How to Pronounce Can & Can't in a British Accent (Modern RP & Variations)

Many of my followers asked me how we pronounce "can" and "can't" in a British accent. In this lesson, I explain the different variations and break down every sound in these words so you can pronounce these common words correctly. We cover the vowels, consonants AND the weak form of can, (using the SCHWA sound). Have fun!
My British Pronunciation Course: www.etjenglish.com
0:20 - 1:29 Regional Variations
1:30 - 2:38 How to pronounce all sounds in "Can"
2:39 - 3:54 Weak form of "can" & the schwa sound
3:55 - 5:14 How to pronounce all sounds in can't
5:15 - 6:05 Glottal /t/
6:06 - 6:41 Can't vs c**t!
6:42 - 6:55 Practice sentence
6:56 - 7:34 Summary
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[@ETJEnglish]

Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my teaching style/methods. It means the world to see that my approach to teaching pronunciation, and having fun with it, is making a difference. I love this community we’ve built here on the channel. Thanks again, everyone!

[@VERA4515]

you are truly one of the best teachers i've seen Elliot, I'm pretty sure years from now you'll be something even bigger🍀

[@abelmanuelfernando3792]

Please I would be really happy if you assist me in how to pronounce the word "THROUGH"

[@filigoncalves9176]

❤❤❤

[@user-nj7hp2bh2c]

Hello dear respected teacher, my name is Armando I'm from Mozambique in Africa I came on this way to thank you for all lessons that you teach me here, how can i join your pronunciation course?

[@user-nj7hp2bh2c]

Please help me.

[@igorxavier8243]

You are the best teacher I've ever had!!! (Igor from Brazil here)

[@TOMTOM-zj5xj]

Please Igor dont say "come tô Brazil" 😂 Eu sou brasileiro trabalho num projeto anti viralatisse , projeto caramelo's proud

[@Luiz-db2wb]

@@TOMTOM-zj5xj hahahhahaaha boa

[@16Meily]

Oh my gosh, I've had this doubt for years!!!!! I'd always heard native speakers dropping the "t" in "can't" and wondered how they could differentiate between can and can't and now I finally know!!!! GOD BLESS YOU, GOOD MAN!!!

[@notdot6799]

I can't but fall in love with your teaching style, trust me.

[@devendrabarthwal9413]

I 'can' wait for Eliot but 'can't' miss his ETJ English class. Glad to see you there again.

[@rahaes8362]

You don't know how much we have missed you Eliot, thanks God you came back(:

[@rocket__boys]

I followed ETJ a couple of years ago. And now I'm considering to obtain a TESOL certificate and your videos just popped up again. I really appreciate them, very nicely done!

[@additikhadka.9785]

Finally you are back .... I was actually waiting for this only ! ♥️

[@ETJEnglish]

Thank you for your support!

[@alirezakarkouti8179]

Welcome back, Eliot, and thank you for explaining the difference between 'Can't' and 'C**t.' I always mispronounced them, and my friends used to joke with me about it.

[@seth.2589]

Great Teacher From Cambodia 🇰🇭

[@jhonnatan107]

Nice video. Congratulations. I from Brazil, São Paulo.

[@grdos]

Thank you, teacher I'm from Argentina and I need to tell you, my English is better today because of you. I love your videos. Greetings from Argentina ❤.

[@Ewr_official]

Now it seems like ETJ is back, Hello Sir from Pakistan 👍🏻♥️

[@juliacoy-ybarra7953]

TY

[@HangPham-jd2oz]

Thanks

[@SayanRay.10000]

Thank you, it was helpful 👍🏻❤

[@mychemistrybook7018]

Glad to see you again. Welcome back, mate.

[@JennasWorld810]

The British accent is so posh and I could listen to it for hours. Ironically, my accent apparently sounds like British - French .. maybe because I spent a great deal of my life living and working in Canada and I was born in the Philippines. Suffice to say, my accent is an enigna for some Filipinos here, I "sound like a foreigner" when I speak in English.😊 Wonnderful job as always. Never ceases to anaze. Kudos.✌

[@riantidewi864]

Thanks so much for sharing this useful lesson You deserve the best teacher for teaching English with heart Keep up the great work

[@ETJEnglish]

Thank you very much! I appreciate your kind words

[@evelineyulica6546]

I'm glad you're back! Your course was very clear and easy to understand. Thank you 😊

[@janetli600]

Nice to see you again!

[@missflukehemmings4898]

You are simply THE BEST!!! Thanks again

[@masterb5683]

Awesome as always 🙏🏻

[@yannnavarro1553]

Thanks for the lesson ! I am a big fan of the RP accent and the sound a: in can't is I think pretty easy to do because of the "dentist technique" :)

[@yessicamacedo1633]

As usual, thankful for your teaching! :)

[@dr.aljameel8953]

My greatest teacher ❤❤

[@ETJEnglish]

Thank you 😊

[@thuylai6645]

Nice to see your back

[@rowssiac3170]

That's why I love the British accent, the pronunciation sounds clear and understandable. You are an AMAZING teacher!!!! by the way.

[@ETJEnglish]

Thank you so much!

[@hudong8429]

I agree with you.🎉

[@bananvital]

Greets from Russia 🇷🇺 And thank you for all the recent videos 👍🏻

[@COUCHWELI]

I am from somalia🇸🇴 and i awalys listen to you becouse you are the best teacher and sometimes my classmates say to me your speaking like Alian ETJ English so thank you my best teacher ❤❤

[@Arwen-d5n]

you come back！！！🎉

[@cancjs]

Thank you!! The best explanation so far. I've always been fascinated by the sound and pronunciation of can't in the British version, I find it more elegant compared to the American one!

[@ETJEnglish]

Thank you! 😃

[@ElzimarSilva-sc4nh]

Tanks theaches tho pronunciacion you are AMAZING person

[@HzarMando]

Thank you teacher . Wish you lasting success 🙏🏻

[@svin3367]

thank you so much for the videos.. I'd have loved to learn this RP

[@Spokenenglish12]

Thanks for the beautiful lesson

[@FatmaElRUBAANI]

Thanks 😊

[@cladianagustina6833]

Thankyou, really helpful 🙏

[@skeetysweety]

thank you for your videos 🤌

[@Blue22Blau]

thank you for an informative video😆 I also enjoy your podcast! so I'd appreciate it if you make another episode even if it's shorter than previous ones. of course, only when you are not busy.

[@user-qq6ok4qj5k]

Excellent!

[@OzyJK69BRs]

I missed your videos... Thanks for this one!!

[@mardonbekuktamov6906]

Wow you are here again!! My best teacher!Oktamov From Uzbekistan

[@miaheeke9042]

Hi I really enjoy all your videos, thank you so much🙏 especially for this one - it‘s really helpful. The most difficult words for me to pronounce are „adult“ and „sure“ 🙈 even after many years of learning English my pronunciation of these two words hasn’t improved. Perhaps one day you could help with these two.

[@C_ns]

Thank you so much for teaching this confusing but very commonly use words. Would you mind to consider explain about ‘obsessed & upset’ I found it very difficult to tell the different while having conversations with native speakers, either speaking or listening. I know these two words spell very different but my tongue and ear just can’t do that…. But people use a lot and that make me very stressful since two meaning is very opposite ends 😢🙏💦 thank you

[@user-cr1zt2qv8m]

My best english teacher 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

[@claudiograndi3094]

Thank you for the nice explanation! You're a great teacher!

[@ETJEnglish]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you

[@pedrocoelho1158]

It was really useful for me. Thank you so much.

[@user-bn5nb2km5z]

You are really the Best teacher ❤❤❤

[@Diganta_Dey]

Hi Elliott I have been following your videos for quite a long time and they are indeed very helpful.. Your are the best pronunciation teacher I have ever seen.. 😊😊❤️

[@marcosmoreno8445]

You have Great Voice and accent

[@deisemw9967]

We missed you so much!!!

[@athebaar]

Loved this, thank you! AND... I must day, I c**t get it out of my head now 😂😂. Thank you sir 🙏🏻

[@leolee3558]

It's a great pleasure to see you again.

[@ETJEnglish]

Thank you!

[@thatsarick]

Please make an analysis when the diphthong together with the schwa, for example, tower, flower, etc.

[@user-zl2ok7np5v]

Excellent 😊

[@fouziakherbani9640]

Hi. I 'd lived in Bristol for several years before I came back to Algeria (my country) where I teach English ( British accent).

[@josebenito15]

When I began learning English I was really frustrated and unable to understand (while hearing) can and can't. Now things have changed.. So don't be in a hurry. Practice makes perfect 😜

[@StonedandRolling]

Thank you! That was very helpful, 'cause I often preferred using a 'cannot' form just not to swear accidentally.

[@davidbenschwantes5024]

Best British pronunciation reference ever!

[@JayenJayne]

Hi Eliott really glad to hear from u. Nice room, handsome looking and with an amzing lesson everything just quite excellent...☺

[@adenmohammedali4797]

Helpful and easy to understand

[@ETJEnglish]

I’m glad! Thanks for watching

[@p0k3r1st]

u're the best dude

[@manishabhatiya4810]

Hello teacher u r the best teacher

[@olgayaresko4925]

Can and can't is oneverrb, bcause can has a negative form cannot . The contraction of cannot is can't. Thank you for helpful pronunciation tips. I didn't know that can't has two types ofpronunnciation in British English.Thank you for explaining me that.

[@A.HF86]

Great Elliott. Could you please create a video with a new topic? Because I think you did a video like this some years ago. Thank you!

[@EnglishTV100]

Thank you, Eliot. I am Samuel from Nigeria.

[@hudong8429]

It’s lucky to see you back and learn from you again.❤

[@vultureeyes8052]

Thank you, from Iraq 🇮🇶

[@MightyUnderdog]

Wow, even in the midst of the earthshaking general election, you still work and produce a video. Respect!

[@ETJEnglish]

Haha, thank you! it’s not that earthshaking! Just another politician who will continue to make the country worse, like they all do 😂

[@roxytana717]

Thanks for coming back. 🎉i knew I didn't have to unsubscribe 😅❤

[@Romy925]

Helloo!!!My lovely teacher,love your videos so much❤You always motivate me

[@sweetchills-ky9mg]

Thanks a lot mr Elliott for your videos and now you look more handsome than your some previous videos sir I always like your British English accent. Mr Elliott you always our British English teacher

[@josepolocaamano8926]

Hi Eliot. very good video ! my professor.

[@mdarmanahmed2387]

We really Love U and Ur videos our Beloved Teacher from Bangladesh 🇧🇩🥀🍀

[@guesswhoiam1875]

You loook sharppppp as always ❤😊 0:26

[@abscondet]

However, you're the best one I have ever had, mate! 🥰

[@ETJEnglish]

Thanks mate 😅

[@micaare8712]

Hello Teacher, You speak English magnificently and I get it, but when I listen american films I don't understand anything, an example: the actor Adrien Brody.

[@susieyeung99]

Hi I really like you channel and your authentic British accent. ❤❤❤❤and by the way your handsome face is very charming. I am from asian 😅

[@Huirou_]

I always get mixed up with the sound of 'want' and 'won't' for years😢

[@Barkhaj-jn6om]

Hey Thanks a lot, could you please start a podcast, and in there bring some British Students who are doung English Literature BA or MA

[@francescoscaglione5182]

Great lesson, as usual. Quick question: what's the right pronunciation of "interesting" and "interested"? I guess even the american "Interesting" and Interested" are both right, although I've been saying "interEsting" and "interEsted"since ever. Is it a real issue or not? I'd appreciate a video about that from you, if you'd like. By the way. super congrats on your new super cool studio 😉👍

[@matheusenglish]

I avoid using "can't" in the British way. I don't want say the C-Word. I often say "cannot" instead kkkk

[@1402LightYears]

❤RP❤

[@unahsu7269]

4:58 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@joseandresardondavila7069]

Would you say that the British /æ/ is more similar to the American /æ/ in “cat” and “had” than the one in “can”? This vowel drives me crazy because I can hear a clear difference between British /æ/ VS American /æ/ VS American /æ/ followed by /n/, /m/ or /ŋ/, but when I go to dictionaries they all simple transcribe it as æ.

[@maryamrazzaq7802]

Looking handsome

[@jeysonfrankie8555]

RP version 'can't' is much easier to recognize from can

[@ishaqueahmed2063]

🇧🇩🇧🇩Love

[@pawezielinski2781]

How much simpler would the English language be if the letter 'Æ' have existed in the alphabet?

[@foroughaskari8959]

Please tell me when you use ‘can’ and when you use ‘may’

[@yerko_baizhanov]

I want to learn british pronounciation....

[@dbdrdbag]

How do you pronounce 'a can of worms'?

[@olubunmialex-abiodun9720]

Hi please i will like to join your English class am an African I find it difficult to hear the British when they speak Pls I need your help have lost to jobs because of my inability to understand British English I can read and write and speak also Pls help me am the verge of losing the 3rd one

[@HolgerJakobs]

In ordinary speech there is hardly any vowel in "can", it's not even a real schwa. Only in "can't" there is a vowel, but the "t" is hardly audible, when it's followed by "d" or "t".

[@queesuntensor]

there is an easy solution: cannot😅

[@benjaminestrada8788]

Great. Thanks a bunch. Greetings from Mexico.

[@profesordanielalvarez3498]

Those two words are difficult to understand in American accent.

[@ramamonato5039]

/kæn/, /kən/; /kɑːnt/; /kʌnt/

[@TOMTOM-zj5xj]

Guys just say can't the easy way , dont waste your time