Perfect for pronunciation practice! A collection of English tongue twisters.
Tongue twisters are used a lot in Japan for fun and for practicing enunciation.
Did you know that these tongue twisters actually exist in English, too?
In English, tongue twisters are called “tongue twisters.”
Tongue twisters are very useful when learning English pronunciation, and they can even help you practice sounds that Japanese speakers often find difficult!
In this article, we’ll introduce English tongue twisters like these.
Even when words sound similar, they often feature subtle differences in how they’re pronounced, so you can study the distinctions between each sound as well.
Be sure to practice and master English pronunciation!
Perfect for pronunciation practice! A collection of English tongue twisters (1–10)
Pad kid poured curd pulled coldNEW!
Because similar sounds like “poured,” “curd,” “pulled,” and “cold” come in succession, your tongue quickly gets tied when you say it out loud.
Both children and adults can practice pronunciation and exercise their tongues by repeating it to a rhythm, making it feel like a game.
Each time you read it, the speed and timing change, which sparks a bit of challenge and laughter—that’s the key point.
By consciously focusing on the sounds of the words as you try it, you can enjoy both the fun of speaking out loud and a sense of accomplishment at the same time.
It’s a difficult English tongue twister.
A big black bug bit a big black bear.
Here are English tongue twisters that help you practice the B sound.
For both Japanese and English, tempo and rhythm are very important in tongue twisters.
You can practice the uniquely English B sound, which is formed a bit differently from the Japanese “bi” sound.
The letter B appears repeatedly, and by repeating the phrases you may be able to conquer any difficulties you have with that sound.
Since tongue twisters have a game-like quality, you can enjoy practicing in a playful way.
English has many sounds that don’t exist in Japanese, so it’s great to be able to practice them enjoyably with tongue-twister “games” like these.
Selfish shellfish
Isn’t the “sa” consonant row tricky for many Japanese speakers? “Selfish shellfish” is a tongue twister that means “a selfish seashell.” With this tongue twister, you can practice the sounds S, Sh, L, and F.
S is pronounced like the Japanese “sa-gyo,” while Sh is like the “sha-gyo.” For Sh, be sure to mix in a clear breathy sound.
For the L in this phrase, lift or scoop your tongue as you pronounce it.
Finally, for F, lightly touch or tap your lower lip with your upper front teeth.
F is voiceless; use only breath, like a whisper, to produce a “fa-gyo”-type sound.
Keep these tips in mind as you practice!
Red leather, yellow leather.
Short but tricky! “Red leather, yellow leather” is a tongue twister meaning “red leather, yellow leather.” Compared to other tongue twisters, it’s shorter, but it packs in words that are hard to pronounce.
First, you’ve got R and L: R is pronounced without the tip of your tongue touching anywhere in your mouth, while L is made by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth.
Then there’s “ther.” For the “th,” lightly place your tongue in the small gap between your slightly parted upper and lower teeth, blow air over it, and pull your tongue back as you voice it.
Since it’s followed by “er,” keep your tongue tip from touching anywhere in your mouth, and you’ll have it perfect!
He threw three free throws.
Why not practice English-specific sounds that are difficult for Japanese speakers—such as S, TH, and R/L—through tongue twisters as a game, and master your articulation and pronunciation? English includes sounds that are hard to produce and don’t exist in the Japanese vowels a-i-u-e-o.
This isn’t an issue in grammar, but in conversation, listening, and speaking, the S and TH barrier often stands in the way.
Since different pronunciations can change meanings, it’s important to master them thoroughly.
Let’s tackle these tricky sounds in a fun way with English tongue twisters that let you learn while you play.
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
These are upbeat English tongue twisters that require a sense of rhythm, almost like singing.
Start practicing slowly and gradually pick up the tempo.
They’re great for practicing the differences between S and R, Th sounds, and R versus L, as well as improving articulation—so give them a try.
These pronunciations can be a bit challenging for Japanese speakers, but by repeating tongue twisters, you can improve your diction while having fun.
Since each tongue twister includes many of these sounds, saying them makes for effective practice.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream
Recommended for beginners of English tongue twisters! “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream” is a tongue twister that means “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.” With this tongue twister, you can practice the pronunciation of “-ream.” Open your mouth horizontally and pronounce it like “reeem.” For the final M, don’t pronounce it like the Japanese “mu.” Instead, close your lips by tucking them in and make an “n”-like sound.
The way you close your lips is the key!
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” is a tongue twister meaning “Peter Piper picked a large quantity of pickled peppers.” It’s a tongue twister with many plosive P sounds.
The trick to pronouncing P is to keep your lips closed, build up air in your mouth, then release it by popping your lips open and exhaling.
If you firmly close your lips each time and release your breath forcefully, you’ll be able to master this tongue twister!
Red lorry,yellow,lorry.
Here’s one that features both “R” and “L,” sounds many Japanese speakers find difficult.
It means “red truck” and “yellow truck.” The sentence is short and looks easy at first glance, but the tongue movements for R and L are different.
For R, you pull your tongue back before pronouncing; for L, you touch your tongue to your upper front teeth before pronouncing.
Both the red truck and yellow truck phrases contain many alternating R’s and L’s, so it’s quite challenging if you try to articulate them clearly.
However, if you practice it as a tongue-twister—quickly and repeatedly—mastering clean R and L pronunciation won’t be just a dream!
She sells seashells by the seashore.
This one features lots of “shi”-like sounds.
But don’t pronounce them all the same way.
The sentence means “She sells seashells by the seashore.” For She, shell, and shore, keep your back teeth together and push your lips forward slightly as you make the sound.
In contrast, for sea and sell, place your tongue behind your upper and lower teeth and release a short burst of air.
Saying this quickly and accurately is pretty tough! There’s a longer version of this tongue twister, so once you’ve got this shorter one down, definitely give the long version a try!