This week we are going to looking at when the T sound is not pronounced in British English.
Did you listen to the Valentine’s Day Surprise phone call? The phone call contained lots of phrases with words ending in T. If you have not listened to these exercises, Part 1 is here, and Part 2 is here.
I can’t believe it
I don’t know who sent them
- Say these two phrases out loud.
- Say them slowly, then repeat them faster and faster.
- When you say the phrases slowly make sure you pronounce the T.
- Now try saying them faster and faster and try to continue to pronounce the T. Is it hard to move your tongue to the front of the mouth to pronounce the T?
- Next say these phrases quickly and do not pronounce the T. Does this feel easier?
When we speak slowly the t’s in these phrases are pronounced but as we say them faster and faster the t sound disappears.
Listen to me saying these phrases slowly and then getting faster.
Why can’t I hear the t sound being pronounced in spoken English?
In everyday spoken English when a T sound comes between two consonants we often do not pronounce the T sound. When we speak quickly we move our mouth quickly from one sound to another and it is very difficult and hard work for out mouth muscles to pronounce three consonants one after the other. So in everyday fast speech the T sound disappears.
This ‘elision’ happens most often with words that end in – t. The t at the end of a word is often not pronounced when the next word begins with a consonant.
This happens a lot in common phrases and expressions and can make it very difficult to recognise individual words and phrases even when these words are words that you know well.
This missing t sound is a very common feature of naturally spoken British English. Now you understand what happens to this t if will make it easier to hear all the words in fast spoken English. If you can begin to replicate this it will make your speech sound more natural. You do not need to speak in this way, but you do need to be able to recognise the sound of these words when British speakers do this.
More practice:
How do you think these sentence will be pronounced?
Say the sentence out loud, slowly first and then faster.
Which t’s will be heard? Which will not be pronounced?
1 It’s half past five now, am I in time for next day delivery?
Let’s look at what happens here.
It’s half past five now, am I in time for next day delivery?
The t at the end of past and the t at the end of next are not pronounced clearly. As I move my mouth from the s at the end of past to the f at the beginning of five I naturally make a ssss sound that glides into the f of five.
The t at the end of next is not heard because the x sound blends into the d of day easily. If I do want to pronounce the T then I have to make a real effort to pronounce the T.
Listen to the next sound file. In this, I say the sentence exaggerating the T’s at the end of the past and next. It feels and sounds unnatural to me. As I say the phrase quicker I naturally drop the t’s.
2 I don’t know, I don’t care and I don’t mind what happens.
I’m not listening and not looking.
Let’s look at what happens here.
I don’t know, I don’t care and I don‘t mind what happens. I’m not listening and not looking.
The t at the end of not is not pronounced. This happens both when not is contracted into Don’t and when Not is spoken in full.
3 I wasn’t looking at the time last night and I almost missed the bus,
I just got there in time for the last one.
Let’s look at what happens here.
I wasn’t looking at the time last night and I almost missed the bus, I just got there in time for the last one.
What happens when two t’s sounds meet in connected speech?
Now look at this next sentence. What will happen to the t sounds here?
I caught the first train after quarter past two.
In this sentence we have t at the end of words followed by t at the beginning of the next word. When we speak quickly we connect the words up and blend from one sound to another.
I caught→the first→train after quarter past→two.
When two t’s meet in connected speech we glide the t sound at the end of the word over to meet the t at the beginning of the next word and we only hear one t sound pronounced.
I caught the first train after quarter past two.
I went to the cafe and got the breakfast deal of hot toast and a cup of hot tea
There are other reasons as to why t sounds disappear. This will be looked at in future blog posts.
We hate SPAM and protect your data in accordance with our privacy policy.
Spectacular performance!
I’ve always loved your teaching.
By the way, I really like the glottal sound.
Would you like more listening exercises like this?