Funny tongue twisters in english

100 Tongue Twisters to Perfect Pronunciation in English

Tongue twisters of all sorts and sizes have been helping people to perfect their pronunciation in English for decades. Although they don’t make a lot of sense, tongue twisters are very helpful in speech therapy due to their repeated sounds. For this reason, they are used by actors, politicians and even news anchors before going live. Essentially, a tongue twister works like a physical exercise: the more you practice, the better your pronunciation will be.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a tongue twister is “a sentence or phrase that is intended to be difficult to say, especially when repeated quickly and often”. If you too want to improve or perfect your English pronunciation, dive into the complete list of English tongue twisters listed below: from short tongue twisters to tongue twisters for kids and hard tongue twisters to further challenge your pronunciation.

1. Short tongue twisters
2. Long tongue twisters
3. Hard tongue twister
4. Tongue twisters for kids
5. Funny tongue twisters
6. Tongue twisters with S, R, L and TH
7. Learn a language in 5 minutes a day

Before trying the hard English tongue twisters for champions who talk fast, let’s warm up your speech muscles with some short and fairly easy tongue twisters for beginners.

1. Eleven benevolent elephants.
2. She sees cheese.
3. Six sticky skeletons.
4. Truly rural.
5. Each Easter Eddie eats eighty Easter eggs.
6. Which witch is which?
7. Willy’s real rear wheel.
8. Send toast to ten tense stout saints’ ten tall tents.
9. Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards.
10. Scissors sizzle, thistles sizzle.
11. A happy hippo hopped and hiccupped.
12. English can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.
13. Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.
14. Really leery, rarely Larry.
15. Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.
16. A snake sneaks to seek a snack.
17. I like New York, unique New York, I like unique New York.
18. Six Czech cricket critics.
19. Babbling baby boys blurted boldly.
20. Which wrist watches are Swiss wrist watches?
21. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
22. An ape hates grape cakes.
23. Fred fed Ted bread and Ted fed Fred bread.
24. I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.
25. Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
26. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
27. She sells seashells by the seashore.
28. Gobbling gargoyles gobbled gobbling goblins.
29. Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.
30. Billy Bob blabbered boldly.

When it comes to long tongue twisters and talking fast, we can’t help but think about Eminem. Did you know that he raps with a whopping speed of 11.4 syllables per second in his song “Rap God”? We don’t know much about rap, but that sure sounds like something only the God of Rap could do.

But Eminem’s songs and long tongue twisters are challenging for those who are not ready for long runs. Are you? Can you defeat Eminem? Let’s find out. Take a deep breath and try saying the following tongue twister without stopping.

31. All I want is a proper cup of coffee.
    Made in a proper copper coffee pot.
    You can believe it or not.
    But I want a cup of coffee from a proper copper pot.
    Tin coffee pots or iron coffee pots, they’re not good to me.
    If I can’t have a proper cup of coffee from a proper copper coffee pot, I’ll just have tea.
    All I want is a proper cup of coffee.
    Made in a proper copper coffee pot.
    You can believe it or not.
    But I want a cup of coffee from a proper copper pot.
32. 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!
    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!
    A dull, dark dock, a life-long lock,
    A short, sharp shock, a big black block!
    To sit in solemn silence in a pestilential prison,
    And awaiting the sensation
    From a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block!
33. Betty Botter bought some butter but, said she, 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 bitter batter better.
    So she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter,
    put it in her bitter batter, made her bitter batter better.
    So ‘t was better Betty Botter bought some better butter.
34. I’m a mother pheasant plucker, I pluck mother pheasants.
    I’m the most pleasant mother pheasant plucker to ever pluck a mother pheasant.
    I’m not the pheasant plucker I’m the pheasant plucker’s wife, I’ve been plucking Mother pheasants my whole pheasant plucking life.
    I’m not the pheasant plucker I’m the pheasant plucker’s mate, I’m only plucking Pheasants ’cause the pheasant plucker’s late.
35. A tree-toad loved a she-toad
    Who lived up in a tree.
    He was a two-toed tree-toad,
    But a three-toed toad was she.
    The two-toed tree-toad tried to win
    The three-toed she-toad’s heart,
    For the two-toed tree-toad loved the ground
    That the three-toed tree-toad trod.
    But the two-toed tree-toad tried in vain;
    He couldn’t please her whim.
    From her tree-toad bower,
    With her three-toed power,
    The she-toad vetoed him.

36. Mr. See owned a saw.
    And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.
    Now, See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw
    Before Soar saw See,
    Which made Soar sore.
    Had Soar seen See’s saw
    Before See sawed Soar’s seesaw,
    See’s saw would not have sawed
    Soar’s seesaw.
    So See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw.
    But it was sad to see Soar so sore
    just because See’s saw sawed
    Soar’s seesaw.
37. Ned Nott was shot and Sam Shott was not.
    So it is better to be Shott than Nott.
    Some say Nott was not shot.
    But Shott says he shot Nott.
    Either the shot Shott shot at Nott was not shot,
    Or Nott was shot.
    If the shot Shott shot shot Nott, Nott was shot.
    But if the shot Shott shot shot Shott,
    Then Shott was shot, not Nott.
    However, the shot Shott shot shot not Shott, but Nott.
38. Theophilus Thistle, the Thistle Sifter,
    Sifted a sieve of unsifted thistles.
    If Theophilus Thistle, the Thistle Sifter,
    Sifted a sieve of unsifted thistles,
    Where is the sieve of un-sifted thistles
    Theophilus Thistle, the Thistle Sifter, sifted?
39. A flea and a fly in a flue
    Said the fly “Oh what should we do”
    Said the flea” Let us fly
    Said the fly “Let us flee”
    So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
40. Of all the felt I ever felt,
    I never felt a piece of felt
    which felt as fine as that felt felt,
    when first I felt that felt hat’s felt.

While we’re at it, we can help but wonder what the hardest tongue twister in existence is. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

At one point, “the sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick” held the Guinness World Record for the hardest twister, but since the category no longer exists, the title was probably revoked.

Don’t worry though! We are not running out of options. In 2013, MIT‌ researchers concluded that “pad kid poured curd pulled cod” is the hardest tongue twister in the world. In fact, Stefanie Shattuck-Hufnagel, an MIT psychologist, says you will get a prize if you manage to say that 10 times quickly. And not any kind of “quickly”. We’re talking super-sonic-Eminem-quickly!

41. Pad kid poured curd pulled cod.
42. If you must cross a course cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully.
43. Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons — balancing them badly.
44. Six sick hicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.
45. Can you can a canned can into an un-canned can like a canner can can a canned can into an un-canned can?
46. The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick.
47. Rory the warrior and Roger the worrier were reared wrongly in a rural brewery.
48. Ingenious iguanas improvising an intricate impromptu on impossibly-impractical instruments.
49. I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop
    Where she shines, she sits, and where she sits, she shines.
50. When a doctor doctors a doctor, does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as the doctor being doctored wants to be doctored or does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as he wants to doctor?
51. These thousand tricky tongue twisters trip thrillingly off the tongue.
52. Thirty-three thirsty, thundering thoroughbreds thumped Mr. Thurber on Thursday.
53. Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons—balancing them badly.
54. A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.
55. Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.
56. He threw three free throws.
57. Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear.
58. Many an anemone sees an enemy anemone.
59. Chop shops stock chops.

Tongue twisters for kids are all sweet, fun, and games until you increase the speed. If you haven’t had enough training, even they can tie your tongue into a Gordian knot. Literally.

Take a little brother, sister, or your own kid, and let’s see who wins the challenge!

60. Blue bluebird.
61. Four fine fresh fish for you.
62. Daddy Draws Doors.
63. Three free throws.
64. The big bug bit the little beetle.
65. Friendly fleas and fireflies.
66. Fresh fried fish.
67. The raging ram runs ’round rugged Ricky to hit Mickey.
68. Specific Pacific.
69. Tommy tossed his twelfth tooth when it turned two times.
70. Fred fed Ted bread and Ted fed Fred bread.
71. Betty’s big bunny bobbled by the blueberry bush.
72. Six sticky skeletons.
73. Green glass globes glow greenly.
74. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?
75. If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
76. Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
77. I scream, you scream,
    We all scream for ice cream.
78. Bouncing bed bugs borrowed blankets.
79. Perspicacious Polly Perkins purchased Peter’s product
    And peddled pickles to produce a pretty profit!

Our all-time favorite: funny tongue twisters! You’d think all tongue twisters are funny, but nothing compares to this exclusive selection. In fact, you probably heard these ones before. Everybody calls them „funny” for a reason!

Don’t forget to challenge your friends!

80. 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.
81. 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.
82. She sells seashells on the seashore.
    The shells she sells are seashells, I’m sure.
    And if she sells seashells on the seashore,
    Then I’m sure she sells seashore shells.
83. Birdie birdie in the sky laid a turdie in my eye.
    If cows could fly I’d have a cow pie in my eye.
84. How much ground would a groundhog hog, if a groundhog could hog ground? A groundhog would hog all the ground he could hog, if a groundhog could hog ground.
85. Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
    Spread it thick, say it quick!
    Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
    Spread it thicker, say it quicker!
    Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
    Don’t eat with your mouth full!
86. I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.
87. Luke Luck likes lakes.
    Luke’s duck likes lakes.
    Luke Luck licks lakes.
    Luck’s duck licks lakes.
    Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes.
    Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes.

Tongue twisters with S, R, L and TH

As we already mentioned, tongue twisters can be extremely helpful for speech therapy. If you are having problems pronouncing certain sounds like “s”, “r”, “l” or “th”, practicing with the right tongue twisters can ameliorate your speech impediment. Here are a few examples:

Tongue twisters with S

88. She sells seashells by the seashore of Seychelles.
89. “Surely Sylvia swims!” shrieked Sammy surprised. “Someone should show Sylvia some strokes so she shall not sink.”
90. Selfish shellfish. (repeat it several times)

Tongue twisters with R and L

91. Red lorry, yellow lorry.
92. A really leery Larry rolls readily to the road.
93. Rory’s lawn rake rarely rakes really right.
94. Lucky rabbits like to cause a ruckus.
95. I looked right at Larry’s rally and left in a hurry.
96. Round and round the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.

Tongue twisters with TH

97. The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
98. I thought a thought.
    But the thought I thought
    Wasn’t the thought I thought I thought.
    If the thought I thought I thought,
    Had been the thought I thought,
    I wouldn’t have thought I thought.
99. Something in a thirty-acre thermal thicket of thorns and thistles thumped and thundered threatening the three-D thoughts of Matthew the thug – although, theatrically, it was only the thirteen-thousand thistles and thorns through the underneath of his thigh that the thirty-year-old thug thought of that morning.
100. Thirty-three thousand feathers on a thrushes throat.

The world-famous Peter Piper tongue twister first appeared in print sometime in 1813, in a book called “Peter Piper’s Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation”, though it is believed that it may have already been in common use by that time. Fast forward to today, people all around the world still love to have a laugh and twist their tongues with this rhyme and many others. And now you do too.

100+ Funny Tongue Twisters | Fun for Families and Kids

April 8, 2022August 23, 2020 by Forrest Webber

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We had so much fun putting our riddles for kids post together. I am always pulling the riddles out randomly to challenge the kids. They love it!  But our latest fascination is tongue twisters for kids.

Tongue Twisters have been around for many many years and are such a fun way to try to challenge yourself and your kids to say them to see if you can. It is not always about the speed of the tongue twister but how clearly you can say it too.

Tongue twisters are often similar words which follow one another but differ in certain syllables.

Once your kids learn some tongue twisters you will see them excited to go to school or visit a relative and show off their ability to do tongue twisters.

Be sure to check out how to turn tongue twisters into a fun family game at the bottom of this post!

Tongue twisters aren’t only great and fun to say. They also are a great way to help kids with diction.

People have been making tongue twisters for ages and mainly do it for amusement but many people use them for articulation exercises such as radio hosts and politicians to help with their professional speaking! So if your child has a dream to become an actor, television host, or even a radio DJ host tongue twisters are a great way for them to practice and be prepared for when their big break comes.

Think your family would like a little tongue curling challenge? Ready to make your children laugh? You will find that your children will find the funniest part of tongue twisters are the silly mistakes they make while trying to master these tongue twisters.

Try one of these 100+ tongue twisters for kids!

We’ve tried to categorize these, but truthfully… They’re all pretty funny and not-so-easy!

Below you’ll find some of our favorite hard tongue twisters, funny tongue twisters and short tongue twisters for kids.

If you’re playing with a very young child, you might want to jump to the shorter tongue twisters… Simply because it will be hard for the younger ones with shorter attention spans to “stay with you” on longer sentences!

30+ Hard Tongue Twisters

1. Any noise annoys an oyster but a noisy noise annoys an oyster more.
2. If a black bug bleeds black blood, what color blood does a blue bug bleed?
3. If two witches were watching two watches: which witch would watch which watch?
4. Rory’s lawn rake rarely rakes really right.
5. She sold six shabby sheared sheep on ship.
6. Mix a box of mixed biscuits with a boxed biscuit mixer.
7. If you notice this notice, you will notice that this notice is not worth noticing
8. The bottom of the butter bucket is the buttered bucket bottom.
9. Vincent vowed vengeance very vehemently.
10. Does your sport shop stock short socks with spots?
11. Many mumbling mice are making merry music in the moonlight.
12. The boot black brought the black boot back.
13. Super-duper storm troopers whoop it up at Death Star groupers: helmet thrashing, rebel bashing, laser blasting at party poopers.
14. No need to light a night-light on a light night like tonight.
15. Shave a single shingle thin.
16. I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop.
17. A big black bug bit a big black bear made the big black bear bleed blood.
18. I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. Upon the slitted sheet I sit
19. The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.
20. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
21. Kindly kittens knitting mittens keep kazooing in the king’s kitchen.
22. Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons balancing them badly
23. Rory the warrior and Roger the worrier were reared wrongly in a rural brewery
24. A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.
25. Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.
26. She saw Sharif’s shoes on the sofa. But was she so sure those were Sharif’s shoes she saw?
27. To begin to toboggan first buy a toboggan, but don’t buy too big a toboggan. Too big a toboggan is too big a toboggan to buy to begin to toboggan.
28. Hassock hassock, black spotted hassock. Black spot on a black back of a black spotted hassock.
29. On a lazy laser raiser lies a laser ray eraser.
30. Did Dick Pickens prick his pinkie pickling cheap cling peaches in an inch of Pinch or framing his famed French finch photos?
31. Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter, so Betty bought better butter to make the bitter butter better.

30 Funny Tongue Twisters

1. I saw a saw that could out saw any other saw I ever saw.
2. A big bug bit the little beetle but the little beetle bit the big bug back.
3. A sailor went to sea To see, what he could see. And all he could see Was sea, sea, sea.
4. How much wood could a wood chuck; chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood
5. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, FuzzyWuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy… was he???
6. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream
7. Toy boat. Toy boat. Toy boat.
8. Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.
9. Five frantic frogs fled from fifty fierce fishes.
10. A synonym for cinnamon is a cinnamon synonym.
11. The great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes
12. Six socks sit in a sink, soaking in soap suds
13. I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.
14. Six sick hicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.
15. Background background, black, black, brown, brown.
16. If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
17. How many yaks could a yak pack, pack if a yak pack could pack yaks?
18. Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
19. A big bug bit the little beetle but the little beetle bit the big bug back.
20. Double bubble gum, bubbles double.
21. Linda-Lou Lambert Loves Lemon Lollipop Lipgloss
22. Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear
23. Susie works in a shoeshine shop. Where she shines she sits, and where she sits she shines
24. Thirty-three thirsty, thundering thoroughbreds thumped Mr. Thurber on Thursday.
25. Fresh French fried fly fritters
26. Gobbling gorgoyles gobbled gobbling goblins.
27. Many an anemone sees an enemy anemone.
28. A shapeless sash sags slowly.
29. Smelly shoes and socks shock sisters.
30. I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won’t wish the wish you wish to wish.

43+ Short Tongue Twisters (for the younger kiddos)

The whole family can get a laugh out of tongue twisters, right?

But sometimes the littlest ones need something a bit easier.

Their attention span isn’t as developed, and they’ll get lost in the lengthier ones.  So we compiled a list just for them!

Even your 2-3 year old children will love getting their tongues tied on these!

1. Daddy Draws Doors
2. Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran
3. Six slippery snails, slid slowly seaward.
4. Crisp crusts crackle and crunch.
5. Round the rugged rocks the ragged rascals ran.
6. Susie sits shinning silver shoes
7. Which wrist watches are Swiss wrist watches?
8. Fred fed Ted bread and Ted fed Fred bread
9. Four furious friends fought for the phone
10. The cat catchers can’t catch caught cats.
11. Three fluffy feathers fell from Phoebe’s flimsy fan.
12. She should shun the shinning sun.
13. Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.
14. Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar.
15. Little Lillian lets lazy lizards lie along the lily pads
16. Each Easter Eddie eats eighty Easter eggs.
17. Green glass globes glow greenly .
18. Clean clams crammed in clean cans
19. slimey snake slithered down the sandy Sahara.
20. She sees cheese.
21. Bake big batches of bitter brown bread.
22. Which witch is which?
23. Elizabeth has eleven elves in her elm tree.
24. Red Lorry, yellow lorry
25. A proper copper coffee pot.
26. Six sticky skeletons.
27. Sounding by sound is a sound method of sounding sounds.
28. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
29. Freshly fried fresh flesh.
30. A noisy noise annoys an oyster.
31. Betty’s big bunny bobbled by the blueberry bush
32. Drew Dodd’s dad’s dog’s dead.
33. Seventy-seven benevolent elephants
34. Willie’s really weary
35. Wayne went to wales to watch walruses
36. Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely
37. Six slimy snails sailed silently.
38. Octopus ocular optics.
39. Send toast to ten tense stout saints’ ten tall tents.
40. Roberta ran rings around the Roman ruins.
41. A bragging baker baked black bread.
42. Shave a single shingle thin.
43. Dick kicks sticky bricks.

Fun Tongue Twisters from Dr. Seuss

We love the tongue twisters above, but we all know no one compares with the original bard of twisting kids’ tongues: Dr. Seuss.

That’s why one of our favorite Dr. Seuss books is Oh Say Can You Say?

Of course, this book is more than just a set of tongue twisters… It’s a lively classic that kids still love today.

The book is illustrated with all the whimsy of a Dr. Seuss story, and loaded with rhymes and sentences we know you can’t say three times fast.

If this isn’t already part of your collection, it needs to be. Click here to snag Oh Say Can You Say?

Tongue Twisters can be difficult but such a great fun way to improve a child’s memory and reading skills. Children who practice tongue twisters can improve their English and better their knowledge of rhyming words and you will find that they learn to appreciate sounds.  

Tongue twisters have so many benefits for young children especially when it comes to speech and language. Doing tongue twisters can help exercise their muscles that help lead to clearer pronunciation and gives them the ability to speak clearly.

 Tongue twisters can also help a child recognize what words are difficult for them to pronounce. Try a few of these tongue twisters and you may even notice yourself a word that is difficult for your child to pronounce. When a child knows a certain word is hard to say they can then focus individually on a certain word to master it.Once they master a hard word they can then be more successful at tongue twisters because it will not slow them down. 

Another benefit you will notice of Tongue twisters is increasing your child’s vocabulary. Use these tongue twisters to talk about words they may not know the meaning to just yet. As you introduce new tongue twisters you will find that you are increasing their vocabulary. 

Turning Tongue Twisters Into a Game with Your Kids

You can, of course, just run through the list above but why not make a game of it? Here’s how to play the game:

Print the page, cut out each twister line and put them loosely in a bag.

Go around the table and get each person to pull one tongue twister out of the bag for their challenge.

Depending on the age range of those playing or the difficulty of the twister, you can create mini-challenges:

• See how quickly someone can say their challenge correctly.
• Try saying the twister over and over and count the number times it’s said before the user messes it up.
• Say the twister with a straight face, no laughing (this is harder than you think.
• Play broken telephone, repeating the twister quietly to the person next to you and see what turns out in the end.

Now that you and your kids have been challenging each other at tongue twisters if you have an Alexa you can now send the kids to play with your Alexa. Just go to your Alexa, and say Alexa, open tongue twisters. Make sure you have enabled it on your app first and see how well they do!  

You could also try your hand at making your own tongue twisters for kids. Do you have a favorite tongue twister that’s not on this list? Share it in the comments! 

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Top tongue twisters in English with translation

The YES Foreign Language Center offers modern online English courses at our school, which, among other things, pay serious attention to phonetics. The following are the 33 most popular tongue twisters in English with translation into Russian, which allow you to practice English pronunciation.

So you can train the pronunciation of non-equivalent, that is, having no correspondence in Russian, sounds [θ] and [ð]:

Another non-equivalent sound [w]:

We train the sounds [p] and [b], which are pronounced with aspiration, that is, with aspiration. This phonetic phenomenon is absent in Russian:

We train the sound [t], when pronouncing which the tip of the tongue rests on the alveoli, and not on the back wall of the upper teeth, as happens in Russian.

We train the alternation of sounds [t] and [θ]:

We train the sound [k], which is also pronounced with aspiration, that is, not quite like its Russian equivalent:

Now let's practice the sound combination [skr]:

We train the alternation of sounds [k] and [t∫]:

Now alternating [k] and [g]:

We train the combination [gr]:

We train the sound [∫], the alternation of this sound with the sound [s], as well as the alternation of [s], [ð] and [∫]:

We train the sound [t∫], which is pronounced more intensely than Russian [h]:

We train the sound [s], as well as the sound combinations [sw], [sl] and [sn]:

We train the sound [r], which bears little resemblance to its Russian equivalent:

We train the sound [f], which is pronounced with great effort, with a greater accent than its Russian equivalent:

The English sound [m] does not require special training, since the ways of pronouncing it in Russian and English are completely the same. However, in the following tongue twister, the play on words is interesting: Mary - marry - merry. The first two words sound the same, but the third differs from them in its stressed vowel:

Now let's practice some vowel sounds. The pronunciation of English vowels should be given special attention - they bear little resemblance to Russian vowels. Sound [e]:

The following tongue twister is interesting in that the sound [e] is always followed by the same consonant, but it is preceded by different sounds and sound combinations:

Diphthong (that is, a vowel sound consisting of two elements) [iə]:

Diphthong [ei] (and in one word [ai]):

There are tongue twisters that allow you to hone the pronunciation of all English sounds without exception - both consonants and vowels. Known for their snobbery, the British claim that no nationality can learn to speak English without an accent, except for the Dutch. Well, let's try to refute this assertion!

Afanaskina Ekaterina Vladimirovna - expert of the educational and methodological department

Center for Foreign Languages ​​"YES".

Tongue twisters: tongue twisters in English

Tongue twisters are a challenge in any language. Even in Russian, not everyone can pronounce complex tongue twisters without hesitation, what can we say about English? In fact, it is not boring at all and, moreover, it is recommended for practicing pronunciation. So let's stretch our tongues and have some fun.

In this article we will tell you what tongue twisters are in English, give a translation of some of them and reveal a couple of secrets on how to learn to pronounce English tongue twisters.

What a tongue twister is for a Russian is tongue twister or patter for an Englishman. The first option is the most used. There is even an International tongue twister day, which is celebrated every second Sunday in November. You need to celebrate it by arranging verbal duels with friends on the subject of who will pronounce this or that tongue twister more clearly and without hesitation.

First of all, tongue twisters are useful for those whose work is related to speech: speakers, politicians, announcers, news anchors, actors and many others. As the artists sing before going on stage, so the actors, before going on stage, repeat not only the memorized text, but also knead their tongues with tongue twisters.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, The sixth sick sheikh’s sixth sheep’s sick is considered the most difficult tongue twister to pronounce in English due to the abundance of hissing sounds that are difficult to pronounce in a row without errors.

By the way, how did you mentally translate this tongue twister into English? "The sixth sheep of the sixth sick Sheikh is sick." “What?!” You probably thought, and we understand this confusion very well.

It is quite a strange thing to give tongue twisters in English with translation, because many of them are illogical, because they are created in order to practice pronunciation and do not have a deep meaning.

Even remember the Russian tongue twisters: “I rode a Greek across the river, sees a Greek - there is a cancer in the river. He put the Greek's hand into the river, the crayfish by the hand of the Greek's tsap. One has only to vividly imagine this picture, as the tongue twister eats into memory. In any case, most of them are remembered precisely because of their absurdity.

Let's look at some English tongue twisters with translation so that you understand what we mean.

Let's start with perhaps the most famous English tongue twister about Peter Piper: "Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers". They say that this is not just a folklore character, but a real person who became famous for his exquisite taste in spices.

This tongue twister is translated as "Peter Piper collected a lot of pickled peppers." Few people know, but she has a whole continuation, one might even say, a rhyme:

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?

Peter Piper collected a lot of pickled peppers.
Peter Piper collected a lot of pickled peppers.
If Peter Piper collected a lot of pickled peppers,
Then where is the pile of pickled peppers that Peter Piper collected?

Another well-known tongue twister in English is “She sells sea shells at the sea shore, the shells she sells are the sea-shore shells, I’m sure” into the letter “s”, which is difficult to pronounce. Often, by the middle of the tongue twister, the sounds merge and the person simply “hisses and whistles” instead of clearly pronouncing the words.

By the way, this tongue twister is translated as “She sells seashells on the seashore; the shells she sells are seashells, I'm sure."

Another famous character from English tongue twisters is Betty Botter, who bought bitter oil. This is a whole practice rhyme for those who have trouble pronouncing the letter "b":

Betty Botter bought some butter
But, said she, 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 bitter batter better.
So bought she some better butter,
better than the bitter butter,
put it in her bitter batter,
So it was better
Betty Botter bought some better butter.

Betty Botter bought some butter,
But, she said, butter is bitter.
If I add it to my dough,
It will make my dough bitter.
But a slice of the best butter
Makes my bitter dough better.
So she bought some better butter,
Better than bitter butter,
Added it to her bitter dough,
Making bitter dough better.
So it was good that
Betty Botter bought some better butter.

English tongue twisters may seem complicated only at first glance. In fact, if you follow a few simple rules, then soon they will easily bounce off your teeth.

So, in order to quickly learn a tongue twister in English, you must first listen to it in the original. Find an audio with text read by a native speaker and listen carefully to it several times. Then warm up a little, practice pronouncing the sounds to which the tongue twister is directed, separately many times in a row and at different speeds. Listen to the audio slowly again, repeating after the speaker. Do this several times. Turn off the recording and continue to say the tongue twister, each time increasing the pace of speech. Well, train until you stop straying into other sounds, and all the words are clearly audible.

All tongue twisters can be conditionally divided into groups according to the sounds they are aimed at training. Here are some more translation examples. For example, with one of the most difficult sound "th" for non-native speakers, you can practice the following tongue twisters:

But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought.

Translation: I was thinking a thought. But the thought I was thinking was not the thought I think I was thinking.

Thirty thousand thirsty thieves thundered through the thicket.

Translation: Thirty thousand thirsty thieves thundered through the thicket.

The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.

Translation: Thirty-three thieves thought they were delighting the throne all Thursday.

These brothers bathe with those brothers,
Those brothers bathe with these brothers.
If these brothers didn’t bathe with those brothers,
Would those brothers bathe with these brothers?

Translation:

These brothers are swimming with those brothers,
Those brothers bathe with these brothers.
If these brothers didn't swim with those brothers,
Would those brothers swim with these brothers?

How about practicing the letter "s" ?

Six sick sea-serpents swam the seven seas.

Translation: Six sick sea serpents sailed the seven seas.

I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop.
Where she sits she shines,
And where she shines she sits.

Translation:

I saw Susie in the shoe store.
Where she sits, there she shines,
And where she shines, there she sits.

She slits the sheet she sits on.

Translation: She cuts the sheet on which she sits.

Shy Shelly says she shall sew sheets.

Translation: Shy Shelly says she will make sheets.

Practice sound "f" :

Four furious friends fought for the phone.

Translation: Four furious friends fought over the phone.

Fat frogs flying past fast.

Translation: Fat frogs flew by quickly.

Five fat friars frying flat fish.

Translation: Five fat monks were frying flat fish.

There was a young fisher named Fisher who fished for a fish in a fissure.

Translation: There was a young fisher named Fischer who fished in an ice hole.

Fresh French fried fly fritters.

Translation: Fresh French fried pancakes.

How about a complex sound "ch" ?

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a wooodchuck could chuck wood? A woodchuck could chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

Translation: How much wood could a groundhog harvest if a groundhog could cut wood? The groundhog would have prepared as much firewood as he could, if the groundhog could cut firewood.

And finally, a few more short and not very tongue twisters in English that will help you practice a variety of sounds. Choose any of them.

Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.

Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar.

Betty better butter Brad's bread.

A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the big black bear bleed blood.

Brad's big black bath brush broke.

Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons - balancing them badly.

Can you imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie?

Cows graze in groves on grass which grows in grooves in groves.

The crow flew over the river with a lump of raw liver.

Can you can a canned can into an uncanned can like a canner can can a canned can into an uncanned can?

How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?

If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?

Don't pamper damp scamp tramps that camp under ramp lamps.

Each Easter Eddie eats eighty Easter eggs.

Excited executioner exercising his exercising powers excessively.

Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.

Freshly fried flying fish, freshly fried flesh.

Friendly Frank flips fine flapjacks.

Gertie's great-grandma grew aghast at Gertie's grammar.

Gobbling gorgoyles gobbled gobbling goblins.

The great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes.

Three gray geese in the green grass grazing. Gray were the geese and green was the grass.

How much ground would a groundhog hog, if a groundhog could hog ground? A groundhog would hog all the ground he could hog, if a groundhog could hog ground.

I can think of six thin things and of six thick things too.

I wish to wash my Irish wristwatch.

Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.

Lily ladles little Letty's lentil soup.

Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear.

Once upon a barren moor
There dwelt a bear, also a boat.
The bear could not bear the boat.

At last the bear could bear no more  
Of that boar that bored him on the moor,  
And so one morn he bored the boar
That boar will bore the bear no more.

If you notice this notice, you will notice that this notice is not worth noticing.

How many cookies could a good cook cook If a good cook could cook cookies? A good cook could cook as many cookies as a good cook who could cook cookies.

A pleasant place to place a plaice is a place where a plaice is pleased to be placed.

A proper cup of coffee from a proper copper coffee pot.

Red lorry, yellow lorry.

Roberta ran rings around the Roman ruins.

Send toast to ten tense stout saints' ten tall tents.

Six sick hicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.

Seven sleazy shysters in sharkskin suits sold sheared sealskins to seasick sailors.

I saw a saw that could out saw any saw I ever saw saw. If you happen to see a saw that can out saw the saw I saw saw I'd like to see the saw you saw saw.

Six shimmering sharks sharply striking shins.

Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.

The two-twenty-two train tore through the tunnel.

There those thousand thinkers were thinking how did the other three thieves go through.

You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.

Vincent vowed vengeance very vehemently.

We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

What noise annoys a noisy oyster? A noisy noise annoys a noisy oyster.

What time does the wristwatch strap shop shut?

Which witch wished which wicked wish?

If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?

I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won't wish the wish you wish to wish.

We hope that you have found a lot of interesting tongue twisters in English for yourself in this article.

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