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  • That tree is so pretty.

  • It's a beautiful spring day here in New York, and we're going to talk a little bit about

  • the flap T.

  • Pretty. The T's here are a flap T because it comes between two vowels, and

  • the T is not starting a stressed syllable. Pretty, pretty. So, you may want to pronounce

  • it as a true T, tttt, pretty, pretty, but most Americans will make this a flap T, it

  • smooths out the line. And Americans are always going for a smoother line. Pretty, pretty.

  • Ben, can you think of any other words with a flap T?

  • >> City.

  • City! That's a good one. City. So again, the T here, coming between two vowels, not starting

  • a stressed syllable, so it's a flap. City, city. It's such a pretty day in the city.

  • Ben, can you think of another word with a flap T?

  • >> No.

  • No. That's ok. It doesn't matter. Matter! There's another word with a flap T. So again,

  • the T sound is coming between two vowels, not starting a stressed syllable, flap. Ddddd,

  • matter, matter.

  • I just thought of another. >> What is it?

  • And you just did another one too! Thought of, thought of, thought of. So here --- that

  • was a loud pigeon --- So here the T comes at the end of a word, but the next word begins

  • with a vowel, so still the T is coming between two vowels. And still, it is not starting

  • a stressed syllable, so we can flap that. Thought of, duv, duv, duv, thought of. And

  • Ben said, 'What is it?' Again, the T ends what, but the next word begins with a vowel,

  • so the T is coming between two vowels, not starting a stressed syllable, so we can flap

  • that. Diz, diz, what is, what is it?

  • >> Ben, aren't those tulips pretty? >> Oh, they're so pretty!

  • >> Rachel, look at this tree! Isn't it so pretty?

  • >> Wow, this tree is really pretty. >> Such a pretty tree.

  • This tree, also really pretty. Don't forget to flap your T's!

  • That's it, and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.

  • Don't stop there. Have fun with my real-life English videos. Or get more comfortable with

  • the IPA in this play list. Learn about the online courses I offer, or check out my latest

  • video.

That tree is so pretty.

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