Mastering the American Accent » The “Fast d” Sound

The “Fast d” Sound

In addition to the standard /d/ sound as in words like dog, day, and bed, there is another kind of /d/ sound that occurs between two vowels and also before an l. It sounds exactly like the t between two vowels and is often called “fast /d/.” Again, it’s a sound made with the tip of the tongue quickly tapping the gum ridge.

Word Pairs for Practice

The following word pairs sound the same even though the first word is spelled with a “t” and the second word is spelled with a “d.” Since the d and t are both positioned between two vowels, they sound identical.

1.medal: He won a gold medal in the Olympics.metal: My car is made out of metal.
2.Adam: His first name is Adam.atom: An atom is the smallest unit of an element.
3.hit it: My hand hurts because I hit it hard.hid it: You can’t find it because I hid it.
4.leader: The president is the leader of the country.liter: How much is a liter of gasoline?
5.feudal: There was a feudal system in the Middle Ages.futile: My effort was totally futile.

Words for Practice

  1. already
  2. addict
  3. Canada
  4. editor
  5. ladder
  6. product
  7. middle
  8. shadow

Practice Sentences for “Fast d”

  1. I already added it.
  2. Adam will edit the middle part.
  3. Those products are made in Canada.
  4. She had on a Prada dress.
  5. I’m fed up with the crowded elevator.

Note: Remember, if the d is within a stressed syllable, even if it is surrounded by vowels, the “fast d“ rule does not apply.

normal dfast d
adoptaddict
adoreaudit

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