/t / — choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol

Analyze the question: We need the word that contains the sound /t/. The symbol seems to be /t/, so we are looking for the word where the letter "t" is actually pronounced.

Explain the concept: In English, the letter "t" is silent in some words, especially when it comes after "s" and before "-le" or "-en". Examples are whistle, castle, listen, soften, fasten. A silent letter appears in the spelling but is not heard in the pronunciation.

Solution (check each word):

• A. whistle → /ˈwɪsl/. The "t" is silent, so there is no /t/.
• B. soften → /ˈsɒfn/. The "t" is silent, so there is no /t/.
• C. listen → /ˈlɪsn/. The "t" is silent, so there is no /t/.
• D. pity → /ˈpɪti/. The "t" is clearly pronounced, so this word has /t/.

Tip: Remember the silent-t pattern: -stle and -sten (whistle, castle, listen, fasten) and also -ften (soften, often in many accents). When you see these endings, cross them out quickly in "sound" questions. Also note that "t" is silent in words like ballet and castle, so always say the word aloud in your head.