IELTS Pronunciation Practice: th versus s and t

Technique

How to say it

1
For /θ/, place the tip of your tongue gently against the edge of your upper teeth and blow air smoothly without voicing.
2
For /s/, pull your tongue back behind your upper teeth and push a sharp stream of air over the central groove of the tongue.
3
For /t/, tap the tip of your tongue firmly against the ridge behind your upper teeth to block and then release the air.
4
Practise switching slowly between 'think', 'sink', and 'tink' in front of a mirror to ensure your tongue physically moves forward for /θ/.

8 pairs

Minimal pairs

Say each pair aloud. If the two words sound the same when you record yourself, slow down and go back to the steps above.

thank (/θæŋk/)/sank (/sæŋk/)
thank (/θæŋk/)/tank (/tæŋk/)
thick (/θɪk/)/sick (/sɪk/)
thick (/θɪk/)/tick (/tɪk/)
thought (/θɔːt/)/sought (/sɔːt/)
thought (/θɔːt/)/taught (/tɔːt/)
theme (/θiːm/)/seem (/siːm/)
thin (/θɪn/)/tin (/tɪn/)

12 sentences

Practice lines from IELTS-style answers

1
I genuinely think public transport is getting much faster throughout the city centre.
contrast between 'think' /θ/ and 'transport' /t/
2
To be honest, thirty thousand people attended that environmental summit last month.
/θ/ in 'thirty thousand' and 'month' vs /s/ in 'summit'
3
I thought my history tutor taught us some really fascinating things today.
contrast between 'thought' /θ/, 'tutor' /t/, and 'taught' /t/
4
Our flat has three spacious rooms, so it feels quite comfortable and bright.
/θ/ in 'three' vs /s/ in 'spacious' and 'so'
5
I sank into my seat and thanked the flight attendant for the tea.
contrast between 'sank' /s/, 'thanked' /θ/, and 'tea' /t/
6
Many students seem to find this particular maths theme rather tricky at first.
/s/ in 'seem' vs /θ/ in 'maths' and 'theme', /t/ in 'tricky'
7
I must thank the council for building a safe path through the town.
/θ/ in 'thank' and 'through' vs /s/ in 'must' and 'safe'
8
Traffic congestion is a thick, stubborn issue in my hometown these days.
/θ/ in 'thick' vs /t/ in 'traffic' and /s/ in 'stubborn'
9
I often take time to think about healthy eating habits and fitness.
/t/ in 'take' and 'time' vs /θ/ in 'think' and 'healthy'
10
The tenth task on the test list was somewhat tricky to finish.
/θ/ in 'tenth' vs /t/ in 'task', 'test' and /s/ in 'somewhat'
11
I sincerely thought about pursuing a career in technology three years ago.
/s/ in 'sincerely', /θ/ in 'thought' and 'three', /t/ in 'technology'
12
A thin layer of frost coated the path outside our flat yesterday.
/θ/ in 'thin' and 'path' vs /s/ in 'frost' and /t/ in 'flat'

Say it in a real answer

Record an IELTS Speaking answer and get a Pronunciation band from the AI examiner, with the exact words that were hard to understand.

Watch out

Common mistakes

→Substituting /s/ for /θ/ makes common words like 'think' sound like 'sink', which can lead to examiner misunderstanding.
→Replacing /θ/ with a plosive /t/ turns phrases like 'three days' into 'tree days'.
→Rushing through responses often keeps the tongue locked behind the teeth, flattening the /θ/ sound into an unclear hiss.

In the exam: When discussing high-frequency IELTS topics requiring numbers and opinions, consciously push your tongue forward on words like 'three', 'think', and 'thousand' to keep your speech sharp and easy to follow.

Frequently asked questions

How much does pronunciation count in IELTS Speaking?+

A quarter of your Speaking band. Examiners judge how easy you are to understand and how well you use features like stress, rhythm and intonation, not whether you sound British or American.

Do I need a native accent for Band 8?+

No. An accent is fine at every band. What matters is that individual sounds are clear, stress falls on the right syllables and your intonation helps the listener follow you.

How should I practise these lines?+

Read each line slowly, then at natural speed, then record yourself and compare. Say the sentences in a real answer next, because examiners hear your pronunciation while you think, not while you read.

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th versus s and t (thank / sank / tank)

How to say it

Minimal pairs

Practice lines from IELTS-style answers

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

More consonant sounds practice