Type One: “normal” T

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol: [t]

Notice the air that follows the t!

1. Beginning of words:
   • teacher
   • today
   • two
   • tall
2. After most consonants (but not R!)
   • best
   • faster
   • guilty
   • alter / altar
   • doctor
   • optimist

Type 2: Flap T/ Quick T

This is a “fast d” sound. There is no extra air with the T! The IPA is: [d] or [ɾ]

This usually happens when we have a “t sandwich” — a vowel before the T and a vowel after the T.

1. vowel + t / tt / d + vowel
   • writing
   • bottle
   • water
   • tutor
   • city
2. This combination (vowel + t + vowel ) can happen with more than one word together in normal speech.
   • It isn’t my problem.
   • Can you figure it out?
   • Wait a minute!
   • What if you’re wrong?
3. Exception: If the “t” is in the beginning of a stressed syllable, we use the “normal T”:
   • until
   • attorney
   • attack
   • eternal
4. Notice: This fast d / flap t sound is the same for words that usually have a “d” with a vowel before and after. So, these words sound the same for most American English accents:
   • writing / riding
   • liter / leader
   • metal / medal

Type 3: Glottal Stop T /ʔ/

The glottal stop /ʔ/ is the stop of air in your voice. Example: uh-oh.

This kind of t sound happens when there is a vowel + t + n (or a vowel+n).

1. Vowel+t+n
   • sentence
   • partner
   • important
2. Common Contractions:
   • can’t
   • won’t
   • haven’t
   • couldn’t
   • shouldn’t
3. -tten or -tain spellings:
   • written
   • gotten
   • mountain
   • fountain
   • Britain

Other spellings and sounds

T can change into some other sounds, too:

1. T becomes a “ch” sound or, in IPA: [tʃ ]
   1. T+R together:
      • true
      • tree
      • attribute
   2. T + U together — specifically, when “u” is pronounced with a [j] + vowel sound
      • picture
      • natural
      • capture
2. T becomes a “sh” sound, or in IPA: [ʃ]
   1. with -tion endings
      • information
      • caption
      • station
   2. with -tious endings
      • cautious
      • superstitious