happen include:

He's a really good cook
She's a bad girl.
We've got a red carpet.

Assimilation of /d/ and /b/

When one word ends in /d/ and the next begins in /b/, the /d/ becomes /b/ and then merges with the /b/ in the following word.

Good boy!
You should buy me a present!

Assimilation of /t/ followed by /k/

When the letter 't' comes after a vowel sound and before another word that starts with the sound /k/, its pronunciation changes from /t/ to /k/.

Note that some words that begin with the letters qu, like quite and quick, also start with the sound /k/.

Did you see Usain Bolt run in the race? I didn't realise he ran that quickly!
Would you pass me that carrot? I need it for this stew I'm cooking.
Fat cat bosses in the city earn far more than the average worker.

Assimilation of /s/

When one word ends in /s/ and the next begins in /j/, the /s/ becomes /ʃ/. This change also happens if the next word begins with a /ʃ/ sound itself.

Bless you!
This yacht is beautiful.

This can also happen if the /s/ is followed by a /t/ and then /j/ or/ʃ/.

Can you just shut the door please?!

Assimilation of /t/ followed by /j/ 

When we pronounce the sound /t/ and it comes before a word that starts with the sound /j/, then these two sounds can come together and change to the sound /ʧ/. This is like the sound made by the letters ch in church.

Did you like the present I got you for your birthday?
Have you been to that new restaurant yet? It's fantastic – we went yesterday.
Won't you come to the party?

Assimilation of /n/ 

When fluent speakers of English say a word that ends in the sound /n/, followed by a word that begins with a /p/, /b/, /w/ or /m/ sound, the /n/ often changes to an /m/ as the mouth gets ready to pronounce the next sound.

Some examples of phrases where this might happen include:

Green Park.
I live in Paris.
See you on Wednesday.