English tongue twisters to test your English skills

Two friends sat outide smiling and looking at a phone
Reading time: 6 minutes

“She sells seashells by the seashore” and "If a woodchuck could chuck wood" are classic tongue twisters and aren’t just whimsical phrases but one of many tools language learners use to polish their pronunciation and articulate troublesome English sounds. For students and enthusiasts alike, tongue twisters are not only entertaining but they also serve as an effective and fun way to test and improve your English skills.

In this blog post, we’ll explore some challenging English tongue twisters perfect for language learners seeking to refine their pronunciation. Of course, the best way to use these tongue twisters is to say them out loud–so don’t just read them; try to repeat them and see how fast you can go without stumbling. Incorporating funny tongue twisters into your practice can make learning more enjoyable for kids and adults alike.

Test your English skills with tongue twisters
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree app can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

What are tongue twisters and how can they help language learners?

Tongue twisters are phrases or sentences that are challenging to articulate because they contain similar-sounding syllables, words, or letters. They serve as a form of speaking exercise that can help with speech clarity, pronunciation and fluency in any language.

They can be especially helpful for those learning English, as the language’s diverse range of phonemes (distinct units of sound) provides a great exercise for all manner of verbal communication. Tongue twisters can be seen as a form of verbal gymnastics that challenges language learners.

Easy tongue twisters: A peck of pickled peppers

When you’re just beginning, start with some straightforward tongue twisters in English. These will help you get a sense of rhythm, which is crucial for getting your mouth used to the mechanics of English pronunciation. You’ve likely heard of this first one.

  1. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
  2. Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter’s bitter.
  3. If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
  4. Red lorry, yellow lorry.
  5. Three free throws.
  6. Ted fed Fred bread. Fred fed Ted bread,
  7. Fresh fried fish fresh fried.
  8. Four furious friends fought for the phone.
  9. Tie twine to three tree twigs.
  10. Toy boat.

Medium tongue twisters: The proper copper coffee pot challenge

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to up the ante. These slightly more complex tongue twisters will begin to challenge your diction and speed of speech.

  1. A proper copper coffee pot.
  2. Six slippery snails slid slowly seaward.
  3. Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
  4. She sees cheese on the Chinese chessboard.
  5. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
  6. She sells seashells on the seashore; the shells she sells are surely seashells.
  7. Too big a toboggan is too big a toboggan to buy to begin to toboggan.
  8. I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop. Where she sits, she shines, and where she shines, she sits.
  9. Double bubble gum bubbles double.
  10. Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.

Hard tongue twisters: How much wood can a woodchuck chuck

For those ready to push their skills to the limit, these tongue twisters are particularly tough. They involve tricky combinations of phonemes and are a true workout for your mouth.

  1. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as he could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
  2. The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
  3. Can you can a canned can into an uncanned can like a canner can can a canned can into an uncanned can?
  4. The great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes but do great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes only.
  5. Swan swam over the sea, swim, swan, swim! Swan swam back again well swum swan.
  6. A big black bear sat on a big black rug while a big black bug bit the big black bear.
  7. If you must cross a course cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully.
  8. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
  9. How much ground would a groundhog grind if a groundhog could grind ground.

What's the hardest tongue twister?

This depends on who you ask, but a named the challenge of "Pad kid poured curd pulled cod" the most difficult tongue twister in the world. The phrases “kid poured curd pulled” and “poured curd pulled cod” show why many have twisted their tongues trying to pronounce it.

Another example of a challenging tongue twister is “nearly eerie ear,” emphasizing its difficulty in pronunciation and showcasing the complexity of certain sounds and words.

Three friends sat together looking at a open book

How to practice with tongue twisters

Here are some steps to follow when practicing with tongue twisters:

  1. Start slow: Begin by saying the phrase slowly, ensuring you focus on the accurate pronunciation of each word and sound. This initial focus on accuracy is crucial for building a solid foundation in your pronunciation skills.
  2. Repeat: Repetition is key. Repeat it several times at a slow pace before trying to speed up.
  3. Record yourself: Listen to your pronunciation by recording yourself. This will help you catch subtleties and improve.
  4. Try different tongue twisters: Each tongue twister will test different aspects of speech. Don’t stick to just one; variety is important.
  5. Have fun: Don’t stress over getting it perfect. Have fun and use it as a warm-up exercise or a break from more serious study sessions.

Incorporating tongue twisters into daily language learning

Incorporating tongue twisters into your daily language-learning routine can significantly enhance your spoken English skills. Here are a few creative ways to make them part of your practice:

  • Morning warm-up: Begin your day with a set of tongue twisters to awaken your speech muscles and start your day with a word workout.
  • Social challenges: Challenge friends or fellow language learners to duels. This can be done in person or through social media, adding a competitive edge to your practice.
  • Teaching tool: If you’re teaching English, use tongue twisters as a fun and effective tool to engage students in pronunciation practice.

Remember, the key is consistency and enjoyment. By regularly challenging yourself with using tongue twisters in English, you’ll gradually notice improvements in your fluency, articulation and confidence in speaking English. Using tongue twisters daily can serve as a form of practice for your speech muscles.

Whether you’re a novice or an advanced English learner, tongue twisters are not only a fantastic way to improve your linguistic skills but also serve as an effective diagnostic tool to identify pronunciation challenges.

They can pinpoint which sounds you struggle with and provide a focused platform to work on them. Just remember, even fluent English speakers can trip over these tricky sentences, so take your time and enjoy the process.

Feeling tongue-tied yet? Take this opportunity to untangle your tongue and brush up on your English skills. Visit our blog for more tips, tricks and guides on mastering the English language.

Read more of our blog posts

More blogs from app

  • An overhead shot of a three children with notepads, tablets and phones on the table being handled by them

    How to encourage your teenage students to become independent learners

    By Nicola Pope

    Learning is a lifelong activity regardless of age, position, or ambition. Many teachers embody this philosophy themselves – and would like nothing more than for their teenage students to develop strategies to become independent learners.

    But teachers often feel frustrated when their students rely on them too much or show a lack of motivation and focus in the classroom.

    Let’s look at how to start a project that holds your students’ attention. We’ll also go into how you can help your students practice and develop a range of English language skills at the same time.

    The benefits of starting a project that interests your students

    Group projects are motivating because they give students a common objective to work towards. The need to work as part of a team teaches teens collaboration skills, such as accountability. When learners decide on roles within their groups it soon becomes apparent just how important it is for them to be responsible and do their part.

    Project work also often encourages students to push themselves beyond their comfort zones as they try and test new skills. This is often true when learners are required to present on a topic or learn how to do something practical (like using PowerPoint or Google Slides for presentation design).
    In addition, projects can test a variety of English language and 21st century skills such as:

    • critical thinking skills (for planning and development of ideas)
    • topic/subject-specific vocabulary
    • reading and listening comprehension (for researching)
    • speaking skills (for group work)
    • creative skills (for project development and production)
    • presenting skills (for the final delivery of the project)

    Furthermore, when projects take place over several classes, students often eventually get into a routine and seek less direction from the teacher. They know what needs to be done and get on with it in their groups. Of course, you will still need to monitor and offer guidance throughout the project.

    The key elements of an independent learning project

    Find a meaningful subject matter

    First, you’ll need to start with a topic that engages your students. To discover this, put students in groups (online in breakout rooms or in the classroom) and have them work together and mind map some local, national or global problems they would like to solve. For example:

    • The local theater has closed down and they want to set up a new drama club.
    • There is a lot of pollution in the capital city and they want to help reduce it.
    • The rainforest is being deforested and they want to create awareness.

    After they have a good-sized list, instruct each group to pick something they would like to learn more about. Alternatively, if your students are unlikely to find interesting problems to solve themselves, provide them with several short-level-appropriate reading materials about topics you think will catch their attention. That way they can learn about local or international issues and choose a project focus.

    Balancing guidance and instruction

    A vital goal of this project-based approach is to encourage students to be independent. That does not mean they should have no boundaries or objectives, however.

    You’ll need to set deadlines, tell them what you expect of them, and explain how they should present their projects at the end. And depending on their levels, your students will also need a certain amount of scaffolding. You can do this using a set of questions. For example:

    1. What is the main problem you want to solve?
    2. Who does it affect?
    3. Why is it important to change?
    4. What steps could you take to solve the issue?
    5. Who could help you do this?
    6. How could we do this as a group?
    7. How can we present the issue to make people care about it?

    These questions can form the basis of the project, which can last from one to several weeks, depending on their age, level and time restraints. Adapt the questions to suit your students and the specific needs of their projects.

    Facilitating teamwork

    Encourage students to work together to plan, research and present their ideas. Set days or classes by which certain project elements must be completed. This helps ensure that the students make progress and encourages them to ask you questions if they are stuck.

    Decide whether you want to give set times during your classes to work on the project, or whether you want to dedicate entire classes to their work. Also, think about how much work should be completed in your student's own time. Their workload, level of English, and access to technology will all impact your decision.

    For example:

    • Class one: Define the problem you want to solve. Consider what you need to find out, decide on individual roles and develop an action plan. Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class two: Research your project questions and share what you find with the group. Is there anything else you need to know? Show the teacher your progress.
    • Class three: Come up with a presentation outline and begin to work on it.
    • Homework: Each work on your individual presentation section.
    • Class four: Show the teacher your progress. Practice your presentations.
    • Class five: Practice and then deliver your presentations.

    You may wish to allow students the freedom to choose how they would like to present it. Give instructions on how long you expect the presentation to be. If working remotely, collaboration tools such as Google Docs, and are excellent for facilitating teamwork.

    Here are some ways you might ask them to present:

    • a poster and presentation
    • an online presentation (e.g. using PowerPoint)
    • a website (on paper or online)
    • a video presentation
    • a theatrical production
    • a podcast episode.

    Keep in mind that the objective is to help them research, present and deliver a project in English. Check in regularly on progress and provide feedback and help whenever needed.

    While it’s important to monitor and guide them with the English language as they work, it’s also crucial to let students make decisions for themselves.