huh how can you make your pronunciation of the TH sounds perfect
while also improving your British English pronunciation?
By watching this lesson ;)
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First of all the mouth shape
how should your mouth be when you pronounce TH sounds?
the quick explanation is this
here are your teeth
here's the tongue
that's resting on your bottom teeth
There should be easy airflow between the tongue and the top teeth
sounds like this...
or you can watch this video
for a full and complete tutorial of how to do the TH sound
If you can make that sound then you're good, let's go more advanced!!
it gets more advanced when we mix the TH sound
with other sounds in words
When they go together it can be super difficult
so I'm going to show you the super easy way to pronounce it all properly
Okay let's start easy
When one word finishes with a TH sound
and the next word begins with the TH sound
For example: "with the"
"WITH" ends in a TH sound
"THE" begins with the TH sound
This word finishes with your mouth all ready to pronounce the next word
"with the" it flows nicely
practice with me
now you're not just going to say "with the"
that's not a sentence that doesn't make sense
so let's use some example sentences that you will use in daily conversation
I agree with that
"with that" "with" ends in TH
"that" begins with TH
So again it's one singular TH sound that links them together
"I agree with that" This is an interesting sentence
"I agree" we link that with a /j/ sound
Say it with me. Practice!
Repeat with me. Practice! That's how you improve!
your turn
okay let's go more advanced
Next one: When a TH sound comes after a T sound
Now you could pronounce the words separately for example:
No one speaks like that so how do we make it sound natural?
Easy! We glottalise the /T/
If you don't remember what a glottal T is
watch this video here
remember it's fine to glottalise the T at the end of words
sounds much easier much better
say it with me
For this, what's happening inside the mouth?
Well my throat is closing to get that glottal sound for the /T/
Then my mouth goes into position to pronounce TH
Try it with me until you're perfect
Where is he?
At the pub
it flows better it's easier and it sounds more natural
Let's make that /t/ glottal
say it with me
Okay, which sentences could you use this in regular conversation to practice everyday?
Ah! okay!
Also notice "ME AT" will link that together again with a /j/ sound
Try it all together, first slow
you
faster
Maybe you have a /p/ sound to end a word
followed by TH sounds
For example: "up the" so it's similar to a glottal stop
All the sound in the airway stops on the P
Repeat with me
An example sentence:
Where should I go?
Go up the street
that sentence is interesting too
because we also use connected speech
we link "go" and "up" with a /w/ sound
Now usually if you said "up" you have that sound after
but when you have "up the"
you don't have that little sound in the middle
No "upAH the"
okay what about a K then a TH?
When are you back?
I'm back Thursday
"I'm bacKUHH Thursday" No!
we take the KHHHH!! out of in KHHH!!
In "back"
again the sound stops in the throat
and then you immediately go into the TH sound
Slowly
More natural
Okay, did you see what I did?
I stopped at a glottal stop here
it's not "thAT"
I made the /æ/ into a schwa /ə/ sound
and the /t/ a glottal sound /ʔ/
I think that with the Papa Teach Me videos my pronunciation is gonna be perfect
MORE ADVANCED!
When a word ends with /n/ and the next word begins with TH
For example
if you're one of those people who pronounces this as...
with a hard sound instead of...
A soft sound I'm going to show you how to fix that right now
So you can pronounce it properly
Watch my mouth particularly my tongue
That's such a weird thing to ask, I know
Just trust me
My tongue is in a different place for both of those sounds
The /n/ my tongue is behind the teeth
My tongue is either between or just slightly in front of my teeth
so when I put "on the" together
instead of putting my tongue behind my teeth for the /n/
I bring it to the "TH" position for the
watch
You try it
it's the same of course with...
Don't put your tongue behind the teeth
That is what makes you do the hard "duh" sound, you don't want that
You don't want to pronounce it like that
Ok so common sentences:
Say these with me. Practice!
Where are you?
I'm on the way
Say it with me
Ok are you on the bus?
No I'm in the car
Say them again fast
Next one
Did you remember the tongue position?
if not do it again
other common examples
this expression is a great one to use
and notice the connected speech
We connect "the other" with a /j/ sound
Say it
Try this one
I need to pee, but someone's in the toilet
Someone's always in the toilet
Okay let's get more advanced!
L then TH sounds for example words like
many people find this difficult to pronounce
but it's easy because again the tongue is already in a good position
to go straight into the TH sound
It just comes forward a little bit
although another common sentence you might use with this is...
I made that last T glottal because it sounds more natural to do that
so try with me slowly first
Now faster
MORE ADVANCED!!!!! OMGOMGOMGOMG!
f then TH
Okay now you could cheat
If you have a word like "of the"
For example "best of the best"
you might find it difficult going from /v/ to /ð/
So what we commonly do is we drop that F
and we just have /ə/, a schwa sound
You try it
Aly is...
Other common sentences you might use
Just know you have two schwa sounds here
You say it. Practice. Try it.
"How many things do you have to do today?"
"Are you at work today?"
"No I'm out of the office today"
"Sorry this is a bad time of the month for me"
So that is very common in fast speech we just dropped that last F make it a schwa sound
However you might be thinking are okay even with words like "off"?
With 2 Fs?
Unfortunately not, no
If you have "off the" for example
No you would have to pronounce that F
So again it might just take practice but practice with me
Practice changing your mouth shape from /f/ to /ð/
Whole sentence
Okay what about S + TH?
That sounds difficult!
It's not difficult, I'll show you how to do it perfectly
The easy way: Drop the TH sound altogether, for example:
Notice I removed the TH sound
Again in fast speech this is very common
another very common question you might ask:
well again we can remove the TH
So again I've removed that TH and I glottalised that final T
Say it with me
I'm sure you were perfect
other very common questions:
Again remove the TH
Say it with me
Your turn. Practice!
Easy way...
I'm using 2 glottal T's
Again, again, again!
Fast speech this is acceptable
but if you're talking slowly it doesn't sound good
So if you talk slowly try to make an effort
Practice saying them correctly so practice them with me
This time the slow way
Just "Is this"
Whole sentence...
Your turn. Practice!
So if you're still not perfect don't worry, watch it again
Practice practice practice until you're perfect
also try to come up with your own sentences to practice with
Think of common daily expressions that you actually use
that use some of these combinations
write them in the comments so other people can practice as well
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