Give P, T, and K a Little Puff of Air

Greek P, T, and K are typically produced without much extra breath, giving them a crisper, more immediate sound. But at the beginning of a stressed English syllable, these same letters carry a small puff of air right after release — try holding a tissue near your mouth and saying 'pin': the paper should visibly move. Without that puff, words like 'pin,' 'top,' or 'cat' can sound closer to their voiced cousins 'bin,' 'dop,' or 'gat' to an English-trained ear, even though you meant the voiceless version. The fix is a small timing adjustment rather than a whole new sound. Try this: hold a piece of paper or tissue an inch from your mouth and say 'pin, top, cat' one at a time, aiming to make the paper flutter clearly on each word. Then try the same words without the paper, keeping that same burst of air in mind. This tiny habit sharpens your consonants across the board.