Tongue twisters to improve your pronunciation

A tongue twister is a specific sequence of words whose rapid, repeated pronunciation is difficult even for native speakers. They are a great way to practice and improve pronunciation and fluency
Often these are similar words which follow one another but differ in certain syllables. Alliterations, repetition of one sound, are also frequent. Some Tongue twisters are made for amusement, but on the other hand, professional speakers such as actors, politicians, and television / radio hosts use them as articulation exercises. In addition, some tongues are difficult because of their unusual word composition (sentence structure) and therefore require a high level of concentration.

Below, you will find some of the most popular English tongue twisters. Say them as quickly as you can. If you can master them, you will be a much more confident speaker.

If you do not know the meaning of words and their pronunciation use a dictionary that has audio before you practice.

Remember:

It’s not just how fast you say them, but how clearly too!

There are thousands of tongue twisters out there – here is a collection of some (short, long and small poems), whose text makes some sense, and which can also be used to speak more clearly.

Classic Tongue Twisters

1. 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. 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.
3. She sells sea shells by the seashore.
4. Betty bought a bit of butter.
   But the butter Betty bought was bitter.
   so Betty bought a better butter,
   and it was better than the butter Betty bought before.
   [Variation of Carolyn Wells The Butter Betty Bought published 1899.]

Funny Tongue Twisters

1. All I want is a proper cup of coffee,
   Made in a proper copper coffee pot
   I may be off my dot
   But I want a cup of coffee
   From a proper coffee pot.Tin coffee pots and iron coffee pots
   They’re no use to me –
   If I can’t have a proper cup of coffee
   In a proper copper coffee pot
   I’ll have a cup of tea.
2. Two tiny timid toads trying to trot to Tarrytown.
3. Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nuts.
4. Quizzical quiz, kiss me quick.
5. Eve eating eagerly elegant Easter eggs.

Easy Tongue Twisters

1. He threw three free throws.
2. I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.
3. If you notice this notice, you will notice that this notice is not worth noticing.
4. Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.
5. I like New York, unique New York, I like unique New York.
6. Four fine fresh fish for you.
7. A proper cup of coffee from a proper copper coffee pot.

1. Six sticky skeletons.
2. Which witch is which?
3. She sees cheese.
4. Stupid superstition.
5. Eleven benevolent elephants.
6. Truly rural.

Tongue Twisters About Thinking & Feeling

1. Three thin thinkers thinking thick thoughtful thoughts.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. I thought, I thought of thinking of thanking you.
5. 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 so much.