Free Printable Worksheet

Free Voiced and Unvoiced TH Digraph Word Sort Worksheet

Teach learners to distinguish between the two distinct sounds represented by the consonant digraph th: the unvoiced /θ/ (as in thin and math) and the voiced /ð/ (as in this and that). Students say each word aloud, check for throat vibration, and write the word under the correct sound column.

PhonicSheets

Voiced & Unvoiced TH Word Sort

Phoneme Contrast Sort — /θ/ vs /ð/

Name:
Date:
WORD BANKSay each word aloud. Touch your throat to feel if it buzzes, write it in the right column, then check the box.
math
bath
than
moth
then
path
that
this
them
thin
/θ/
Unvoiced TH (/θ/)
Quiet air • Vocal cords quiet (as in thin)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
/ð/
Voiced TH (/ð/)
Vocal cords buzz & vibrate (as in this)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Answer Key

Voiced & Unvoiced TH Digraph Word Sort

/θ/Unvoiced TH (/θ/) Words
  1. bath
  2. math
  3. moth
  4. path
  5. thin
/ð/Voiced TH (/ð/) Words
  1. than
  2. that
  3. them
  4. then
  5. this

Answers are auto-derived from canonical grapheme-phoneme alignments.

How to Teach Voiced vs. Unvoiced TH

1. The "Throat Check" Sensory Technique

Have learners gently place two fingers on the front of their neck (over their vocal cords). When pronouncing thin or math (/θ/), they will feel cool air passing between their teeth with no throat vibration. When pronouncing this or that (/ð/), their vocal cords will buzz and vibrate like a little motor.

2. Common Spellings & Decodability

Both sounds are written with the exact same two letters: th. Most function words (pronouns, conjunctions, determiners like this, that, then, them) use voiced /ð/. Content nouns, verbs, and adjectives (like thin, math, moth, bath, path) use unvoiced /θ/.

3. Multi-Sensory Phonics Sorting

Sorting words by sound helps students form strong orthographic representations. Saying the words aloud before writing cements the connection between the spoken phoneme and the written digraph.