Lessons Unit 3, lesson 3
t + vowels
The t beginning opening into every vowel it starts words with. Get the mouth ready for t, release straight into the vowel — no gap, no extra sound between them.
What do the marks mean?
Want the full walkthrough? Read the map explains every mark, with practice.
tt as in sit
Tap your tongue tip on the ridge behind your top teeth and release: t. Quick and dry — no vowel after it.
t + every vowel
One row per combination. Tap any word to hear it — every sheet comes straight from the tool.
| t æ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| t ɪ | |||
| t ɛ | |||
| t ʌ | |||
| t ʊ | |||
| t ɑ | |||
| t iː | |||
| t uː | |||
| t ɔː | |||
| t eɪ | |||
| t aɪ | |||
| t aʊ | |||
| t oʊ | |||
| t ɝ |
Aspiration you can feel
Say tea, take, and time with a hand in front of your mouth — you should feel a small puff of air right after the t. That puff, called aspiration, is strongest before a stressed vowel and is one of the clearest markers of a native-sounding t.
Notice how total uses t twice but differently: the first t is aspirated and crisp, while the middle one, sitting between two vowels, often softens into a quick tap. Word-initial t, the kind on this page, is always the strong, aspirated version — never the soft tap you'll hear in the middle of a word.
Where it gets tricky
Rounded vowels like the ʊ in took and tour pull your lips forward right as the tongue releases, so the t and the rounding happen almost together. Practice by reading a column top to bottom, then say the words with your eyes closed, listening for that same sharp puff of air every time, whether the vowel is short like tell or long like team.