Today's podcast will be dedicated to the 'th'. English, being quite
irregular at times, has two ways of pronouncing the combination of
the t and the h. That may seem simple, but getting it right is a
key to sounding like a native. I have met many
people from all over the world who speak English quite well, but
who have a weakness when they use a word beginning with th. Some
people will pronounce 'the' and similar words as 'de', as if the
'th' was a 'd'. Other people pronounce it as a 'z'; I have often
heard "zis" and "zat" instead of this and that. So, how do we
overcome these errors? Practice is the answer! I will read a
paragraph that is full of the 'th' sounds; I will give you time to
repeat after me. Remember, the two sounds are 'th' (as in thing), a
sound that is light and full of air, and 'th' which is a heavier
sound that has more vibration and less air flow. Let's give it a
try.
The thoughtfulness of my neighbors makes me think. Though
they are retired, they are thrilled to spend their days helping
people. Every Thursday at three o'clock, they hand out food,
household things, and this and that to the poor in the community.
Theodore, the husband, had throat problems, but thought more about
helping the poor than helping himself. They read thick books on
community service, they support the local theatre (er), and though
they are thin and quite old, they thrive on charity runs. Such
thoughtful people!
About the Podcast
Friendly, everyday English to help the anxious language learner. A relaxing mix of daily language spoken by your native English teacher, Anna. Another great podcast by LibSyn.com