Do NOT Say CAN’T with a T! ⎢BETTER PRONUNCIATION

Sometimes, Americans pronounce can't without  the T so it sounds like can, like this:  

People can't even believe it. People can't even  believe it. Can even-- can't even-- How are you  

supposed to tell the difference between  can't and can if there's no T? You will  

absolutely know the difference between these  two words and all their pronunciations by the  

end of this video, I promise. And you know what?  There's even going to be a quiz and I'm pretty  

sure you're going to ace it. You're going to  be able to use these two words confidently  

and correctly for effective communication in  English. Don't forget, if you like this video,  

or you learn something new, please like and  subscribe with notifications. It helps a lot.  

A couple of weeks ago, we went over N  apostrophe T contractions, and we talked  

about all the different pronunciations.  Can't is an N apostrophe T contraction,  

so all those pronunciations apply. The way you  probably learned to pronounce this word is: can't,  

can't, with the full true T pronunciation, tt--  but if you study conversational English, you'll  

find that's not a very common pronunciation. I  just listened to the first 20 examples on Youglish  

and only two of them had the true T pronunciation.  So the pronunciation you learned is only true  

when you put the word in a sentence about ten  percent of the time. What are we going to do  

the rest of the time if not a true T? The  most common is the stop T. Can't think, can't  

think. There I exaggerated the stop, but  in regular conversation, there will just  

be a quick lift so that we feel the T sound. I  can't think, I can't think, I can't think. The  

T is a stop consonant, so by stopping the air,  our American ears identify that stop as the T  

sound even though there is no T sound. Let's look  at this phrase together. So here's the phrase,  

let's take a look at it and play it: I can't  think. Do you see this big gap here? This is  

after the word can't and before the word think.  This is the stop, the stop T. Let's listen again:  

I can't think. So what is that sound at the end of  the word? Here's just the word can't slowed down.  

Can't-- can't--nnnnttt-- can't--  nnnnttt-- it's that nasally N sound,  

but stopped. It's not can nnn-- with it  falling down in pitch it's can't nnnnttt--  

can'tI can't think. Stop T. Let's go to Youglish  where we're going to see a bunch of examples  

with this stop T. We, as you mentioned, uh, 20  million Americans would like a full-time job and  

and can't get one. Can't get-- can't get-- stop  T. We, as you mentioned, uh, 20 million Americans  

would like a full-time job and and can't get  one. And you can't do both, like you can't be,  

you can't campaign against lung cancer and smoke  cigarettes, and you can't be an environmentalist  

and eat meat. Wow, there were so  many stop Ts there with can't.  

Can't, can't, can't, we'll play  all of those two-word links now.  

You can't go back to sleep. Can't go-- can't  go-- Stop T. Sometimes, as you heard at the  

very beginning, we drop the T in can't. This  is more common when the next word begins with  

a vowel or diphthong, like in 'can't even'. So in  these cases, there's no break and sound, no stop,  

the T is completely dropped. I can't even  tell. Can't even. Smoothly connected.  

Let's take a look at that example.   

And now we'll  go to Youglish to look for several other examples where the T is completely dropped.

Dropped T in  can't.

Can't always-- can't always-- dropped T.  

They can't be transferred--  can't be-- can't be-- No T.

Can't  often-- can't often-- No T.  

Can't even-- can't even-- No T.  

And finally, we have a case where the T can  be turned into a CH and this happens when  

the next word is you or your. Can't you, can't  you, can't you see? Ch. Ch. Ch. Can't you see?  

You don't have to do this CH, a stop T will also  work in this situation and you will hear that,  

but this CH pronunciation is certainly something  you'll hear a lot of when the next word is you or your

So these are all the different ways can't  can be pronounced. What about can? After all  

one of the pronunciations of can't was can with a  dropped T. So can has two pronunciations. First of  

all, it can be a noun like a can of tomatoes, and  there, it's pronounced can, with the full vowel.  

But as a verb, it's usually reduced. It's usually  a helping verb, this means it's not the main verb  

in the sentence. Back when we said: I can't  think, 'think' was the main verb if we instead  

say 'can' in that sentence, the word becomes  can: I can think. I can think. Can can can can.  

Said so quickly, the 'can' reduction. I can  think. I can see you. I can be there by three.  

Now, it actually sounds nothing like 'can',  which is the pronunciation of can't when the  

T is dropped like in the phrase 'can't even'  that's can, this is: can can-- it's said very  

quickly. Let's listen to a bunch of samples  of the 'can' reduction.

Every once in a while,   we won't reduce can as a helping verb if we want  to stress it.

Usually this will happen when we're  

contradicting someone who's just used can't.  For example, you can't go there after seven.  

No, you can go there after seven. Can. But if it  was just a normal statement, one where we're not  

contradicting, we would just say: you can go there  after seven, can-- with the can reduction. Can--  

let's take the phrases 'can't go' and 'can  go' and put all the pronunciations together.  

Can't go, true T, a not a common pronunciation.  Can't go. Stop T, very common pronunciation.  

Can go. Dropped T, more common when followed by  a vowel, but still possible with a consonant.  

You can go there, for example. And the CH  pronunciation which works only before you or your,  

can't you. Can go, with the can reduction. Can  go, really stressing can. So this pronunciation  

is just like this pronunciation. But remember,  here, you'll always be contradicting or adding  

extra clarity so it likely won't be confusing.  Can't go, can't go, can go, can't you, can go,  

can go. Now let's do a quiz. Since you know  for can, that you're probably looking for  

reduction, can, if you don't hear a reduction,  then there's a really good chance that it's can't,  

you should ace this quiz.

Was that can or can't? 

That was can reduced,  can, can treat.

Was that can or can't?

That was can't with a stop T. Can't see.

Was that  can or can't?

That was can because we heard the 

reduction can. I can assure you-- can

Can or can't?

Can't believe-- can't with a stop T.  

Was that can or can't? That was can't with the T  turning into a CH followed by you. Can't you.

Can  or can't? That was the can reduction: can--  

Can or can't? That was can't with a dropped  T. Can ever-- linking into the next word.  

Can or can't? This one was easy, wasn't  it? He fully pronounced that T. Can't.

Was that can or can't? That was the can  reduction. Can-- can try.

Was that can or can't?  

That was can't with a stop T.  Can't, can't, can't remember. 

Now I'm going to have you practice all  the phrases we've learned so far.  

You'll see on screen what kind of pronunciation  it is. First, you'll hear the sentence,  

then just the word can or can't, with the next  word slower three times, repeat the third time.  

Then you'll hear the whole phrase again twice,  repeat the second time with the video. You really  

should be doing this out loud. Learning about  it isn't enough to improve your speaking skills.  

You have to actually practice speaking. So  let's do this.

Now you could go teach someone  exactly how to say can and can't and how to understand them in a sentence.  

That's awesome! Thank you so much for sticking  with me. Be sure to check out this video next.  

Also check out my online courses at Rachel's  English Academy, you'll become a more confident  

English speaker. I make new videos every Tuesday,  be sure to come back next week to watch more,  

I love being your English teacher. That's it  and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.