When a /t/ at the end of a word follows a vowel sound or /r/ and the next word begins with a vowel sound, the /t/ is pronounced as an alveolar stop and is transcribed as /t̬/. The alveolar stop is a voiced /t/ that sounds similar to a very quick /d/.

Practice pronouncing the linked /t/ as /t̬/ (an alveolar stop):

1. about‿an: Jason left about‿an hour ago.

2. it‿easy: Go home and take it‿easy for a while.

3. it‿up: I'll pick it‿up after work.

4. wrote‿a/about‿it: She wrote‿a book about‿it.

5. not‿easy/get‿up/that‿early: It's not‿easy to get‿up that‿early.

Related Linking Lessons

Deletion: Linking the dropped /d/
Deletion: Linking the Dropped /t/
Linking /d/+/l/: Lateral Aspiration [d̚ l]
Linking /d+n/: Nasal Aspiration [d̚ n]