Which process involves linking final consonants with following vowels across word boundaries?

• A. Catenation
• B. Liaison
• C. Elision
• D. Assimilation

Answer: (A)

Linking final consonants to the following vowel across word boundaries is called catenation. This describes how the consonant at the end of one word is carried over into the start of the next word, creating a smooth, continuous sequence in connected speech. It helps speech flow naturally, making boundary between words less prominent as the sounds blend together. This is different from liaison, which involves pronouncing a normally silent end consonant before a vowel in the next word (a feature often discussed in French). It’s also distinct from elision (dropping a sound) and assimilation (one sound becoming more like a neighboring sound). Since the key idea is the effortless connection of the end of one word to the beginning of the next, catenation best describes this process.