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Listen to the shape of English

Tongue twisters

Playful combinations of sounds that challenge clear pronunciation. Read slowly and notice where the sounds change.

Expressions containing a, including its inflections. Clear word filter

13 entries

A Glowing Gleam

5 words

A glowing gleam glowing green.

/ɡ//l//ɹ/

A Lovely Lily

9 words

A lovely lily lying all alone along the lane.

/l/

A Noisy Oyster

15 words

What noise annoys a noisy oyster most? A noisy noise annoys a noisy oyster most.

/n//ɔɪ/

A Tutor Who Tooted

30 words

A tutor, who tooted a flute, tried to tutor two tooters to toot. Said the two to the tutor: “Is it harder to toot, or tutor two tooters to toot?”

/t//uː/

Betty Botter

66 words

Betty Botter bought some butter. “But,” she said, “this butter’s bitter; If I put it in my batter, It will make my batter bitter; But a bit of better butter Will but make my batter better.” So she bought a bit of butter Better than the bitter butter, And made her bitter batter better. So it was better Betty Botter Bought a bit of better butter.

/b//ɪ//ɛ//æ//ʌ/

Billy Button

27 words

Billy Button bought a buttered biscuit. Did Billy Button buy a buttered biscuit? If Billy Button bought a buttered biscuit, Where's the buttered biscuit Billy Button bought?

/b/

Buttered Bran Bread

7 words

Bring a bit of buttered bran bread.

/b//ɹ/

High Up the Hill

9 words

High up the hill he heaved a huge hoe.

/h/

How Much Wood

32 words

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck If a woodchuck could and would chuck wood? He’d chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would If a woodchuck could and would chuck wood.

/w//tʃ//ʊ//ʌ/

Max with a Wax Match

5 words

Max with a wax match.

/m//w//k//s//tʃ/

Peter Piper

35 words

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers? If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

/p//k/

The Chimpanzee Champion

10 words

A cheap, changeable, child-like chimpanzee champion playing checkers with Charles.

/tʃ/

Walter Waddle

27 words

Walter Waddle won a walking wager. Did Walter Waddle win a walking wager? If Walter Waddle won a walking wager, Where's the walking wager Walter Waddle won?

/w/

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