/ð/ — choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word containing the sound /ð/, the voiced "th" sound, as in "this", "mother" and "that".

Explain the concept: English has two "th" sounds:

• /θ/ is voiceless, as in think, bath, teeth, healthy. There is no vibration in your throat.
• /ð/ is voiced, as in the, brother, smooth. Your throat vibrates.

Step-by-step solution:

• A. northern /ˈnɔːðən/. The "th" is voiced, so it has /ð/. ✔
• B. bath /bɑːθ/. The "th" is voiceless, so it has /θ/. ✘
• C. healthy /ˈhelθi/. The "th" is voiceless, so it has /θ/. ✘
• D. teeth /tiːθ/. The "th" is voiceless, so it has /θ/. ✘

Only northern contains /ð/.

Answer: A. northern

Tip: Put your fingers on your throat and say the sound. If you feel a buzz, it is voiced, /ð/. Also remember that "th" in function words (the, this, that, them, there) and in words like mother, father, weather, northern, southern is usually /ð/. At the end of a noun, as in bath, teeth, mouth, it is usually /θ/. Note that the verbs bathe, breathe, smooth end in /ð/.