Tongue Twisters

A tongue twister is a silly phrase that is tricky to say. The words use sounds that are very similar. When you try to say them fast, your tongue gets confused. Tongue twisters are a fun way to play with language.

Why They Are Tricky

Tongue twisters repeat sounds like 's' or 'p' over and over. Your mouth has to move in tricky ways to say each word. The faster you go, the harder it gets. That is why they are so funny to try.

Famous Tongue Twisters

'She sells seashells by the seashore' is a classic one. 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers' is another favorite. 'How much wood would a woodchuck chuck' is also well known. Try saying any of these three times fast.

Fun Facts

• Actors and singers use tongue twisters to warm up before shows.
• 'The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick' is said to be the hardest in English.
• Tongue twisters exist in every language around the world.

Did You Know?

Speech teachers use tongue twisters to help people speak more clearly.