Tips on making /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/ /ɪə/ /aɪ/
/t/ as in tomato. Position your tongue behind your top teeth. Push air forward inside your mouth, and then quickly move the tip of your tongue away from your teeth so the air is released quickly. This sound is unvoiced.
/d/ as in dog. Do the same as for /t/ above but use your voice. Using your voice sometimes makes this sound a little quieter because the air isn’t released as suddenly.
/k/ as in kite. Touch the back of the top of your mouth with the back of your tongue. Push air forward behind your tongue and quickly move your tongue away to release the air suddenly. This sound is unvoiced.
/g/ as in garden. Do the same as for /k/ above but use your voice. Using your voice sometimes makes this sound a little quieter because the air isn’t released as suddenly.
/ɪə/ as in hear. This has two sounds pushed together. First try /ɪ/ (see module 5). Then look at /ɜ:/ in module 6. /ə/ starts like /ɜ:/ - but make it very short. Now join the two sounds in /ɪə/, saying them quicker and quicker until they are one sound.
/aɪ/ as in like. First practise the long sound /ɑ:/ (module 6) and then /ɪ/ (module 5). Put them together, saying them quicker and quicker until they become one sound - /ɑ:/ is a little shorter now.
