What is the /d/ Sound?
First, let's look at a few examples of words with the English /d/ sound:
- dog
- data
- idea
- adopt
- mad
- kid
According to Baruch College's Tools for Clear Speech, the /d/ sound is made by doing the following:
"Place the tip of your tongue on the ridge behind your upper teeth (but do not touch the teeth). As you push air out of your mouth, briefly stop it behind your tongue before releasing it. Vibrate your vocal cords as you make this sound."
If you need more help articulating the /d/ sound, check out this video to learn the correct tongue and mouth placement.
Practicing the d Sound
Everything you need to pronounce the English /d/ sound correctly is on this page. Just follow the instructions.
What do you have to do?
Practice for 5 minutes a day for 7 days.
That’s it.
Your goal is to pronounce the /d/ sound clearly and easily by the end of day 7.
Let’s do it!
This guide to the American English /d/ sound is full of useful information. Click the link below to jump to the part you are looking for:
- Day 1 of the /d/ sound
- Day 2 of the /d/ sound
- Day 3 of the /d/ sound
- Day 4 of the /d/ sound
- Day 5 of the /d/ sound
- Day 6 of the /d/ sound
- Day 7 of the /d/ sound
- Additional /d/ sound resources
- PDF download of the /d/ sound
Day 1: The /d/ Sound
If you are ready, let’s start with the practice for day one.
It’s pretty simple.
Watch the video and follow along.
Listen and repeat.
🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version
Minimal Pairs
Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /d/ sound and similar sounds like /t/ or /ʤ/.
- ant - and
- mat - mad
- dim - gym
- dot - jot
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- dim - dumb - deem
- load - lid - lord
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- diver
- crowded
- agenda
- hardwood
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- Let me drive the car for once.
- Did I meet you at the diner?
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Eddie edited it.
- Don’t dance dangerously during dirty duels.
Day 2: The /d/ Sound
Just like day one, except simpler.
Watch the video and follow along.
Listen and repeat.
🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version
Minimal Pairs
Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /d/ sound and similar sounds like /ʤ/ or /ð/.
- dog - jog
- bad - badge
- day - they
- breed - breathe
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- debt - deed - date
- bad - bored - beard
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- sudden
- nobody
- driver
- delayed
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- There are a lot of delays due to the weather.
- He should not have stood you up that day.
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Betty bought a bit of better butter.
- Donny dated a dear doting dame who needed a dozen dimes.
Day 3: The /d/ Sound
Today will be the last day you only listen and repeat.
Tomorrow, you will have to start to speak.
But let’s focus on today.
Just like yesterday, watch the video and follow along.
Listen and repeat.
🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version
Minimal Pairs
Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /d/ sound and similar sounds like /t/ and /ð/.
- try - dry
- toe - doe
- teed - teeth
- doze - those
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- duck - dark - dock - deck - duke
- sadden - sudden - sodden
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- steady
- railroad
- barcode
- modulated
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- What do you think about adopting a dog?
- She slowed down because a duck was on the road.
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /d/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- The darling dolls dreamed of driving downtown.
- Dwayne Dwiddle drew the dreaded Dracula.
Day 4: The /d/ Sound
Time to speak.
You will notice that these are the words, phrases, and sentences you repeated on day one.
Today, your job is different.
Open up a Google Doc, enable voice typing and speak.
Watch the video to see how it works.
- ant - and
- mat - mad
- dim - gym
- dot - jot
- dim - dumb - deem
- load - lid - lord
- diver
- crowded
- agenda
- hardwood
- Let me drive the car for once.
- Did I meet you at the diner?
- Eddie edited it.
- Don’t dance dangerously during dirty duels.
Day 5: The /d/ Sound
Let’s revisit the words, phrases, and sentences you practiced on day two.
Just like yesterday, open up a Google Doc, enable voice typing, and get ready to speak.
Let’s do it!
- dog - jog
- bad - badge
- day - they
- breed - breathe
- debt - deed - date
- bad - bored - beard
- sudden
- nobody
- driver
- delayed
- There are a lot of delays due to the weather.
- He should not have stood you up that day.
- Betty bought a bit of better butter.
- Donny dated a dear doting dame who needed a dozen dimes.
TIP*** Are there some words that the computer does not understand no matter how many times you say them? No worries, just skip it and move on. No one is perfect.
Day 6: The /d/ Sound
You are so close to day 7.
Be proud that you have made it this far :)
In today’s lesson, let’s circle back to the words, phrases, and sentences you repeated on day three and practice saying them aloud.
Again, open up a Google Doc and let’s get started.
- try - dry
- toe - doe
- teed - teeth
- doze - those
- duck - dark - dock - deck - duke
- sadden - sudden - sodden
- steady
- railroad
- barcode
- modulated
- What do you think about adopting a dog?
- She slowed down because a duck was on the road.
- The darling dolls dreamed of driving downtown.
- Dwayne Dwiddle drew the dreaded Dracula.
Day 7: The /d/ Sound
Congratulations!!!
You have made it to the very last day of this /d/ sound practice course.
Do you feel like your pronunciation of this sound is improving?
Let’s finish with a simple, but challenging exercise.
Just like you did on days 4, 5, and 6, open up a Google Doc and enable voice typing.
This time, try to get the technology to recognize these six tongue twisters.
- Eddie edited it.
- Don’t dance dangerously during dirty duels.
- Betty bought a bit of better butter.
- Donny dated a dear doting dame who needed a dozen dimes.
- The darling dolls dreamed of driving downtown.
- Dwayne Dwiddle drew the dreaded Dracula.
Now, turn voice typing off and try to say each tongue twister as fast as possible.
Watch the video to learn how to go through this exercise.
Additional Resources: The /d/ Sound
Words with the /d/ sound
| Beginning | Middle | End |
| dog | idea | mad |
| data | adopt | kid |
| day | ridge | hard |
| due | edge | good |
| dash | module | road |
| dad | nobody | loud |
| dumb | ready | crowd |
| drive | handed | food |
| doll | agenda | stand |
| dark | golden | used |
| duck | hidden | wood |
| dual | wonder | sold |
| duty | burden | mind |
| draw | sudden | word |
| dozen | steady | code |
| diver | shadow | tend |
| ditch | vendor | sand |
| drill | modest | gold |
| drama | studio | hard |
| delay | update | hand |
Minimal Pair Collection
Minimal Pair initial /t/ and /d/ two do
try - dry
toe - doe
tip - dip
two - do
tie - die
ton - done
tear - dear
town - down
train - drain
team - deem
Minimal Pair final /t/ and /d/ hat had
ant - and
mat - mad
hat - had
got - god
cart - card
feet - feed
set - said
sent - send
heart - hard
plate - played
Minimal Pair /d/ and /ʤ/ bad badge
dim - gym
dot - jot
bad - badge
dust - just
debt - jet
aid - age
dam - jam
paid - page
dog - jog
bad - badge
Minimal Pair /d/ and /ð/ day they
day - they
breed - breathe
teed - teethe
doze - those
dough - though
wordy - worthy
header - heather
load - loathe
bade - bathe
bladder - blather
Vowel Collection
dim - dumb - deem
load - lid - lord
debt - deed - date
bad - bored - beard
duck - dark - dock - deck - duke
sadden - sudden - sodden
Syllable Stress Collection
- diver
- crowded
- agenda
- hardwood
- sudden
- nobody
- driver
- delayed
- steady
- railroad
- barcode
- modulated
Reduced Sounds Collection
- 1. Let me drive the car for once.
- Did I meet you at the diner?
- There are a lot of delays due to the weather.
- He should not have stood you up that day.
- What do you think about adopting a dog?
- She slowed down because a duck was on the road.
Tongue Twister Collection
- Eddie edited it.
- Don’t dance dangerously during dirty duels.
- Betty bought a bit of better butter.
- Donny dated a dear doting dame who needed a dozen dimes.
- The darling dolls dreamed of driving downtown.
- Dwayne Dwiddle drew the dreaded Dracula.
Additional Resources
- Tools for Clear Speech /d/ profile
- Rachel’s English Video on the /d/ sound
- American English Pronunciation consonant sound /d/
- TEFLpedia /d/ sound
Additional Activities for All Sounds
Practice Three Words
Answer the following question:
What do you like to do in your free time?
Pick one, two, or three words from the word bank and include them in your response. If it helps, you may write out the example sentences with the word in context first.
Youglish Research
Visit the Youglish website. Pick a word or phrase you would like to practice. Enter it into the Youglish search bar. Find three examples of the word or phrase in context to shadow.
Teacher Time
During your next English speaking practice session with a teacher or conversation partner, have a list of three to five words you would like to use. Give yourself a point every time you use the word correctly in context and it is understood. Aim to score 5 points within the first 10 minutes (so the rest of the time you focus just on communicating).
Voice Typing
Write out three sentences with challenging words or phrases. Use Google Docs or any other software with the ability to turn speech to text. Read these sentences aloud and check to see if your pronunciation is correct.
***There are a ton of possibilities. These are just a few ideas. Use the word bank, tongue twisters, example sentences, and other resources on this page to continue to work on this sound.
If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments below. I read and respond to all of them.
Download the PDF version of this 7-day mini-course.
Plus the PDF-version of every single English sound for free.
