English Tongue Twisters

This material can be used for practicing the pronunciation of some tongue twisters. You can find many tongue twisters on the Internet and you can listen to some tongue twisters in Wikipedia and on YouTube.

Этот материал можно использовать для тренировки произношения некоторых скороговорок. Вы можете найти много скороговорок в Интернете и можете послушать некоторые скороговорки в Wikipedia и YouTube.

Pronunciation of tongue twisters

Tongue twisters contain repeated sounds, contrasting sounds, and similar but different sounds arranged in such a way that it is difficult to pronounce them quickly, clearly and correctly. Many tongue twisters are difficult to say correctly even at normal speed.

Work at the pronunciation of tongue twisters is very useful for learners of English – you learn to pronounce sounds in difficult combinations of sounds. Use normal speed of speech. Clear correct pronunciation of sounds in tongue twisters should be your main goal in these phonetic exercises.

First practice saying, clearly and distinctly, the sounds, words, word combinations and lines of the tongue twisters. Record yourself and listen to your recording to check whether your pronunciation is correct. Then practice reading and repeating the whole text of the tongue twisters and learn them by heart. Recite the tongue twisters loudly and clearly (and not too fast), using them as daily articulation exercises. Such exercises train your speech organs and make your pronunciation more stable.

You can also practice saying difficult repeated and contrasting sounds in simpler word combinations and short phrases, not only in tongue twisters. (See Practice for Consonant Contrast and Practice for Vowel Contrast in the section Phonetics.) You can also use Nursery rhymes as your daily articulation exercises. (See the section Kids.)

Скороговорки содержат повторяющиеся звуки, контрастные звуки и похожие, но разные звуки, расположенные таким образом, что их трудно произносить быстро, ясно и правильно. Многие скороговорки трудно произносить правильно даже с нормальной скоростью.

Работа над произношением скороговорок очень полезна для изучающих английский язык – вы учитесь произносить звуки в трудных сочетаниях звуков. Используйте нормальную скорость речи. Ясное правильное произношение звуков в скороговорках должно быть вашей главной целью в этих фонетических упражнениях.

Сначала тренируйтесь проговаривать, ясно и отчетливо, звуки, слова, словосочетания и строки скороговорок. Запишите себя и прослушайте свою запись, чтобы проверить, правильно ли ваше произношение. Затем тренируйтесь читать и повторять полный текст скороговорок и выучите их наизусть. Произносите скороговорки громко и ясно (и не очень быстро), используя их как ежедневные упражнения на артикуляцию. Такие упражнения тренируют органы речи и делают произношение более стабильным.

Вы также можете тренироваться произносить трудные повторяющиеся и контрастные звуки в более простых словосочетаниях и коротких фразах, не только в скороговорках. (См. Practice for Consonant Contrast и Practice for Vowel Contrast в разделе Phonetics.) Можно также использовать детские стихи Nursery rhymes в качестве ежедневных упражнений на артикуляцию. (См. раздел Kids.)

Transcription symbols in this material

[p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g], [f], [v], [θ], [ð], [s], [z], [sh], [h], [ch], [j], [m], [n], [ŋ], [l], [r], [w];

[i:], [i], [e], [æ], [a:], [o:], [o], [u:], [yu:], [u], [ʌ], [ə], [ər]; [ei], [ai], [au], [ou];

[θ] as in THINK; [ð] as in THIS; [sh] – SHE; [ch] – RICH; [j] – JANE; [ŋ] – LONG;

[a:] as in CAR; [æ] as in CAT; [i:] – SEE; [i] – ILL; [e] – GET; [o:] – MORE; [o] – LOT;

[u:] as in BLUE; [yu:] as in USE; [u] – BOOK; [ʌ] – CUT; [ə] – AWAY; [ər] – SIR;

[ei] as in DAY; [ai] as in MINE; [au] – OUT; [ou] – GO.

Transcription is indicated according to American pronunciation. British variant of pronunciation is indicated in the notes. Stress is indicated before stressed syllables. Secondary stress is not indicated. Falling and rising tones are indicated by slashes.

Транскрипция указана согласно американскому произношению. Британский вариант произношения указан в примечаниях. Ударение указано перед ударными слогами. Второстепенное ударение не указано. Тоны понижения и повышения указаны с помощью слеша.

Betty Botter

Variant 1

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 make my batter better."

So she bought a bit of butter
Better than her bitter butter,
And she put it in her batter,
And it made her batter better.

Variant 2

Betty Botter bought a bit of 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 make my batter better."

So she bought a bit of butter
Better than the bitter butter,
And it made her bitter batter better.

Practice pronunciation

Sounds:

Consonants: [b], [t], [d], [ð], [z], [s], [r].

Vowels: [e], [i], [o], [o:], [æ], [ʌ], [ə], [ər].

Words:

Betty ['beti]; Botter ['botər]; bought [bo:t]; bit [bit]; put [put];

butter ['bʌtər]; bitter ['bitər]; batter ['bætər]; better ['betər];

but ['bʌt], [bət]; some [sʌm], [səm]; and [ənd], [ən]; of [əv];

a [ə]; the [ðə]; than [ðæn]; this [ðis]; her [hər].

Lines:

Betty Botter bought some butter. ['beti 'botər 'bo:t səm \bʌtər];

But, she said, this butter's bitter. ['bʌt shi: sed | ðis 'bʌtərz \bitər];

If I put it in my batter, [if ai 'put it in mai /bætər];

It will make my batter bitter. [it wil 'meik mai 'bætər \bitər];

But a bit of better butter [bət ə 'bit əv 'betər 'bʌtər];

Will make my batter better. [will 'meik mai 'bætər \betər];

So she bought a bit of butter ['sou shi: 'bo:t ə 'bit əv 'bʌtər];

Better than the bitter butter, ['betər ðæn ðə \bitər 'bʌtər];

And she put it in her batter, [ənd she: 'put it in hər /bætər];

And it made her batter better. [ənd it 'meid hər 'bætər \betər].

Note BrE: Botter ['botə]; butter ['bʌtə]; batter ['bætə]; bitter ['bitə]; better ['betə].

Peter Piper

Variant 1

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's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Variant 2

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,
How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

Practice pronunciation

Sounds:

Consonants: [p], [k], [t], [d], [z], [ð], [r].

Vowels: [i:], [i], [e], [ai], [ə], [ər].

Words:

Peter ['pi:tər]; Piper ['paipər]; picked [pikt]; pick [pik];

pickled ['pikld], ['pikəld]; peck [pek]; peppers ['pepərz];

a [ə]; the [ðə]; of [əv]; where's [weərz], [werz]; how many ['hau 'meni].

Lines:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

['pi:tər 'paipər 'pikt ə 'pek əv 'pikld \pepərz];

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

[ə 'pek əv 'pikld 'pepərz 'pi:tər 'paipər \pikt];

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

[if 'pi:tər 'paipər 'pikt ə 'pek əv 'pikld /pepərz];

Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

['weərz ðə 'pek əv 'pikld 'pepərz 'pi:tər 'paipər \pikt];

How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

['hau 'meni 'pikld 'pepərz did 'pi:tər 'paipər \pik].

Note BrE: Peter ['pi:tə]; Piper ['paipə]; peppers ['pepəz]; where's [weəz].

Whether the weather

Variant 1

Whether the weather be fine
Or whether the weather be not,
Whether the weather be cold
Or whether the weather be hot,
We will weather the weather
Whether we like it or not.

Variant 2

Whether the weather is cold,
Whether the weather is hot,
We'll weather the weather, whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not.

Practice pronunciation

Sounds:

Consonants: [w], [ð], [t], [d], [r].

Vowels: [e], [i], [i:], [o], [ou], [ə], [ər].

Words:

whether ['weðər]; the weather [ðə 'weðər];

not [not]; hot [hot]; cold [kould]; or [o:r], [ər];

we will [wi: wil]; we'll [wi:l]; be [bi:]; is [iz];

whatever [wo'tevər], [wot'evər].

Lines:

Whether the weather be fine ['weðər ðə 'weðər bi: /fain];

Or whether the weather be not [o:r 'weðər ðə 'weðər bi: \not];

Whether the weather be cold ['weðər ðə 'weðər bi: /kould];

Or whether the weather be hot [o:r 'weðər ðə 'weðər bi: \hot];

We will weather the weather [wi: wil 'weðər ðə 'weðər];

We'll weather the weather [wi:l 'weðər ðə 'weðər];

whatever the weather [wo'tevər ðə 'weðər];

Whether we like it or not ['weðər wi: 'laik it ər \not].

Note BrE: weather ['weðə]; whether ['weðə]; whatever [wo'tevə].

A tutor who tooted the flute

Variant 1

A tutor who tooted the flute
Tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
Said the two to the tutor,
"Is it harder to toot
Or to tutor two tooters to toot?"

Variant 2

A tutor who tooted the flute
Tried to tutor two tutors to toot.
Said the two to the tutor,
"Is it harder to toot or
To tutor two tutors to toot?"

Practice pronunciation

Sounds:

Consonants: [t], [d], [ð], [z], [r], [h].

Vowels: [u:], [yu:], [u], [i], [e], [ə], [ər].

Words:

tutor ['tu:tər], ['tyu:tər]; tutors ['tu:tərz], ['tyu:tərz];

tooter ['tu:tər]; tooters ['tu:tərz]; tooted ['tu:tid];

who [hu:]; flute [flu:t]; toot [tu:t]; two [tu:]; the two [ðə 'tu:];

to [tu:], [tu], [tə]; to toot [tə 'tu:t], [tu 'tu:t];

to tutor [tə 'tu:tər], [tu 'tu:tər], [tə 'tyu:tər], [tu 'tyu:tər];

tried [traid]; said [sed]; harder ['ha:rdər];

Lines:

A tutor who tooted the flute [ə 'tu:tər hu: 'tu:tid ðə /flu:t];

Tried to tutor two tooters to toot. ['traid tu 'tu:tər 'tu: 'tu:tərz tu \tu:t];

Said the two to the tutor, ['sed ðə 'tu: tu ðə 'tu:tər];

Is it harder to toot [iz it 'ha:rdər tu /tu:t];

Or to tutor two tooters to \toot? [o:r tu 'tu:tər 'tu: 'tu:tərz tu \tu:t];

Or to \tutor two tooters to toot? [o:r tu \tu:tər 'tu: 'tu:tərz tu 'tu:t];

Or to \tutor two tutors to toot? [o:r tu \tu:tər 'tu: 'tu:tərz tu 'tu:t];

Note AmE: tutor ['tu:tər], ['tyu:tər]; tooter ['tu:tər].

Note BrE: tutor ['tyu:tə]; tooter ['tu:tə]; harder ['ha:də].

Amidst the mists

Variant 1

Amidst the mists and coldest frosts,
With stoutest wrists and loudest boasts,
He thrusts his fists against the posts
And still insists he sees the ghosts.

Variant 2

Amidst the mists and fiercest frosts,
With barest wrists and stoutest boasts,
He thrusts his fists against the posts
And still insists he sees the ghosts.

Practice pronunciation

Sounds:

Consonants: [s], [t], [d], [ð], [z], [θ], [f], [r].

Consonant clusters: [st], [sts], [dst], [nst], [fr], [θr].

Vowels: [i], [i:], [e], [o], [ou], [au], [ʌ], [ə].

Words:

amidst [ə'midst]; the mists [ðə 'mists]; frosts [frosts];

and [ənd], [ən]; coldest ['kouldist], ['kouldəst];

stoutest ['stautist], [stautəst]; loudest ['laudist], ['laudəst];

barest ['beərist], ['beərəst]; fiercest ['fiərsist], ['fiərsəst];

boasts [bousts]; posts [pousts]; ghosts [gousts];

wrists [rists]; fists [fists]; thrusts [θrʌsts]; insists [in'sists];

with [wið]; against [ə'genst], [ə'geinst]; sees [si:z].

Lines:

Amidst the mists and coldest frosts, [ə'midst ðə 'mists ənd 'kouldist 'frosts];

With stoutest wrists and loudest boasts, [wið 'stautist 'rists ənd 'laudist 'bousts];

With barest wrists and stoutest boasts, [wið 'beərist 'rists ənd 'stautist 'bousts];

He thrusts his fists against the posts [hi: 'θrʌsts hiz 'fists ə'genst ðə 'pousts];

And still insists he sees the ghosts. [ənd 'stil in'sists hi: 'si:z ðə \gousts]

Note AmE: fiercest ['fiərsist], ['fiərsəst], ['firsist], ['fi:rsist].

Note BrE: fiercest ['fiəsist], ['fiəsəst].

Short tongue twisters

She sells sea shells by the seashore.

The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.

A box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits.

Which witch watches which watch?

If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.

Round the rough and rugged rocks the ragged rascals ran.

A proper cup of coffee from a proper copper coffeepot.

Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.

Practice pronunciation

[s], [sh], [z], [ð], [i:], [e]

She sells sea shells by the seashore. [shi: 'selz 'si:shelz bai ðə \si:sho:r]

[s], [θ], [sh], [k], [i], [i:]

The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick. [ðə 'siksθ 'sik 'shi:ks 'siksθ 'shi:ps \sik]

[b], [k], [s], [t], [i], [o], [ə]

A box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits. [ə 'boks əv 'biskits | ə 'boks əv 'mikst 'biskits]

[w], [ch], [z], [i], [o]

Which witch watches which watch? ['wich 'wich 'wochiz 'wich \woch]

[w], [ch], [z], [t], [i], [o], [u:], [u]

If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?

[if 'tu: 'wichiz wər 'wochiŋ 'tu: /wochiz | 'wich 'wich wud 'woch 'wich \woch]

[w], [ch], [d], [k], [u], [ʌ], [ə]

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

['hau 'mʌch 'wud wud ə 'wudchʌk 'chʌk if ə 'wudchʌk kud 'chʌk \wud]

[r], [d], [k], [g], [s], [z], [æ], [au], [ʌ], [ə]

Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.

['raund ən 'raund ðə 'rʌgid 'rok ðə 'rægid 'ræskəl \ræn]

Round the rough and rugged rocks the ragged rascals ran.

['raund ðə 'rʌf ənd 'rʌgid 'roks ðə 'rægid 'ræskəlz \ræn]

[p], [r], [k], [f], [v], [o], [ʌ], [ə], [ər], [i]

A proper cup of coffee from a proper copper coffeepot.

[ə 'propər 'kʌp əv 'kofi frəm ə 'propər 'kopər \kofipot]

[j], [m], [n], [r], [æ], [e], [i], [ə]

Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.

[i'mæjin ən i'mæjinəri mə'næjəri 'mænijər 'mænijiŋ ən i'mæjinəri mə\næjəri]

Note AmE: coffee ['ko:fi], ['kofi]; imaginary [i'mæjəneri], [i'mæjineri].

Note BrE: seashore ['si:sho:]; rascal ['ra:skəl], ['ra:skl]; proper ['propə]; copper ['kopə]; imaginary [i'mæjənəri], [i'mæjinəri]; manager ['mænijə]; menagerie [mi'næjəri], [mə'næjəri].