Minimal pairs practice 3 /θ/ and /ð/

/θ/ voiceless dental fricative – you create friction between the tongue and the top teeth = airflow
/ð/ voiced dental fricative – you create friction between the tongue and the top teeth + voicing out

1.Practice them aloud:

three this
month that
both other
thank the
third mother
thousand weather
throw either
nothing they
anything though
author those
method then
health than
north although
truth brother
mouth southern
birthday with
bath smooth
worth leather
thunder thus
theatre rather
something these

/θ/ vs /ð/

Think about this concept.

That’s a thought.
They thank you very much.
Breathe a normal breath.

Martha and Dorothy were best friends. Their birthdays were on the same day and they always
celebrated that day together. They both liked the same smooth music and the same authors.
Everybody who met them thought they were sisters. They always told the truth to each other and
they respected each other very much. They wanted to move to the Netherlands and planned to
visit every country on Earth. For the two of them, there was nothing better than their friendship.

/t/ vs. /θ/ and/ð/

 taught / tɔt/ vs. thought /θɔt/

 team /tim/ vs. theme /θim/
 mat /mæt/ vs. math /mæθ/
 boot /but/ vs. booth /buθ/
 dose /doʊs/ vs. those /ðoʊz/
 dough /doʊ/ vs. though /ðoʊ/
 dare /dɛər/ vs. there /ðɛər/
 sued /sud/ vs. soothe /suð/

More practice:

I’d rather not bother with this class.

Those plants are for my mother and father.
There were more than a thousand people.
I want to go to the Netherlands.
There is nothing to do.
The weather in the southern US is very warm.
Thanks for helping me.
I want another coat, not this leather one.
Although it’s farther away, I’d rather fly out of Chicago.
He bought a new leather jacket.
I’m not sure whether the other clothing will fit me.
This song has a good rhythm.
This is the third myth that they have thought of together.
There’s a path to the bath where filthy father bathes in warmth.
On the fourth Thursday of this month I thought I’d wear new clothes.
I think my brother visited the theater this Thursday.
Three thousand smooth teeth together in this healthy mouth.
In this weather, wealthy people breathe through their mouths.

/ð/ before consonants vs. /ð/ before vowels

The or Thee (Pronunciation)?

"The" is often pronounced "thee" before a vowel sound and "thuh" before a consonant sound. This
is not a ruling. It's just a tendency to assist with the flow of speech.

the moon eclipse the eclipse

the lovely afternoon the afternoon

the western countries the eastern countries

the red apple the apple

the blue eyes the eyes

the spicy onion the onion

the great adventure the adventure

the kind owner the owner

the oval eggs the eggs

the picteresque illustration the illustration

the locked exit the exit

the house the hour

the unicorn the uninvited

the university the unknown

More practice:

Throw the onion at the unemployed.

The restless nights and the evenings that left marks in my memory.
The other people didn't enjoy the earthquake.
He rubbed the skin with the oval onion and the oily substance.
Have you seen the Queen? Yes, I have seen the Queen.
I have spoken to the president.
I saw the spider today.
I have met the Kowalsky today!

My Thumbies (Poem)

Child:
I have two thin thumbies
They're with me day and night.
My favorite thumb is on my left.
The other's on my right
My thumbies always soothe me
when I am feeling sad.
They help me to protect myself
when I am feeling mad.
My thumbies help me fall asleep
when I am feeling tired.
I do not know how better friends
could ever be desired.
My mother says it's time to quit--
that sucking thumbs is bad.
And every time I suck my thumbs,
my mom gets very mad.
Mom:
You've got to quit. Don't suck thy thumbs--your
left one or your right.
It's pushing all your front teeth out.
It's ruining your bite.
It might take years to get straight teeth,
with braces on your mouth.
It isn't fun. Believe me, son.
So keep your thumbs down south.
Child:
I'm 5 years old It's time to quit--
of all the silly habits.
I don't want people thinking that
my teeth look like a rabbit's.