Where do you like to eat out for dinner? :)

Hi Radwa,

You're very welcome! If you have any more questions in the future, do not hesitate to ask. We're here to help you on your language-learning journey!

Sincerely,

Ali

Team EnglishClass101.com

Thanks a lot

Hello Eric,

That is correct! We use 'are' when talking about a noun that is plural (e.g. a party of people).

If you ever have any other questions, we're here to help!

Cheers,

Eva

Team EnglishClass101.com

How many people "are" in your party ? Is it correct ?

Hello Giorgia,

Thank you for leaving the comment!

If you have any questions, please let us know. ;)

Cristiane

Team Englishclass101.com

In a good fish restaurant!

Hi Louya,

"Dairy butter" is butter made with milk, so it's the most common form of butter. However, as people don't eat dairy products, so sometimes you'll hear butter called either "dairy butter" or "dairy free butter".

I hope that helps!

Kellie

Team EnglishClass101.com

Hello, what does mean "dairy butter"? I read it on internet. Is it milk or is it butter?

Hi Habiba,

There are also some lessons with a British English accent. Is that easier for you?

Try to listen to the sound and copy it as much as you can.

Kellie

Team EnglishClass101.com

Thank you very much

Hello ,

Thank your very much for this lesson:thumbsup:

I understand English but for pronunciation I find some difficulties with American accent

Specially the words which contain the letter "t" like "later " and "party"

I can't pronounce them like native speakers :disappointed:

Can you advice me , please:heart:

Hello Kyle,

Hi Mahes,

Thank you for all your comments :smile:

Let us know if you have questions.

Regards,

Laura

Team EnglishClass101.com

to adding to this lesson we can also Book/Reserve the Table before going to Hotel.

then it will be planned one. but your thing is Adhoc.

Thanks

How many people in your party?

3 people.

for 1.

Hi Ma Xiqiang,

That is a very good question. What you are observing is some phonological rules at work. I spent my time in college studying linguistics, so I will use some linguistics terms and explain them as well.

With /t/ and /d/, those sounds have the same place and manner of articulation. They are both alveolar stops (stops can also be called plosvies). In English, the /t/ and /d/ are pronounced with the tip of the tongue being pressed against the alveolar ridge (the part of the roof of your mouth behind your top teeth and in front of your palate). The difference between /t/ and /d/ is voicing. With /d/ your vocal cords are vibrating. That is the only difference between the two sounds on their own.

There are some variations based on the where those sounds are used in a word (as you observed) and some variations based on dialect. In Standard American English, the first /t/ in student would become voiced because it has an /s/ before it and is followed by a vowel. All vowels are generally voiced sounds. The voicing of the vowel attaches to the /t/ making it sound like /d/. This would be called 'voicing assimilation.' You wrote out, [sdju:dent] and I can't say I've observed the /j/ sound in the word student before (/j/ has the same sound as the the letter 'y' in yell or Yahoo). As a last note for the word student, in many dialects of English you wouldn't pronounce the final /t/ without something following the word, such as a plural conjugation - students. That word final /t/ would become a glottal stop. That is trivial though. It is only to help with developing some accent skills.

What you observed in the word sweater is the same rule from above - voicing assimilation. The /t/ is between two vowel sounds so that voicing is shared by the /t/. In British English, that sound would typically be replaced with a glottal stop and you wouldn't hear any sounds at all. Think of the words British, butter, and sweater with a British accent.

This doesn't actually have to do with stress. Since you mentioned stress, in English there is a 1/2 rhythm for stress. This is one of the hardest parts about acquiring a native like accent because the stress generally changes the vowels. For example, Japan is spoken /dʒəpæn/ and Japanese is spoken /dʒæpəniz/. The symbol that looks like an inverted e is called schwa - /ə/ - and typically follows the unstressed syllable in a word. The rhythm of English is very interesting to observe because the entire sentence will work in this rhythm.

Regarding when to use which sounds, it would be a long rule explaining this. But, to make it easier, trust your mouth. Pronounce it the way that feels most easy because that is why these rules exist. The mouth voices the /t/ sound because voicing it is easier than not voicing it in that environment.

You asked a very good question! Keep studying!

Adam

Team EnglishClass101.com

Hello Englishclass101.com team:

I just would like to konw the phenomena of the prounciation about "T" vs "d" / "P" vs "b" and etc.

for example,the prouncation of student is /'sdjuːdnt/, instead of /s'tju:dent/,sound like "d" instead of "t".

and another example,Sweater,why the prouncation of 't' sound like 'd'.

my coworker said it's called the transformation in the stress prouncation,especially in the word (student)("t before s).

I don't konw in what cases such prouncation exist.

Dear Ma Xiqiang,

Thank you for your question! This is a very good question and the difference is simply an American English vs. a British English one. In the word "party", the American English sounds like "pardy". The British English however, is "party", pronounced with the "t" as you expected!

Hope this helps! If you have any other queries, please don't hesitate.

Kind regards,

Gabriella

Team EnglishClass101.com

Hi teacher:

one pronuncation of the word"party" issue.I think the "t" in this word should be prounced "t" ,but while l was listening this lesson,the 't" sound like prounced "d".

looking forward to your reply.

thanks.

Hi Tina!

Keep enjoying our lessons and do not hesitate to ask us if you have any doubt.

Regards,

Laura

Team EnglishClass101.com

Thanks a lot:)