This article will help you master pronounciation of English language tongue twisters. You can pick from Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced level tongue twisters. Tap/Click on the Practice button to test your pronunciation.
Funny Tongue Twisters in English
Targets /f/, /w/, and /z/ contrasts with a playful rhyme.
A classic alliterative challenge that emphasizes /p/ sounds in quick succession.
Alliterative phrase focusing on /w/ and /tʃ/ sounds; a classic challenge for pace and clarity.
Combines /w/ and /ʃ/ with "Irish wristwatch" for a rapid articulation drill.
Emphasizes /p/, /k/, and /f/ while controlling pacing and clarity.
Emphasizes /fr/, /br/, /t/ sounds with a quick back-and-forth pattern.
Focus on the /k/ sound in initial and final positions.
Packed with /s/ sounds and repeated short vowels; a fun, light-hearted twister.
Very short but tricky alternating /d/ and /t/ in quick succession.
Mixes /ʃ/ and /s/ repeatedly in a future-tense style phrase.
Tricky transitions of /s/ and /ʃ/ in “Susie,” “sitting,” “shoeshine,” and “sits.”
Combines multiple /tʃ/ ("Chester," "cheetah," "chewed," "chunk," "cheddar," "cheese").
Tests /sl/ and /ʃ/ combos at speed; watch for "slit" vs. "sheet."
Easy Tongue Twisters for Beginners
"R" (/r/) and "L" (/l/) Sounds
Great for practicing quick transitions between /r/ and /l/ in a short, repeated phrase.
Helps with distinguishing /r/ from /l/ in both initial and medial word positions.
Reinforces clear /r/ sounds at the start and middle of words.
Focus on switching between /l/ and /r/ without blending them.
Emphasizes multiple /l/ sounds in a row for tongue agility.
Mixes initial /r/ in "rowdy," "rabbits," and "relish" with medial /r/ in "radishes."
Good for alternating /l/ and /r/ sounds quickly.
Trains a lighter /l/ sound in repeated words for clarity.
Focuses on crisp /r/ and linking with /l/ in "locket" and "rattles."
Encourages clear /l/ and /r/ transitions in connected speech.
"TH" (/θ/, /ð/) Sounds
Targets unvoiced /θ/ ("th" as in "thin") repeatedly.
Combines "th" in various positions, reinforcing correct tongue placement.
Perfect for practicing /θ/ in both word-initial and medial positions.
Balances /θ/ ("threw," "three") with /ð/ ("Thea") if you pronounce "Thea" with a voiced "th."
Helps sharpen the difference between /θ/ ("thrifty," "thumbtack") and /ð/ in "the."
Good for alternating voiced /ð/ ("they," "that," "the") and unvoiced /θ/ ("think," "Thursday," "thinnest").
Sustained /θ/ practice with initial "th" across multiple words.
Challenges the tongue with repeated /θ/ and /ð/.
Rapid repetition of unvoiced /θ/ in "thirty," "theories," "thrive."
Focuses on unvoiced /θ/ in "thirsty," "Theo," "thick."
Reinforces repetitive /θ/ in "thought," "thinking," and "thanking," testing clarity under speed.
"S" (/s/) and "SH" (/ʃ/) Sounds
Contrasts /s/ ("sells") with /ʃ/ ("shiny," "shells").
Combines /ʃ/ ("she," "shining") with /s/ ("sees," "softly").
Works on consecutive /s/ sounds for breath control and clarity.
Quick shifts between /s/ and /ʃ/ ("Sasha," "shifts," "shape").
Reinforces /ʃ/ in "shy," "sheep," and /s/ in "slightly," "Sarah's."
Contrasts /s/ in "Sally's," "socks" with /ʃ/ in "shrink," "she."
Focuses on /s/ in quick succession for clarity.
Classic /ʃ/ practice in "Sheila," "seashells," "seashore."
Emphasizes /s/ at the beginnings of words with varying vowels.
Reinforces blending of /ʃ/ ("shy") and /s/ ("snakes," "slide").
Vowel Variations: "short a" (/æ/), "long e" (/iː/)
Targets long "ee" /iː/ sounds repeatedly.
Practices the diphthong /eɪ/ ("aims," "acorns," "again") and short /æ/ ("Aaron").
Focuses on the long /oʊ/ sound ("Opal," "oval," "oboes," "obey," "openly").
Reinforces the diphthong /aɪ/ ("Ike," "ice," "ignite," "ideas").
Practices the /ʌ/ ("underestimates," "umbrellas") and /uː/ ("Uma," "unusual").
Focuses on /eɪ/ ("Amy," "occasionally") and /ɔː/ ("oranges," "ornate").
Reinforces the long /oʊ/ ("only," "older," "ogres," "own") and diphthong /ɔɪ/ in "oily."
Practices short /ɛ/ ("Eddie," "edited," "edition").
Mixes short /æ/ ("Annie," "Andy") with /eɪ/ ("apricots") and /aʊ/ ("about").
Emphasizes /iː/ ("Eileen," "eagerly," "eats," "Easter") and short /ɛ/ ("eggs").
Focuses on the "ear" vowel pattern with subtle shifts, testing precise enunciation.
Emphasizes the /eɪ/ vowel in "date," "eight," "gate," and "late," while also practicing smooth pacing.
Consonant Clusters: "sp" (/sp/), "spl" (/spl/), "str" (/str/)
Strengthens consonant cluster articulation (spl-, spr-, sp-).
Good for /spr/ and /br/ clusters in quick succession.
Works on the /bl/ cluster and repeating initial consonants at speed.
Focuses on /str/ at the start of words.
Sharpens /skr/ ("scribble," "scribes," "script").
Practices /spl/ and /splɪn/ clusters together.
Emphasizes /kr/ cluster at the beginning of words.
Targets /str/ in multiple words with different vowels.
Reinforces /str/ + /st/ clusters quickly.
Good for mouth agility with multiple /sp/ and /spl/ starts.
Focuses on /kl/ and /kr/ clusters, plus repeated /k/ sounds in rapid succession.
Mixed Consonants: "p" (/p/) & "b" (/b/), "t" (/t/) & "d" (/d/)
Differentiates /p/ and /k/ sounds while managing repeated words.
Works on distinguishing /p/ and /b/ in rapid sequence.
Reinforces clear /d/ sounds in initial, medial, and final positions.
Focuses on initial /p/ and final /t/ articulation.
Practices crisp /t/ in different word positions.
Targets /d/ across various words with short vowels.
Sharpens /p/ clusters and repeated sounds in a row.
Maintains clarity between /t/ and /b/ within short words.
Distinguishes /b/ in both initial and clustered positions ("bright," "blue").
Alternates /t/ and /d/ quickly for enunciation control.
Hard Tongue Twisters in English
Hard Sound Combinations: "s" (/s/), "sh" (/ʃ/), "ch" (/tʃ/), "r" (/r/), "l" (/l/), "th" (/θ/, /ð/)
Interlaces /ʃ/ ("Sheila's"), /r/ ("rural," "rare"), and "th" ("threw," "three").
Mixes /fr/, /fl/, and /ʃ/ in a single sentence, emphasizing speed and clarity.
Great for the /r/ in multiple positions and /l/ in "Larry."
Combines /s/ and /ʃ/ in alternating positions with quick timing.
Rapid "th" transitions, both voiced and unvoiced, plus consonant clusters.
Focus on /tʃ/ vs. /r/ and repeated "ch" sounds.
/ʃ/ and /r/ in multiple word positions challenge tongue agility.
Repeated /r/ and "ck" clusters test breath control.
Alternates /ʃ/ ("Sasha," "sharply," "shouted," "shaking," "shack") with /ʃ/ + /æ/ vowels.
Packed with /r/ in different syllables for advanced articulation.
Challenges /tʃ/ ("chews," "choose") and /ʃ/ ("shoes"), contrasting final sounds ("choose," "shoes").
Long Tongue Twisters
Iconic alliterative phrase for /p/ practice and rapid repetition.
Classic multi-line piece targeting /b/ and /t/ sounds, plus consistent rhythm.
Emphasizes /s/ and /ʃ/ with a repetitive, flowing pattern.
Advanced pace and stamina test with repeating /w/ and /tʃ/ sounds.
Rapid /sk/ and "st" clusters plus minimal vowel changes.
Brain twister for distinguishing past tense "thought" from "I thought I thought."
Vowel variation practice and pacing; also good for intonation.
Contrasts /w/ and /tʃ/ in a question form to challenge clarity.
Extremely tough /s/ and /ʃ/ combos; tests speed and precision.
Great for /w/ and /r/ in "wristwatches," plus the /tʃ/ in "which."
Fast-paced practice with /l/, /θ/, and /w/ transitions.
Speed-Based, Repeated Phrases
Perfect for quick articulation drills; try saying each phrase multiple times fast.
Repeated rapid /t/ and /b/ sounds to improve tongue precision.
Challenges smooth vowel transitions and the /n/ + /j/ in "New."
Focus on distinct /bl/ and /br/ starts and switching vowels.
Alternates /r/ and /bl/ while shifting vowels quickly.
Teases the /r/ sound repeatedly in close sequence.
Tests /r/ and /w/ in a tight cluster; famously difficult at speed.
Mixes /r/ in different positions and interesting vowel combos.
Repeated /p/ and /b/ for rapid transitions in short words.
Emphasizes the /gr/ cluster and the /ks/ or /k/ in "Greek."
Piles on /bl/ and /br/ clusters for clarity at high speed.
Expands the "Unique New York" challenge with repeated /n/ and /j/ transitions.
Highlights repeated /w/ sounds and shifting vowels, useful for advanced pacing.
Focuses on repeated /s/ and /st/ patterns for clear articulation at high speed.
Practices /w/ and /tʃ/ in a short, repeated question for clarity under speed.
Quick repetition drills /sn/, /kr/, and /p/ clusters in short bursts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Interpret Pronunciation Feedback
- Accuracy: How closely the spoken words match the expected pronunciation. This includes correct sounds, stress, and articulation.
- Completeness: Whether all expected words or sounds were spoken. It checks if anything was skipped or omitted.
- Fluency: The smoothness and flow of speech - how naturally the person speaks without excessive pauses, hesitations, or repetitions.
- Prosody: The rhythm, intonation, and stress patterns in speech. It reflects how well the speaker uses natural pitch and emphasis.
How to Practice Tongue Twisters
- Start slowly and focus on accuracy rather than speed
- Practice daily for just a few minutes to see improvement
- Try to visualize the mouth movements for difficult sounds
- Don't worry about making mistakes – they're part of the learning process!
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