{"id":179933,"date":"2021-06-29T23:03:52","date_gmt":"2021-06-30T03:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/stop-t\/"},"modified":"2025-01-30T04:11:10","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T09:11:10","slug":"stop-t","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/stop-t\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Master the Stop T in English (with 30+ Pronunciation Tips and Examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a simple tip that will make you sound more like a native speaker: <\/span>pronouncing the stop T correctly.<\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019re not exaggerating when we say that you\u2019ll encounter the stop T in almost every sentence. <\/span>It\u2019s present in the most common English words<\/b> such as \u201cnot,\u201d \u201cthat,\u201d and \u201cit.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How you pronounce it affects your spoken English a lot. This isn\u2019t just for American English, either \u2013 you\u2019ll hear it too in British and American English.<\/span><\/p>\n

The stop T is actually one of the three main T sounds in English. It might seem like there\u2019s only a single way to pronounce T, but in American English, people can switch through three T sounds quickly in a single sentence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this blog post, we\u2019ll be focusing on the stop T. We\u2019ll look into <\/span>how to pronounce the stop T sound itself, along with when to use it<\/b> – and we\u2019ll be giving plenty of examples along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stop T Pronunciation<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The stop T is also called the <\/span>glottal T<\/b>. This is because you use your glottis to pronounce it. The glottis is the space between your vocal folds \u2013 you can open or close it to control the flow of air through your mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To see this in action, here\u2019s a quick exercise: say the phrase \u201c<\/span>Uh-oh<\/span><\/a>.\u201d Instead of \u201cuhhhhhh\u201d followed by \u201cohhhhhh,\u201d you say each syllable abruptly, with a sudden pause in the middle. It\u2019s almost like getting interrupted \u2013 <\/span>you stop the sound right away<\/b>. This quick stop is possible because of your glottis, which shuts off the airflow so you don\u2019t make a sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s similar when you pronounce the stop T. With the regular T, you\u2019d normally put the tip of your tongue on the ridge above your front teeth then release a puff of air through your mouth. For the stop T, <\/span>it\u2019s the same tongue position, but there\u2019s no release of air<\/b>. You can think of it as a regular T that\u2019s stopped short.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, the word \u201chat\u201d uses the stop T. Say it out loud with a regular T first, then finally with a stop T. There should be a hitch in your throat, similar to when you\u2019d say \u201cuh-oh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The stop T feels natural to say<\/span> at the end of a word<\/b>. It\u2019s also quieter, and if you put your hand close to your mouth, there\u2019s no airflow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When to Use the Stop T<\/b><\/h2>\n

You just have to remember two main situations for using the stop T:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The T is at the end of a word or a syllable\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

This is the most natural placement of a stop T.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Examples:<\/p>\n