English tongue twisters are great for pronunciation practice as they really help you to enunciate your words properly. They are also good for showing you just where you need help with your letter formation.
For English language learners, tongue twisters can seem like hard work, but its worth mastering a couple in your target language because they are fun ways to learn more about the relationships between words and sounds. She sells sea shells, anyone?
Famous English Tongue Twisters
Tongue twisters rely on the humorous results when a speaker tries to alternate quickly between two similar but different phonemes, for example the sounds ‘s’ and ‘sh’.
Tongue twisters in English use some similar sounds in the English language to try to trip the speaker up! It is important for English language learners to be able to enunciate the sounds of each letter before they try to complete a tongue twister.
English tongue twisters can also help you understand the rhythm of English. Start off very slowly and pay attention to the shape of your mouth and tongue as you say each word. This will help you become aware of your pronunciation.
Once you are comfortable with the pronunciation, you can then try to speed up as you get used to the words and sound shifts.
Look at our examples of English tongue twisters below and see how you get on!
Some famous fun English tongue twisters for pronunciation practice include:
She Sells Sea Shells
“She sells seashells on the sea shore.
The shells that she sells are shells from the sea shore.
If she sells seashells on the sea shore,
The shells that she sells are seashells I’m sure.”
Sea Shells is one of the most famous tongue twisters in the English language. It has a pleasant and cheerful feel, perhaps because the sea shells remind us of beaches, sunshine and holidays!
Shells remind us of beach holidays – Image source
Peter Piper
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of peppers,
Where is the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?”
The tale of Peter Piper and his peppers might be the most famous of all the English language tongue twisters. Have you heard it before?
Could you eat a whole peck? – Image source
The Woodchuck
“How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?”
This tongue twister about the woodchuck (also known as a groundhog) might be the easiest of the tongue twisters on this page, once you have worked out the sense of the sentence. What do you think?
A woodchuck is also known as a ground hog – image source
Lorries and Leather
“Red lorry, yellow lorry”
“Red leather, yellow leather”
This tongue twister is quick and easy to remember. It works best if you keep repeating the phrase over and over. The ‘l’ in the words yellow and lorry / leather get mixed up with each other – and the ‘r’ and ‘th’ want to turn into ‘l’s!
Do you find ‘lorries’ or ‘leather’ easier? – original image source
The Swimming Swan
“Swan swam over the sea,
Swim, swan, swim!
Swan swam back again,
Well swum, swan”
This tongue twister is less famous than the others on this page but we think it is just as good. We have also included it because the swan is such a beautiful and graceful creature (although known for its temper!).
The Sheik’s Sheep
“The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick”
This tongue twister about the sheik’s sheep is supposed to be the hardest English language tongue twister in existence! Do you agree?
What do you think?
Which of these tongue twisters did you find the easiest? And the hardest?
Do you know of any better ones?
Which tongue twisters do you think are best for practicing proper diction?
Do you use any tongue twister games in your EFL lessons?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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