This document discusses the different pronunciations of the letter T in American English. T is regularly pronounced as T at the beginning or end of words. In the middle of words, T is often pronounced as a D sound between vowels or between a vowel and L or R. T is also sometimes silent after N or pronounced as an N before N. Examples are provided to illustrate each pronunciation rule.

1. American English
Pronunciation: The
Sounds of T

2. T PRONOUNCED AS T
• The regular T sound is almost
always used when "t" is the first
letter of a word and sometimes the
last.
• Examples: table, tall, test, best, cat.
• Consonant clusters which are the
grouping of two or three consonants
together.

3. T PRONUNCED AS D
• When T is between two vowel sounds (A,E,I,O,U)
or between a vowel and L or R (these letters are
called semi-vowels to linguists), it becomes a D
sound. In phonetics, this sound is called "flap,"
which means the tongue touches the roof of the
mouth quickly.
• Examples: computer, water, bottle, heater, better,
matter, ability, university, put it on, great idea
• Flap T- Really a D

4. Stop T in the middle or at the
end of a word
• Environment
• About
• Fitness
• Development
• tonight
• imitate
• articulate

5. SILENCE T AFTER N
• When T comes after N, the T sound is
dropped in many words.
This rule is not as important, as it's
informal. It is mostly used when people
speak quickly.
• Practice with: interview, wanted, don't
know, twenty, center

6. T PRONOUNCED AS N
• When T is before an N and the
vowel sound is de-stress as a schwa
sound the T sound is stopped and
turns into a hard N.
• Practice with: mountain, fountain,
curtain, important, sentence, written,
button, kitten,
• How to Say MOUNTAIN and SENTENCE

7. REFERENCE
• American English Pronunciation: The
Sounds of T.
http://www.speakmethod.com/speakam
ericant.html