The Soft TH Sound

Learning th words (such as “the,” “this,” “that,” “there,” etc.) is an essential part of phonics instruction. The th digraph can make two different sounds:

• the voiced sound /ð/ (as in “this”). It is also called the hard th or the buzzy th.
  
• the unvoiced sound /θ/ (as in “think”). It is also called the soft th or non-buzzy th.
  

1. Introduce the Concept of “Buzzy” and “Non-Buzzy” Sounds
   Explain to the students that the “th” sound can be made in two ways: one with a “buzz” in your throat, and one without.
   Feel the Buzz: To make the buzzy “th” sound, have the students put their hands gently on their throats. Then, say a word like “this” or “that.” They should feel a vibration or “buzz” in their throat. This is the voiced /ð/ sound for the hard th.
   Non-Buzzy Sound: For the non-buzzy “th” sound, say a word like “think” or “thumb” while keeping their hands on their throats. They will notice there’s no buzz or vibration. This is the unvoiced /θ/ sound for the soft th.

2. Demonstrate the Difference
   Show students the difference between the buzzy and non-buzzy sounds using clear examples. Pronounce both sounds slowly and clearly. Buzzy “th” (voiced /ð/):
   “this,” “that,” “there,” “brother,” “mother”
   Voice it out: “When I say “this,” I feel a buzz in my throat.”
   Non-buzzy “th” (unvoiced /θ/):
   “think,” “thumb,” “three,” “bath,” “thank”
   No buzz: “When I say “think,” there is no buzz in my throat.”

3. Practice with soft th and hard th words.
   The following diagram shows some examples of words with soft Th and words with hard Th. Scroll down the page for more examples and songs to help you learn how to pronounce words that uses the Th digraph.

4. Writing Practice
   Sentence Writing: Have students write their own sentences or short stories using th words.
   Word Tracing: For younger students, give them worksheets where they trace th words to practice writing.

Practice with the following consonant digraph worksheets.

Printable Worksheets (Consonant Digraphs)
Learning "ch"	Learning "sh"
Learning "th"	Learning "qu"
Learning "ng"

5. Songs and Rhymes
   Th Songs: Use songs or create simple rhymes that emphasize the th sound.

Learn about the digraph “th” (soft)
A digraph is when two letter sounds or phonemes combine to make one sound or phoneme.

When the t sound combines with the h sound they create the unique sound of th. Learn about the digraph th as you listen to the th sound in words that begin and end with the th digraph.

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Difference between the soft TH sound and the hard TH sound.

Soft TH (voiceless): Place tongue between upper and lower teeth. Blow air through teeth.
Hard TH (voiced): Place tongue behind upper teeth. Blow air and let tongue vibrates. Feel the buzz.

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Meet the Phonics Digraphs - th (soft)

Two letters that come together to form a single sound are taught in school as “letter digraphs”

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Learning Phonics words with ’th’ (soft)

Learn the pronunciation and sound of consonant digraph - th. Learn words that contain the digraph.

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th Fun Phonics (soft) - How to Read?

Consonant digraphs (also called letter digraphs) are 2 letters that make a new sound when they are put together.

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6. Learn other Consonant Digraphs.

Consonant Digraphs
CH Sound	SH Sound	Soft TH
Hard TH	WH Sound	PH Sound
GH Sound	NG Sound	Consonant Digraphs

Try the free Mathway calculator and problem solver below to practice various math topics. Try the given examples, or type in your own problem and check your answer with the step-by-step explanations.

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