Can and Can't: Hearing the Difference

2021-07-24

00:00 / 00:00
复读宝 RABC v8.0beta 复读机按钮使用说明
播放/暂停
停止
播放时:倒退3秒/复读时:回退AB段
播放时:快进3秒/复读时:前进AB段
拖动:改变速度/点击:恢复正常速度1.0
拖动改变复读暂停时间
点击:复读最近5秒/拖动:改变复读次数
设置A点
设置B点
取消复读并清除AB点
播放一行
停止播放
后退一行
前进一行
复读一行
复读多行
变速复读一行
变速复读多行
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1
  • This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Toshi in Japan. Here is the question:
    • 2
  • Hi! How do native English speakers distinguish between "can touch" and "can't touch"? They sound the same for me.
    • 3
  • Also "can tell" and "can't tell" "can take" and "can't take" and so on. Thank you!
    • 4
  • Hi Toshi. Hearing the difference between the positive "can" and the negative "can't" is sometimes tricky, even for native English speakers.
    • 5
  • But understanding these things can help:
    • 6
  • the difference in vowel sounds
    • 7
  • word stress differences
    • 8
  • and the ending sound in "can't"
    • 9
  • Let's talk about the differences in vowel sounds and word stress together since they are connected.
    • 10
  • Here are the sentence examples we will use:
    • 11
  • I can take you to the place today.
    • 12
  • I can't take you to the place today.
    • 13
  • In the positive phrase "can take," the usual /æ/ in "can" is reduced to something called a schwa.
    • 14
  • The schwa sound is similar to an /ʌ/ sound, but weaker.
    • 15
  • But in the negative phrase "can't take," the word "can't" uses the true /æ/ vowel sound.
    • 16
  • In "can't," the vowel sound is never reduced.
    • 17
  • This difference in sound is also connected to word stress - how loud and long we say each word in a phrase or sentence.
    • 18
  • In "can take," the word "take" should be said a little louder and longer than "can."
    • 19
  • However, in "can't take," the word "can't" should be said a little louder and longer than "take."
    • 20
  • Listen for the vowel and stress differences again in the two phrases:
    • 21
  • can take
    • 22
  • can't take
    • 23
  • Another way to tell the negative and positive forms apart is through something called a glottal stop.
    • 24
  • It is a quick stop sound that happens when you close the vocal cords to briefly end the flow of air.
    • 25
  • In American English, we use a glottal stop for many sounds, including the ending -t in the shortened words "can't" "won't" and "don't."
    • 26
  • Now, listen to the examples again and see if you notice all of the differences more easily:
    • 27
  • I can take you to the place today.
    • 28
  • I can't take you to the place today.
    • 29
  • At home, you can also try saying these sentences aloud.
    • 30
  • And that's Ask a Teacher for this week.
    • 31
  • I'm Alice Bryant.
    • 1
  • This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Toshi in Japan. Here is the question:
    • 2
  • Question:
    • 3
  • Hi! How do native English speakers distinguish between "can touch" and "can't touch"? They sound the same for me. Also "can tell" and "can't tell" "can take" and "can't take" and so on. Thank you!
    • 4
  • Answer:
    • 5
  • Hi Toshi. Hearing the difference between the positive "can" and the negative "can't" is sometimes tricky, even for native English speakers.
    • 6
  • But understanding these things can help:
    • 7
  • the difference in vowel sounds
    • 8
  • word stress differences
    • 9
  • and the ending sound in "can't"
    • 10
  • Vowel, stress differences
    • 11
  • Let's talk about the differences in vowel sounds and word stress together since they are connected.
    • 12
  • Here are the sentence examples we will use:
    • 13
  • I can take you to the place today.
    • 14
  • I can't take you to the place today.
    • 15
  • In the positive phrase "can take," the usual /æ/ in "can" is reduced to something called a schwa. The schwa sound is similar to an /ʌ/ sound, but weaker. But in the negative phrase "can't take," the word "can't" uses the true /æ/ vowel sound. In "can't," the vowel sound is never reduced.
    • 16
  • This difference in sound is also connected to word stress - how loud and long we say each word in a phrase or sentence.
    • 17
  • In "can take," the word "take" should be said a little louder and longer than "can." However, in "can't take," the word "can't" should be said a little louder and longer than "take."
    • 18
  • Listen for the vowel and stress differences again in the two phrases:
    • 19
  • can take
    • 20
  • can't take
    • 21
  • The glottal stop
    • 22
  • Another way to tell the negative and positive forms apart is through something called a glottal stop. It is a quick stop sound that happens when you close the vocal cords to briefly end the flow of air.
    • 23
  • In American English, we use a glottal stop for many sounds, including the ending -t in the shortened words "can't" "won't" and "don't."
    • 24
  • Now, listen to the examples again and see if you notice all of the differences more easily:
    • 25
  • I can take you to the place today.
    • 26
  • I can't take you to the place today.
    • 27
  • At home, you can also try saying these sentences aloud.
    • 28
  • And that's Ask a Teacher for this week.
    • 29
  • I'm Alice Bryant.
    • 30
  • Alice Bryant wrote this lesson for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.
    • 31
  • ________________________________________________
    • 32
  • Words in This Story
    • 33
  • distinguish -v. to notice or recognize a difference between two or more things
    • 34
  • positive -adj. showing support, approval or agreement
    • 35
  • negative -adj. denying support; showing disagreement
    • 36
  • vowel -n. a speech sound; in English the letters a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y
    • 37
  • phrase -n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea
    • 38
  • vocal cords -n. tissue in the throat that permits us to make sounds