Speech sound
The TH sound: how to teach it
Everything you need to practise the TH sound at home — how the mouth actually makes it, the age most children get there, the mistakes that are normal along the way, and 78 practice words grouped from easiest to hardest. Free, no sign-up.
- Written
- /θ/ and /ð/
- Sound type
- fricative, voiceless
- Usually mastered
- Age 5–8
- Kids call it
- the tongue-out sound
- Practice items here
- 78 words · 20 phrases · 20 sentences
Hear it first
This is the same “Teach Me” clip the app plays before practice. Listen together, then copy it a few times before touching any words.
How the mouth makes the TH sound
Stick your tongue out a tiny bit between your teeth. Blow air gently.
- Tongue: Tip between upper and lower front teeth
- Lips: Open, not touching the tongue
- Air: Gentle air over the tongue tip
- Voice: Off — the throat stays quiet, it is air only.
What usually goes wrong
These are patterns, not carelessness. Recognising which one your child is doing makes the practice far more targeted.
- Substituting F or V — "thumb" becomes "fumb", "that" becomes "vat". Extremely common and often lasts until seven or eight.
- Substituting T or D — "the" becomes "duh".
- Keeping the tongue behind the teeth so it lands somewhere between TH and S.
Three things that help
- There are two TH sounds: the quiet one in "thumb" and the buzzy one in "this". Teach the quiet one first.
- The tongue must be visible. Ask your child to let you see a little bit of tongue between the teeth — make it a game, not a correction.
- TH is a late sound. If your five-year-old says "fum" for "thumb", that is still within normal range.
78 TH words to practise
Every word here starts with the TH sound, which is where a new sound should begin. Once it is reliable at the start of a word, the phrases and sentences below put it in the middle and at the end too.
Start here — short words
One-syllable words. Easiest to get right, so this is where a new sound should begin.
- the
- this
- that
- them
- think
- thumb
- three
- throw
- thick
- thin
- thank
- thaw
- they
- thigh
- thing
- thorn
- thought
- thread
- threw
- throat
- throne
- through
- thud
- thump
- third
- there
- these
- those
- then
- thrill
- thrush
- theme
- thirst
- thanks
Next — two-syllable words
Once the short words are reliable, longer words keep the sound accurate under more load.
- thankful
- thermos
- thimble
- thinking
- thirsty
- thirteen
- thistle
- thousand
- throwing
- thumbtack
- thunder
- thorny
- thoughtful
- thicker
- thinner
- thumbs-up
- thumbnail
- thicket
- thrilling
- thumping
- thumbprint
- thirty
- thighbone
- thinker
- thanking
- thawing
- thudding
- thundering
- thicken
- thinnest
- thickest
- thank-you
Challenge — longer words
Three syllables and up. Save these for when the sound is solid everywhere else.
- theater
- thermometer
- thunderstorm
- thundercloud
- thirty-three
- thunderbolt
- thermostat
- thingamajig
- thunderous
- thankfully
- thunderclap
- thundershower
TH phrases
The step between single words and real talking. Say the phrase together first, then let your child do it alone.
- This is that
- Think about three
- A thick thumb
- Throw the thing
- They are thin
- Thick thread
- Three thumbs
- Thank them
- Thirsty throat
- Thin thread
- Throw things
- Thankful thoughts
- Thick thorns
- Three thrones
- Thumbs up
- Thunder thumps
- Thunder booms
- Throw it there
- This and that
- Three thirsty birds
TH sentences
The last step before everyday conversation. Each sentence packs the TH sound in several times, so one sentence is worth several words.
- I think there are three thumbs up.
- This is thicker than that one.
- They threw the ball through the hoop.
- The thin thread is on the thumb.
- Think about this and that together.
- I think the thread is thin.
- Throw the ball to them.
- This is my third try.
- Thank you for the thick blanket.
- The thunder booms through the night.
- Three thirsty birds drink there.
- I thanked them for the gift.
- That thorn is very thick.
- Think of three fun things.
- My thumb has a tiny thorn.
- I think there are thirty-three things here.
- Throw the thing over there to them.
- The thirsty dog runs through the yard.
- Thank them for the thick warm blanket.
- My thumb goes through the thin hole.
Three games for the TH sound
Practice that does not feel like practice. A child will do fifty repetitions inside a game and refuse ten on a worksheet.
Tongue peek
Mirror time — see who can show the smallest bit of tongue and still make air come out.
Thumbs up, thumbs down
You say words; thumbs up if you said it with a real TH, thumbs down for a sneaky F.
Feather blow
Tongue between teeth, blow a feather off your palm. No voice, just air.
When to ask a professional
Most children have the TH sound by around age 8. If your child is past that and it has not appeared, if people outside the family regularly cannot understand them, or if they are starting to avoid talking, book an appointment with a speech-language pathologist. One session will tell you whether this needs treatment or just time.
Help Me Talk is a practice app, not a diagnosis or a replacement for a licensed speech-language pathologist. If you are worried about your child’s speech, talk to your doctor or an SLP — this app is for the practice in between.
Age ranges follow the Iowa–Nebraska articulation norms (Smit, Hand, Bird & Bernthal), the same norms the app uses to suggest sounds by age.
TH sound questions
- At what age should a child say the TH sound?
- Most children have the TH sound somewhere between five and eight years old. It is one of the later sounds, so a younger child who has not got it yet is usually right on schedule. Age ranges follow the Iowa–Nebraska articulation norms (Smit, Hand, Bird & Bernthal), the same norms the app uses to suggest sounds by age.
- Why does my child say TH wrong?
- The most common pattern is substituting f or v. Substituting T or D — "the" becomes "duh". Keeping the tongue behind the teeth so it lands somewhere between TH and S. These are patterns, not laziness — the mouth is doing something consistent, just not the thing English needs. Once you know which pattern it is, the practice becomes much more targeted.
- How do I teach the TH sound at home?
- Stick your tongue out a tiny bit between your teeth. Blow air gently. Start with the sound on its own, then short words, then phrases, then sentences — in that order. There are two TH sounds: the quiet one in "thumb" and the buzzy one in "this". Teach the quiet one first.
- How many words should we practise in one go?
- Ten to fifteen words is plenty. Five to ten minutes a day beats a long session once a week, and stopping while your child is still enjoying it is what makes them willing to do it again tomorrow. This page has 78 TH words, so you can use a different handful every day for weeks.
- When should I see a speech therapist about the TH sound?
- If your child is older than eight and the TH sound is still not there, if strangers regularly cannot understand them, or if your child is getting frustrated or avoiding talking — those are the moments to ask. A speech-language pathologist can tell you in one appointment whether it needs treatment or just time. This app is practice, not a diagnosis.