Mastering English pronunciation often means paying close attention to sounds that seem almost identical—but aren’t. One of the most common pronunciation challenges for English learners is distinguishing between the /s/ sound, as in see, and the /θ/ sound, as in think. These sounds can easily be confused because they both involve airflow through the teeth, yet they are produced in different places in your mouth.
How to Distinguish the /s/ vs. /θ/ Sounds
What Are /s/ and /θ/?
| Feature | /s/ | /θ/ |
|---|---|---|
| Place of Articulation | Alveolar (tongue near the ridge behind the teeth) | Dental (tongue touches or goes between the front teeth) |
| Manner of Articulation | Fricative (air flows through a narrow space, creating friction) | Fricative (same) |
| Voicing | Voiceless (vocal cords do not vibrate) | Voiceless (vocal cords do not vibrate) |
How to Pronounce /s/ and /θ/
/s/
- Blow air between your tongue and the ridge behind your teeth (no tongue sticking out).
- You feel air hissing at the alveolar ridge.
- Example: see, sip, pass
Study this picture to notice how your lips should move for /s/.
Press play to catch the /s/ sound in “sun.”
/θ/
- Gently place your tongue between your teeth and blow air (like in think).
- You feel air blowing over the tongue and teeth.
- Example: think, thin, bath
Observe the illustration to see where the tongue touches for /θ/.
Replay the audio to notice how short /θ/ in “thing”.
Spelling Patterns
/s/: Usually spelled s or c:
- sun, sip, city
/θ/: Usually spelled th:
- think, thin, path
Minimal Pair /s/ vs. /θ/ with Examples
| /s/ Word | /θ/ Word |
|---|---|
| sink | think |
| sip | thick |
| sigh | thigh |
| sin | thin |
| sick | thick |
| sore | thaw |
| sank | thank |
| sock | thock (rare, dialectal) |
| sort | thwart |
| so | though |
| sent | tenth |
| Sue | through |
Example Sentences:
Sink / Think
- I watched the boat sink.
- I need time to think.
Sin / Thin
- He confessed his sin.
- The ice is very thin.
Sick / Thick
- She is feeling sick today.
- The soup is very thick.
Minimal Pairs /s/ and /θ/ List
| /s/ Word (IPA) | /θ/ Word (IPA) |
| suit /suːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ |
| side /saɪd/ | thyde /ðaɪd/ (rare) |
| sort /sɔːt/ | thwart /θwɔːt/ |
| suck /sʌk/ | thunk /θʌŋk/ |
| sun /sʌn/ | thun /θʌn/ (rare) |
| sum /sʌm/ | thumb /θʌm/ |
| sue /sjuː/ | Thule /ˈθuːliː/ |
| Sue /suː/ | through /θruː/ |
| see /siː/ | three /θriː/ |
| sour /ˈsaʊə/ | thour /θaʊə/ (rare) |
| sort /sɔːt/ | thought /θɔːt/ |
| sew /səʊ/ | though /ðəʊ/ (voiced) |
| so /səʊ/ | though /ðəʊ/ (voiced th) |
| sow /saʊ/ | thou /ðaʊ/ (voiced) |
| sore /sɔː/ | thor /θɔː/ |
| soap /səʊp/ | thope /θəʊp/ (rare) |
| soot /suːt/ | thoot /θuːt/ (rare) |
| sue /suː/ | thoo /θuː/ (rare) |
| son /sʌn/ | thong /θɒŋ/ |
| solo /ˈsəʊləʊ/ | tholo /ˈθəʊləʊ/ (rare) |
| soft /sɒft/ | thoft /θɒft/ (rare) |
| sock /sɒk/ | thock /θɒk/ (rare) |
| soak /səʊk/ | thoak /θəʊk/ (rare) |
| six /sɪks/ | thix /θɪks/ (rare) |
| sir /sɜː/ | thir /θɜː/ (rare) |
| sip /sɪp/ | thip /θɪp/ (rare) |
| sink /sɪŋk/ | think /θɪŋk/ |
| sing /sɪŋ/ | thing /θɪŋ/ |
| sign /saɪn/ | thine /ðaɪn/ (voiced) |
| sign /saɪn/ | thine /ðaɪn/ (voiced th) |
| sin /sɪn/ | thin /θɪn/ |
| silk /sɪlk/ | thilk /θɪlk/ (dialect) |
| sight /saɪt/ | thight /θaɪt/ (rare) |
| sigh /saɪ/ | thigh /θaɪ/ |
| sip /sɪp/ | thick /θɪk/ |
| sake /seɪk/ | thick /θɪk/ |
| seat /siːt/ | theta /ˈθeɪtə/ |
| set /sɛt/ | thet /θɛt/ (rare) |
| seer /sɪə/ | theory /ˈθɪəri/ |
| send /sɛnd/ | thend /θɛnd/ (rare) |
| same /seɪm/ | theme /θiːm/ |
| same /seɪm/ | them /ðɛm/ (voiced) |
| same /seɪm/ | them /ðɛm/ (voiced th) |
| sell /sɛl/ | thell /θɛl/ (rare) |
| sell /sɛl/ | theft /θɛft/ |
| scene /siːn/ | theen /θiːn/ (rare) |
| sea /siː/ | thee /ðiː/ (voiced th) |
| sect /sɛkt/ | thect /θɛkt/ (rare) |
| seat /siːt/ | theat /θiːt/ (rare) |
| seal /siːl/ | theal /θiːl/ (rare) |
| say /seɪ/ | thay /θeɪ/ (rare) |
| sore /sɔː/ | thaw /θɔː/ |
| saw /sɔː/ | thaw /θɔː/ |
| sage /seɪdʒ/ | thatch /θætʃ/ |
| said /sɛd/ | that /ðæt/ (voiced) |
| sat /sæt/ | that /ðæt/ (voiced) |
| sat /sæt/ | that /ðæt/ (voiced th) |
| sap /sæp/ | thap /θæp/ (rare) |
| sank /sæŋk/ | thank /θæŋk/ |
| sang /sæŋ/ | thang /θæŋ/ (rare) |
| sane /seɪn/ | thane /θeɪn/ |
| sand /sænd/ | thand /θænd/ (rare) |
| salt /sɔːlt/ | thalt /θɔːlt/ (rare) |
| sell /sɛl/ | thall /θɔːl/ (rare) |
| sail /seɪl/ | thale /θeɪl/ (rare) |
| sail /seɪl/ | thail /θeɪl/ (rare) |
| sent /sɛnt/ | tenth /tɛnθ/ |
| south /saʊθ/ | south /saʊθ/ (same) |
| safe /seɪf/ | faith /feɪθ/ |