How to Pronounce American T: True T, Flap T, Held T, Vanishing T

Have you ever wondered about how Americans say T? The T sound is very distinct in the American accent. In this accent reduction lesson, you will learn about the 4 types of American T: True T, Flap T, Held T and Vanishing T. T is one of the most common consonant sounds in English, and learning the American English pronunciation will go a long way to helping you speak like a native American speaker. Be sure to grab your free American T practice PDF!

Key Takeaways:

1. T at the beginning of words and stressed syllables, as in “take” and “hotel,” is True T and pronounced with an air puff.
2. T in between vowel sounds, as in “water” and “city,” becomes Flap T, which sounds like a quick D.
3. T at the end of words, as in “hot” and “sit”  is held, meaning the tongue tip stays up and no air puff is released.
4. T after N in an unstressed syllable, as in “internet” and “printer” often disappears completely.