Th Tongue Twisters – 40 Lines for Both Th Sounds

How it works

These th tongue twisters are 40 lines written for this site. English has two th sounds, so each has its own chip: th as in think and th as in this. Two more chips mix them, or set th against s, t and f.

Read the full guide

Two th sounds, one tongue position

Both sounds are made with the tongue tip between or just behind the front teeth. Think is only breath; this adds voice, and a hand on your throat feels the buzz. Start with the think chip, then the this chip, then the chip that mixes both.

Th pronunciation for English learners

Speakers whose first language has no th often say s, t or f in its place, so think turns into sink, tink or fink. The last chip sets th beside those sounds, as in "Think, not sink; thank, not tank; three, not tree." Say each pair slowly before you speed up.

Tips

Use a mirror: on every th in the line, the tip of your tongue should show.

Questions and answers

What are the two th sounds in English?

The voiceless th of think, thin and three, and the voiced th of this, that and mother. The mouth is the same for both; only the voice differs. The words to stress under each line use the chip's sound only.

Why do people say s or f for th?

Many languages have no th sound, so learners reach for the nearest sound they know: s, t or f. Some native English accents also say f for th. The last chip on this page practises the difference.

Can a child practise th with these lines?

Yes, for a sound the child can already say in single words; the lines give practice, not teaching. If you are worried about how a child says th, ask a speech-language pathologist.

All 40 tongue twisters

Th as in think 10

A healthy thrush thought the path was worth the length. Words to stress: healthy, thrush, thought, path, worth, length.
A thankful thief returned the thimble on the fifth. Words to stress: thankful, thief, thimble, fifth.
Beth thanked the thirsty moth for the thin thread. Words to stress: Beth, thanked, thirsty, moth, thin, thread.
Keith's thumb thumped the thick, thorny thicket. Words to stress: Keith, thumb, thumped, thick, thorny, thicket.
Ruth's tooth throbbed through Thursday's math test. Words to stress: Ruth, tooth, throbbed, through, Thursday, math.
Seth's thermos thawed on the fourth thorny path. Words to stress: Seth, thermos, thawed, fourth, thorny, path.
Thea threw three thimbles through the theater door. Words to stress: Thea, threw, three, thimbles, through, theater.
Theo thinks thick thread is thirty times thinner than rope. Words to stress: Theo, thinks, thick, thread, thirty, thinner.
Thirteen thinkers thumbed through a thousand thin books. Words to stress: thirteen, thinkers, thumbed, through, thousand, thin.
Thunder thundered, and Thelma's thin theory fell through. Words to stress: thunder, thundered, Thelma, thin, theory, through.

Show all 40 tongue twisters (30 more)

Th as in this 10

Either the mother or the father will gather them. Words to stress: either, the, mother, father, gather, them.
Mother and Father bathe the brothers together. Words to stress: mother, Father, bathe, the, brothers, together.
Neither this one nor that one is further than the other. Words to stress: neither, this, that, further, than, the, other.
Their mother's leather gloves are smoother than these. Words to stress: their, mother, leather, smoother, than, these.
Then the northern weather smoothed the feathers. Words to stress: then, the, northern, weather, smoothed, feathers.
There, their other brother soothes the southern breeze. Words to stress: there, their, other, brother, soothes, southern.
These smooth leather clothes are theirs, not those. Words to stress: these, smooth, leather, clothes, theirs, those.
They'd rather gather feathers than weather the storm. Words to stress: they'd, rather, gather, feathers, weather.
This is the feather that they gathered there. Words to stress: this, the, feather, that, they, gathered, there.
Those brothers breathe together, then bathe. Words to stress: those, brothers, breathe, together, then, bathe.

Both th sounds in one line 10

Arthur and Martha thought their three brothers were there. Words to stress: Arthur, Martha, thought, their, three, brothers, there.
The athlete breathed through three thumping heats. Words to stress: the, athlete, breathed, through, three, thumping.
Edith's mother thanked them for the thoughtful theater tickets. Words to stress: Edith, mother, thanked, them, the, thoughtful, theater.
Heather gathered thirty thistles with her father. Words to stress: Heather, gathered, thirty, thistles, with, father.
Southern thrushes gather in the thicket at the fourth hour. Words to stress: southern, thrushes, gather, the, thicket, fourth.
Thad threw the other thing northward. Words to stress: Thad, threw, the, other, thing, northward.
Then the thunder rattled their thatched roof. Words to stress: then, the, thunder, their, thatched.
The thin feather there is thirty times lighter than this. Words to stress: the, thin, feather, there, thirty, than, this.
This thick thread is theirs, though the thimble is mine. Words to stress: this, thick, thread, theirs, though, the, thimble.
Those thorns there are thicker than these. Words to stress: those, thorns, there, thicker, than, these.

Th, not S, T or F 10

A mouth, a mouse; a path, a pass; a thief, a sheaf. Words to stress: mouth, path, thief.
Fay's free thread frayed through the fourth fold. Words to stress: thread, through, the, fourth.
Fourth or forth, both sound the same, but think which one. Words to stress: fourth, forth, both, the, think.
Sam's sore thumb sank into the thick sand. Words to stress: thumb, the, thick.
Sink the thought, then think the sink is full. Words to stress: the, thought, then, think.
Six thick sticks sit in the thatched shed. Words to stress: thick, the, thatched.
The tent's thin thread tore at the tent's tall top. Words to stress: the, thin, thread.
Tess taught Timothy to thank the tired tailors. Words to stress: Timothy, thank, the.
Think, not sink; thank, not tank; three, not tree. Words to stress: think, thank, three.
Tom thought the tall tree had three thin branches. Words to stress: thought, the, three, thin.

How this list was compiled: Written for this site in September 2026: all 40 tongue twisters are our own wording, and none is copied or reworded from a published collection. Checked by script against every other tongue twister page on this site (no line on two pages and no run of five words shared by two lines) and against the key phrases of about 75 well-known published twisters, none of which appears. The words-to-stress line under each twister is worked out from the twister itself: the th words, split by sound (the voiceless th of think or the voiced th of this), with with left out of both chips because speakers say it both ways. Licence: own work