the t and_the_d_sounds_in_english
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The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
A Pronunciation Lessoncompiled by
Rita Simons Santiago
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
The mouth position is the same for both the /t/ and /d/.
Pronuncian
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
The /t/ is pronounced by placing the tip of the tongue behind the teeth on the roof of the mouth, stopping the flow of air, and then releasing it.
The /t/ is voiceless.
The /d/ is pronounced by placing the tip of the tongue behind the teeth on the roof of the mouth, stopping the flow of air, and then releasing it. The /d/ is voiced.
The release of air for the /t/ is greater than for the /d/ especially when it is the first sound of a word or the first sound of a stressed syllable.
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
T and D Consonants: American English Pronunciation
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
tab tametearteentealtintimetontunetroll
dab damedaredean deal dindimedone dunedroll
Minimal Pairs: Listen and repeat each pair of words. Pay special attention to the first (initial) sound in each word.
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
atbatcathatitkitlitneatpatsat
adbad cadhadidkidlidneedpadsad
Minimal Pairs: Listen and repeat each pair of words. Pay special attention to the last (final) sound in each word.
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
When the /t/ is between two vowels and not at the beginning of a stressed syllable, it sounds like a soft /d/.
water daughter got a matter later a lot of fatter batter wetter Bettyl
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
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]
5 Minute English
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
With -tain, -tten and some TN combinations, the T is held. What does that mean?
The mouth position for the /t/ and /n/ are very similar.So... If the /n/ immediately follows /t/, raise your tongue to pronounce the /t/—the tongue is in the /t/ position, but do not pronounce the /t/, but rather release the air with the /n/. In other words, the air is released nasally with the /n/ not with the /t/. 5 Minute English
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
One more thing...Make sure you don't put a vowel sound before the /n/! 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. Listen and repeat the following words: sentence written certain forgotten5 Minute English
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
Now try pronouncing these sentences:
He's forgotten the carton of satin mittens.
She's certain that he has written it.
Martin has gotten a kitten.
5 Minute English
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
The /t/ and /n/ are so close in the mouth that the /t/ can actually disappear as in these words: interview [innerview] international [innernational] advantage [ædvæn'j] percentage [percen'j]
5 Minute English
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
Don't be surprised if you don't even hear the final /t/. It frequently seems to get swallowed up!
It wasn't what they thought.
The cat swallowed the fat rat.
Why didn't she set the hot pot on the cot?
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
The /d/ is also omitted in certain words. When a /d/ occurs after the /n/ and before another consonant sound, the /d/ can be omitted. (pounds) This can be true in the middle of a word (grandmother) or when one word ends with the /d/ and the next word starts with a consonant sound (stand still, find Mike). Pronuncian
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
Listen and repeat these words with the /d/ in the middle of a word: sends pounds errands handsome sandwich Pronuncian
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
Listen and repeat these phrases in which one word ends with the /d/ and the next word starts with a consonant sound:
February is the second_month of the year.
The game should end_by 10:00.
Grandma found_someone to help her. Pronuncian
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
To learn more about the /d/
in the -ed endings of regular past tense verbs,see Rita's
The -ed Ending Sounds in English.
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
"All last year we tried to teach him English, and the only word he learned was million." Tommy Lasorda, on baseball pitcher Fernando Valenzuela
The /t/ and /d/ Sounds in English
References:
5 Minute English
Pronuncian T and D Consonants: American English Pronunciation
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