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Question

Difficulty: Very hardConsonant Sounds

From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the SAME CONSONANT SOUND as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined in the word: teethe. Which of the following words contains this sound?

  1. wreatheAnswer
  2. B
    wreath
  3. C
    breath
  4. D
    ether

Answer

The word 'wreathe' is the correct answer because it contains the voiced dental fricative sound /ð/.
The underlined letters 'th' in the verb 'teethe' represent the voiced dental fricative /ð/. Among the options, the verb 'wreathe' also features the voiced dental fricative /ð/ (pronounced /riːð/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target consonant sound in the underlined word
In the verb 'teethe' (/tiːð/), the underlined letters 'th' produce the voiced dental fricative /ð/.
English verbs ending in '-the' typically feature the voiced dental fricative sound /ð/ rather than the voiceless /θ/.
2
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each candidate option
'wreathe' is pronounced /riːð/ (voiced /ð/); 'wreath' is pronounced /riːθ/ (voiceless /θ/); 'breath' is pronounced /breθ/ (voiceless /θ/); 'ether' is pronounced /ˈiːθə/ (voiceless /θ/).
Differentiating between verb and noun forms (e.g., 'wreathe' vs 'wreath') isolates the voiced/voiceless distinction.
3
Match the target sound to the correct option
'wreathe' shares the exact voiced dental fricative sound /ð/ found in 'teethe'.
Matching /ð/ to /ð/ fulfills the phonetic identity required by the question stem.

Key Concept

Voiced vs. Voiceless Dental Fricatives (/ð/ vs /θ/)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Consonant Sounds

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