Pronunciation of THE

Pronunciation of "the"

DIfferent pronunciations

Normally, we pronounce the with a short sound (like "thuh").

the table the man the woman the history the chair

But when the comes before a vowel sound, we pronounce it as a long "thee".

It is important to understand that it is what we say that matters, not what we write. It is the sound that matters, not the letter used in writing a word. So we use a long "thee" before a vowel sound, not necessarily before a vowel.

• He liked the book very much.
• She just watched her favorite movie for the eighth time.
• The kids enjoyed the play.
• The indecision of the employees made work difficult.
• She reached the end of Park Street and had to turn around.
• Each of the six roses had bloomed.
• They were the first people to arrive at the party.

• He drew the apple in a very realistic way.