Let’s Twist Your Tongue

I used to get nervous about speaking in public, but incorporating tongue twisters into my daily practice helped me build confidence in my speaking abilities.

Tongue twisters might be able to help you, too.

Say the following out loud.

But practise them slowly at first and then gradually increase the speed.

Here are two of my favourites:

• Betty Botter bought some butter
  But she said the 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 ‘twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.

• 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?

And two new ones:

• Willy watched the waves wash the white wooden wagon.
• Vera visits various villages, viewing various vistas, and voting for various vendors.

(When saying the last two tongue twisters, make sure that the V sound is made with the bottom lip and upper teeth and the W sound is made by rounded lips.)

Tongue twisters are great if you want to improve your pronunciation and fluency in English. 

Reader’s Digest has some challenging ones.

Do you have a favourite?