Easyth
This thing, that thing, these things, those things.
Tongue twisters · θ · ð
The th sound
Think, not sink or tink: the tongue peeks out between the teeth.
- Age
- Ages 3–11
- Skill
- Speaking · Phonics
- Format
- Printable
Why this sound is hard
everyone's trapRussian has no th at all, and Latin American Spanish lacks the th of think, so children reach for the nearest sound they own: s or z, t or d — think turns into sink or tink. Yet Spanish speakers already make a sound close to the th of this: the soft d in the middle of nada and dedo. Children from Spain have a head start with think too: the z of zapato and the c of cinco are practically its th.
Where the mouth goes
Rest the tongue tip lightly between the teeth and blow — no tapping. For the th in this and mother, keep the same shape and switch the voice on: a hand on the throat feels the buzz.
The twisters, easy to hard
Listen slowly first, then at normal speed — then say it three times fast against the stopwatch. Dotted words open the picture dictionary.
Easyth
Mother and father gather together.
Mediumth· traditional
Three free throws.
Mediumth· traditional
Thin sticks, thick bricks.
Mediumth
Theo thinks three thoughts on Thursday.
Hardth· traditional
The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
One card per twister, no buttons — cut them apart for a twister jar.
Practise the same sound
Train the ear first with a listen-and-pick game, then read the sound in words.
Related resources
Worksheet
Th Digraph Worksheet for Kids
Printable th digraph worksheet: match pictures to words, fill in the missing letters (this, that, then…) and circle the th words. Answer key included.
Flashcards
Th Words (Digraph): List & Games for Kids
Digraphs: two letters, one sound · this, that, then