SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE

CLASS: JSS 2 (GRADE 8)

TOPIC: CONSONANT SOUNDS (/θ/ and /ð/) & DETERMINERS

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PART A: CONSONANT SOUNDS (/θ/ and /ð/)

In English, the letters "th" can be pronounced in two different ways. These are called Dental Fricatives because your tongue touches your teeth to make the sound.

1. The Voiceless /θ/ Sound

This sound is "quiet." Your vocal cords do not vibrate when you say it. It sounds like a soft hiss of air between your tongue and upper teeth.

• How to produce it: Place the tip of your tongue between your front teeth and blow air out.
• Examples:
  • Think
  • Three
  • Bath
  • Thief
  • Mathematics

2. The Voiced /ð/ Sound

This sound is "noisy." Your vocal cords vibrate when you say it.

• How to produce it: Use the same tongue position as /θ/, but add your voice (like a "buzzing" sound).
• Examples:
  • Father
  • This
  • That
  • Brother
  • Breathe (Note: Breath ends in /θ/, but Breathe ends in /ð/)

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🟢 Illustration: The "Hand-on-Throat" Test

To tell the difference, place your fingers on your throat (Adam's apple area):

1. Say "Think": You should feel no vibration at the start.
2. Say "Father": You should feel a strong vibration when you get to the "th" sound.

Comparison Table

Common Error in Nigeria: Many students replace /θ/ with "t" (e.g., saying tink instead of think) or replace /ð/ with "d" (e.g., saying dis instead of this). Always remember to let the tongue peep out between the teeth!

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PART B: DETERMINERS

What is a Determiner?

A Determiner is a word placed in front of a noun to clarify what the noun refers to. It "determines" or limits the noun.

• Example: The boy (Specific boy) vs. A boy (Any boy).

Types of Determiners and Their Uses

1. Articles

These are the most common determiners.

• Indefinite (a, an): Used for non-specific things.
  • Example: I saw a bird. (We don't know which one).
• Definite (the): Used for specific things.
  • Example: Give me the pen on the table. (A specific pen).

2. Demonstratives

These point out specific nouns and show how near or far they are.

• This / These: For things near the speaker. (This book, these shoes).
• That / Those: For things far from the speaker. (That car, those clouds).

3. Possessives

These show who owns the noun.

• Examples: My, your, his, her, its, our, their.
• Example: This is my classroom. Their football is new.

4. Quantifiers

These tell us "how much" or "how many" without giving an exact number.

• Examples: Some, many, few, much, several, all, any.
• Example: There is some water in the pot. Many students are present.

5. Numbers and Ordinals

• Numbers (Cardinal): One, two, ten, etc. (I have two oranges).
• Ordinals: First, second, last. (He won the first prize).

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🔵 Illustration: How Determiners Work in a Sentence

Observe how the determiner changes the meaning of the noun "Dog":

1. A dog is barking. (One random dog)
2. The dog is barking. (The specific dog we know)
3. My dog is barking. (Ownership)
4. That dog is barking. (Pointing to a dog over there)
5. Every dog is barking. (All of them)

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CLASSWORK EXERCISE

Section 1: Phonology Underline the "th" sound in the following sentences and write whether it is /θ/ (Voiceless) or /ð/ (Voiced).

1. My mother is a teacher. (______)
2. I have a toothache. (______)
3. Those boys are playing. (______)
4. Wealth is better than health. (______)

Section 2: Determiners Fill in the blanks with the correct determiner from the brackets.

1. Can you pass me _________ bottle over there? (this / that)
2. I don’t have _________ money left in my pocket. (many / much)
3. _________ orange I ate was very sweet. (The / A)
4. She forgot _________ umbrella at school. (her / his)

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Summary Note:

• /θ/ is thin and quiet (Think).
• /ð/ is heavy and vibrates (Father).
• Determiners always come before a noun to introduce it.