Because the air flows continuously during continuous consonants (unlike stops and affricates, where the air is briefly completely blocked), linking from one continuous consonant to another different continuous consonant requires briefly blending the consonant sounds while the vocal tract changes from the position of the first sound into the position of the second sound.

Blending from one word into another uses the same pronunciation process as transitioning from one consonant sound into another within a word. For example, blending from /s/ to the /m/ in the word "assessment" is the same blending as from the word "promise" into the word "me".

Compare:

assessment

promise‿me

Practice linking the different continuous consonants:

1. both‿lists: Please make sure both‿lists are accurate.

2. he's‿married: I can't believe he's‿married now!

3. over‿there: Do you see that woman over‿there?

4. some‿things: Some‿things never change.

5. still‿sleeping: The baby's still‿sleeping.