The word ‘often’ can be pronounced in more than one way in American English. This variety may confuse English learners and lead to some uncertainty when using it, especially when it comes to the pronunciation of the letters O and T.
In American English, the letter O in ‘often’ can be pronounced in two ways:
- as a rounded vowel [ɔ] as in the word ‘core’: o.
- as a low unrounded [ɑ] as in the word ‘father’: aa
In this post, the second option is used – aa.
As for the T, you can either pronounce the T sound or drop it:
- With a T sound: aaf-t’n [IPA: ɑftən]
You start with ‘aa’ as in ‘father’ and move to an F sound. The second syllable begins with a T sound and then you move to a schwa sound and finish with an N sound. The schwa is very short, and it’s as if it’s not even there. Imagine moving from a T to an N right away, with nothing in between. - Without a T sound: aa-f’n [IPA: ɑfən]
You start with ‘a’ as in ‘father’. The second syllable begins with an F sound and then you move to a schwa and finish with an N sound.
Either way, make sure that you stress the first syllable.
Watch my tutorial on how to pronounce ‘often’ and practice with me:
Curious to know about the words with a dropped T? Watch this video.
Additional resources:
