Proper Pronunciation Guide

told

[to͜uɫd]

Tips:

  • Be sure to pronounce a very distinct dark “l”—
    /ɫ/—after the vowel
    /o͜u/ and before the final
    /d/.
  • Explode the final
    /d/ lightly and quickly making sure it is sufficiently voiced.

Practice Sentences:

She was told that the position had already been filled.
They told everyone that the wedding would be in May.

Notes:

  • It is important to explode the final /d/ in “told” when it precedes a consonant—as it does in the first practice sentence—or when it is final to the word and the sentence as it is in the last word of the first sentence, “filled,” where it also follows a dark “l” /ɫ/. On the other hand, when it precedes a vowel, as it does in the second sentence, then link the /d/ into that vowel, making the word “everyone,”—in essence,—”deveryone.” This, of course, is easier to pronounce than exploding the /d/ before another consonant.
  • Omitting the dark “l”— /ɫ/—makes “told” sound like “toad” (She told him not to step on the toad) or like its homophone “towed” (He was told that his car had been towed).
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