How to pronounce TH Sounds in English | The Coffee Break English Show 2.04

Can you say these three things? Do you have difficulties with the sound? If so, don't worry, you're in the right place because today's episode is all about the... the sound. You ready? Let's get started. Welcome to the Coffee Break English Show. I'm Nick. And I'm Francesca. How are you today, Francesca? I'm really well Nick and I'm so excited about it today.

episode. Yes, it's really interesting. Absolutely. Maybe a little difficult this sound. Yes, because we are going to look at the sound produced by the letters T and H together, is that right? That's right. Yes, exactly. So we'll look at the sound and we'll look at how that differs from the sound with the left. Okay. And just try to build a more natural sound when we're using these combinations.

This sounds great because as an onnative speaker of English, this is a sound which I always find a little bit intimidating in a way because it doesn't exist in my native language, which is Italian, and I'm never to show how to produce it. Yes, and it's got some similar sounds as well.

So we have to be a little careful when we make this sound. Okay, I'm really looking forward to it. Let's get started. Let's do it. So the first thing we need to look at is the difference between and So. Okay. So sound with letter F is made with the top teeth. Okay. And on the bottom lip.

Okay. So I'm putting my top teeth in the bottom lip. If you're not watching, so. So. So. So. Great. So examples of words with this sound, coffee or photo. Coffee, photo or let me think of one. Yeah. Love. Great. Love. Exactly. Yeah.

And with the third sound, we put the tongue in between our teeth. This is the tricky one. Exactly. So the trick here is if you put your finger over your mouth, it should be able to just touch your finger slightly like that.

with my tongue. Okay, so. Exactly. So, all right. And that's a good chat. Okay. And some examples of words with this are, I think, and theatre.

Theatre? Okay. And let me think of one, Bath, Bath. Yeah, it's Bath. Great. Fantastic. And that visual effect is very important because we can see this sound as well.

as well. It makes sense. Yes, obviously. So we do a little test. Okay, let's try. A third or a third sound. So here, if I say three, I think the visuals are really helping me there. I think it's three as in the number. Exactly. Okay. So that then leads us to another small problem with the sound and that's that has two sounds Francesca. So the sound, the TH sound, the

two possible sounds. Okay. So one is unvoiced. Okay. There's no vibration or device and that's the one we've looked at. So think or truth. Okay. Right. But there's another one. So if you put your finger on your voice box. I really like this. And we say this time it's a similar sound but it's vibrators. So that's like in words this and that and can you think of it?

Let me think. Breathe? Yeah. Breathe. And if we want to really practice this we can elongate that sound and so bring it to the breathe. Yeah. This is really useful.

So some common spelling rules for these two different sounds. OK. If we look at the sound, many words that end in the letters ER have this sound.

So we're talking about words with the vibration. OK. Exactly. So further.

father mother mother yeah and can you think of an everyone in weather yeah it's weather so this is a nice pattern okay to remember another pattern here it's not always true but a lot of the time it is and that's at the end of words if it's the letters T8 then it's a soft

sound. So, okay. So, that an example would be birth, birth, like birth day, fourth, fourth, and earth. So, there is no vibration here. Exactly.

Another general rule that we can follow here is that we have some words that are nouns. Okay. We have a soft sound.

Okay. And when they become verbs, they have a strong rhythm sound. So an example is breath. Breath.

Like a breath. A breath. Or the verb to breathe. Okay, there's a difference there in the sound, isn't it?

Yes. The vowel changes and we have that strong sound. Okay, so let me try breath. Breathe.

Good. Okay. So the next example could be Bath Bath and Bath. Oh, these always confuse this mean, Bath.

Yeah, it's a Bath Bath. And that's like in some bath. Okay. Great. I think we're ready for a little practice challenge.

Are you putting me on this part? Oh, no. You're don't worry. I'm going to say, tongue twister, which is where we say a sentence that's not easy to say.

And this will help us practice these sounds. tongue twisters are always a good idea to practice tricky sounds. Yeah, absolutely. And a good fun as well.

Yes, let's see. So, the first one, there are 33 thick silk threads. Wow, a lot going on there. Yeah.

So let me try it. Don't laugh. I promise. There are 33 thick silk threads.

Great. I should be faster when I say it. But I think it's good to start slowing and you can build up the speed. I'll work on my speed and social that we're listening.

So if you're watching or listening, it's a good idea to pause and do some practice. No, great. Yeah, another one? Yes. I think I'm enjoying this. They get a bit more difficult now. Okay. So number two, three thousand thick feathers float down the river. Wow.

Okay. Can you repeat it one more time please? Three thousand thick feathers float down the river. Okay, let me try 3,000 thick feathers float down the river. Great, really good.

So that one is more the first part of that is very difficult. The final one. Okay, let's go. Is it going to be really, really challenging?

Yeah. Expert level. Okay. Is everyone ready?

I don't sure. I'm ready. Let's try. So I thought I thought,

But the thought I thought wasn't the thought that I thought that I'd thought. Oh, okay, first of all, can we hear it one more time please? So, I thought a thought, but the thought I thought wasn't the thought that I thought that I thought. Wow, and this also makes sense, this is not just random words together, but it also has a meaning if we break it down in smaller chunks.

I think it gives me a bit of a headache just to read that.