Do NOT say the D in these 105 Common Words!

Speaking English is tough! Native speakers use smooth, natural rhythm to link the sounds of American English. Even for students who test as Fluent in English, learning how to speak English is quite a challenge. But I’m here to help you! In this speaking English training video I’ll show you how to drop the D sound in more than 100 common English words. Pronunciation in American English is often surprisingly different from what’s on the page! Speaking English more fluently requires knowledge AND lots of practice. I’ll give you both in this training video! You’ll see how and when to drop the D sound when you’re speaking and you’ll also see lots of examples of Americans speaking English so that you can solidify your learning. It’s true: speaking English is tough. But with my help you’ll be sounding more and more like a native speaker in no time! Let’s get started.

AMAZING tips to sound more natural speaking English

00:00 Introduction
00:03 Dropping the T's and D's
00:23 Tens/Tends
01:05 Friendship
03:46 Sounds of American English Cheat Sheet
04:19 Thanks for joining my Youtube Membership program
04:42 Grandkids
04:57 'Grand' words
05:13 Errands
05:33 Kindness, kinds and kindly
06:28 Around the
07:05 Around one
07:36 Found
08:10 Second
09:06 List of common words and two-word links where we drop the D
15:20 Youglish

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Improve your American Accent / spoken English at Rachel's English with video-based lessons and exercises. Rachel uses real life English conversation as the basis for teaching how to speak English and how to sound American -- improve listening comprehension skills. Study English vocabulary and English phrases such as phrasal verbs, as well as common expressions in English. Learn American idioms and American slang.

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[anndeecosita]

As an American I don’t think I generally drop d as much as this video suggests. Especially not before ly. Might be an accent thing or my having an extensive career in broadcasting. I don’t say tens and tends or ten/tend the same way because they form somewhat differently (no dropped t in differently for me) in my mouth. My tip of my tongue goes up to the roof of my mouth behind my teeth to push a d when I say tends but I don’t do this in tens. Kind of like the video on mountain, fountain and such. I NEVER drop the t. Just wanting to let English learners know this is optional. By the way I don’t drop the first t in important. I don’t drop g in ing although this is common. People will understand you either way.

[balbalbalbal]

You are THE master of your craft. Can't thank you enough Rachel. I am an Arab English teacher who graduated from public schools. Your videos and precious channel enabled me to be a confident teacher with an American accent.

[maythettun]

Honestly, as a english learner, I understand everything she speaks. Her voice, pronunciation, intonation, word stress ...everything is clear and amazing.

[Quokka]

For me you're the best American English teacher in phonetics I've ever found here in YT.
You always put such great effords and generosity in your work.
Love you!
Greetings from Italy.
💚💙💜

[CurtJunya]

I’m from the rural south. She’s right. I’m a native English speaker, it’s cool seeing how much I don’t realize about English.

[nolan]

To those native speakers saying they don’t do this. Look at the examples provided, they do exactly what Rachel is teaching and I personally have been doing this without realizing because that’s how it sounds for someone learning.

[luissarmiento]

English is not my first language and I don't understand English well when I try to talk to an American. Now I'm improving my listening for Rachel, thanks Rachel. You have helped me so much. Keep on.

[snldev]

Let's be honest. This is the best American English channel of all time. Thank you

[Jsmith]

Growing up in "Mehr-lin" (that state north of Virginia), I agree about the silent Ds.

[blotski]

This is fascinating. I'm English. I've been saying 'friendship' again and again to try to work out what I (or even we) do as opposed to the Americans. I think I pronounce it 'fren-chip'. So the -d becomes devoiced into a 't' as it meets the voiceless 'sh' and joins with it to become -tsh or rather -ch. It might just be me or a regional accent. I am from the north.

[RodrigoMartins-djnu]

But the d is pronounced. It's not strong, but there's clearly a movement of the tip of the tongue to the palate

[sazji]

A lot of this stuff is very regional. I grew up in eastern Iowa, where we do pronounce some things not pronounced in many another areas. (Like the
H in “where, why, etc.)

I would drop (or at least greatly reduce) the D in “friendship”, but not in “friend was” or “friendly, ” “bindweed, ” “sound wave.”

But in “grandkids” I do, unless I’m reading very carefully. What’s going on?

There’s more going on here than just “another consonant.” The type of consonant following the D is important. In “friendship” the D is followed by a continuant alveolar fricative; D is articulated in the same place as the D, so it is harder to articulate it fully and we tend to blend them. In “grandchildren, ” the “ch” is a stop, so it’s easier to pronounce. The stress pattern there also encourages it.

In “grandkids, ” there’s something more going on. The K in “kids” is velar, and it’s more work to move straight from an alveolar to a velar consonant. So the tendency is for the D to be dropped in favor of ŋk (ngk). We don’t say “grankids, ” we say “graŋkids.”

[LearnAcademicEnglish]

This is an excellent overview of common, normal, and totally acceptable reductions that occur in spoken English. Native speakers don't think about them, but when we speak, we have all kinds of reductions that allow words to come out more smoothly. All languages do this; it's a linguistic phenomenon of preferring what is more efficient (i.e. what requires less effort).

[joelmasamba]

Oh my gosh!!! You're our savior about English my amazing teacher keep up the good work I've been learning more from you!!!!

[mohammedalamri]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Richelle, for what you do for us.

[apdorafa-rafaelalmeida]

Rachel is soo good. I grew up in Canada and now live in Brazil teaching English to Brazilians. I always get good ideas out of her videos. Just one thing about the word friend...I guess I never pronounce the "d".

[katherinemorey]

As a teacher of effective speaking at the university level, I view many of your instructions as based purely on your opinion rather than any officially sanctioned way of speaking the English language. Much of what you present would make your followers more inarticulate than desired by audiences who learned to enunciate clearly.

[annelarrybrunelle]

As an American native speaker (midwest transplant to Texas) of 70+ years, I assure you that I was taught to (and still do) pronounce my terminal consonants. And I would encourage a non-native speaker to do the same. There is a difference between "smooth" and "sloppy". Indeed, singers, especially those who wish their words to be understood, will usese care to enunciate terminal consonants clearly, even if softly. There actually is reason to put an almost indiscernible space between, for example, the words "had done" - two distinct "d" sounds very close together. And I also report that when speaking to anyone with even a mild hearing impairment, and especially on the phone, dictionary pronunciation, with clarity and distinction, is preferred.

[nmarks]

This channel is an affront to the English language.

[kruathaicookeryschool]

If I was taught like this teacher, I would have spoken better English. Thank you teacher.