Tongue twisters

[Conchita]

European tongue twister

Want to practice your u’s? Try saying this definition a few times:

The euro is the unit of money used in most European Union countries.

How’s that for a tongue twister?

[FangFang]

Hi, Conchita:
How funny it is!!!!!!!!
But i think it is easier than this one:
A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the big black bear bleed blood. (say that as fast as possible, see what will happen____b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-
Well, i wonder if you would teach students english with tongue twister.

[Conchita]

You're right, yours is much more difficult, FangFang !

There's a sentence (it's not really a tongue twister) I often have Spanish students try to say: Wasps eat crisps. Some often just 'swallow' or altogether leave out the troublesome consonants, especially the end one/s.

Some also have problems with the [sh] sound, and don't always differentiate between [sh], [s] and [z]. The popular 'she sells seashells on the seashore' is a good one for those!

(There's a similar one in French: "Un chasseur sachant bien chasser chasse avec ses six cents chiens".)

[Tom]

Dear Conchita

Try saying this one aloud!

"It was Ms. Smith's fish soup shop."

Or

"It was Ms. Smith's fish sauce shop."

Tom

[Tom]

[stew.t.]

some native speakers have problems with tongue twisters

But the classic is

Peter Piper pickeda pack of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper pick a pick of Pickled Peppers, wow many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

Always gets my students.

OR for German and Spanish students;

Theo and Thelma have thin and lethal teeth?

The teacher should then ask what Theo and Thelma are?
_________________
Please meet Stewart Tunncilff

[Conchita]

[stew.t.]

Conchita wrote
the 'th' sound is one of the blessed things Spanish students have no trouble with

Hmm, Then why did my students two year sago have problems with "th". And why does my Guatemalan student now have problem, must be pesky langauge interference.

English students what are Theo and Thelma?
_________________
Please meet Stewart Tunncilff

[Conchita]

[prezbucky]

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.