The flap T: rules
In American English a T between two vowel sounds becomes a flap: the tongue taps the ridge once, very fast, and the result sounds like a short D. “Water” is “wadder”, “city” is “ciddy”. The rule applies when the syllable after the T is unstressed.
Say them with a flap T
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- water/ˈwɔtɚ/
- better/ˈbɛtɚ/
- city/ˈsɪti/
- party/ˈpɑrti/
- little/ˈlɪtəl/
- thirty/ˈθɝti/
- meeting/ˈmitɪŋ/
- computer/kəmˈpjutɚ/
- a lot of/ə lɑt ʌv/
- what about it/wʌt əˈbaʊt ɪt/
- get out of here
- put it away/pʊt ɪt əˈweɪ/
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The rules
| Position of T | What happens | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| between vowels, next syllable unstressed | flap | water, better, city, daughter |
| after R, before a vowel | flap | party, thirty, dirty |
| before a syllabic L | flap | little, bottle, title |
| between words, before a vowel | flap | a lot of, get out, what if |
| at the start of a stressed syllable | full T with a puff of air | attack, return, hotel, until |
| after N | often disappears | center, twenty, internet |
| before N | glottal stop | button, mountain, certain |
Why “attack” keeps its T
Compare “atom” and “atomic”. In “atom” the T follows the stress, so it flaps. In “atomic” the T begins the stressed syllable, so it is a clear, aspirated T. Stress decides, not spelling.
Should learners use it?
Use it if your model is American English: it makes speech smoother and faster. More important is recognizing it. Learners often fail to understand “gedda” (get a), “whaddaya” (what do you) or “lodda” (lot of) because they are waiting for a T.
British English keeps a clear T or uses a glottal stop in these positions, so the flap is one of the quickest ways to tell the two accents apart.
Questions people ask
Is the flap T exactly a D?
Almost. It is shorter than a normal D. “Latter” and “ladder” sound the same for most Americans.
Do British speakers flap T?
Standard British English does not. Australian English does, in the same positions as American.
Does D flap too?
Yes. The D in “ladder” and “body” becomes the same quick tap.
Related
- The glottal stopThe catch in the throat that replaces T in “button” and “football”.
- Aspirated P, T, KWhy “pin” without a puff of air sounds like “bin” to an English ear.
- Connected speech and linkingWhy “what do you want” sounds like “whaddaya want”: five linking rules.
- British vs AmericanR, T, the “bath” vowel and 30 words that are said differently.