This passage provides practice in linking vowel to vowel, consonant to vowel, and consonant to consonant. The focus words are in bold letters. The thought groups are divided by a slash.

My American Accent

I’ve been practicing the ^yAmerican _ accent // for _ a while now. At first, // it was kind _ of hard // to keep track _ of _ all the rules _ and _ exceptions. I had no _ ^widea // there was _ so much to learn. I’ve been practicing // with the _ ^yaudio materials. // It’s _ somewhat _ easier // to pronounce _ some _ of the sounds // but _ it’s difficult to know // how _ ^wI sound _ to _ ^wothers. I think I’m getting better. One _ of the hardest _ things for me // is to stress _ some syllables // and to reduce _ certain _ others. When _ I ^yask my friends // how _ ^wI sound, they _ ^yall say // they hear _ a difference _ in my speech. My boss _ said // that _ I am _ making progress // and that _ I sound // more _ and more like _ a native speaker. My clients _ are not _ asking me // to repeat myself _ as much. It makes _ it _ all worthwhile. I won’t stop _ practicing.