Tongue twisters are sentences and phrases that are challenging and difficult to say because they make you feel like your tongue is all twisted up. Many people use tongue twisters for fun and entertainment as watching people struggle to get the words right as they say the sentences as fast as they can cause a good laugh. But aside from the fun and enjoyment it brings, tongue twisters are also a beneficial and effective way to improve your English pronunciation.
As the whole concept of sentences and phrases in tongue twisters are putting similar sounds and letters next to each other, it makes people focus on each word’s differences to try and get it perfect. Aside from students who want to learn, actors, politicians, singers, and public speakers also practice their speaking skills using tongue twisters.
So, if you’re looking for an effective but enjoyable way to improve your pronunciation, below are 25 good examples of tongue twisters that will help you speak and sound better in no time.
25 good examples of tongue twisters
1.
One of the classics and most famous tongue twisters of all time, Peter Piper! This twister helps you improve your Ps, Rs, and Ls.
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
2.
Another classic is the story of Betty Botter and her bitter butter. This twister helps you differentiate the sounds in seemingly similar words like batter and butter, bitter and better, and bought and botter.
Betty Botter bought some butter.
But she said the butter’s bitter.
If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter
But a bit of better butter will make my batter better
So it was better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.
3.
This one’s shorter than the previous two but definitely more challenging. This twister uses digraphs—a pair of letters that make one sound like sh and ch.
She sells seashells by the seashore The seashells she sells are seashells she is sure.
4.
This next twister is a mix of digraphs and blends—a pair of letters that, unlike a digraph,l makes two different sounds like sn, bl, and br.
Through three cheese trees, three free fleas flew.
While these fleas flew, a freezy breeze blew.
Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze.
Freezy trees made these trees’ cheese freeze.
That’s what made these three free fleas sneeze.
5.
The Wood Chuck twister introduces the difference between the “o” sound in words like would, wood, and could. Moreover, it’s another digraph practice with the ch sound. This is a very fun twister to say, actually. Once you get the hang of the “o” sounds, you’ll love it too.
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,
and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would
if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
6.
This tongue twister highlights the difference between the “i” sound in the words slit, sleet, and sheet.
I slit a sheet, a sheet, I slit.
Upon a slitted sheet, I sit.
7.
This twister is for more digraph practice but with an added difficulty. The words witch and which sound almost alike, but they mean entirely different things. That’s why emphasizing the sound of one tiny “t” makes a big difference.
Which witch is which? (x3)
8.
The Swiss wristwatches twister is one of the more tricky ones that will twist your tongue. You might have trouble reading through it but believe me, and it’s a very effective way to practice.
Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches? (x3)
9.
Leery Larry is a one-sentence twister but is absolutely challenging. This twister will help you improve your L and R sounds.
A really leery Larry rolls readily to the road.
10.
This one is an enjoyable read but has some tricky pronunciation. Focus on the digraphs, blends, and the short “o” sound.
To sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock,
In a pestilential prison, with a life-long lock,
Awaiting the sensation of a short, sharp shock,
From a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block!
11.
Another enjoyable twister is the imaginary menagerie. This sentence helps you practice the soft sound produced by “g.”
Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
12.
This twister introduces all the different sounds produced by the digraph th. Please pay attention to each th word and notice how different they sound from each other.
The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
13.
A twister to help you practice your sh and s sounds.
“Surely Sylvia swims!” shrieked Sammy surprised. “Someone should show Sylvia some strokes so she shall not sink.”
14.
The Fuzzy Wuzzy story will give you a fuzzy feeling and help you work on your F, W, and Z sounds. Say the sentence as quickly as you can.
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?
15.
This twister is another good exercise for your R sound, which can be challenging at first, but your Rs will roll out correctly when you get the hang of it.
If you must cross a course cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully.
16.
At some point in time, this twister held the title for being the world’s toughest tongue twister, but the Guinness category for it is now gone, so it’s just unofficially the toughest twister of all time. Try it for yourself.
The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.
Here are some more tongue twisters you can use to practice your vocabulary and pronunciation. Although it might seem difficult at first, just keep trying and trying over and over again until you get the sounds correctly.
Don’t worry. Nobody will judge you while you read and repeat these tongue twisters out loud because even Rap God himself, Eminem, uses tongue twisters to warm up his tongue and mouth before spitting bars and fire. So go ahead and practice as much as you can, because who knows? You might be the next Eminem.
17.
Six sick hicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.
18.
Rory the warrior and Roger the worrier were reared wrongly in a rural brewery.
19.
Send toast to ten tense stout saints’ ten tall tents.
20.
Green glass globes glow greenly.
21.
Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.
22.
Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.
23.
Susie works in a shoeshine shop. Where she shines she sits, and where she sits she shines
24.
Red lorry, yellow lorry. (x3)
25.
Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear
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