English Pronunciation: Tongue Twister!

Hello, hello, hello!

Tongue twisters are a great way to practice pronunciation. By trying to get the sounds right (as well as having fun!), you will slowly get better and better at speaking faster.

The tongue also has muscle memory! You know what muscle memory is?

When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort. This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency.

Examples of muscle memory are found in many everyday activities that become automatic and improve with practice, such as riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard or… speaking a language!

You know the hardest tongue twister we have ever found in ABA English?

red lorry, yellow lorry

It looks so simple, right?!

Go on, try! The “ry” sound of lorry together with the “reh” sound or red and the “yeh” sound in yellow makes it one of the toughest tongue twisters around. Even native English speakers have a hard time saying it more than three times.

How many times can you say it?

Faster!

FASTER!!!

Vocabulary

Performed  – to do an action or activity that usually requires training or skil.

Conscious – aware of something (such as a fact or feeling) : knowing that something exists or is happening.

Effort – work done by the mind or body : energy used to do something.