How to pronounce the phrase th in English. Reading rules in English

Having studied the Russian alphabet, we can easily read any texts. But for correct reading in English, you will have to make more efforts, because there are many discrepancies between the spelling and pronunciation of words. If you decide to learn this language on your own and cannot understand how to read words in English correctly, then this material is exactly what you need. Today we will analyze the nuances of pronunciation English letters and letter combinations, and find out how easy it is to learn to read English from scratch. And it will help to learn the rules of reading English for beginners with a table that shows all the letters and their sound.

First, let's get acquainted with the most important law of reading in English - the rule of open and closed syllables. There is no similar norm in Russian, so let's analyze in detail what it is. Pay attention to transcription.

An open syllable is a syllable that ends in a vowel. As a rule, it occurs in the following cases:

• The word ends in a vowel, so the last syllable is always open: t ake[take].*
• A vowel is followed by a consonant followed by a vowel again: ed uca tion [education].
• Two vowels side by side in a word: cr ue l [cruel].

*Ultimate e in most cases it is considered "dumb", that is, it is not pronounced, but appears at the base of the word precisely for the formation of an open syllable.

In open syllables, the vowel is always pronounced smoothly and extended. Accordingly, closed syllables are all those syllables in which the vowel sound is closed by a consonant and therefore sounds short and abrupt: c ut[cat].

In addition, special reading rules in English language characteristic of syllables in which the vowel is closed by the letter r. The fact is that in the British version of the pronunciation of such syllables, the letter r is often completely skipped, i.e. not pronounced. Therefore, there are two options for reading such letter combinations:

1. In an open syllable, when r is surrounded by vowels, only both vowels are read: c are[keea]. In such cases, the last e won't be dumb.
2. In a closed syllable ( voice + r + acc.), r is also not readable, but affects the sound of the vowel sound, making it more drawn out: start [staat]

The rule of open and closed syllables is the basic law of reading in English, although there are many exceptions to it. But it is too early to learn exceptions without knowing the main rules. Therefore, now we will consider the sound options for all letters and letter combinations.

Rules for reading English for beginners - a table of correspondence of letters and sounds

Even if you started learning English and reading it from scratch, you probably already know the spelling and sound of all the letters of the English alphabet. But, as we already learned from the previous section, when reading, the pronunciation of letters depends on the type of syllable or letter combination. Therefore, in the tables below you can find several variants of the sound of the same letter at once. But do not be alarmed, for each case an accessible explanation will be given. So, let's continue to learn English for beginners and learn the rules of reading in English.

Consonants

Let's start with the easiest: with a table of consonants, the pronunciation of which is similar to the Russian sound.

Letter	Transcription	Russian pronunciation
B	[b]	b
D	[d]	d*
F	[f]	f
K	[k]	To
L	[l]	l
M	[m]	m
N	[n]	n
P	[p]	P
R	[r]	R
S	[s]	With
	[z]	h (only in special positions: after voiced consonants, between two vowels and in the -ism suffix.)
T	[t]	T*
V	[v]	V
W	[w]	V**
Z	[z]	h

*English d and t are more aspirated than their Russian counterparts.

**w is pronounced with lips extended into a tube, resulting in something between the Russian sounds в and у.

Now let's deal with more complex letters.

Letter	Transcription	Pronunciation and explanation
C	[s]	c (before vowels i, e, y)
	[k]	to (in other cases)
G		j (before vowels i, e, y)
	[g]	g (in other cases)
H	[h]	Very weakly pronounced Russian X (almost just a strong exhalation)
Q		sq.
X		ks (before a consonant or at the end of a word)
		z (between two vowels)
	[z]	h (at the beginning of a word before a vowel)

And also we will study the letter combinations of consonants in English.

Combination	Transcription	Pronunciation
ck	[k]	To
ch		h
tch
ng	[ŋ]	nasal n
ph	[f]	f
sh	[ʃ]	w
th	[θ]	1) middle sound between s and f (tongue between teeth) 2) the sound is average between h and v (tongue between teeth)
wr	[r]	R
wh	[w]	at / in x (only before o)
qu		sq.

In addition, it is worth considering that the consonants at the very end of the word, the English language never allows you to stun. Otherwise, you may say something completely different from what you wanted to say. For example: back [back] - behind, behind; bag [bag] - bag, bag.

Vowels

It is much more difficult to cope with reading English vowels, but the already familiar rules of open and closed syllables will help us figure it out. We take them into service and learn how to read the vowels of the English language correctly.

Closed syllable
Letter	Transcription	Pronunciation	Examples
A	[æ]	uh	bat, track, sad
E	[e]	uh	pet, red, check
I	[ɪ]	And	pit, fill, tin, system, myth, lynx
Y
O	[ɒ]	O	spot, not, cross
U	[ʌ]	A	spun, truck, butter

Do not forget that in a closed syllable all letters are pronounced briefly.

open syllable
Letter	Transcription	Pronunciation	Examples
A		Hey	game, flame, lake
E		And	he, be, Pete
I		ah	mine, like, nine, cry, bye, type
Y
O	[əʊ]	OU	bone, tone, rose
U		Yu	pupil, music, cube

And the vowels of an open syllable are always smooth and drawn out.

Open syllable with r
Letter	Transcription	Pronunciation	Examples
A		ea	square
E	[ɪə]	ie	here
I		aye	tired
Y
O	[ɔː]	oo	more
U		yue	cure

Remember that the letter r after a vowel, as a rule, is not pronounced.

Behindcovered syllable with r
Letter	Transcription	Pronunciation	Examples
A	[ɑː]	aa	dark
O	[ɔː]	oo	sports
E	[ɜː]	yo	pert, bird, myrtle, burn
I
Y
U

Now we know how to read vowels in English words. But for perfect reading in English, one more point needs to be studied.

Diphthongs and triphthongs in English

An important aspect of English for beginners is diphthongs and triphthongs, i.e. combinations of two or three letters that have a special sound. Their pronunciation is called sliding, because. first, the main sound is pronounced intensely, and then it is smoothly translated into a secondary sound. Diphthongs are a kind of exception and do not obey the general grammatical laws, so they can only be learned by heart. The table below will help us learn the rules for reading English diphthongs for beginners.

English diphthongs
Combinations	Transcription	Pronunciation
air, ear, are		uh*
ye, igh, uy, ie		ah
ea, ey, ai, ei, ei		Hey
ere, eer, ier, ear	[ɪə]	ie
oy, oi	[ɔɪ]	Ouch
ou, ow		aow
ou, ow, oa, ol	[əu]	ooh
ure, ue, our, oor		uue
English triphthongs
ower, our		aue
eur, ure		yuyue
iet, ire, ier, iar, yre		aaye

* doubling the letter indicates the length of the first sound, in relation to the second.

So, we have considered the main nuances of reading in English. Take these rules responsibly: conduct reading lessons more often and be sure to learn to distinguish between types of syllables in English. Otherwise, you will make gross mistakes in pronunciation, which will lead to a complete misunderstanding by the interlocutor of your words. Good luck in learning English and see you soon!

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More than once in the comments they asked to disassemble the interdental sound th. This is not surprising at all: th is one of the most common sounds of the English language, while in Russian (and in many others) this sound simply does not exist.

How to pronounce it? How to fix common mistakes? How to “train your mouth” for correct pronunciation? Today we will answer these questions with videos, exercises, tongue twisters, words and song examples.

What sound do the letters th make?

Let's just make a reservation right away that th is not a sound. This is a combination of letters that can be read as two sounds: deaf / θ /, as in the word thanks, and voiced /ð/, as in the word that. It is these signs that interdental “th sounds” are designated in transcription. But in the article I will sometimes write “th sound” for convenience.

Both sounds, both voiced and deaf, articulate the same way(lips and tongue are in the same position). Therefore, we will build the work as follows:

1. First, learn the correct position of the mouth for both sounds;
2. Then we analyze possible mistakes and learn how to fix them;
3. Then we will work on tongue twisters and words each sound separately.

Yes, we do not have these sounds. But we have the concept of "lisp". Do you remember Sid the sloth from Ice Age: “No, I f whether f who is young f to die!”. In English explanatory dictionary the word “lisp” (lisp) is interpreted as “a speech defect in which s and z sound like th in think And this respectively".

This video just talks about lisp. I recommend to watch: simple and with humor.

That is, it turns out that we need to pronounce Russian / s / in a lisp for the deaf / θ / and Russian / з / - for the voiced / ð /. How is it, "lisping"? Say the word right now "compound". When you make the /c/ sound, your tongue is behind your teeth. Now put your tongue between teeth(sound th - interdental) and say again "compound". You will get a semblance of a deaf th, as in the word thick.

Now do the same, but with the word "gap". As a result, you will get a semblance of voiced th, as in the word then.

Why do I say "similarity"? Because the Russians are /s – z/ /s – z/, which means that their lisp will be slightly different. So let's take a closer look at the position of the articulatory apparatus.

How to pronounce th sound in English

Language flattened and tense, and its tip is between the upper and lower teeth, forming a narrow flat gap between cutting edge of upper teeth and the surface of the anterior edge of the tongue.

To learn the ideal setting of the articulatory apparatus, I suggest you watch the video. It shows three life hacks:

2:08 – how to put the articulatory apparatus in the ideal position: open your mouth, put your tongue on top of your lower teeth so that the tip is just behind the lower lip and slowly lower your upper teeth onto your tongue – try to pronounce the voiceless version of th, as in think.

2:52 - how to feel the necessary tension of the tongue: take a straw and put it between the tongue and upper teeth - so you will feel how much tension the tongue should have.

3:36 - how much to stick out the tongue forward: put the finger perpendicular to the lips (as when we ask to be quieter) and stick out the tongue. The tongue should lightly touch the finger - this is the limit.

And do not forget to repeat sentences and words after the leader! This sound takes practice and more practice.

Pronunciation of interdental sound th: video.

How to pronounce th sound in Russian

Now that you figured out what position the articulatory apparatus should be in, let's laugh together at typical mistakes Russian speakers in order to avoid them in practice (which, by the way, will come immediately after this paragraph).

Possible mistakes:	How to fix:
Replacing voiceless /θ/ with /s/ ( think pronounce "sink"); Replacing voiced /ð/ with /z/ ( then pronounce like "zen").	Do not arch the back of the tongue up. + The tip of the tongue should be between the teeth, and not at the base of the lower front teeth (and not at the alveoli,). Report word contrast exercises, for example: mouth /maʊθ/ - mouse /maʊs/, thing /θɪŋ/ - sing /sɪŋ/, with /wɪð/ - whizz /wɪz/.
Replacing voiceless /θ/ with /f/ ( three pronounce like “fries”); Replacing voiced /ð/ with /in/ ( breathe pronounce like "brive").	Expose the teeth, especially the lower ones, as when brushing them, so that the lower lip does not come into contact with the upper teeth and does not come close to them. Reprimand contrasting pairs: three /θriː/ - free /friː/, thought /θɔːt/ - fought /fɔːt/.
Replacing voiceless /θ/ with sound /t/ ( thick pronounce like "teak"); Replacing voiced /ð/ with /d/ ( this pronounce like "diz").	Do not press the front part of the tongue to the upper teeth: it is lowered down, and the tip is between the teeth. Report exercises on the contrast of words, for example: thick / θɪk / - tick / tɪk /.
Stunning of the voiced variant th / ð / ⇒ replacement with the voiceless variant / θ / at the end of the word. It can happen out of habit, because in Russian voiced consonants at the end of a word are pronounced dull.	Remember that in English, voiced sounds at the end of a word are not deafened! Report word contrast exercises, for example: teeth /tiːθ/ - teethe /tiːð/.

You see, it's not all that difficult. 🙂 To figure out exactly how this sound should be pronounced is quite feasible. Moreover, the Internet is full of instructional videos on this topic (for example, look, from which you will learn how to pronounce th sounds correctly in combination with other sounds).

What then is the catch? Why does this sound still cause problems? Because accustoming ourselves to pronounce it correctly when speaking quickly and spontaneously is a real feat for us. The way out is special exercises and a lot of practice.

Practicing the sound th in English: exercises and training

First advice: first, in order for the tongue to become accustomed to this “interdental position”, deliberately exaggerate! Stick your tongue out as far as possible, pronounce it very exaggeratedly, do not be shy to look stupid. More in the video:

Another exercise that will help you get used to it is to hum absolutely any melody (for example, “A Christmas tree was born in the forest”), replacing all words with the sounds / θ / and / ð /.

A Christmas tree was born in the forest, it grew in the forest, it was slender green in winter and summer
Thetheethethethethethethethethethethethe.

Now that you're used to it, move on to practicing in words and tongue twisters.

English words with th sound: voiceless

So, we adjust the mouth to the desired position and proceed to phonetic charging for the sound th. Remember that this sound does not need to be softened before front vowels (such as i). The sound /θ/ is always only solid.

thought /θɔːt/

thrust /θrʌst/

through /θruː/

strength /streŋθ/

thrall /θrɔːl/

fourth /fɔːθ/

Great! Now you can try tongue twisters.

English tongue twisters for the sound th

• Th irty- th ree th ousand and th irty th inkers th ought th irty- th ree th ousand and th irty th oughts.
• Th ree th eraptists th rew th ree th ermometers in th ree th ick th ickets of th orny th istle.
• I am th ankful for a th ousand th ings … For fai th full ear th, for bir th and brea th, for th ought and heal th and strenght th and peace th, and, may be, when it comes, for dea th.

At the end of our training, as usual, we will take an example from a well-known song for the sound th. I settled on the song “Under My Thumb” by The Rolling Stones. Word thumb repeated throughout the song with a distinct pronunciation of the /θ/ sound.

Words with th sound in English: voiced variant

Now let's move on to the voiced sound /ð/. I again draw your attention to the fact that this sound is always hard and does not soften before front vowels.

loathe /ləʊð/

breathe /briːð/

other /ˈʌð.ər/

there /ðeər/

whether /ˈweð.ər/

mother /ˈmʌð.ər/

father /ˈfɑː.ðər/

brother /ˈbrʌð.ər/

neither /ˈniː.ðər/

worthy /ˈwɜː.ði/

leather /ˈleð.ər/

together /təˈɡeð.ər/

another /əˈnʌð.ər/

English tongue twisters for the sound th

• Th ese bro th ersba th e wi th th ose bro th ers, th ose bro th ersba th e wi th th ese bro th ers.
• Th ey are always bo th ering Fa th er and Mo th er to do things for th em.
• Th ese clo th es are ra th er for th and southern wea th er, th ose clo th es are ra th er for th e northern wea th er.

By the way, I strongly advise you to study another tongue twister. Rather, this is a lot of different tongue twisters for voiceless and voiced th, which are superimposed on the music. Learn this song and your articulatory apparatus will never forget the correct position. 🙂

And now an example from the song. For a resonant th, I settled on the song “One Way Or Another” by Blondie. Word another re-pronounced throughout the song and clearly articulated.

Summary: reading th sounds in English

As you can see, there is nothing too terrible in the sound of th. The main thing is practice. You can save our article to your bookmarks and periodically run the th sound workouts over and over again. And so that nothing gets confused in my head, I propose to briefly summarize:

• The letter combination th gives 2 sounds: deaf / θ /, as in thanks, and voiced /ð/, as in that. Remember these icons: if you come across a new word, then refer to the dictionary to find out the transcription and hear the pronunciation.
• This sound is pronounced as a lisping / s / and / z / - the tongue is flattened and tense, the tip is between the upper and lower teeth, forming a narrow flat gap between the cutting edge of the upper teeth and the surface of the front edge of the tongue.
• The main difficulty for us is to accustom our articulatory apparatus to this sound. Especially to pronounce it correctly during fast, fluent speech. Therefore, be sure to conduct training for yourself: sing songs, drive out sets of words and tongue twisters.

Don't Switch: To Be Continued

In we calculated that we had 24 sounds left to make out. Therefore, after today's training, there are 22 left. Next time we will take on a new batch of sounds, this time - vowels. See you soon! 🙂

Unfortunately, in Russian, sounds like [ θ ] , [ ð ] No.

To understand how these sounds are pronounced, the following exercises for the organs of speech will help.

• Stick your tongue between your teeth and blow out the air. Make sure that the tongue is not tense, and the lips do not touch the edges of the tongue.
• Stick your tongue between your teeth and then quickly remove it. Do this exercise several times.

When pronouncing sounds [ θ ] , [ ð ] the tongue is flattened and not tense, the tip of the tongue is between the teeth.

Sound [ θ ] is pronounced as deaf, and the sound [ ð ] with a voice like a sonorous one. Remember that the lips should not touch the edges of the tongue. You should quickly remove your tongue behind your teeth so as not to interfere with the pronunciation of the subsequent sound.

These sounds should not be replaced by Russian [ With ], [ h] or English [ z ] , [ t ] , [ d ] .

Sounds [ θ ] , [ ð ] can be heard in the following English words:

they [ ei] - They	thick [ θik] - thick
them[ ðem] - them	thin [ θin] - thin
then[ en] - then	myth[ miθ] - myth
this[ Is] - this	tenth[ tenθ] - tenth
bathe [ beið] - bathe	Timothy timəθi] - Timothy

On a letter sounds [ θ ] , [ ð ] are denoted by the letter combination th.

Sound [ ð ] , as a rule, sounds in service words:

• in a certain the article the
• in pronouns this , that , they , them
• at the end of words before a letter e: bathe

If the letter combination th is the ending for the formation of ordinal numbers, then it is pronounced as [ θ ] , for example: tenth

note the difference in pronunciation of sounds [ θ ] - [ s ] - [ t ] :

Since there is no sound in Russian [ θ ], then they try to replace it either with the sound [ s] , on either [ t

Sound [ θ ] interdental. When pronouncing it, the tip of the tongue is between the teeth.

Sounds [ t ] , [ s] alveolar. When pronouncing [ t] the tip of the tongue is in contact with the alveoli. When pronouncing [ s] the tip of the tongue rises to the alveoli.

Compare:

[ feis ] - [ feiθ ]	face - faith	face - faith
[ mis ] - [ miθ ]	miss-myth	loss is a myth
[ tens ] - [ tenθ ]	tense - tenth	tense - tenth
[ tin ] - [ θin ]	tin - thin	tin - thin
[ true: ] - [ θru: ]	true-through	truthful - through
[ tri: ] - [ θri: ]	tree - three	tree - three
[ sik ] - [ θik ]	sick-thick	sick - fat

Due to the lack of sound [ ð ] in Russian it is often replaced by the sounds [ z ] , [ d] , which leads to a gross violation of the meaning.

Sound [ ð ] voiced interdental consonant. It is pronounced the same as [ θ ] , only with voice.

Sounds [ z ] , [ d] are voiced alveolar consonants.

Compare:

[ beið ] - [ beis ]	bathe - base	swim - base
[ bri:ð ] - [ bri:z ]	breathe-breeze	breathe - light breeze
[ si:ð ] - [ si:z ]	seethe-seize	boil - grab
[ ei ] - [ dei ]	they - day	they are the day
[ en ] - [ den ]	then - den	then - lair

Hello my dear readers.

We all know perfectly well that the sounds of English speech sometimes differ from Russian and do not always find analogues. And the problem of pronunciation of some sounds is faced not only by small children, for whom this is almost normal, but also by many adults who.

In connection with such an urgent problem, I have prepared for you special lesson: tongue twisters in English. You are waiting for tongue twisters for practicing sounds - with pronunciation and translation into Russian. At the end, I added another interesting video on the topic).

Practicing

I have no doubt that the most problematic sound for both children and adults is interdental sound. "th" . I have prepared for you some tongue twisters for interdental sounds with audio.

These brothers bathe with those brothers, Those brothers bathe with these brothers. If these brothers didn't bathe with those brothers, Would those brothers bathe with these brothers?	These brothers swim with those brothers Those brothers bathe with these brothers. If these brothers didn't swim with those brothers, Would those brothers swim with these brothers?
I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought.	I thought thought. But the thought I was thinking was not the thought I think I was thinking.
Thirty thousand thirsty thieves thundered through the thicket.	Thirty thousand thirsty thieves thundered through the thicket.

The second most popular group of sounds are whistling sounds. "s" . But I won't leave you here either. Here are simple and short phrases for you.

It is equally important to use the right sound "sh" . Catch tongue twisters that are easy to learn.

Quite problematic sounds sometimes become "f" And w . But don't worry, I took care of them too.

Four furious friends fought for the phone.	Four furious friends fought over the phone.
Fat frogs flying past fast	Fat frogs quickly flew by.
Five fat friars frying flat fish.	Five fat monks were frying flat fish.
There was a young fisher named Fisher who fished for a fish in a fissure.	There was a young fisher named Fisher who fished in the hole.
If two witches would watch two watches, which witch would watch which watch?	If sorceresses looked at two clocks, which sorceress would look at which clock?

And last but not least the sound "j". It would seem that problems with it should not arise, but still it happens. So here are some short and easy suggestions for you.

Jean jellies ginger jam in June Jess jellies ginger jam in July. If Jean didn't jelly ginger jam in June Could Jess jelly ginger jam in July?	Jean gels ginger jam in June Jess gels ginger jam in July. If Jean hadn't gelled the gingerbread in June, Would Jess have ginger jam in July?
Judy Jones jigs with Jim James, Jozy James jives with Job Jones. If Judy Jones didn't jig with Jim James, Could Jozy James live with Job Jones?	Judy Jones dancing a jig with Jim James Josie James jives with Job Jones. If Judy Jones hadn't danced a jig with Jim James Would Josie James jive with Job Jones?

Tongue twisters for children in video

Tongue twisters for adults and children in the video:

How to develop speech with tongue twisters

And now I want to tell you how best to work with English tongue twisters in order to achieve the effect in the shortest possible time.

• Divide tongue twisters into sounds.

It sounds strange, of course, but it's true. Do not try to cover something that causes a complex of problems at once. Go in order. If you have problems with sound – th, then start with tongue twisters for this sound. Then, having mastered one, move on to the next group.

• Read the short sentence carefully.

You should not immediately try to "shoot" everything that is like a meteor. Will not work.

• Analyze each word: its meaning and sound.

This is not the most necessary part of preparation, but if you are already learning, why not memorize new vocabulary as well?

• And only now try to slowly read the whole tongue twister aloud.

Slowly and confidently read the tongue twister until you read it without a single mistake.

• Gradually increase the pace of your speech.

And only now, when you have gone through all the stages, you can try to increase the pace of speech and each time pronounce it as quickly as possible. But the important point here is precisely gradually.

Well, my dears, have you already tasted every tongue twister?)

And now more tongue twisters and live English speech from the lips of two cheerful young people in this video:

I am sure that you are obedient students. If you want to receive even more information that will help you improve your English quickly and effectively, then subscribe to my blog newsletter. Before you know it, your English will completely change in a couple of months.

Until then, I say goodbye.

See you again, my dears.

Read best quotes in English -

Learn about the most popular English sayings -

Introduction

The sound is rightfully considered the king of complexity among English sounds.

In many languages, such a sound does not exist at all, except for Arabic, Greek, Castilian and Swahili.
You and I are also lucky.
We do not have such a letter!

For this reason, it is so difficult for us to pronounce words such as the, this, with ... And therefore we often replace the sound with C, T, Z or D.
And it sounds instead of The - Ze or De; instead of Think - Sink or Tink.
And you, by the way, know that it was not from a good life that the English people began to stick out their tongues, but from a lack of front upper teeth during scurvy. Don't believe? Read the story about the origin of the English sound.

“... scurvy, which was the result of a cold snap, dramatically changed the phonetic picture of Europe. Babies whose teeth fell out before they had time to grow were physically unable to utter dental sounds, and the rest of their speech apparatus was forced to rebuild for a more or less intelligible pronunciation of the simplest words ... The sounds d, t, s, z fell out along with the teeth, and swollen from scurvy of the gums and tongue could not pronounce the contractions of two consonants ... "

That is, if it seems to you that the sound is a lisping S or Z, then you are on the right track.
Try to pronounce the tongue twister “Sasha walked along the highway and sucked dry”, replacing With the sound Th. It should go something like this: “Thla Thаtha by thоthе and thоthala thоthku.”
If there was scurvy in Russia, we would probably talk like that with you.
By the way, the above phrase is convenient to use as an exercise for warming up before classes. Just make sure there are fewer people around.

Who is guilty?

Usually they say - stick your tongue out and Tell « THIS« .
But in many countries "IT" is considered indecent!
"Don't show your tongue" our mother says to her child.
Even as adults, people cannot perform this simple action, which is so necessary in the English language.

And here Einstein didn't hesitate to do it. And that means you shouldn't either.
In addition, some especially sophisticated teachers even recommend biting the protruding tongue with your teeth.

What to do or debunking myths?

Well, we have already figured out who is to blame - this is our mentality and the inclinations of some teachers.
And here I would like to quote an excerpt from Mikhail Zadornov about a foreign intelligence agent:
“Right from the construction site, I was taken to English courses, from which I was expelled for poor performance, because the teacher did not understand my pure English pronunciation.
Once he asked me where I studied the language. I honestly admitted - in an English special school.
He replied that he always did not trust English special schools, and it is not at all like me, you need to pronounce the word “The table” according to the latest instructions of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions.

Now it remains to find out what to do? How to learn to pronounce this sound without spending the rest of your life on it?
After trying to do it myself, looking through a bunch of literature and carefully listening to my own feelings, I came to certain conclusions and found the right ways to quickly solve the problem. According to the comedian: "Having drunk, I judged soberly."

Firstly, it is absolutely not necessary to stick out your tongue for a kilometer - this is a common misconception. Usually 2-3 MILLIMETER is enough, which looks decent enough even with our reserved mentality.

Secondly, the tongue should be pressed against the UPPER TEETH, and not just stick out, which is another common misconception. However, it should be pressed only slightly so as not to block the movement of air. Do you want to stay alive in the end?

Third, the core of this manual is my know-how.
Or maybe How-Know, as Zadornov says :)):
Imagine that the LOWER edge of the TOP teeth…

Ok, I know it sounds complicated, especially after a day at work.
Let's look at the photo.

Ouch!
This kid has no teeth at all!
And scurvy has nothing to do with it.

Then one more try...

OK, this photo is closer to the topic.
Although Keira Knightley looks
a bit like a vampire, but
she obviously did not suffer from scurvy
and she can see well
the same edge of the upper teeth.

So. Imagine what this edge is guitar string .
And you need SLIGHTLY sticking out the sharp and hard tip of the tongue, pull it on this string. Pull the tip of the tongue from outside to inside. Jinh...
Those who have played the guitar probably know what a plectrum or pick is. So the tip of the tongue performs the same function.
Now it is clear? We pull the tip of the tongue by the edge-string deep into the mouth and slightly up.

Try it. Try it a few times - you'll love it, I promise!
Do you really want to own this? voiced dental fricative consonant ?
Oh sorry! It seems that with this phrase I scared away more than half of the readers.
However, there is no greater half, and this is incredibly comforting ...

Look and listen my pronunciation explanation sound- the king of the complexity of English sounds

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