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LISTEN |
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/ð/…/ð/…/ð/…/ð/…
this…breathe…other…clothing | ||
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WHAT IS IT? |
Pronunciation:
The sound /ð/ is a voiced, dental, fricative consonant.
The consonant /ð/ can be in these consonant clusters:
The sound /ð/ is a voiced, dental, fricative consonant.
- Touch the back of your upper teeth with the tip of your tongue.
- Breathe out, while moving your tongue sharply downward, and let air flow past your tongue and out of your mouth.
- Your vocal cords should vibrate.
The consonant /ð/ can be in these consonant clusters:
(none)
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/ðz/ (“ths” / “thes”) - clothes
/ðd/ (“thed”) - bathed | ||
Spelling:
- "th" – that, northern
- "the" - breathe, bathe
Note: the sound /θ/ (as in “thin”, “think’) is also spelled "th". The sound /θ/ is more common, while the sound /ð/ most frequently occurs in grammatical words (that, them, those) or in the middle of words before -ing or -er (father, clothing).
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Grammar Tip:
The article “the” and all demonstrative pronouns (“this, that, these, those”) contain /ð/. These words are very common in spoken English and are often used before nouns.
Also, the sound /ð/ is in several important connecting words. These words are more common in writing, but they may also be used in formal speaking.
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COMPARE |
Compare /ð/ with /d/:
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/ð/.../d/.../ð/.../d/.../ð/.../d/…
These are both voiced consonants pronounced in a similar position. However, /ð/ is a voiced dental fricative and /d/ is a voiced alveolar stop. | ||
You can hear the difference between /ð/ and /d/ in these words.
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1. A. those, B. doze
2. A. then, B. den 3. A. breathe, B. breed 4. A. mother, B. mutter 5. A. loathe, B. load 6. A. worthy, B. wordy | ||
Practice recognizing words with /ð/ and /d/ by taking the quiz below.
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/ð/…/z/…/ð/…/z/…/ð/…/z/…
These are both voiced fricatives pronounced in a similar position. However, /ð/ is a voiced dental fricative and /z/ is a voiced alveolar fricative. | ||
You can hear the difference between /ð/ and /z/ in these words.
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1. A. then, B. zen
2. A. writhe, B. rise 3. A. clothe, B. close 4. A. bathe, B. bays 5. A. breathing, B. breezing 6. A. soothe, B. sues | ||
Practice recognizing words with /ð/ and /z/ by taking the quiz below.
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PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:
| words_with_-eth-.mp3 |
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1. these
2. theirs 3. then 4. themselves 5. therefore 6. loathe 7. soothe 8. bathe 9. clothes 10. worthy |
11. weather
12. brother 13. either 14. southern 15. breathing 16. rhythm 17. algorithm 18. furthermore 19. otherwise 20. motherly |
Now, practice /ð/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
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1. rather – bother – this
I’d rather not bother with this class. 2. those – mother – father Those plants are for my mother and father. 3. the – weather – southern The weather in the southern US is very warm. 4. another – this – leather I want another coat, not this leather one. 5. although – farther – rather Although it’s farther away, I’d rather fly out of Chicago. 6. whether – other – clothing I’m not sure whether the other clothing will fit me. | ||
To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:
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USE IT! |
Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.
Prepare:
The Northern and Southern Hemispheres are the two halves of the Earth. They are divided by an imaginary line called the Equator. Look at the following geographical facts. Decide which facts are true for the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere, both hemispheres, or neither hemisphere. (If you don’t know, you can guess or use the Internet to find answers.)
Example: The continent of Europe is in this hemisphere. (Northern Hemisphere)
Prepare:
The Northern and Southern Hemispheres are the two halves of the Earth. They are divided by an imaginary line called the Equator. Look at the following geographical facts. Decide which facts are true for the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere, both hemispheres, or neither hemisphere. (If you don’t know, you can guess or use the Internet to find answers.)
Example: The continent of Europe is in this hemisphere. (Northern Hemisphere)
Record:
Imagine you are giving a presentation to kids about the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Organize the facts into a short presentation. In your recording, present at least 5 facts.
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate
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