Minimal pairs
/θ/, /t/ and /ð/
-
/t/ sound: In Portuguese, the “t” sound is pronounced with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge (the bumpy area behind the upper teeth). This is the same place where the English “t” sound is articulated.
-
/θ/ sound: This sound is produced by placing your tongue between your upper and lower front teeth, and blowing air out. You should feel your tongue between your teeth as you make the sound.
-
/ð/ sound: This sound is similar to the /θ/ sound, but instead of blowing air out, you vibrate your vocal cords. You should feel your vocal cords vibrating as you make the sound, but your tongue should still be between your teeth.
/θ/ is voiceless, it is made only with air
/ð/ is voiced; it is made with vibration of the vocal cords
Practice
- /θ/ vs /t/
thin · tin
thick · tick
thigh · tie
thought · taught
three · tree
- /θ/
think
thanks
things
therapy
thirty
- /ð/
this
the
that
mother
- /θ/ vs /ð/
breath (n) · breathe (v)
mouth (n) · mouth (v)
bath (n) · bathe (v)
cloth (n) · clothe (v)
worth (n/adj) · worthy (adj)
Exercise
https://engoo.com/app/lessons/minimal-pairs-t-%CE%B8/ak4-IDTVEeediN8xaTgJug
/k/ and /g/
-
/k/ sound is voiceless, meaning that the vocal cords are not vibrating when the sound is made. To produce the /k/ sound, the back of the tongue is raised and touches the soft palate.
-
/g/ sound is voiced, meaning that the vocal cords vibrate when the sound is made. To produce the /g/ sound, the back of the tongue is raised towards the soft palate, but there is a partial closure of the vocal cords.
Instructions
- Open your mouth just a little bit.
- Lower the tip of your tongue near the back of your bottom teeth.
- Put the back of your tongue against the back of the roof of your mouth.
- /k/: Let out a little puff of air.
- /g/: Let a puff of air escape while making a sound in your throat.
Practice
- /k/ vs /g/
cold · gold
card · guard
class · glass
back · bag
dock · dog
OBS
In Portuguese, the letter “g” is often pronounced differently depending on its position within a word and the letters that surround it.
English sound /g/, as in the word "gato" (cat).
English sound /ʒ/, as in the word "ginástica" (gymnastics).
English sound /ʃ/, as in the word "gente" (people).
Exercise
https://engoo.com/app/lessons/minimal-pairs-t-%CE%B8/ak4-IDTVEeediN8xaTgJug
/ɑ/ and /oʊ/
-
/ɑ/ is the “short a” sound, which is pronounced with an open mouth and the tongue low in the mouth. It is similar to the “a” sound in “cat” or “bat.”. It’s similar to the portuguese
ósound. -
/oʊ/ is the “long o” sound, which is pronounced with the mouth open and the tongue high in the back of the mouth. It is similar to the “o” sound in “go” or “boat.”. It’s similar to the portuguese
ôusound.
Practice
- /ɑ/ vs /oʊ/
hot · bone
top · home
not · phone
cost · coast
comma · coma
cop · cope
honor · owner
hop · hope
knot · note
rob · robe