Have you ever tried saying a tongue twister three times really fast and ended up sounding like you just invented a whole new language? Yeah, me too. And honestly, that’s half the fun! But here’s the good news: tongue twisters aren’t just silly word games; they’re one of the best ways to sharpen your English pronunciation, especially if you’re aiming for smooth, clear British pronunciation.
Think of them like a workout for your mouth. Just like how you train your muscles at the gym (minus the sweat and questionable protein shakes), tongue twisters help strengthen the muscles in your mouth and face that shape your pronunciation. The more you practise, the easier and more natural your English will sound. Plus, they’re way more fun than repeating boring sentence drills.
In this guide, I’ve put together 50 fantastic tongue twisters for you, each one comes with a phonemic transcription so you can perfect the pronunciation. Oh, and don’t be surprised if you burst out laughing halfway through. That’s part of the process!
Why Tongue Twisters Help with English Pronunciation
Sure, they sound ridiculous, but tongue twisters are secretly powerful pronunciation tools. Here’s why:
- They improve clarity. If your words tend to blur together, these tricky sentences will train you to pronounce each sound accurately and clearly.
- They boost fluency. Struggling to connect words smoothly? Tongue twisters force you to master the transitions between sounds – just like native speakers do.
- They strengthen your pronunciation muscles. Ever feel like your tongue gets in the way when speaking English? That’s because you need to train it! The more you practise, the more control you’ll have.
- They make learning fun. Let’s be real – some pronunciation drills are painfully boring. But tongue twisters? They turn practice into a game and give you plenty of funny moments along the way. I remember when I first tried ‘She sells seashells’, and I completely butchered it!
How to Use Tongue Twisters Effectively to Improve English Pronunciation
Before we dive into the list, here’s how to get the most out of these tricky tongue twisters:
- Start slow. Speeding through them too quickly will make you sound like a broken robot. Begin slowly, focusing on each sound.
- Use a mirror. Watching your mouth movements helps you see how each sound is formed. Trust me, it works!
- Repeat, repeat, repeat. The more you practise, the smoother your pronunciation will become.
- Record yourself. Play it back and see where you stumble. It’s a great way to track your progress.
- Have fun! If you trip over your words, laugh it off and try again. Mistakes are just part of the learning process.
Now, let’s dive into the tongue twisters! If you find one particularly tricky, let me know (you can send me a DM on Instagram at @pronunciationwithemma! I’d love to hear how you’re doing!
1. Tongue Twisters for “th” Sounds (/θ/ and /ð/)
Struggling with “think” vs. “this”? These will help sharpen your pronunciation:
Thirty-three thousand feathers fluttered freely.
/ˈθɜː.ti ˈθriː ˈθaʊ.zənd ˈfeð.əz ˈflʌ.təd ˈfriː.li/
The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
/ðə ˈθɜː.ti ˈθriː θiːvz θɔːt ðət ðeɪ θrɪld ðə θrəʊn θruːˈaʊt ˈθɜːz.deɪ/
I thought a thought, but the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought.
/aɪ θɔːt ə θɔːt bʌt ðə θɔːt aɪ θɔːt wɒznt ðə θɔːt aɪ θɔːt aɪ θɔːt/
This thin thread is thick through this thistle.
/ðɪs θɪn θred ɪz θɪk θruː ðɪs ˈθɪs.əl/
The thirty-three thieves threw the thick things.
/ðə ˈθɜː.ti ˈθriː θiːvz θruː ðə θɪk θɪŋz/
2. Tongue Twisters for “s” and “sh” Sounds (/s/ and /ʃ/)
If you ever mix up “see” and “she”, these will help you hear and pronounce the difference:
She sells seashells by the seashore.
/ʃiː selz ˈsiːʃelz baɪ ðə ˈsiːʃɔː/
Six slippery snails slid slowly seaward.
/sɪks ˈslɪp.əri sneɪlz slɪd ˈsləʊ.li ˈsiː.wəd/
Sam’s shop stocks short spotted socks.
/sæmz ʃɒp stɒks ʃɔːt ˈspɒt.ɪd sɒks/
A sailor went to sea to see what he could see.
/ə ˈseɪ.lə went tə siː tə siː wɒt hiː kʊd siː/
Surely Sylvia swims! Should she swim? She sure should!
/ˈʃʊə.li ˈsɪl.vi.ə swɪmz ‖ ʃʊd ʃiː swɪm? ʃiː ʃʊə ʃʊd!/
Do you still find it difficult to pronounce the /s/ and /ʃ/ sounds? I got you! I highly recommend you watch this YouTube video where I explain in detail the differences between the two sounds.
3. Tongue Twisters for “r” and “l” Sounds (/r/ and /l/)
If “red” and “led” sound the same when you say them, these will help train your tongue:
Red lorry, yellow lorry. (Say it 5 times fast!)
/red ˈlɒr.i ˈjel.əʊ ˈlɒr.i/
Rory’s lawn rake rarely rakes really right.
/ˈrɔː.riːz lɔːn reɪk ˈreə.li reɪks ˈrɪə.li raɪt/
A really leery Larry rolls readily to the right.
/ə ˈrɪə.li ˈlɪə.ri ˈlæ.ri rəʊlz ˈred.ɪ.li tə ðə raɪt/
Robin Redbreast’s a real rascal.
/ˈrɒ.bɪn ˈred.brests ə ˈrɪəl ˈrɑː.skəl/ or /ˈræ.skəl/
Lovely little Lottie loves lively leopards.
/ˈlʌv.li ˈlɪt.əl ˈlɒ.ti lʌvz ˈlaɪv.li ˈlep.ədz/
4. Tongue Twisters for “v” and “w” Sounds (/v/ and /w/)
If “vet” and “wet” sound suspiciously similar when you say them, these will help fix that for you!
We view weathered vests very well.
/wiː vjuː ˈweð.əd vests ˈver.i wel/
Victor viewed vulture valleys vividly.
/ˈvɪk.tə vjuːd ˈvʌl.tʃə ˈvæl.iz ˈvɪv.ɪd.li/
Willy’s very wary when viewing violet vases.
/ˈwɪl.iːz ˈver.i ˈweə.ri wen ˈvjuː.ɪŋ ˈvaɪə.lɪt ˈvɑː.zɪz/
Will you wait with William while Winnie washes windows?
/wɪl juː weɪt wɪð ˈwɪljəm waɪl ˈwɪni ˈwɒʃɪz ˈwɪndəʊz/
Vivian waved wildly while washing white vases.
/ˈvɪviən weɪvd ˈwaɪldli waɪl ˈwɒʃɪŋ waɪt ˈveɪzɪz/
5. Tongue Twisters for “p” and “b” Sounds (/p/ and /b/)
Struggling with “pat” and “bat”? These will help you get them right!
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
/ˈpiːtə ˈpaɪpə pɪkt ə pek əv ˈpɪkəld ˈpepərz/
Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said this butter’s bitter.
/ˈbeti ˈbɒtə bɔːt sʌm ˈbʌtər bʌt ʃi sed ðɪs ˈbʌtərz ˈbɪtə/
Black bug bit a big black bear.
/blæk bʌɡ bɪt ə bɪɡ blæk beə/
A proper copper coffee pot.
/ə ˈprɒpə ˈkɒpə ˈkɒfi pɒt/
Bobby brings bright blue balloons.
/ˈbɒbi brɪŋz braɪt bluː bəˈluːnz/
6. Tongue Twisters for “ch” and “j” Sounds (/tʃ/ and /dʒ/)
Want to nail words like “chicken” and “jacket”? Try these!
Chester Cheetah chews a chunk of cheap cheddar cheese.
/ˈtʃes.tə ˈtʃiː.tə tʃuːz ə tʃʌŋk əf tʃiːp ˈtʃed.ə tʃiːz/
James just juggled juicy jellybeans.
/dʒeɪmz dʒʌst ˈdʒʌɡ.əld ˈdʒuː.si ˈdʒel.i.biːnz/
John’s giant jam jar jiggled joyfully.
/ʤɒnz ˈʤaɪənt ʤæm ʤɑː ˈʤɪɡəld ˈʤɔɪfəli/
Jealous judges justly judge jam jars.
/ˈʤeləs ˈʤʌʤɪz ˈʤʌstli ʤʌʤ ʤæm ʤɑːz/
Cheeky chimps chat cheerfully.
/ˈʧiːki ʧɪmps ʧæt ˈʧɪəfəli/
7. Tongue Twisters for Vowel Sounds
Long and short vowels can be tricky, but these will help!
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
/aɪ skriːm juː skriːm wiːjɔːl skriːm fɔːraɪs kriːm/
A big black bug bit a big black dog on his big black nose.
/ə bɪɡ blæk bʌɡ bɪt ə bɪɡ blæk dɒɡ ɒnɪz bɪɡ blæk nəʊz/
Eager eagles easily eat each Easter egg.
/ˈiːɡərˈiːɡəlz ˈiːzɪli iːt iːʧ ˈiːstəreɡ/
I like New York, unique New York, I like unique New York.
/aɪ laɪk njuː jɔːk juˈniːk njuː jɔːk aɪ laɪk juˈniːk njuː jɔːk/
Which witch wished which wicked wish?
/wɪʧ wɪʧ wɪʃt wɪʧ ˈwɪkɪd wɪʃ/
8. Advanced Tongue Twisters for Fluency
Feeling brave? Try these tongue twisters for a real challenge.
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
/haʊ mʌʧ wʊd wʊd ə ˈwʊdʧʌk ʧʌk ɪf ə ˈwʊdʧʌk kʊd ʧʌk wʊd/
If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?
/ɪf tuː ˈwɪʧɪz wɜː ˈwɒʧɪŋ tuː ˈwɒʧɪz wɪʧ wɪʧ wʊd wɒʧ wɪʧ wɒʧ?/
Fred fed Ted bread and Ted fed Fred bread.
/fred fed ted bred ənd ted fed fred bred/
I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.
/aɪ sɔːrə ˈkɪtən ˈiːtɪŋ ˈʧɪkɪn ɪn ðə ˈkɪʧɪn/
Four furious friends fought for the phone.
/fɔː ˈfjʊərɪəs frenz fɔːt fə ðə fəʊn/
Give papa a cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup.
/ɡɪv pəˈpɑː ə kʌp əf ˈprɒpə ˈkɒfi ɪn ə ˈkɒpə ˈkɒfi kʌp/
The big black bug bit the big black bear, but the big black bear bit the big black bug back!
/ðə bɪɡ blæk bʌɡ bɪt ðə bɪɡ blæk beə bʌt ðə bɪɡ blæk beə bɪt ðə bɪɡ blæk bʌɡ bæk/
Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards.
/sɪks sliːk swɒnz swæm ˈswɪftli ˈsaʊθwədz/
Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.
/twelv twɪnz twɜːld twelv twɪɡz/
Crisp crusts crackle and crunch.
/krɪsp krʌsts ˈkrækəl ənd krʌnʧ/
Friendly frogs frolicked freely from France.
/ˈfrendli frɒɡz ˈfrɒlɪkt ˈfriːli frəm frɑːns/ or /fræns/
The sheep on the ship slipped on the sheet.
/ðə ʃiːp ɒn ðə ʃɪp slɪpt ɒn ðə ʃiːt/
Many noisy monkeys munched on mangoes at midnight.
/ˈmeni ˈnɔɪzi ˈmʌŋkiːz mʌnʧt ɒn ˈmæŋɡəʊz ət ˈmɪdnaɪt/
Greek grapes grow greatly in green gardens.
/ɡriːk ɡreɪps ɡrəʊ ˈɡreɪtli ɪn ɡriːn ˈɡɑːdənz/
Big blue balloons bounce beautifully by the bay.
/bɪɡ bluː bəˈluːnz baʊns ˈbjuːtəfəli baɪ ðə beɪ/
Phew, that was a lot of tongue twisting! Which tongue twister gave you the most trouble? Feel free to drop me a DM on Instagram here! You can also check out this YouTube video where I share even more fun tongue twisters.