When t is Between Two Vowels

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When t is Between Two Vowels

When a t is between two vowels, it is generally pronounced like a fast /d/ sound. It also sounds the same as the “rolling r” sound of many languages, when the tip of the tongue touches the upper gum ridge. This sound is also sometimes called a “tapped t” because you quickly tap the tip of the tongue on the gum ridge when pronouncing it.

A t becomes a “fast /d/” in the following cases:

A. Between two vowels:
We don’t say: better
We say: bedder

B. Before an “l”:
We don’t say: little
We say: liddle

C. After an “r” and a vowel:
We don’t say: party - forty
We say: pardy - fordy

Note: A t does not change to a “fast /d/” sound if it’s within a stressed syllable. We don’t say: “adack,” we say “attack.”

Words for Practice

city
duty
better
ability
total
matter
meeting
quality

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