Teach Me the consonant sounds /d/ and /t/
In words, the letters D and T have the sounds /d/ and /t/ respectively. They are similar sounds but also very different.
Similarity: How do I start?
For both sounds you start with the same mouth position. Mouth slightly open, with the tongue touching the ridge behind the teeth. This way you stop the air from coming out and build pressure in your mouth. You basically trap the sound in your mouth before letting go.
Difference: What do I do next?
Now you have to release the air, in a sudden explosive manner, by sliding the tongue away from the tooth ridge (forward).
The sound /d/ is voiced, meaning that there is voice coming up from the throat as you pronounce it. So, along with the release of the air there should be voice too. You should feel a small vibration in your throat (vocal cords).
The sound /t/ is unvoiced, meaning that only air passes through your mouth (no voice whatsoever). So you don't have to use your vocal cords to make this sound.
Part I
In
words, the letters B and P have the sounds /b/ and /p/ respectively.
They are similar sounds, but also very different. - See more at:
http://reduce-your-accent.blogspot.gr/search/label/Letters%20and%20Sounds#sthash.EpyKZiPC.dpuf
In
words, the letters B and P have the sounds /b/ and /p/ respectively.
They are similar sounds, but also very different. - See more at:
http://reduce-your-accent.blogspot.gr/search/label/Letters%20and%20Sounds#sthash.EpyKZiPC.dpuf
Listen to the sound /d/ carefully.
Okay?
Now time for practice. Listen again and repeat the sound yourself as
many times as necessary for it to sound the same as the one in the
recording.
Below
you can see three columns with groups of words which may at first
glance look similar but are pronounced completely differently. The
column in the middle consists of words with the target sound /d/. Listen and compare with the words on each side. Repeat.
tie - die - tie
thaw - draw - thaw
tip - dip - tip
age - aid - age
Tongue Twister
Did Debbie's or David's dog dig up your garden today?
Part II
Listen to the sound /t/ carefully.
Ready?
Now time for practice. Listen again and repeat the sound yourself as
many times as necessary for it to sound the same as the one in the
recording.
The
column in the middle consists of words with the target sound /t/. Listen and compare with the words on each side. Then repeat.
dear - tear - dear
which - wit - which
thought - taught - thought
fade - fate - fade
Tongue Twister
Mr. Tongue Twister tried to train his tongue to twist
and turn, and twit and twat, to learn the letter "T".
T as a Silent Letter
In some words we don't pronounce the letter T at all. Listen to the following examples of words where the letter T is silent.
Spelling
|
Pronunciation
|
listen
|
ˈlɪsn
|
castle
|
ˈkɑːsl
|
soften
|
ˈsɒfn
|
whistle
|
ˈwɪsl
|
Words with TH
TH corresponds to more than one sound and, therefore, for every word you need to know which sound it corresponds to before pronouncing it.
TH is pronounced /t/ in some words like Thames or Thomas.
But most of the time you will either encounter it as the sound /θ/ as in three or think, or as the sound /ð/ as in they or feather.
