The Flap T!

That tree is so pretty. It’s a beautiful spring day here in New York, and we’re going to talk a little bit about the flap T. Pretty. The T’s here are a flap T because it comes between two vowels, and the T is not starting a stressed syllable. Pretty, pretty. So, you may want to pronounce it as a true T, tttt, pretty, pretty, but most Americans will make this a flap T, it smooths out the line. And Americans are always going for a smoother line. Pretty, pretty.

Ben, can you think of any other words with a flap T?
>> City.

City! That’s a good one. City. So again, the T here, coming between two vowels, not starting a stressed syllable, so it’s a flap. City, city. It’s such a pretty day in the city.

Ben, can you think of another word with a flap T? >> No.No. That’s ok. It doesn’t matter. Matter! There’s another word with a flap T. So again, the T sound is coming between two vowels, not starting a stressed syllable, flap. Ddddd, matter, matter.

I just thought of another.
>> What is it?

And you just did another one too! Thought of, thought of, thought of. So here — that was a loud pigeon — So here the T comes at the end of a word, but the next word begins with a vowel, so still the T is coming between two vowels. And still, it is not starting a stressed syllable, so we can flap that. Thought of, duv, duv, duv, thought of. And Ben said, ‘What is it?’ Again, the T ends what, but the next word begins with a vowel, so the T is coming between two vowels, not starting a stressed syllable, so we can flap that. Diz, diz, what is, what is it?

>> Ben, aren’t those tulips pretty?
>> Oh, they’re so pretty! >> Rachel, look at this tree! Isn’t it so pretty?
>> Wow, this tree is really pretty.
>> Such a pretty tree.

This tree, also really pretty. Don’t forget to flap your T’s!

That’s it, and thanks so much for using Rachel’s English.