Everyone thinks I'm crazy when I tell them to practice tongue twisters to improve their pronunciation and articulation, but it really does help! Tongue twisters help to strengthen the muscles necessary for proper speech while you practice the correct placement of your tongue, lips and teeth.
When you practice tongue twisters, don't just mumble through them. Really focus on your articulation. Start slowly at first and as you feel more comfortable speed up. Try watching yourself in the mirror to see the shape of your mouth and where you are placing your tongue.
Here are some of my favorite tongue twisters. You can also check out the new gadget I added in the right sidebar that will show a new tongue twister every day. (Don't ask me why the picture isn't showing correctly. I'm lucky I was able to figure out how to install the gadget!)
i & ee
I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.
s & sh
Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore.
Shy Shelly says she shall sew sheets.
l & r
Red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry.
There are four pilots on the flight deck.
River Valley Road
A flea and a fly flew up in a flue. Said the flea, "Let us fly!"Said the fly, "Let us flee!"So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
th, d & t
Lesser leather never weathered, wetter weather better.
Thank the other three brothers on their father's mother's brother's side.
I’m thinking of 3,333 things.
Tim, the thin twin tinsmith.
p & b
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Want more? A great database of tongue twisters in several languages can be found here:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8136/tonguetwisters.html
Related article:
3 Fun and Easy Ways to Improve Your Pronunciation
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