Minimal pair · General American
English /θ/ vs /s/Thin or sin?
A primary Japanese-listener study found substantial /θ–s/ confusion across nonsense-syllable contexts. Use real-word initial and final sets as a transparent editorial extension, not as the published stimuli.
Practice these sounds/θ/
The unvoiced th sound
The opening noise is softer and more diffuse than the sharper hiss of /s/.
As inthin
/s/
An unvoiced hiss
Listen for the narrow, hissing sound in the target consonant.
As insin
WHAT TO LISTEN FOR
A small change.
A different word.
Thin/sin and thick/sick share the same vowel. Thigh/sigh changes the vowel environment while keeping the same consonant contrast.
Listen for the target sound in each word.
A common trap
The written th in these words is /θ/. English also has a voiced th, as in this; that is a different contrast.
Sound examples
Tap to hear each wordthin
/θɪn/not thickthick
/θɪk/having depththigh
/θaɪ/upper part of a legtheme
/θim/a central subjectthing
/θɪŋ/an object or matterthumb
/θʌm/the short thick fingerthimble
/ˈθɪmbəl/a finger cover used for sewingfaith
/feɪθ/strong trust or religious beliefmouth
/maʊθ/the opening used for eatingmath
/mæθ/mathematicsmyth
/mɪθ/a traditional storypath
/pæθ/a route for walkingsin
/sɪn/a moral wrongsick
/sɪk/illsigh
/saɪ/a long breathseem
/sim/appear to besing
/sɪŋ/make musical sounds with the voicesum
/sʌm/the result of additionsymbol
/ˈsɪmbəl/a sign representing somethingface
/feɪs/the front of the headmouse
/maʊs/a small rodentmass
/mæs/an amount of mattermiss
/mɪs/fail to hit or reachpass
/pæs/go past24 words. Words stay hidden during practice unless you choose to reveal them.