More Tongue Twisters!

In our last post we talked about the benefit of using tongue twisters to improve your English pronunciation. Here's a fun way to improve your tongue twister skills--try rapping them! Watch the video below, and then give it a try (you can stop the video periodically while you view, and attempt some of the tongue twisters yourself!)  You know this guy must have practiced a lot before sitting down to entertain us with this video!

And now, how about tongue twisters for two: Betty Botter's butter.

Now YOU try!

Betty Botter bought a bit of butter.

The butter Betty Botter bought was a bit bitter

And made her batter bitter.

But a bit of better butter

Makes better batter.

So Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter,

Making Betty Botter's bitter batter better.

 

We gave "Tongue Twisting in Twos" a try. Here's how we did it:

• Students formed "teams" of two and chose a tongue twister (or two) from some printed on a handout* (see below).
• Teams had 15 minutes to practice using a rap-style rhythm, and then came to the front of the class for a rap performance.

Now take a look at some of the results!

*Tongue Twisters
A tutor who tooted the flute
Tried to tutor two tooters to toot
Said the two to the tutor
“Is it tougher to toot
Or to tutor two tooters to toot?”

Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep.
The seven silly sheep Silly Sally shooed
Shilly-shallied south.
These sheep shouldn’t sleep in a shack;
Sheep should sleep in a shed.

Three sweet switched Swiss witches
Watch three washed Swiss witch Swatch watch switches.
Which sweet switched Swiss witch watches
Which washed Swiss witch Swatch watch switch?

A big bug bit a bold bald bear and the bold bald bear bled blood badly.

Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons — Balancing them badly.

Can you can a canned can into an uncanned can like a canner can can a canned can into an uncanned can?

If you must cross a course cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully.

Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.