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Intrusive and linking sounds
Linking /r/:
In British English a postvocalic /r/ - an /r/ following a vowel and not followed by another vowel - is not normally pronounced: far /fɑː/, farm /fɑːm/, ladder /ˈlæd.ə/, pillar /ˈpɪl.ə/.
But when another vowel follows a letter 'r' in the spelling, it is often pronounced. Compare these words first without and then with linking /r/:
far better /fɑː ˈbet.ə/ - far and away [fɑːrənd əˈweɪ]
four times /fɔː taɪmz/ - four apples [fɔːræplz]
hair cut /ˈheəkʌt/ - her hair is red [...heərɪzred]
a year from now /ə jɜː frəm naʊ/ - it's a year away [... ə jɜːr əˈweɪ]
An /r/ sound can also be INSERTED at the end of any word ending in any of the vowels /ə/, /ɪə/, /ɑː/, or /ɔː/when followed by a another vowel.
As there is no letter 'r' in the spelling, this is called intrusive /r/.
The most famous example is
law-r an(d) order [lɔːr.ən ˈɔː.də]
Closely followed by
The Victoria-r-and Albert Museum [ˈvɪk.tɔːrɪərən ˈæl.bət]
the Tower of London
and
father-in-law
But it's very common in phrases like
I saw it yesterday [...aɪ sɔːrɪt...]
As there is no letter 'r' in the spelling, this inserted /r/ sound really doesn't belong there, and many people will express their disapproval of it.
It's quite likely though that, having strongly voiced their disapproval, they may nevertheless be heard doing it quite unconsciously a moment later! It's officially frowned upon, but more common then we realise!
Similar to linking /r/ is linking /j/.
Linking /j/ can occur between any word ending in /aɪ/, /iː/, /eɪ/ or/ɔɪ/ - so that's any word ending in a high front [i]-type sound, when followed by another vowel sound.
Examples are:
I always /aɪ ˈɔːlweɪz/ - I always lie on the beach [aɪjˈɔːlweɪz laɪjɒn ðə biːtʃ]
The end /ðiː end/ - the end of the evening [ðiːjend əv ðiː ˈiːv.nɪŋ]
he ate /hiː eɪt/- he ate the whole cake in one go.
high up /haɪ ʌp/ - It was too high up for me and I couldn't reach.
very old /ˈveri əʊld/- my only car is getting very old
Linking /w/
Very similar in principle is linking /w/. Linking /j/ occurs after the high front vowels /aɪ/, /iː/, /eɪ/ and /ɔɪ/ which all end in an /i/ sound. Linking /w/ occurs after the back rounded vowels /u:, əʊ, and /aʊ/ followed by any vowel.
Examples are
go out /gəʊ aʊt/- go out to ask the way /gəʊ aʊt tu ɒːsk ðə weɪ/
too often /tuː ˈɒf.ən/- too often to
so old /səʊ əʊld/ - the books were so old they fell apart
know anyone /nəʊ ˈen.i.wʌn/ - don't you know anyone?
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