Which term describes when sounds are omitted?

Which term describes when sounds are omitted?

• A. Epenthesis
• B. Elision
• C. Transformations
• D. Migrant Education program

Answer: (B)

Elision is the way sounds are left out in speech to make pronunciation quicker and smoother. In everyday talk, speakers often drop or hide sounds, so words run together. A classic example is saying “going to” as “gonna,” where the second word’s sounds are omitted and the sequence is compressed. Another familiar case is pronouncing “family” as “fam-ly,” with the middle vowel skipped in casual speech. This helps explain why spoken language can sound different from the written form and why learners hear reduced forms in natural conversation. Epenthesis, by contrast, adds sounds rather than omits them, and the remaining options aren’t phonological terms for sound omission.

Elision is the way sounds are left out in speech to make pronunciation quicker and smoother. In everyday talk, speakers often drop or hide sounds, so words run together. A classic example is saying “going to” as “gonna,” where the second word’s sounds are omitted and the sequence is compressed. Another familiar case is pronouncing “family” as “fam-ly,” with the middle vowel skipped in casual speech. This helps explain why spoken language can sound different from the written form and why learners hear reduced forms in natural conversation. Epenthesis, by contrast, adds sounds rather than omits them, and the remaining options aren’t phonological terms for sound omission.