The term elision describes the disappearance of a sound. For example, in the utterance He leaves next week speakers would generally elide (leave out) the /t/ in next saying /neks wi:k/. Again here, the reason is an economy of effort, and in some instances the difficulty of putting certain consonant sounds together while maintaining a regular rhythm and speed. Elision is such type of phenomenon when in rapid colloquial speech certain words may lose some of their sounds (vowels and consonants).Elision occurs both within words and at word boundaries.
Some rules for elision
2.1 The most common elisions in English are /t/ and /d/, when they appear within a consonant cluster.
We arrived the next day. (/t/ elided between /ks/ and /d/)
When we reached Paris, we stopped for lunch. (/t/ elided between /tʃ/ and /p/, and between /p/ and /f/
We bought a lovely carved statuette. (/d/ elided between /v/ and /st/)
2.2 Complex consonant clusters are simplified.
She acts like she owns the place! (/ækts/ can be simplified to /æks/)
Teachers use authentic texts to teach from. (/teksts/ can be simplified to /teks/)
George the Sixth’s throne (/sikθs θr/ simplified to /siks θr/
2.3 /ə/ can disappear in unstressed syllalbes.
I think we should call the police. (/ə/ can disappear in the first syllable of police)
I’ll love you forever, promise. Well, perhaps. (/ə/ can disappear)
