How tongue twisters help in learning English
Tongue twisters are an effective tool for improving spoken English. The constant repetition of certain phrases allows for quicker adaptation to the language’s dialect and specific phonetics.
An example of an English tongue twister is the phrase “She sells sea shells by the seashore,” which emphasizes the sounds “Sh” and “s.” Similar tongue twisters exist for other popular English sounds:
- “Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew.”
- “Betty Botter bought a bit of butter.”
- “Making Betty Botter’s bitter batter better.”
- “Wayne went to Wales to watch walruses.”
- “Six Czech cricket critics.”
- “Rubber baby buggy bumpers.”
- “Red lorry, yellow lorry.”
Tongue twisters serve a specific purpose: to teach us to pronounce the most challenging sounds. This includes the “th” sound. Its pronunciation is very soft, something between a softened “s” and “sh.” Pronouncing it initially can be difficult as the tongue and other facial parts are not accustomed to such a dialect.
Difficult sounds also include the soft “r,” which is often pronounced without a distinct accent, and the “w,” which is significantly different from the familiar “в” sound, partly because “w” is pronounced without the vocal cords touching during exhale.
If you’ve been speaking another language your whole life, pronouncing these sounds correctly may be challenging. Incorrect pronunciation can lead to English speakers having difficulty understanding you.
Therefore, it is recommended to choose up to five tongue twisters for the most challenging sounds in the English language and memorize them. It’s best to repeat them every week and ensure that the pronunciation is correct. An English language tutor, especially one available online, can be helpful in this regard.
While tongue twisters are a useful exercise, they are not sufficient for comprehensive learning. They are just a part of speaking practice that helps improve fluency. However, the question remains: will you speak correctly, or will you develop fluent speech with persistent errors?
To avoid the need for further correction, it is essential to dedicate more time to listening to English speech. Movies, series, YouTube, and podcasts are excellent sources for improving pronunciation and developing an intuitive understanding of the language without accent. Experiment with using a recorder as well: read tongue twisters, analyze, identify problematic areas, and focus on correcting mistakes.