Pronunciation Memo: Why "Ten Pounds" Sounds Like "Tem Pounds" Fluent English cheats. When two sounds meet, the first one shifts shape to match what's coming next. Your mouth is already preparing for the next sound, and the current one gets pulled along. This is called assimilation. Listen for it: * ten pounds → "tem pounds" * good boy → "goob boy" * in case → "ing case" * white paint → "whipe paint” * I should go → “I shoug go” Try saying these out loud. Which one feels strange in your mouth?