A tongue twister puts very similar sounds side by side, so your mouth has to switch quickly between them. The goal is clean sounds first, speed second. If you rush, the sounds blur and you practise your mistakes.
The speed ladder
- Read it silently. Underline the sound you are training.
- Say it very slowly. Make every sound a little too big.
- Say it at normal speed without stopping.
- Say it fast, three times in a row, with no mistakes. Then you are done.
| Tongue twister | Sound | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. | /p/ | Hold your hand in front of your mouth. You should feel a small puff of air. |
| She sells seashells by the seashore. | /s/ and /ʃ/ | For /s/ your lips are flat. For /ʃ/ push them forward a little. |
| How much wood would a woodchuck chuck? | /w/ and /tʃ/ | Round your lips for /w/. For /tʃ/ the tongue starts like a /t/, then slides. |
| Red lorry, yellow lorry. | /r/ and /l/ | For /l/ the tongue tip touches the ridge behind your teeth. For /r/ it touches nothing. |
| Three thin thieves thought thoroughly. | /θ/ | Put the tip of your tongue lightly between your teeth and blow air. |
| Bob's big blue boat bobbed by the bridge. | /b/ | Close both lips, then open them with a small pop. Your throat vibrates. |
| Victor never valued the very vivid view. | /v/ | Top teeth touch your lower lip. Do not close both lips, or it becomes /b/. |
| Ted waited and wanted, needed and ended. | /ɪd/ | Each -ed here is a whole extra syllable. Tap it out: Ted · wait-ed · want-ed. |
Twister picker
Practice a twister
Press the button, then climb the ladder. Tick each step when you have done it. There is no score: this one is for your mouth.
Press “Give me a twister”.