COULD Reduction Soundboard

Question 1

Here are sentences with the could reduction. The reduction can be said with or without a D (be sure not to drop the D before a vowel or diphthong!). When the word is followed by ‘you’ or ‘your’, you’ll hear the ending D changed into a J. This is very common in American English. Notice, when followed by “have”, we often reduce the word “have” to just the schwa [ə].

Answer 1

kʊd
kəd
kə

Question 2

Could I try?

Answer 2

Could I

kəd

Question 3

I could just as easily come tomorrow, if that’s better.

Answer 3

could just

kəd

Question 4

This is the most important thing we could be studying.

Answer 4

could be

kə

Question 5

Could you make dinner tonight?

(‘could’ + ‘you’ with a J sound)

Answer 5

Could you

kəd

Question 6

I could have done it.

(‘could’ + ‘have’ reduction)

Answer 6

could have

Question 7

With a better subway, we could reduce traffic.

Answer 7

could reduce

kə

Question 8

They could do a better job if they had better tools.

Answer 8

could do

kə

Question 9

Harsher punishment could reduce plagiarism.

Answer 9

could reduce

kə

Question 10

I wish I could tell you it’s no big deal, but it’s expensive to fix.

Answer 10

could tell

kə

Question 11

Could we see it again?

Answer 11

Could we

kəd