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LISTEN |
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/θ/…/θ/…/θ/…/θ/…
thank...bath...nothing...toothpaste |
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WHAT IS IT? |
Pronunciation:
The sound /θ/ is a voiceless, dental, fricative consonant.
The sound /θ/ can be in these consonant clusters:
The sound /θ/ is a voiceless, 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 not vibrate.
The sound /θ/ can be in these consonant clusters:
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Beginning of a Syllable
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End of a Syllable
<
>
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/θr/ (“thr”) - throw
/θw/ (“thw”) - thwart |
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/sθs/ (“ths”) - breaths
/lθ/ (“lth”) - filth /lθs/ (“lths”) - health's /rθ/ (“rth”) - earth /rθs/ (“rths”) - fourths /rmθ/ (“rmth”) - warmth /nθ/ (“nth”) - tenth /nθs/ (“nths”) - ninths /ŋθ/ (“ngth”) - strength /ŋθs/ (“ngths”) - lengths |
/tθ/ (“th”) - eighth
/tθs/ (“ths”) - eighths /dθ/ (“dth”) - hundredth /dθs/ (“dths”) - widths /ndθ/ (“dth”) - thousandth /ndθs/ (“dths”) - thousandths /fθ/ ("fth") - fifth /fθs/ ("fths") - fifths /lfθ/ ("fth") - twelfth /lfθs/ ("fths") - twelfths /ksθ/ ("xth") - sixth /ksθs/ ("xths") - sixths |
Spelling:
- "th" - thin, cloth
Grammar Tip:
The sound /θ/ is used in the suffix “-th”. This suffix may turn certain adjectives into nouns.
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More importantly, the suffix “-th” also turns most cardinal numbers (four, five, six) into ordinal numbers (fourth, fifth, sixth). (Note: this may put /θ/ in a difficult consonant cluster.)
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COMPARE |
Compare /θ/ with /ð/:
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/θ/.../ð/.../θ/.../ð/.../θ/.../ð/...
These are both dental fricative consonants. However, /θ/ is a voiceless consonant and /ð/ is a voiced consonant. At the end of a word, the vowel before /θ/ will be shorter than the vowel before /ð/. |
Practice recognizing words with /θ/ and /ð/ by taking the quiz below.
Now, compare /θ/ with /s/:
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/θ/.../s/.../θ/.../s/.../θ/.../s/
These are both voiceless fricative consonants. However, /θ/ is a dental consonant and /s/ is an alveolar consonant. To pronounce /s/, your tongue should rub against the hard ridge behind your upper teeth. |
You can hear the difference between /θ/ and /s/ in these words.
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2. A. theme, B. seem
1. A. thick, B. sick 3. A. thinks, B. sinks 4. A. path, B. pass 5. A. faith, B. face 6. A. plaything, B. placing |
Practice recognizing words with /θ/ and /s/ by taking the quiz below.
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PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:

words_with_-th-.mp3 | |
File Size: | 546 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
1. think
2. thin 3. thanks 4. three 5. thorough 6. thirsty 7. thicken 8. theater 9. throw 10. both |
11. cloth
12. truth 13. worth 14. fifth 15. healthy 16. pathetic 17. birthday 18. toothpaste 19. pathway 20. anthropology |
Now, practice /θ/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
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1. thanks – thoughtful – birthday
Thanks for the thoughtful birthday gift. 2. think – threw – toothbrush I think you threw away your toothbrush. 3. path – through – north A bike path runs through the north side of downtown. 4. third – marathon – Thursday He’s running his third marathon on Thursday. 5. nothing – worth - truth Nothing is worth more than the truth. 6. thermos – with – thirsty You should take a thermos with you in case you get thirsty. |
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:
Look at this list of behaviors. Which ones are most important for good health?
Record:
In your recording, describe the 3 most important behaviors and explain why they are important for your health.
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate
Look at this list of behaviors. Which ones are most important for good health?
- Brushing your teeth
- Avoiding thirst
- Taking a bath everyday
- Eating three meals every day
- Being thankful
- Thinking positively
- Being thin
Record:
In your recording, describe the 3 most important behaviors and explain why they are important for your health.
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate

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