Pronunciation · consonant

The /θ/ sound: th as in think

In short

/θ/ is a voiceless dental fricative, the consonant you hear in think, nothing, month. It is voiceless: only air, no vocal-cord vibration. Below: exactly how to position your mouth, audio you can copy, the mistakes learners actually make, and drills to fix them.

How to pronounce /θ/

1Place the tip of your tongue lightly between your top and bottom teeth.
2Blow air over the tongue, a soft, continuous hiss.
3No voice: think, nothing, month.

Sounds like: a soft s made with the tongue between the teeth

/θ/ in words, with audio

Listen, then copy. The slow (turtle) version exaggerates the mouth movement.

thinkθɪŋk · sound is initial
nothingˈnʌθɪŋ · sound is medial
monthmʌnθ · sound is final
threeθriː · sound is initial
authorˈɔːθə · sound is medial
healthhelθ · sound is final

The mistake almost everyone makes

Substituting /s/ ('think' → 'sink'), /t/ ('three' → 'tree') or /f/ ('think' → 'fink'). The tongue must be visible between the teeth; check in a mirror.

Who struggles with this sound:

Mandarin speakers: /θ/ becomes /s/: 'think' → 'sink' (noticeable, but fix the finals first)
Hindi speakers: /θ/ becomes an aspirated dental t; usually understood, polish later
Urdu speakers: /θ/ → dental t, /ð/ → dental d; understood, but noticeable
Vietnamese speakers: /θ/ becomes /t/ or /s/; noticeable but secondary to finals
Thai speakers: /θ/ becomes /t/: 'three' → 'tree' (fix finals first)
Japanese speakers: /θ/ → /s/: 'think' → 'sink' (noticeable, lower priority)

Spellings of /θ/

These letter patterns commonly spell /θ/: th. English spelling is unreliable; trust the IPA, not the letters.

Don't confuse it with…

Minimal pairs isolate the exact contrast, the fastest way to train both your ear and your mouth.

Words that drill /θ/

Each has a full breakdown, audio in both accents and a recording drill. Practising a sound inside a real word transfers better than practising it alone.

monthsMUNTHS sixthSIKSTH thoroughTHU-ruh hypothesishy-POTH-uh-sis aestheticees-THET-ik

Browse the whole word bank

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce the /θ/ sound?

Place the tip of your tongue lightly between your top and bottom teeth. Blow air over the tongue, a soft, continuous hiss. No voice: think, nothing, month.

What is the most common mistake with /θ/?

Substituting /s/ ('think' → 'sink'), /t/ ('three' → 'tree') or /f/ ('think' → 'fink'). The tongue must be visible between the teeth; check in a mirror.

Which spellings make the /θ/ sound?

Common spellings include “th”, as in think /θɪŋk/, nothing /ˈnʌθɪŋ/, month /mʌnθ/.

Does /θ/ matter for IELTS?

Yes. This is a high-priority sound. Errors here frequently change one word into another, which examiners hear as reduced clarity (the exact Band 6 wording is “mispronunciation … reduces clarity at times”).

Next step

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