consonant linking

Rule Core

Consonant blends occur when two or more consonants appear together and each sound is fully pronounced without inserting a vowel. The phonetic logic is additive rather than fused, as seen in apt, between, and exponent.

Articulation Guide

Maintain a continuous airflow while shifting articulators rapidly. In apt, release /p/ and move directly to /t/. In between, /tw/ requires tongue-tip stability with rounded lips. In exponent, keep /ks/ tight and clean, avoiding any schwa.

Word Analysis

• apt /æpt/: sharp stop-to-stop transition.
• between /bɪˈtwiːn/: classic initial blend /tw/.
• exponent /ɪkˈspoʊnənt/: medial blend /ks/.

Pitfalls

Do not insert extra vowels or over-segment blends. Spelling length does not equal syllable count.