Page 266 - Basic English Usage

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357 way

)
We often use way ( = method in expressions without a preposition.
You're doing it (in) the wrong way.
You put in the cassette this way.
Do it any way you like.
In relative structures, we often use the way that ...
| don't like the way (that) you're doing it.

After way, we can use an infinitive structure or of ... -ing. There is no
important difference between the two structures.
There's no way to prove / of proving that he was stealing.

Don't confuse in the way and on the way.
If something is in the way, it stops you getting where you want to go.
Please don't stand in the kitchen door — you're in the way.
On the way means ‘during the journey’ or ‘coming’.
We'll have lunch on the way.
Spring is on the way.

For by the way, see 97.1.

358 weak and strong forms

Some words in English have two pronunciations: one when they are
stressed and one when they are not. Compare:
| got up at At/six o'clock.
What are you looking at? /eev
Most of these words are prepositions, pronouns, conjunctions, articles
and auxiliary verbs. They are not usually stressed, so the unstressed
(‘weak’) pronunciation is the usual one. This usually has the vowel /a/ or
no vowel. The ‘strong’ pronunciation has the ‘written’ vowel. Compare:
| was late. /w(e)z/
It was raining /w(e)z/
Yes, |' was. /woz/
| must go now. /m(a)s/
| really’ must stop smoking. /masv
Where have you been? /(a)v/
You might have told me. /(a)v/
What did you ‘have for breakfast? /heev/
(Have is not an auxiliary verb in this sentence.)
Contracted negatives always have a strong pronunciation.
can't /ka:nt = mustn't /‘masnt’ — wasn't /‘woznt/