Can vs. Can’t - how to tell the difference?

189,467 views ・ 2016-06-08

Accent's Way English with Hadar


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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Hi, it's Hadar, and this is the Accent's Way, your way to finding clarity,
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confidence, and freedom in English.
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I want to talk to you today about the two words: can and can't.
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Can - "I can do it", and can't - "I can't do it".
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Now, these two words are similar, and maybe when you hear them, they sound
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pretty much the same and it's hard to distinguish which one's which.
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So I promise that after this video, you'll never confuse them again.
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Now, there is the basic pronunciation and there is the
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actual pronunciation in real speech.
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And I'm going to talk about both of them.
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Let's begin with a basic pronunciation.
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Both begin the same - 'ca-uhn', 'ca-uhn'.
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We start with K sound, then you open it to an A as in cat, so drop your jaw and
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pull the lips to the sides of it - 'ca'.
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Before the N the A as in cat closes a bit, and then you have an additional
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vowel that is inserted - 'ca-uhn', the transitional vowel, 'ca-uhn'.
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01:01
You kind of drag the sound, 'ca-uhn'.
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The word "can't" has a T, but you barely hear it.
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Listen: can't, can't.
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What you hear is not a T cause you don't hear 'can't', you hear an abrupt
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stop of the N and that is the T.
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"can" - "can't", "can't".
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Do you hear the difference?
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Good.
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But since it's not a big difference, we need another
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element to distinguish the two.
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And that is why the vowel is also different.
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Let me explain.
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The word "can" is usually reduced to 'k'n' 'k'n', "I 'k'n' do it", "I 'k'n' do it".
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That's because the "can" is a function word.
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And function words are usually reduced.
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There are all the small words that are reduced to help the more important
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words, like verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and nouns to stick out.
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In this case, the verb sticks out.
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"I can DO it", "she can TALK to him", "she can TALK to him".
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So I don't say "she CAN'T talk to him" or "I CAN do it", it's too long,
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it takes, you know, it's too much.
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So you want to reduce it - "she 'k'n' talk to him".
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Now, the word "can't" is never reduced, alright?
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"I can't do it".
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"She can't talk to him".
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So even if I don't stress it, then it's still gonna be an A as in cat sound.
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"She can't talk to him".
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The word "can" is usually reduced unless you stress it.
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Like "yes, we can" - then it's the proper A as in cat.
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"Yes, we "can.
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All right?
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So, the word "can" is pronounced as 'k'n'; the word "can't" is
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pronounced the way it's supposed to be pronounced - 'can't', it's not reduced.
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Now, for non native speakers sometimes the A sound is pronounced as 'eh', 'eh'.
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And the vowel pair "bed" and "bad" - sometimes it sounds
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the same: "bed" and "bed".
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You can check out the video by the way, to help you clarify the differences.
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So if you feel that you do that, then make sure that in this case you don't pronounce
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it as 'kent' 'kent' instead of "can't".
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Why?
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Because that is going to sound like you're reducing this word.
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Right?
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And people will think that you actually mean the positive form - "can", alright?
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So, if you find yourself saying 'kent' instead of "can't", make
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sure that you open your mouth wide to pronounce fully the A as in cat.
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"I can't do it", and not "I 'kent' do it".
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Okay?
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"I can't do it" - "I can do it".
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You can do it!
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Yes.
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Alright.
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That's it for today.
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Thank you for watching.
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Please share this video with your friends if you like it and don't
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forget to subscribe if you haven't yet.
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Have a wonderful week, and I will see you next week in the next video.
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Bye.
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