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The American "T"

The American "T"

Date: Dec 05 2008

Topic: Pronunciation

Author: nad1a

Lesson

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The American T

The American T is influenced very strongly by intonation and its position in a word or phrase. It can be a little tricky if you try to base your pronunciation on spelling alone.

There are, however, 4 basic rules: [T is T], [T is D] ,  [T is Silent], [T is Held].

1 The beginning of the  word  [T is T]
If the T is at the beginning of a word it is a strong, clear T sound.

  1. In the beginning of a word: table, take, tomorrow, teach, ten, turn Thomas tried two times.
  2. With a stressed T and ST, TS, TR, CT, LT and sometimes NT combinations: They control the contents.
  3. In the past tense, D sounds like T, after an unvoiced consonant sound — f, k, p, s, ch, sh, th (but not T).
    picked [pikt], hoped [houpt], raced [rast], watched [wächt], washed [wäsht]
    It took Tim ten times to try the telephone.

2 Middle of the word  [T is D]
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If the T is in the middle of the word, intonation changes the sound to a soft D.
Letter sounds like [ledder].

Water, daughter, bought a, caught a, lot of, got a, later, meeting, better

Practice these sentences:

What a good idea.

[w'd' güdäi deey']

Put it in a bottle.

[pü di di n' bäd'l]

Get a better water heater.

[gedda bedder wäder heeder]

Put all the data in the computer.

[püdall the dayd' in the k'mpyuder]

Patty ought to write a better letter.

[pædy äd' ride a bedder ledder]

3 [T is Silent]
T and N are so close in the mouth that the [t] can disappear.

  • interview [innerview]
  • international [innernational]
  • advantage [ædvæn'j]
  • percentage [percen'j]

If the T is at the end of a word, you almost don't hear it at all.

  • put, what, lot, set, hot, sit, shot, brought.
  • That's quite right, isn't it?

4 End of the word  [T is Held]


With -tain, -tten and some TN combinations, the T is held. The "held T" is, strictly speaking, not really a T at all. Remember, [t] and [n] are very close in the mouth. If you have [n] immediately after [t], you don't pop the [t]—the tongue is in the [t] position, but your release the air for the [n] not the [t]. An important point to remember is that you need a sharp upward sliding intonation up to the "held T," then a quick drop for the N.

Written, certain, forgotten, sentence:

  • He's forgotten the carton of satin mittens.
  • She's certain that he has written it.
  • Martin has gotten a kitten.

 

 

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Related Lessons:

More help on Pronunciation

 

 

Comments

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oscarbebe

United States

Is a good lesson, Thank you

06:46 PM Dec 25 2008 |

Eydo

Eydo

Turkey

Thanks for the time u spent 4 us:)

01:55 PM Dec 25 2008 |

vahid_nouri_vn

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hello
my name is vahid i’m live in iran
i wish i to friend too you
my phon number is 00989355122828
please call me

10:25 PM Dec 24 2008 |

join me

Saudi Arabia

thats what we lookin” for
thank u very mutch

06:27 PM Dec 22 2008 |

pum_spu

Thailand

Hi everybody

Nice to meet everybody. I'm from thailand.

I would like  to make new friends and I would like to learning english.

01:25 PM Dec 21 2008 |

daniel.elias

India

GOOD JOB, thank u very much…

12:35 PM Dec 21 2008 |

stanley2032

Brazil

I´ll try that. Thanks Nad1a!

09:14 AM Dec 20 2008 |

zhjj802

zhjj802

China

thank you …It is very useful for me…

L need more about Pronuncing materials

03:41 AM Dec 19 2008 |

whose me

Morocco

thanks nad

08:46 PM Dec 17 2008 |

maryelvy

Italy

hi i'm now…i'm a italian girl and i hope that this lesson can help me to learn english in a xfect way…Laughing

06:53 PM Dec 17 2008 |

marjankasayee

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hi,that' s so useful.thanks alot.i think it's to be greate if you could teach us more.

10:22 PM Dec 16 2008 |

sinam

sinam

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

thank you very much.

please,continue creat lessons about american pronunciation .

07:32 PM Dec 16 2008 |

champ_mem007

Pakistan

hey!!

very awesome way of teaching

simply love the way your teaching nad1a..

04:24 PM Dec 16 2008 |

hicham nour10

Morocco

it(s great lesson thx

04:57 PM Dec 15 2008 |

Darfoon

Sudan

 this is very good , thanks

04:55 PM Dec 14 2008 |

tabliiq

tabliiq

Somalia

This is an easy way that we can learn American accent
Thanks

07:44 PM Dec 12 2008 |

snowjo

snowjo

China

I can learn a lot from it, thanks.

01:30 PM Dec 12 2008 |

ch3rrybl0ss0m

France

Thank you for helping me with my exam. congratulations on your French too

are you gifted? 

07:27 AM Dec 12 2008 |

ch3rrybl0ss0m

France

a unique person

07:25 AM Dec 12 2008 |

FATIMAH

Saudi Arabia

will its like playing

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

09:50 PM Dec 11 2008 |

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