TH Voiced & Voiceless Difference

Bonus Lesson Worksheet

Pronunciation Rules for Voiced & Voiceless TH
A common question I hear is: how do I know if a ‘th’ should be voiced or voiceless? In
this bonus lesson I will go through the rules to help clarify this concept for you.

Voiceless /TH/
1. Beginning: Voiceless /TH/ sounds happens at the beginning of content words. In
other words, if a ‘th’ is at the beginning of a content word, then you pronounce the
‘th’ as a voiceless /TH/ sound.
a. noun, verb, adjective, and adverbs. For example: think, thank, thought, thick,
thumbs.
2. Middle: If the ‘th’ comes before a consonant then the ‘th’ is voiceless. For example:
bathtub, truthful, toothpick.
3. End: If the ‘th’ is at the very end of a word then it is always voiceless. This rule
applies to all words except the word “with”. You will hear native English speakers
pronounce “with” with both a voiced and a voiceless /TH/ sound. It’s just a matter
of preference.

Voiced /TH/
1. Beginning: Voiced /TH/ sounds happens at the beginning of function words.
Function words are words that don’t mean any specific thing or action. For
example: this, that, these, those, then, than, they, them, their, there, therefore, etc.
2. Middle: If the ‘th’ is between 2 vowels then the ‘th’ is pronounced voiced. This
specifically applies when there is a TH + /er/ sound, or /er/ + TH. For example:
mother, and worthy. Notice that the /er/ sound is a vocalic R.
a. Another example includes when the word is a verb + ‘e’. For example: bathe,
and loathe.
b. Another example is with ‘th’ + ‘ing’. For example: tithing, bathing.

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3. End: If the ‘th’ is at the end of a word then it is not voiced, it is voiceless (refer to
rule #3 from the voiceless rules). The only time it is pronounced voiced is with the
word “with”—which some native English speakers pronounce voiceless.

Below I have provided common exceptions, practice sentences, paragraphs, and a

comprehensive list of all the exceptions to the rules for voiced and voiceless /TH/.

Common Voiced & Voiceless /TH/ Exceptions

rhythm smoothly brethren Athens

author Ethan method nothing
something southeast without authorize
ethical everything triathlon sympathy
Catholic hypothesis authenticity mathematics

Sentence Practice
1. The only thing I have against these are those.
2. Ethan is athletic—he has run thirteen marathons and three triathlons.
3. Thanksgiving is a day of gathering and thankful hearts.
4. I love live theaters and movies with authentic theories that make you think.
5. Margaret Thatcher ran everything with authority.
6. Mathematicians hypothesize the high probability of other planets like earth.
7. Southern food is without a doubt the best.
8. That clothing is red carpet worthy.
9. The cathedral was full of Catholics, methodists, and people of other faiths.
10. My orthodontist recommended toothpaste that fights plaque.

Paragraph Practice
Everything changed when my father switched health insurance. The transition wasn’t
smooth, but thankfully things turned out even better than I thought. Dr. Smith, my
new orthopedic physician, found arthritis and I’m now going through physical

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therapy. That’s not the best news, but this doctor, and the staff are all there for me
and thrilled to help me.

Paragraph Practice
There are many theologies around the world that—although they can be very
different—I believe they have kept the earth more civilized than not. From Athens to
Lithuania, great theologians and historical figures of faith, such as Jesus of Nazareth,
Muhammad, Confucius, Siddhartha Gautama, and others, we have these individuals
to thank.

Voiced & Voiceless /TH/ Exceptions To The Rules List

rhythms Bethel cathedral sympathized

loathful Ethel coauthor wherewithal
loathsome Nathan Dorothy Timothy
smoothness within empathy anathema
rhythmic pithy Hathaway antipathy
smooth python Jonathan apathetic
methyl rethink marathon authority
mothy Ruthie methodic bathometer
Gothic toothache Methodist hypothesis
Hawthorne aesthetic mythical Dorothea
Kathy Agatha Nathaniel hypothesize
lethal anything nothingness hypothetic
Luther apathy Othello sympathizer
methane atheist pathetic mythologist
ethos Athena southeaster mythology
ethyl authentic southeastward pathologist
frothy authorship stethoscope pathology
ether authorized sympathize sympathetic

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sympathizing authenticity hydrotherapy Catholic
amphitheater Catholicism psychotherapy

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5

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