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.
Drpped 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. Drpped 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.
