Than, Then, Them: Say Small TH Words Clearly Without Slowing Down

If people usually understand your big words but miss your small words, do not start by speaking louder. Start with than, then, them, that, this, those, these.

These words look harmless. They are short. You learned them early. But in real English they sit in the middle of sentences, often unstressed, and they carry grammar that changes the meaning:

• “I’ll send it then.”
• “I’ll send it to them.”
• “This is cheaper than that one.”
• “I thought that was approved.”

When these words disappear, listeners may still catch the topic, but they lose the relationship between ideas. That is why this is a better practice target than another random list of difficult nouns.

The goal is not to make every th huge. The goal is to make small TH words light, fast, and still audible.

Why small TH words cause trouble

English has two common TH sounds. Cambridge’s phonetic help lists the voiceless sound /θ/ as in think and the voiced sound /ð/ as in this and then (Cambridge Dictionary phonetics help). Most of today’s words use the voiced one: /ð/.

That sound is awkward for many learners because the tongue has to touch or lightly pass between the teeth while the voice is on. If your first language does not use /ð/, your mouth will look for an easier sound: d, z, v, or sometimes nothing.

So these happen:

• then becomes den
• them becomes zem
• than that becomes dan dat
• tell them becomes tell ’em too early, before you can control it

Some relaxed native speech really does reduce words. You will hear them become something close to ’em in casual speech. But if you skip straight to reductions before you can make /ð/, your sentence may sound blurry instead of natural.

BBC Learning English has a whole pronunciation section because English pronunciation is not just spelling read aloud; it needs listening, sound choice, and rhythm practice (BBC Learning English pronunciation). Small TH words are a perfect example.

The “light but present” rule

Do not attack these words.

For then, them, that, this, put the tongue lightly at the teeth, turn your voice on, and leave quickly. Think of it as a quick tap, not a dramatic pose.

Try this:

1. Say then slowly: /ðen/.
2. Keep your voice vibrating from the first sound.
3. Do not add a vowel before it. Not “uh-then.”
4. Do not stop like d. Air and voice should move through.
5. Now say it shorter: then, then, then.

Your tongue should not work hard. If your jaw is tense, you are probably making the sound too big.

Drill 1: contrast the meaning

Say each pair. Make the TH word small, but do not let it turn into d.

• day / they
• den / then
• dose / those
• doze / those
• dare / there
• Dan / than

Now put the words into tiny sentences:

• They called. / Day called.
• I’ll do it then. / I’ll do it, Dan.
• I need those. / I need doze.
• It’s bigger than mine. / It’s bigger, Dan, mine.

Some of those second sentences are strange. Good. Strange sentences help your ear notice when the sound changes the meaning.

Drill 2: the sandwich drill

Small TH words usually appear between stronger words. Practice them inside a “sandwich”: strong word, light TH word, strong word.

Say the strong words first:

• send / file
• call / client
• cheaper / option
• move / meeting
• tell / team

Now add the TH word:

• send the file
• call the client
• cheaper than that option
• move the meeting
• tell them today

Do not give equal weight to every word. English rhythm usually gives more energy to content words and less to small grammar words. Many pronunciation apps and dictionaries can model individual words, but phrase rhythm needs a phrase. Tools like YouGlish are useful here because you can search a phrase and hear it in real videos. Forvo can help with isolated word pronunciations, but this drill is about what happens when the word is trapped between other words.

Try this rhythm:

• SEND the FILE
• CALL the CLIENT
• CHEAper than THAT option
• TELL them toDAY

Notice that the, than, and them are not shouted. They are just present.

Drill 3: stop overcorrecting “them”

A lot of learners hear native speakers say tell ’em, then copy it everywhere. That can work in casual speech, but it is not the safest version for clear professional English.

Use three levels:

1. Careful: Tell them today.
2. Natural: Tell them today. The word is shorter, but /ð/ is still there.
3. Casual: Tell ’em today.

Practice all three, but use level 2 as your default. It is clear without sounding stiff.

More examples:

• Ask them first.
• Send them the link.
• Give them three options.
• I met them yesterday.
• We told them already.

Record yourself once. If them sounds like dem, make the tongue lighter and more forward. If it disappears completely, slow down only for that word, not the whole sentence.

Drill 4: than vs then

Than and then are often confused because they are short, similar, and unstressed. The vowel changes, but in fast speech the bigger problem is often sentence logic.

Use than for comparison:

• This is better than that.
• It’s cheaper than the first plan.
• She arrived earlier than me.

Use then for time or sequence:

• We’ll test it then.
• First I’ll call, then I’ll email.
• Finish the draft, then send it.

Now mix them:

• It’s cheaper than that, so we’ll buy it then.
• First compare this one than that one — wait, no: compare this one with that one, then decide.

That second sentence is there for a reason. Pronunciation practice should include self-correction. In real conversations you will repair yourself. Clear speakers do not avoid mistakes; they recover cleanly.

Where apps help, and where they do not

AI pronunciation tools can be useful, especially when you need fast repetition. ELSA Speak positions itself around AI pronunciation feedback. BoldVoice focuses on accent training and coach-style lessons. Speechling includes coach feedback, which can be helpful when you need a human to catch patterns you do not hear yourself.

The thin spot is that very short grammar words may not get enough attention if you only practice isolated words. A score on then does not automatically mean your then survives in “send them the link by then.”

That is why I like combining tools with a small phrase drill. If you use SoundNativ, make your practice phrase the real thing you need tomorrow: “send them the link,” “cheaper than expected,” “then we’ll decide.” You want pronunciation that survives your actual sentence, not just a clean word in a quiet room.

A seven-minute practice plan

Use this before a meeting, lesson, or voice message.

Minute 1: wake up the sound

Say: they, then, them, this, that, those, these. Keep the tongue light. Keep the voice on.

Minute 2: contrast

Say: day/they, den/then, dose/those, Dan/than. Do not rush. Make the difference obvious.

Minutes 3–4: sandwich phrases

Repeat each phrase three times:

• send them the link
• cheaper than expected
• move the meeting
• tell them today
• this one, not that one
• first this, then that

Minute 5: record one sentence

Use a sentence you might actually say today. Example: “I’ll send them the file, then we can compare this option with that one.”

Minute 6: listen for only one thing

Do not grade your whole accent. Listen only for small TH words. Are they present? Are they too heavy? Did they become d?

Minute 7: repeat at normal speed

Say the same sentence again. Keep the important words strong and the TH words light.

The real test

Do not ask, “Do I sound native?” That question is too big and not very useful.

Ask this instead: “Can a listener hear the grammar words without effort?”

If yes, you are doing the right work. Clear English is often built from small words that stay alive while the bigger words carry the stress. Than, then, them are not glamorous, but they hold the sentence together.