[Tip] How to Pronounce "the" in English

* "the" is normally pronounced with a short sound (like "thuh"). However, when "the" comes before a vowel sound, we pronounce it as a long "thee".


Examples:

The (thee) apple.

The (thee) ice-cream.

The (thuh) house.

The (thuh) door.


*Note: it is the sound that matters, not the letter used in writing a word. Therefore, we use a long "thee" before a vowel sound, not necessarily before a vowel.

Example:

The (thee) hour.

The (thee) MP3 player.


Here's a free online Talking Dictionary of English Pronunciation: howjsay.com

Posted in: Tip of the day