Listen to the two sounds /θ/ and /ð/. Notice that in /θ/, there is no voice from the throat. Instead, you can feel the air from your mouth on your hand. In the sound /ð/ there is voice from the throat. It is possible to make both sounds long. Look at the mouth diagram to sec how to make these consonant sounds.
Listen to the target sound /ð/ in the words below and compare it with the words on each side.
target /ð/ breed breathe breed den then den van than van
Listen and repeat these examples of the target sound. these though they other weather clothes breathe with sunbathe
Important for listening!
Many native speakers of English pronounce TH as /t/, /f/ or/s/ instead of /θ/, and/d/, /v/ or/z/ instead of /ð/. For example, some Irish speakers pronounce thick /θik/ as tick/tik/.
Some London speakers pronounce three/θri:/ as free/fri:/. Some Nigerian speakers pronounce then /ðen/ as den/den/
Think of a computer which people speak into and it writes what theysay. This computer wrote these sentences down wrongly. Correct theunderlined mistakes. Key.1. bath 2. through 3. thin 4. thick 5. thought 6. death Example: It's free o'clock. three 1 A bat is more relaxing than a shower. 2 The train went true the tunnel. 3 Don't walk on the ice; it's very fin. 4 You need a sick coat in winter. 5 I don't know; I haven't fought about it. . 6 It's a matter of life and deaf.
1 Youth or use? There's no youth / use talking about that. 2 Thought or taught? I don't know what she thought / taught. 3 Free or three? Free / Three refills with each packet! 4 Closed or clothed? They weren't fully closed / clothed. 5 Breeding or breathing? They've stopped breeding / breathing. 6 These are or visa? These are / Visa problems we can deal with later.
Follow up: Recordyourself saying the sentences in 4, choosing one of the two words. Makea note of which words you say. Then listen to your recording in abouttwo weeks. Is it clear which words you said?