If you’re learning to speak English as a non-native speaker, correctly pronouncing the word “taught” is essential to effective communication. To pronounce “taught” correctly, the emphasis should be placed on the second syllable. It should be pronounced as “tawt” with the “t” sound resembling a short “d” sound.

To practice, try saying the word in two parts: “tau” and “t.” Speak the first part with a light emphasis and the second part with a heavier emphasis, sounding like a short “d”. Put the two parts together and say “taught.”

Another way to practice is to break the word down into three parts: “tau”, “uh”, and “t.” Speak the “tau” with a light emphasis and the “uh” with a medium emphasis, and the “t” with a heavy emphasis, sounding like a short “d”. Put the three parts together and say “taught.”

Finally, try saying the word in a sentence. For example, you can say “I was taught to always be respectful.” Use the same pronunciation rules from the previous exercises and say the word “taught” with a light emphasis on the first syllable and a heavy emphasis on the second syllable, sounding like a short “d.”

By practicing these techniques, you will be able to correctly pronounce the word “taught” as “tawt” with a short “d” sound on the second syllable.