Tongue twisters

Hi dear all,

Let post here English tongue twisters and pronounce them out loud. I think it’s a very interesting exercise which could help us improve our pronounciation and diction as well.

If two witches watched two watches, which witch would watch which watch.

… would watch which watch? at the end Geo.

This one is similar to yours:
We wonder which witch washes watches for the thirty-three free thrush throttlers.

Then how about these:
Peggy Babcock (The challenge is to say it three times in quick succession.)
Red leather, yellow leather (as above)
Green screen, grim scream (as above)
Sheep sleep sweetly in sheer silk sheets.
Pop the salt pot top on, Poppy.
How the old bold bald owl hooted.
“Shall Sheila sell sea shells?” said the seal.

Hi Beeesneees,
Oops! I’ve made a mistake. Thank you for correction and your versions. He who learns till he dies may realize he isn’t yet wise. ;-))
I must make preparations for reading your versions. They seem too difficult at first sight.

Start slowly. As with so many other things, the key is familiarisation and practice.

Hi Geo and Beees!

Here’s my personal fave:

[color=blue]Question : How many cans can a canner can if a canner can can cans?
Answer : A canner can can as many cans as a canner can if a canner can can cans.

and here’s another one for the road:

[color=blue]Peter piper picked a peck of pickled pepper

@ Beeesneees :
Your twisters are all new to me! My students are going to have lots of fun (despite the possibility of spraining their tongue :slight_smile: with these). We, Indonesians, often have difficultes pronouncing the sound /ʃ/ immediately after /s/ and enunciating the consonant /θ/ and /δ/. I hope you don’t mind if I use them in one of my pronounciation drill sessions.

A variation on your canner:
How much wood could a woodpecker peck if a woodpecker could peck wood?

This is the first one I remember my parents teaching me:
Question: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, a peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
Answer: If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Here’s a lengthy challenge:
Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said “this butter’s bitter! But a bit of better butter will but make my butter better” So she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter, and it made her butter better so 'twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter!

I know another variation:

How much wood would a woodchuck upchuck if a woodchuck could upchuck wood?
The faint of heart can substitute “chop” for “upchuck”.
=)

All I want is a proper cup of coffee made in a proper copper coffee pot.

The sixth sick Sheik’s sixth sheep is sick. (This is HAAAAAAARRRDDD!)

The Leith (pronounced to rhyme with ‘teeth’) police dismisseth us.

Pass the pink peas please.

Swan swam over the pond,
Swim swan swim!
Swan swam back again -
Well swum swan!

He will will his will to his son >>>>>>>>>> good one :slight_smile:

Thank all for contribution. OK! It’s not fair. I have a question. When are you going to read the tongue twisters out loud? It will be much more interesting to record them. I want to hear your voices my friends. Besides, I’m not a native speaker. What if I make a mistake?

Question: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, a peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
Answer: If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Beeesneees, help me. How to pronouce this: The sixth sick Sheik’s sixth sheep is sick. ((((

Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said “this butter’s bitter! But a bit of better butter will but make my butter better” So she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter, and it made her butter better so 'twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter! ;-D

Hi Geo777,

It seems that I won’t be recording any online voice messages until payday. I just broke my headset. As soon as I get my hands on a new one, I’ll post a record of me making fun of myself with those twisty tongue twisters thoroughly for you.

In the meantime, here’s another helping :
[color=blue]
Sarah sits by six city slickers.

What a pity!

I would like to read it but my system is too old and I can’t get a correct Java-Update.
Why not a MP3-Upload?

Maybe later, have fun…

Please reply ASAP - Get back to me as soon as possible
When a twister a-twisting will twist him a twist,
For the twisting a twist, he three twines will entwist;
But if one of the twines of the twist do untwist,
The twine that untwisteth untwisteth the twist.

For GEO777

Look ahead I’m an evil dwarf!
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 is the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Hi EvilDwarf,

I like your tongue twister. Thanks a lot. :wink:

What about this one? I haven’t managed to pronounce it yet.

[i]When a twister a-twisting will twist him a twist,

For the twisting of his twist, he three twines doth intwist;

But if one of the twines of the twist do untwist,

The twine that untwisteth untwisteth the twist.

Untwirling the twine that untwisteth between,

He twirls, with his twister, the two in a twine;

Then twice having twisted the twines of the twine,

He twitcheth the twice he had twined in twain.

The twain that in twining before in the twine,

As twines were intwisted he now doth untwine;

Twist the twain inter-twisting a twine more between,

He, twirling his twister, makes a twist of the twine.[/i]

Sounds good, GEO777!

Of course, not twin but twine! /twaɪn/
Practise makes perfect!
When a twister a-twisting will twist him a twist,
For the twisting a twist, he three twines will entwist;
But if one of the twines of the twist do untwist,
The twine that untwisteth untwisteth the twist.

And what about Limericks?
There was a young man from Dealing
Who caught the bus for Ealing.
It said on the door
Don’t spit on the floor
So he jumped up and spat on the ceiling.

Большое спасибо!

Hi EvilDwarf,

I wish I could say thank you in your native language.
I like limericks too. This is my favourite.

God’s plan made a hopeful beginning,
But Man spoilt his chances by sinning;
We trust that the story
Will end in great glory,
But at present the other side’s winning. ))

Well! EvilDwarf,
My aunt!
I think it’s amazing. It takes a lot of doing for me.