You say "button" as BUT-TON, with two strong syllables and a clear T. An American says it as a short "BUH" and a soft "n" with a tiny catch in the middle, and you are not sure it is the same word. Learners who read every letter usually push a full T out, sometimes with an extra vowel after it, like "WHAT-uh" or "NOT-uh." In American speech, a T is often held instead of released. In this episode: • What a stop t is • T BEFORE N: button, mountain, certain • T at the end of a word • T before another consonant • Listening lab: getting out the door • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: button (BUH-(t)n) — on a shirt or a remote cotton (KAH-(t)n) — a soft fabric kitten (KIH-(t)n) — a baby cat mountain (MOWN-(t)n) — a very big hill certain (SUR-(t)n) — sure written (RIH-(t)n) — Is it written on the list? forgotten (fer-GAH-(t)n) — I've forgotten my keys. important (im-POR-(t)nt) — It's important to call Grandma. not (NAH(t)) — Not now. cat (KA(t)) — Feed the cat. what (WUH(t)) — What? hot (HAH(t)) — It's hot. light (LIGH(t)) — Turn off the light. wait (WAY(t)) — Wait! eight (AY(t)) — We eat at eight. the next street (thuh NEKS STREE(t)) — They live on the next street. that one (THA(t) WUN) — that one, please not yet (NAH(t) YET) — not finished get ready (GEH(t) RED-ee) — Get ready for school. what time (WUH(t) TIME) — What time is it? right now (RIGH(t) NOW) — Come here right now. at home (uh(t) HOHM) — I'm at home. outside (ow(t)-SIDE) — The kids are outside. basketball (BAS-ki(t)-bawl) — a ball game it's not bad (its NAH(t) BAD) — it's okay (casual) Season 2 · Real American English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — accent, everyday grammar, prepositions, articles, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.