American Accent Training: The Flap T Sound

hey guys and welcome this is the clear English corner and I'm Keenan your personal American English pronunciation coach in this lesson we're going to work on a very distinctive American English consonant the flap T if you're really looking to refine your American accent this is a key and challenging sound so in this lesson I'm going to share three must know tips for recognizing and pronouncing the flap T and then we'll practice twenty-five super common flap T words together in words and sentences and bonus I've created a downloadable PDF that includes all twenty-five words from today's lesson plus seventy more for a total of 95 super common words that have the flap T you'll want to be sure to grab this for your practice I'll have a link for you in the video description all right so let's dive in first three tips for recognizing and pronouncing the flap T first what does the flap T sound like the flap T actually sounds like a quick D and it happens when you see the letter T in a word but what you're hearing is that quick D Sound City pretty water now depending on your native language you might also be hearing a soft R and your ears do not deceive you you just won't hear me describe it as an R sound because it doesn't sound at all like the American R it sounds very much like a quick soft American D sound dadadada number two where will you find the flap T so the flap T happens when the T the letter T comes between two vowel sounds in an unstressed syllable this can happen within words like city pretty water or it can happen between words like but I becomes but I but I can't what becomes wadda wadda what a mess you're also gonna hear that flap T in front of vocalic R and dark L sounds because of the vocalic qualities of those are and all sounds so in words like letter water little bottle tip number three how do you make the flap T sound the flap T sound is made using the tip of the tongue tapping gently against the alveolar Ridge or that boney Ridge that sticks out right behind the top front teeth you can feel it if you take the tip of your tongue and drag it along the roof of your mouth that part that sticks out there that's the alveolar Ridge that's where you want the tip of the tongue to tap for the flap T here's the very important part you want to make sure it's a very gentle tap the flap T is a very light and gentle sound you don't want to be pressing your tongue against the alveolar Ridge then you end up with a sound that's much too heavy so make sure it's a very gentle tap right at the alveolar Ridge behind the front teeth that makes sense all right so now let's practice this sound in twenty five super common words that have the flap T here we go first word water water now I want you to notice something as I'm saying this word water water the emphasis or stress is on the first syllable and the eye is an olive vowel sound wha then the second syllable where the flap T is is quicker it's quieter dirt dirt dirt so it's not water water water water hear the difference may I have a glass of water may I have a glass of water you should drink more water you should drink more water next word little little again emphasis is on the first syllable of this word and the as in silver vowel sound lid then our flap T and dark L sound in the second syllable are very quick little don't don't don't don't very quick quieter gentler softer little little I'm a little overwhelmed I'm a little overwhelmed we need a little more time we need a little more time political political there's our flap T at the beginning of the third syllable it's unstressed it's very quick little litical political political she's not very political she's not very political it's become extremely political it's become extremely political City City it's a beautiful city it's a beautiful city the city's becoming overcrowded the city's becoming overcrowded later later see you later see you later later this afternoon woodwork later this afternoon woodwork community community again listen here our second syllable is where our emphasis is and the O is in blue sound community nnedi then that third and fourth syllable are very quick nitty nnedi community and our first syllable is a schwa again very quick community community we have a close-knit community we have a close-knit community they've built a thriving community they've built a thriving community party party that was some party that was some party the party's over the party's over better better I better get going I better get going I hope you feel better I hope you feel better beautiful beautiful it's a beautiful day it's a beautiful day that was beautiful that was beautiful matter matter it doesn't matter it doesn't matter what's the matter what's the matter again that first syllable is where our emphasis is and the ad is in black vowel sound mat and then really quick dirt dirt matter matter alright next word activity activity you'll hear a true tee at the beginning of the second syllable because that's where the stress is in this word acted and then vidi-vidi activity activity this is not my favorite activity this is not my favorite activity there's a lot of activity around here tonight there's a lot of activity around here tonight data data let's take a look at the data let's take a look at the data the data is incorrect the data is incorrect computer computer again that flap T is very quick and gentle dirt dirt dirt in that unstressed final syllable following pew our emphasis on the Oh as in blue in the second syllable four syllables a schwa very quick there as well computer computer my computer crashed my computer crashed I'm gonna need a new computer I'm gonna need a new computer notice how going to became gonna gonna I'm gonna need a new computer opportunity opportunity again we have a true T at the beginning of the stressed syllable the third syllable upper two upper - and that who is in blue vowel sound at the core of the stress syllable then nitty nitty opportunity opportunity thank you for this opportunity thank you for this opportunity opportunities like this don't happen very often opportunities like this don't happen very often letter letter I never got your letter I never got your letter there's 26 letters in the English alphabet there's 26 letters in the English alphabet daughter daughter my daughter six years old my daughter six years old he has three daughters he has three daughters dirt dirt dirt again very quick flap T very quick unstressed her daughter daughter he has three daughters hospital hospital which hospital is the best which hospital is the best he's been in the hospital for a week he's been in the hospital for a week security security it took forever to get through security it took forever to get through security our security systems out of date our security systems out of date article article did you see the article did you see the article I forwarded you that article I forwarded you that article quality quality he does quality work he does quality work we aim for quality over quantity we aim for quality over quantity did you hear that flap t in quantity quantity - instead of quantity quantity quality over quantity meeting meeting she's in a meeting she's in a meeting the meetings been rescheduled the meetings been rescheduled whatever whatever whatever works for you whatever works for you whatever happens I'm here whatever happens I'm here ability ability he has incredible artistic ability he has incredible artistic ability I've never questioned your ability I've never questioned your ability pretty-pretty here how quick that flap T syllable is DT pretty pretty that's pretty amazing that's pretty amazing it's such a pretty house it's such a pretty house and last but not least Authority Authority he's an authority on the subject he's an authority on the subject I don't have the authority to do that I don't have the authority to do that so there you have it 25 super common flap T words I hope this lesson helps you refine this very American consonant sound and don't forget to grab the downloadable PDF practice list that has 95 super common flap T words if you refine the words on this list you will be well on your way to flap T mastery again I've got a link for you in the video description as always thanks so much for tuning in and I'll see you next time

Channel: Clear English Corner with Keenyn Rhodes

Views: 71,706

Keywords: american accent training, flap t sound, flap t, american t, how americans say t, pronunciation american english practice, t pronunciation american english, learn pronunciation american english, clear english corner t sound, clear english corner flap t, american english, american english accent, american english pronunciation, pronunciation american english, american english learning, american accent, accent reduction, how to speak american accent, clear english corner, keenyn

Id: 3KRPcR_RRg4

Length: 12min 31sec (751 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 22 2019