Difficult English Sounds: TH, R, and L Made Simple 🗣️

The ‘TH’ Sounds

Voiced TH /ð/

This sound occurs when your vocal cords vibrate while making the ‘th’ sound.

Tongue Position

• Place tongue tip between upper and lower front teeth
• Push air out while vibrating vocal cords
• Keep tongue relaxed

Common Words

1. Function Words
   • the
   • this
   • that
   • these
   • those
   • they
2. Other Words
   • father
   • mother
   • brother
   • weather
   • breathe
   • smooth

Practice Sentences

• “This is their mother.”
• “Those are the books they want.”
• “The weather is rather smooth today.”

Voiceless TH /θ/

This sound occurs without vocal cord vibration.

Tongue Position

• Place tongue tip between teeth
• Push air out without vibrating vocal cords
• Create a slight hissing sound

Common Words

1. Numbers
   • three
   • thirteen
   • thirty
   • thousand
2. Other Words
   • think
   • thank
   • thick
   • thin
   • theory
   • path

Practice Sentences

• “I think three thousand is too much.”
• “Thank you for your thoughtful gift.”
• “The math theory seems thorough.”

The ‘R’ Sound /ɹ/

Tongue Position

• Curl tongue back (but don’t touch roof of mouth)
• Keep sides of tongue touching upper back teeth
• Round lips slightly

Common Positions

1. Initial R
   • red
   • run
   • right
   • road
   • room
   • rain
2. Middle R
   • very
   • sorry
   • hurry
   • mirror
   • carry
   • arrow
3. Final R
   • car
   • door
   • floor
   • chair
   • clear
   • more

Practice Sentences

• “The red car runs right down the road.”
• “I’m very sorry to hurry you.”
• “The mirror is near the door.”

The ‘L’ Sound /l/

Two Types of L

Light L (Initial Position)

• Tongue tip touches behind upper teeth
• Mid-tongue raised slightly

Common Words

• light
• love
• life
• late
• look
• learn

Dark L (Final Position)

• Tongue tip up, back of tongue raised
• Slightly more hollow sound

Common Words

• feel
• tell
• full
• fall
• call
• wall

Practice Combinations

1. L + Vowels
   • let
   • like
   • low
   • lay
   • luck
2. Consonant + L
   • play
   • blue
   • clean
   • slow
   • flash
3. Final L
   • mail
   • pole
   • file
   • sale
   • mile

Practice Sentences

• “Let’s look at the blue light.”
• “Please clean the floor slowly.”
• “I’ll call you later about the sale.”

Common Problem Patterns

TH Problems

1. Substituting with /s/ or /z/ 

❌ “sink” for “think”
✓ Focus on tongue position between teeth

2. Substituting with /d/ or /t/ 

❌ “dat” for “that”
✓ Practice tongue placement daily

R Problems

1. Substituting with /w/ 

❌ “wed” for “red”
✓ Focus on tongue curling

2. Using Trilled R 

❌ Rolling the R (Spanish style)
✓ Keep tongue curved but static

L Problems

1. Substituting with /r/ 

❌ “right” for “light”
✓ Focus on tongue tip placement

2. Missing Final L 

❌ “fah” for “fall”
✓ Ensure tongue completes the sound

Practice Exercises

Mirror Practice

1. Watch tongue placement
2. Exaggerate movements initially
3. Practice slowly, then speed up

Minimal Pairs Practice

1. TH Pairs
   • think/sink
   • three/tree
   • thick/sick
2. R Pairs
   • right/light
   • red/led
   • rice/lice
3. L Pairs
   • light/right
   • lock/rock
   • long/wrong

Daily Practice Routine

1. Morning Warm-up
   • 5 minutes of tongue exercises
   • Practice each sound in isolation
   • Combine sounds in simple words
2. Throughout the Day
   • Notice target sounds in natural speech
   • Practice problematic words
   • Record and listen to yourself
3. Evening Review
   • Practice difficult sentences
   • Read aloud for 5 minutes
   • Focus on problem areas

Tips for Success

1. General Advice
   • Practice daily
   • Use a mirror
   • Record yourself
   • Listen to native speakers
   • Focus on one sound at a time
2. Common Mistakes to Avoid
   • Don’t rush pronunciation
   • Don’t skip daily practice
   • Don’t ignore feedback
   • Don’t practice incorrect forms
3. Progress Tracking
   • Keep a list of difficult words
   • Record improvements
   • Set specific goals
   • Celebrate progress

Resources for Practice

1. Online Tools
   • Pronunciation websites
   • YouTube tutorials
   • Language exchange apps
   • Speech recognition software
2. Physical Aids
   • Mirror
   • Recording device
   • Pronunciation charts
   • Tongue twisters

Remember: Improvement takes time and consistent practice. Focus on accuracy before speed, and don’t be afraid to exaggerate movements when practicing.

Related Images: