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Davidrock65 Posted 20 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
can and can't/ rolled
Dear teachers
A. In conversation, can and can't sound very similar when spoken softly, as if the "t" sound were nonexistent. How do I pronounce can't clearly without confusing people? Should I stop for a sec on the "t" sound?
B. I find it very hard to pronounce the " l " sound when reading this paragraph " He fell off the bike and rolled down the slope." Would it be OK if I skip the "L" sound? Because rolled and rowed sound similar when spoken softly.
Thanks for answering
A. In conversation, can and can't sound very similar when spoken softly, as if the "t" sound were nonexistent. How do I pronounce can't clearly without confusing people? Should I stop for a sec on the "t" sound?
B. I find it very hard to pronounce the " l " sound when reading this paragraph " He fell off the bike and rolled down the slope." Would it be OK if I skip the "L" sound? Because rolled and rowed sound similar when spoken softly.
Thanks for answering
Top answer
Hi Davidrock65, your question is a good one. I didn't really understand that can-can't difference before I read a book to improve my pronunciation. The t in can't is pronounced more or less like the t in hot .
- Hi Davidrock65, your question is a good one.
- I didn't really understand that can-can't difference before I read a book to improve my pronunciation.
- The t in can't is pronounced more or less like the t in hot .
- It's a final t, it's not pronounced as clearly as in top .
- You practically don't hear it.
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5 Answers
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Hi Davidrock65, your question is a good one.
I didn't really understand that can-can't difference before I read a book to improve my pronunciation. The t in can't is pronounced more or less like the t in hot. It's a final t, it's not pronounced as clearly as in top. You practically don't hear it. So, you might be wondering, how do I distinguish can
I didn't really understand that can-can't difference before I read a book to improve my pronunciation. The t in can't is pronounced more or less like the t in hot. It's a final t, it's not pronounced as clearly as in top. You practically don't hear it. So, you might be wondering, how do I distinguish can
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Many native speakers have trouble hearing the difference between 'can' and 'can't' in American speech and need to ask for repetition. One trick is to be sure to lenghten the vowel in 'can't' making it 'caaaaaaaaaaaaaan't' with a nasal American /ae/. They vowel in 'can' is very brief. In rapid speech, it sounds like /kn/. Second, 'can't' is heavily stressed. 'I CAN'T go with you.' When using
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In British English the 'a' sound is very different between can and can't too. The can't one is much longer, almost as though the word were spelled 'carnt'.
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If you're aiming for a British accent, the vowel sound in the words can [ k{n ] and [ k_hAnt ] are very different. In North American English, the vowel is the same for both, but /t/ is usually realised as a glottal stop at the end of "can't".
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