70+ /TH/ Tongue Twisters That Will Improve Your Child’s Pronunciation
Charlotte Witts SLP
05/26/25 | Last modified: 06/02/25
Is your child struggling to pronounce the tricky /th/ sound in English? If so, practicing with fun and silly /th/ tongue twisters can make a big difference to their articulation skills, confidence, and overall language skills. Unlike many other consonants in English, the /th/ sound requires very specific tongue placement and control over airflow, making it more tricky for children to learn and master.
Also, the /th/ sound is actually two distinct sounds: the unvoiced /th/ sound (in words like think and thorn) and the voiced /th/ sound (in words like that, brother, mother). It’s no wonder that many children mispronounce these words, replacing /th/ with /s/, /z/, or /d/ until their speech skills improve.
In this article, you’ll find a comprehensive list of /th/ tongue twisters, first divided into unvoiced and voiced /th/ sound words, then combined for further practice. You’ll also learn the key benefits of using these /th/ tongue twisters in speech therapy, learn how to help your child to pronounce this tricky sound, and what to do when it’s more challenging for your child than expected.
TH Tongue Twisters (Voiced, Unvoiced & Mixed)
Here’s our list of /th/ tongue twisters that feature the unvoiced /th/ sound (“think”) and the voiced /th/ sound (“that”). We’ve separated them into lists of each sound, then brought them together in sentences for extra practice.
Unvoiced /θ/ Tongue Twisters
| 1. | Thirty-three thieves thought they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday. |
| 2. | Thick thistles thrive through thunderstorms. |
| 3. | Theo threw three thick thermos flasks through the thatch. |
| 4. | Three thin thinkers thought thick thoughts. |
| 5. | Thirsty Theo thinks thin thermometers are thrilling. |
| 6. | Throw three thousand threads through the thick thatch. |
| 7. | Thalia thinks thunder threatens her thirty-three thieves. |
| 8. | Thirty-three thirsty, thundering thoroughbreds thumped Mr. Thurber on Thursday. |
| 9. | Thelma sings the theme song. |
| 10. | Tom threw Tim three thumbtacks. |
| 11. | I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought. |
| 12. | Thin sticks, thick bricks. |
| 13. | If King Thistle stuck a thousand thistles in the thistle of his thumb, how many thistles did King Thistle stick in the thistle of his thumb? |
| 14. | Three tired tigers try to throw three trees. |
| 15. | He threw three balls. |
| 16. | Do thick tinkers think? |
| 17. | Elizabeth’s birthday is on the third Thursday of this month. |
| 18. | I thought, I thought of thinking of thanking you. |
| 19. | A nurse anaesthetist unearthed a nest. |
| 20. | Three thin thieves thought a thousand thoughts. Now, if three thin thieves thought a thousand thoughts, how many thoughts did each thief think? |
| 21. | Theatrical themes thrive on thick, thunderous thrills. |
| 22. | Throw three thick things through the thin threshold. |
| 23. | The thirty-third Thursday is the thirtieth thanks to thoughtful thinkers. |
Voiced /ð/ Tongue Twisters
| 1. | That brother and this mother bother each other. |
| 2. | Those that bother the other, bother themselves. |
| 3. | This is the adventure that they believed they’d have. |
| 4. | They’d rather gather than scatter the feathers. |
| 5. | There is my brother from another mother. |
| 6. | Whether the weather is cold, whether the weather is hot, we’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather. |
| 7. | They didn’t gather the leather. |
| 8. | That’s the road that their fathers followed. |
| 9. | They’d rather bathe than brave the cold. |
| 10. | There they go with their rather fine leather. |
| 11. | The weather that day was better than the day before. |
| 12. | Those robbers that they caught were their brothers. |
| 13. | Their ideas are clearer than those of others. |
| 14. | That feathered leather bothered the others. |
| 15. | His brother asked whether they should look for each other. |
| 16. | Though they gather together, they never bother. |
| 17. | Those who loathe others need better manners. |
| 18. | My mother found a feather, but didn’t know whether to fly. |
| 19. | Father, mother, sister, brother – hand in hand with one another. |
| 20. | The other brothers bothered their mother. |
| 21. | This and that, those and these — they all matter. |
Mixed /TH/ Tongue Twisters
| 1. | There, those thousand thinkers were thinking how did the other three thieves go through. |
| 2. | Thirty-three thirsty, thundering thoroughbreds thumped Mr. Thurber on Thursday. |
| 3. | If King Thistle stuck a thousand thistles in the thistle of his thumb, how many thistles did King Thistle stick in the thistle of his thumb? |
| 4. | Thirtythree thousand people think that Thursday is their thirtieth birthday. |
| 5. | The seething sea ceaseth; thus the seething sea sufficeth us. |
| 6. | Thirty-three thousand feathers on a thrush’s throat. |
| 7. | I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought. |
| 8. | Thirty-six thick silk threads. |
| 9. | The two twenty-two tore through town. |
| 10. | Tom threw Tim three thumbtacks. |
| 11. | Thin sticks, thick bricks. |
| 12. | These thousand tricky tongue twisters trip thrillingly off the tongue. |
| 13. | This is a zither. |
| 14. | Thank the other three brothers on their father’s mother’s brother’s side. |
| 15. | Thelma sings the theme song. |
| 16. | They both, though, have thirtythree thick thimbles to thaw. |
| 17. | Three short sword sheaths. |
| 18. | Theophilus Thistle, the successful thistle sifter, successfully sifted some thistles. They left the thrift shop and lost both their theater tickets. |
| 19. | Three tired tigers try to throw three trees. |
| 20. | They think that their teeth get thinner at times they want to taste thick meat. |
| 21. | She thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of her thumb. |
| 22. | They both, though, have thirty-three thick thimbles to thaw. |
| 23. | Tim, the thin twin tinsmith. |
| 24. | He threw three balls. |
| 25. | This thistle seems like that thistle. |
| 26. | Thank the other three brothers on their father’s mother’s brother’s side. |
| 27. | Fred Threlfall’s thirty-five fine threads are finer threads than Fred Threlfall’s thirty-five thick threads. |
| 28. | Elizabeth’s birthday is on the third Thursday of this month. |
| 29. | Thirty thousand thoughtless boys thought they would make a thundering noise. So the thirty thousand thumbs thumbed on the thirty thousand drums. |
| 30. | The third time the three three-toed tree toads tried tying their toes together, the third three-toed tree toad tied the two three-toed tree toads’ toes to the third toad’s toes. Then the two three-toed tree toads told the third three-toed tree toad that tying their toes together thrilled them to the tips of their toes. |
Why the “TH” Sound Is So Hard to Pronounce (and How to Fix It)
The /th/ sounds can be tricky to pronounce because they require unusual articulation compared to other sounds in English.
To pronounce them clearly and accurately, you need precise tongue control, great awareness of your vocal cords, excellent control of your airflow, and good speech rhythm. It’s also hard to ‘see’ and copy the articulation required by watching another speaker.
As a result, many children struggle to pronounce this sound until around 6 – 8 years old, or even later. These difficulties can lead to mispronunciations such as:
- /f/ → think → fink
- /s/ → thumb → sum
- /d/ → this → dis, that → dat
- /z/ → those → zose (sometimes in non-native accents too)
Voiced vs Unvoiced /th/ sounds in English
Notice that we say ‘sounds’ here. This is because the /th/ sound can be split into two different pronunciations:
- Unvoiced /th/ sound (as in words like “think” and “three”)
- Voiced /th/ sound (as in words like “that” and “brother”)
Unvoiced /th/
The Unvoiced /th/ sound is written as /θ/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and is described as a Voiceless Dental Fricative.
This means that the sound is made by air passing by your teeth (dental), the airflow is restricted by friction (fricative), and you do not use your vocal cords (voiceless).
How to Pronounce the Unvoiced /th/ Sound /θ/
“Think”
Start by placing the tip of your tongue between your teeth, keep your lips relaxed, and allow air to flow from your lungs and over the sides of your teeth. You should hear a hissing sound – you have mastered it!
Voiced /th/
The Voiced /th/ sound is written as /ð/ in the IPA and is described as a Voiced Dental Fricative.
The sound is created exactly as the unvoiced version. However, you will use your vocal cords when you pronounce this sound (voiced).
How to Pronounce the Voiced /th/ Sound /ð/
“That”
To pronounce the voiced /th/ sound, repeat exactly what you did before. Place the tip of your tongue between your teeth, keep those lips relaxed, and allow air to flow from your lungs and over the sides of your teeth. The only difference this time is that you should allow your vocal cords to vibrate.
TH Tongue Twisters for Better Speech: What Makes Them So Effective?
By practicing these /th/ tongue twisters, your child will get plenty of practice pronouncing this tricky sound, have fun, and grow their articulation skills, step by step.
Consistent practice alongside the Forbrain headset will help strengthen their oral motor skills, improve their tongue position and airflow, and improve their awareness of natural speech rhythm. In turn, this helps their overall language skills, including speech fluency, memory, and listening skills.
They’re also silly, nonsensical, and fun, helping your child stay motivated and engaged during speech therapy.
If your child continues to struggle with these /th/ tongue twisters or the voiced and unvoiced /th/ sound itself, don’t worry. Just revisit the basics, work through the bonus word lists we’ve shared, and return to the more challenging /th/ tongue twisters once you believe your child is ready.
With consistent practice and patience, your child will soon master the tricky /th/ sounds and /th/ tongue twisters.
Smart Tips for Practicing TH Tongue Twisters
While you can use this list of /th/ tongue twisters however you choose, we highly recommend you start by considering your child’s abilities.
- First, assess their overall skills in pronouncing these tricky /th/ sounds. If you believe that your child needs more practice, focus instead on the unvoiced and voiced /th/ sound words themselves.
- Stay consistent and move onto the /th/ tongue twisters only when you are happy they can pronounce at least some of the words accurately.
- Remember that both /th/ sounds are dental fricatives – the only difference is whether or not the vocal cords are used. This means that these /th/ tongue twisters will also help improve your child’s vocal cord control and therefore benefit their pronunciation of other sounds.
- Practice a list of /th/ words featuring this tricky sound at the beginning, middle, and end.
Using Forbrain to Practice TH Tongue Twisters
Mastering the tricky /th/ sounds is easier when your child gets consistent practice while having fun. That’s why we’ve created this list of /th/ sound tongue twisters that are often nonsense, ridiculous, and are sure to make you smile!
Make practicing these /th/ tongue twisters a regular part of your speech therapy for kids. For best results, use these /th/ tongue twisters with our patented Forbrain headset for just 10 minutes per day. This scientifically proven headset is comfortable, affordable, and will retrain your child’s auditory feedback loops for optimal language development and mastery.
Final Words
Pronouncing the /th/ sounds accurately and having fun is easier when you use these /th/ tongue twisters with your child.
Whether they are still struggling with the correct articulation, still mispronounce these sounds, or need to build their confidence, these silly sentences will give them all the practice they need to improve and master their language skills.
Used alongside the patented Forbrain headset, these /th/ tongue twisters can help accelerate learning and help your child pronounce /th/ words with confidence.