Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Leave a Comment / General TOEFL Advice / By Michael Buckhoff

Tough TOEFL tongue twisters are important for pronunciation because they challenge you to articulate difficult sound combinations rapidly and accurately. Practicing tongue twisters helps improve diction, enunciation, and tongue muscle coordination, enhancing overall speech clarity and fluency in a fun and engaging way. This web page will give you practice with tongue twisters focusing on ALL of the consonant sounds of American English.

Table of Contents

Why is pronunciation of consonant sounds important for the TOEFL Exam?

Good clear pronunciation is crucial in the TOEFL iBT speaking section for several reasons. First, it ensures that your responses are easily understood by the examiners, leading to better scores. Additionally, clear pronunciation reflects effective communication skills, which are a fundamental aspect of language proficiency assessment. It also enhances your confidence, making your responses more persuasive and convincing. Ultimately, clear pronunciation is a key component of successful language comprehension and expression in academic and real-world settings, making it essential for TOEFL success. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters for Voiceless Stops

1. /p/ as in “pat”

The /p/ sound, as in “pat,” is a voiceless bilabial plosive in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Position your lips: Start with your lips closed or lightly touching each other.
Build up air pressure: As you release the /p/ sound, build up a small amount of air pressure behind your closed lips.
Release the air suddenly: Open your lips quickly to release the built-up air. There should be a sharp, popping sound as the air escapes.
Keep it voiceless: It’s essential to note that the /p/ sound is voiceless, meaning you should not engage your vocal cords. There should be no vibration in your throat when pronouncing this sound.
Practice: To improve your pronunciation, practice saying words that start with the /p/ sound, such as “pat,” “pen,” or “pet.”

Remember to keep your lips closed and release the air with a quick, abrupt motion to produce a clear /p/ sound.

Peter Piper picked a peck of perfectly ripe peppers.
Penny’s playful puppy pranced by the pretty pond.
Paula painted purple polka dots on her polka-dotted purse.
Pat’s purple parrot perched on a plump, prickly pear tree.
Pamel’s paper plane plummeted past the picturesque peak.
Priscilla planted pretty pink pansies in the picket fence.
Percy the pilot piloted his propeller plane perfectly.
Prudent Peter poured plenty of pepper into his pepper pot.
Peggy’s piglet popped a pink balloon with its tiny trotter.
In the park, Philip played ping pong with a ping pong paddle.

2. /t/ as in “top”

The /t/ sound, as in “top,” is a voiceless alveolar plosive in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Placement: Start with your tongue against the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth.
Build Up Air Pressure: While keeping your tongue in place, build up a bit of air pressure behind it by closing your vocal cords.
Release the Air Suddenly: Quickly release your tongue from the alveolar ridge, allowing the air pressure to escape. This should create a sharp, popping sound.
Keep it Voiceless: Like the /p/ sound, the /t/ sound is voiceless, meaning your vocal cords should not vibrate while making this sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /t/ sound, such as “top,” “tree,” or “table.”

The key is to have a quick, clear release of the tongue from the alveolar ridge to produce a distinct /t/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Timmy tried to tie a tight twisty twine around the tall tree.
Tiny turtles tiptoed through the tulips in the garden.
Terry’s tiger tiptoed towards the trembling, timid rabbit.
Tommy taught Tina to tap dance on the tiny table.
The tricky tailor tailored a truly trendy tuxedo.
Tammy took ten terrific toys to the teetering tower.
Teddy’s teddy bear tiptoed to the top of the tall tower.
Two tiny tigers tiptoed through the tall, thick grass.
Tina’s teapot toppled, turning the table into turmoil.
Terrence tried to teach the toddler to tie his tiny shoes.

3. /k/ as in “cat”

The /k/ sound, as in “cat,” is a voiceless velar plosive in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with your tongue at the back of your mouth, against the soft part of your palate called the velum.
Build Up Air Pressure: Close your vocal cords to build up air pressure behind your tongue.
Release the Air Suddenly: Quickly release your tongue from the velum, allowing the air pressure to escape. This should create a sharp, popping sound.
Keep it Voiceless: Like the /p/ and /t/ sounds, the /k/ sound is voiceless, meaning your vocal cords should not vibrate while making this sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /k/ sound, such as “cat,” “kite,” or “cookie.”

The key to pronouncing the /k/ sound is a quick, clear release of the tongue from the velum to produce a distinct /k/ sound.

Clever Clara carefully caught a colorful kite.
Kevin’s keen kitten kept chasing a cricket.
Kelly cooked crispy crackers in the kitchen.
Carl carried a bucket of cool, clear creek water.
Crazy Kate cut crisp carrots for the king’s feast.
Kyle the climber climbed the craggy cliff.
Karen carefully combed her curly, knotted hair.
Kenny the cook quickly cooked a dozen cookies.
The kids kicked colorful kickballs in the park.
Carla carried a knapsack with cookies and candy.

Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters for Voiced Stops

1. /b/ as in “bat”

The /b/ sound, as in “bat,” is a voiced bilabial plosive in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Lip Closure: Start with your lips closed or lightly touching each other.
Voice Activation: Unlike voiceless sounds (/p/ and /t/), engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat.
Build Up Air Pressure: While keeping your lips closed, build up air pressure behind them.
Release the Air Suddenly: Open your lips quickly to release the built-up air. There should be a brief burst of sound along with the vibration from your vocal cords.
Practice: Practice saying words that start with the /b/ sound, such as “bat,” “book,” or “beach.”

The key is to maintain lip closure, use your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and release the air with a quick, abrupt motion to produce a clear /b/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Billy’s big brown bear bounces on the bed.
Bobby bought bright blue balloons for his birthday.
Ben’s baby brother babbled by the bubbling brook.
Barbara baked a batch of delicious banana bread.
Becca’s black beetle boldly climbed the brick wall.
Brian’s bubbly bath bubbles bubbled over the basin.
Brenda’s busy bee buzzed beside the blooming blossoms.
Betty’s baby bib was beautifully embroidered.
Blake’s big brother bakes the best brownies.
Bertie’s big bag of bouncy balls bounced down the hill.

2. /d/ as in “dog”

Tongue Placement: Start with your tongue against the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. Unlike voiceless sounds (/t/ and /k/), the /d/ sound is voiced.
Build Up Air Pressure: While keeping your tongue in place and vocal cords vibrating, build up a bit of air pressure behind your tongue.
Release the Air Suddenly: Quickly release your tongue from the alveolar ridge, allowing the air pressure to escape. This should create a sharp, popping sound with voice.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /d/ sound, such as “dog,” “bed,” or “ride.”

The key is to maintain tongue placement, use your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and release the air with a quick, abrupt motion to produce a clear /d/ sound.

Danny dived deep into the dark, daunting depths.
David’s dog dug diligently, discovering buried bones.
Donna’s dad danced a daring disco dance.
Daisy dared to do a dozen daring deeds.
Dylan’s duck diligently dabbled in the dewy pond.
Doris’s daughter decided to draw a dazzling dragon.
Dexter the detective discovered the hidden diamond.
Desmond’s dentist diligently checked his dental health.
Debbie’s dad adored delicious, creamy chocolate.
Derek dodged a dozen dangerous darting darts.

3. /g/ as in “go”

The /g/ sound, as in “go,” is a voiced velar plosive in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start by raising the back of your tongue to touch the soft part of your palate called the velum at the back of your mouth.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /g/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Build Up Air Pressure: While keeping your tongue against the velum and your vocal cords engaged, build up a bit of air pressure behind your tongue.
Release the Air Suddenly: Quickly release your tongue from the velum, allowing the air pressure to escape. This should create a brief, popping sound with voice.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /g/ sound, such as “go,” “good,” or “bag.”

The key is to maintain tongue placement, use your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and release the air with a quick, abrupt motion to produce a clear /g/ sound.

Greg’s green garden grows gorgeous, giant grapes.
Gary’s giggling gecko got stuck in a sticky situation.
Ginny’s gingerbread cookies are generously given.
Gloria’s graceful gymnastics got great grades.
Gilbert’s golden guitar gleamed in the glaring sunlight.
Greta’s group of giggling girls gathered for a game.
George’s giant giraffe gently grazed on the grass.
Geraldine’s giggly giggles echoed in the garden.
Gavin’s goofy goat galloped gracefully in the meadow.
Gracie’s great-grandma’s ghostly ghost story gave goosebumps.

Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters for Voiceless Fricatives

1. /f/ as in “fan”

The /f/ sound, as in “fan,” is a voiceless labiodental fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Lip and Teeth Position: Start by gently touching your upper front teeth to your lower lip. There should be a slight opening between your teeth and lips.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air while maintaining the lip and teeth position.
Create Friction: As the air flows through the narrow gap between your teeth and lip, allow it to create friction. You should feel a light, continuous flow of air.
Keep it Voiceless: The /f/ sound is voiceless, so your vocal cords should not vibrate while making this sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that start with the /f/ sound, such as “fan,” “food,” or “flower.”

The key is to maintain the correct lip and teeth position, allow the air to create friction, and keep the sound voiceless for a clear /f/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Friendly Freddie flew his frisbee far and fast.
Fuzzy foxes frolic in the fields of fluffy ferns.
Fiona’s fluffy white cat flicked its feathery tail.
Franklin’s favorite food is freshly baked French bread.
Flora found five funny frogs by the flowing stream.
Felicia’s fluffy feathered hat flew away in the wind.
Felix’s funny fish fins flapped and flipped.
Fred’s funny friend Freda plays the flute fluently.
Frankie’s fidgety fingers fumbled with the fragile vase.
Flora’s flowers in the front yard flourish and bloom.

2. /θ/ as in “thin” (th-sound)

The /θ/ sound, as in “thin,” is a voiceless dental fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start by placing the tip of your tongue lightly against your upper front teeth. There should be a slight gap or space between your tongue and your teeth.
Voiceless: The /θ/ sound is voiceless, so your vocal cords should not vibrate while making this sound.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in place.
Create Friction: As the air flows through the small gap between your tongue and teeth, allow it to create friction. You should feel a light, continuous flow of air.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /θ/ sound, such as “thin,” “math,” or “bath.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue and teeth position, allow the air to create friction, and keep the sound voiceless for a clear /θ/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Three thoughtful thinkers thoughtfully theorized.
The thin, thirsty thief thought Thursday’s theme was thrilling.
Theodore threw a thorny thistle at the thunderous storm.
Thirty thousand thimbles thundered through the thick fog.
Timothy’s teeth tingled in the icy, northern winds.
Theophilus thanked Theodore for the thoughtful gift.
Theresa’s thrilling theater show thrilled the audience.
Theophilus’s thumping heart throbbed through the night.
Theo’s thumb and thimble thumped rhythmically.
There they threw three thousand thorny thistles.

3. /s/ as in “sit”

The /s/ sound, as in “sit,” is a voiceless alveolar fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with your tongue against the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth.
Voiceless: The /s/ sound is voiceless, so your vocal cords should not vibrate while making this sound.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in place.
Create Friction: As the air flows between your tongue and the alveolar ridge, allow it to create friction. You should feel a hissing or hushing sound as the air passes through the narrow gap.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /s/ sound, such as “sit,” “miss,” or “grass.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, allow the air to create friction, and keep the sound voiceless for a clear /s/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
Six slippery snails silently slid down the slope.
Susan’s sister sings sweet songs on Sundays.
Sam’s slimy snake slithered silently through the grass.
Sandy’s sunflower seeds sprouted into a sea of stems.
Steve swiftly swam in the shimmering, serene sea.
Stella’s shiny silver shoes shone in the sunlight.
Sophie’s sassy Siamese cat chased seven squirrels.
The silly squirrel scampered swiftly up the tree.
Sandra’s sizzling sausage sizzled in the skillet.

4. /ʃ/ as in “shoe”

The /ʃ/ sound, as in “shoe,” is a voiceless postalveolar fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with your tongue slightly curved and the middle part of your tongue raised towards the roof of your mouth, just behind the alveolar ridge.
Voiceless: The /ʃ/ sound is voiceless, so your vocal cords should not vibrate while making this sound.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in the described position.
Create Friction: As the air flows between your tongue and the roof of your mouth, allow it to create friction. You should feel a hissing or shushing sound as the air passes through the narrow gap.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /ʃ/ sound, such as “shoe,” “sure,” or “shine.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, allow the air to create friction, and keep the sound voiceless for a clear /ʃ/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

She sells seashells by the seashore, sure.
Shelly’s shiny shoes shone as she shuffled.
Six shy, sheepish shopkeepers shared a shelf.
Sharon’s shimmering silk shirt shrank in the wash.
Sheila’s shadowy shadow slowly slid down the street.
Shelly’s cheerful chatter echoes in the forest.
Sasha’s ship sailed swiftly across the shallow sea.
Shawn’s short haircut showed sharp shears’ skill.
Sherry’s shop of silver spoons surely sparkles.
The chef’s shrimp and shallot stew is simply superb.

5. /h/ as in “hat”

The /h/ sound, as in “hat,” is a voiceless glottal fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Glottal Opening: Start with your vocal cords apart, allowing a clear passage of air through your throat without any vibration.
Exhale Gently: Begin to exhale or blow air gently from your lungs.
No Tongue or Lip Contact: Unlike most other sounds, there should be no tongue or lip contact involved in making the /h/ sound.
Practice: Practice producing the /h/ sound by exhaling gently and allowing the air to flow freely through your open vocal cords.

The key is to keep your vocal cords apart to allow for a clear, voiceless flow of air. The /h/ sound is essentially the sound of your breath. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Harry had a handful of helium balloons.
Hannah’s happy hamster hopped on her hand.
Henry hummed a harmonious hymn in the hallway.
Helen’s horse hiked happily through the hills.
Heidi held a huge hat and a helium-filled horn.
Hugo’s hummingbird hummed in the hibiscus bush.
Hilda’s hearty laugh echoed in the house.
Harvey’s hot air balloon hovered high in the sky.
The howling wind whistled through the hollow.
Hannah’s hula hoop whirled in the Hawaiian heat.

Voiced Fricatives:

1. /v/ as in “van”

The /v/ sound, as in “van,” is a voiced labiodental fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Lip and Teeth Position: Start by gently touching your upper front teeth to your lower lip. There should be a slight opening between your teeth and lips.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /v/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Build Up Air Pressure: While keeping your lip and teeth position and vocal cords engaged, build up a bit of air pressure behind your teeth.
Release the Air with Friction: Gently release the air between your upper teeth and lower lip. Unlike the /f/ sound, there should be less friction, and the sound is voiced.
Practice: Practice saying words that start with the /v/ sound, such as “van,” “very,” or “vote.”

The key is to maintain the correct lip and teeth position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and release the air with a slight friction to produce a clear /v/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Vivian’s vibrant violet vase vividly displayed violets.
Victor’s velvety vest was very versatile.
Valerie’s volcano vented vibrant volcanic vapor.
Vincent’s violin virtuosity wowed the audience.
Veronica’s velvet gloves veiled her valuable jewelry.
Vanessa’s adventurous voyage ventured to Venice.
Victor’s vivid vocabulary made him very verbose.
Valerie’s velvet voice vibrated with vitality.
Vicky’s voracious appetite vexed her vegan friend.
Vernon’s vintage vinyl records were very valuable.

2. /ð/ as in “this” (th-sound)

The /ð/ sound, as in “this,” is a voiced dental fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start by placing the tip of your tongue lightly against your upper front teeth, just like when pronouncing the /θ/ sound (as in “thin”).
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /ð/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in place.
Create Friction: As the air flows through the small gap between your tongue and teeth, allow it to create friction. You should feel a soft, continuous flow of air and vibration.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /ð/ sound, such as “this,” “that,” or “the.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and release the air with a gentle friction to produce a clear /ð/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

The weather was so warm that Theodore took a thrilling ride.
They’re gathering at the leather store for Thursday’s sale.
Theodore’s brother, Theodore, thought of three thoughtful ideas.
With enthusiasm, Edith voiced her admiration for the athlete.
Theodore’s leather jacket and feathered hat looked fabulous.
The thief with the thick, red beard fled the scene.
Theodore’s soothing words helped the others through.
Father Theodore’s birthday is on the third of the month.
Heather, the weather forecaster, offered her daily update.
The thoughtful author authored a thousand words that day.

3. /z/ as in “zebra”

The /z/ sound, as in “zebra,” is a voiced alveolar fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with your tongue against the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /z/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in place.
Create Friction: As the air flows between your tongue and the alveolar ridge, allow it to create friction. You should feel a soft, continuous flow of air and vibration.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /z/ sound, such as “zebra,” “zero,” or “amaze.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and release the air with a gentle friction to produce a clear /z/ sound. Tough TOEFL Tongue Twisters

Zealous Zoe zigzagged through the zoo.
Buzzing bees buzzed by the buzzing hive.
Zane’s zebra zoomed zealously to the zenith.
Lazy Lizzy’s lizard lazed on the cozy sofa.
Suzie’s fuzzy slippers silently slid on the floor.
Zeke’s crazy cousin squeezed the juicy lemons.
Rosy Rosie’s roses rose rapidly in the spring.
The buzzing breeze buzzed between the trees.
Zoe’s dazzling jewelry dazzled the curious crowd.
Wizzie’s fuzzy wuzzle was a puzzling puzzle.

4. /ʒ/ as in “measure” or “treasure”

The /ʒ/ sound, as in “measure” or “treasure,” is a voiced postalveolar fricative in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with your tongue near the alveolar ridge, just behind your upper front teeth, but not touching it.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /ʒ/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in place.
Create Friction: As the air flows through the small gap between your tongue and the alveolar ridge, allow it to create friction. You should feel a continuous flow of air and vibration.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /ʒ/ sound, such as “measure,” “treasure,” or “leisure.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced and release the air with a gentle friction to produce a clear /ʒ/ sound.

Jean’s gentle gesture jazzed up the jazzy jazz band.
Jennifer’s treasure trove of azure jewels amazed us.
Jacques juggled juicy peaches in his joyful jamboree.
The leisurely voyage on the pleasure yacht was a pleasure.
Jazmine’s azure leisure suit was just the jazz she needed.
The magician’s magical treasure chest held dazzling gems.
Jacques’s majestic vision of the azure ocean was stunning.
Jeremy enjoyed the pleasure of leisurely leisure time.
The mesmerizing music of the leisurely jazz quartet.
Jeanine’s azure azalea garden was a visual treasure.

Nasal Sounds:

1. /m/ as in “man”

The /m/ sound, as in “man,” is a voiced bilabial nasal in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Lip Closure: Start with your lips closed or lightly touching each other.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /m/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Nasal Airflow: While keeping your lips closed and vocal cords engaged, exhale air gently through your nose. This is what makes it a nasal sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that start with the /m/ sound, such as “man,” “mother,” or “memory.”

The key is to maintain lip closure, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and direct the airflow through your nose to produce a clear /m/ sound.

Merry Molly’s mischievous monkey made a mess.
Martin’s mom made a marvelous marshmallow pie.
Melinda’s melodious music made the mice move.
Marvin’s mighty mountain bike made a muddy mark.
Maggie’s magic mushrooms mysteriously multiplied.
Max’s messy room made Mom mad on Monday.
Maria’s misshapen macarons made mouths water.
Malcolm’s map led to a maze of mysterious mazes.
Miriam’s mini muffins made for a marvelous morning.
Maurice’s marmalade muffin melted in his mouth.

2. /n/ as in “no”

The /n/ sound, as in “no,” is a voiced alveolar nasal in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Placement: Start with the tip of your tongue against the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /n/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Nasal Airflow: While keeping your tongue in place and vocal cords engaged, exhale air gently through your nose. This is what makes it a nasal sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /n/ sound, such as “no,” “new,” or “ten.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and direct the airflow through your nose to produce a clear /n/ sound.

Nancy’s nimble fingers knit nine new neon scarves.
Nathan neatly navigated the narrow, noisy neighborhood.
Nina’s naughty kitten nibbled on her neighbor’s napkin.
Norman’s noisy neighbors never noticed the new neighbor.
Natalie’s nine nice nieces nibbled on nuts near the nest.
Ned’s newspaper narrowly missed the neighbor’s nose.
Nora’s neon umbrella never needed a new name.
Nick’s new notebook neatly noted the numbers.
Naomi’s noisy parrot named Nigel never stopped squawking.
Nancy’s nifty ninja skills narrowly nabbed the ninja.

3. /ŋ/ as in “sing” (ng-sound)

The /ŋ/ sound, as in “sing,” is a voiced velar nasal in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start by lowering the back of your tongue and pressing it against the soft part of your palate called the velum at the back of your mouth. Your tongue should block the airflow through your mouth.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /ŋ/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Nasal Airflow: While keeping the back of your tongue against the velum and vocal cords engaged, exhale air gently through your nose. This is what makes it a nasal sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /ŋ/ sound, such as “sing,” “long,” or “song.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and direct the airflow through your nose to produce a clear /ŋ/ sound.

Singing songbirds sang songs all night long.
King Kong’s strong arms swung along the canyon.
The young man sang in the choir with a melodic dingdong.
Long, strong thongs belong to the throng of swimmers.
The throng of penguins marched to the king’s song.
Hungry kangaroos jumped and lunged in the jungle.
A long, thronging line formed for the strongman’s show.
The longing for belonging kept them strong.
A young mongoose danced a ringaroundarosy.
Spring brings the blooming, thronging cherry blossoms.

Liquids:

1. /l/ as in “lake”

The /l/ sound, as in “lake,” is a voiced alveolar lateral approximant in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start by placing the tip of your tongue against the alveolar ridge, which is the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth. Unlike many other sounds, the sides of your tongue should remain down, allowing air to flow over them.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /l/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Airflow Around Sides of Tongue: While keeping the tip of your tongue against the alveolar ridge and vocal cords engaged, allow air to flow around the sides of your tongue. This creates a lateral sound, where air flows over the sides of your tongue without obstruction.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /l/ sound, such as “lake,” “light,” or “little.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and allow the airflow around the sides of your tongue to produce a clear /l/ sound.

Lola’s little brother lullabied loudly last night.
Lulu’s loyal Labrador licked leftover lasagna.
Lionel’s lively lizard leapt on a leafy limb.
Lenny’s lonely lion let out a long, loud roar.
Lucy’s lucky lottery ticket let her live luxuriously.
Lawrence’s loyal llama loped lazily in the meadow.
Lila’s little turtle liked lounging in the sun.
Laura’s lively lemonade stand lit up the lane.
Lilly’s little yellow lily looked lovely in the vase.
Louis’s lighthouse light led ships safely to shore.

2. /ɹ/ as in “red” (r-sound)

The /ɹ/ sound, as in “red,” is a voiced alveolar approximant or rhotic sound in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with the tip of your tongue just slightly curled upward but not touching the alveolar ridge (the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth). The sides of your tongue should not touch your molars.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /ɹ/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Airflow: Allow the air to flow freely over the slightly curled tip of your tongue and out of your mouth.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /ɹ/ sound, such as “red,” “car,” or “forest.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and allow the airflow to pass over the slightly curled tip of your tongue to produce a clear /ɹ/ sound.

Robert the rabbit rapidly ran ’round the rugged rock.
Rita’s red roses really radiate a rich, rosy fragrance.
Randy the rooster roared at the rising sun.
Rebecca’s rambunctious raccoon raced ’round the riverbank.
Ronald’s rusty wrench rested near the roaring river.
Rachel’s rambler rumbled down the rural road.
Ricky’s rusty old car raced recklessly along the road.
Rory’s rowdy rugby team ran rings ’round the rivals.
Ruby’s rare, radiant ruby ring glistened in the sunlight.
The rickety roller coaster rattled and roared.

Glides:

1. /w/ as in “wet”

The /w/ sound, as in “wet,” is a voiced bilabial glide or semivowel in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Lip and Teeth Position: Start with your lips slightly rounded and your upper and lower teeth not touching each other.
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create a gentle vibration in your throat. The /w/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Glide into Vowel: Move from the /w/ sound into the following vowel sound. In the case of “wet,” you glide from /w/ into the /ɛ/ sound. To do this, allow your lips to gradually open while maintaining the vibration in your throat.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /w/ sound, such as “wet,” “swim,” or “weather.”

The key is to maintain the correct lip position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and transition smoothly from the /w/ sound into the following vowel sound.

Wendy’s windy window whistled with winter winds.
Walter went walking with his wily white weasel.
Winnie wore a warm woolen winter wardrobe.
Wendy’s wagon wobbled wildly on the winding road.
William’s wild wolf watched the woodlands warily.
Wendy waved her white wand, creating whimsical wonders.
Walter’s whimsical walrus waddled while whistling.
Winnie’s whimsy whiskers wiggled when she winked.
Walter’s white whale waited by the wharf.
Wendy’s wonderful winter wonderland was whimsical.

2. /j/ as in “yes” (y-sound)

The /j/ sound, as in “yes,” is a voiced palatal glide or semivowel in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with your tongue in a position similar to the /i/ vowel sound, where the front part of your tongue is raised toward the hard palate, which is the roof of your mouth just behind your alveolar ridge (the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth).
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create a gentle vibration in your throat. The /j/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Glide into Vowel: Move from the /j/ sound into the following vowel sound. In the case of “yes,” you glide from /j/ into the /ɛ/ sound. To do this, allow your tongue to move from the /j/ position to form the vowel sound while maintaining the vibration in your throat.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /j/ sound, such as “yes,” “yellow,” or “yoga.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and transition smoothly from the /j/ sound into the following vowel sound.

Jared joyfully juggled juicy, jiggly jellies.
Jenna’s gentle yellow canary sang a joyful tune.
Jamie’s jumping jackrabbits jumped in the field.
Jacob’s jovial jester juggled jingling jingle bells.
Judy’s jubilant youth group joined a joyful parade.
Jeremy’s jolly, jovial jokes kept everyone laughing.
Jackie’s jingling jewelry glimmered in the sunlight.
Jessica’s joyful journey led to a jasmine garden.
Julian’s jaunty jalopy journeyed through the jungle.
Jenny’s jester costume jazzed up the jamboree.

Affricates:

1. /ʧ/ as in “cheese” (ch-sound)

The /ʧ/ sound, as in “cheese,” is a voiceless postalveolar affricate in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with the front part of your tongue raised toward the hard palate, which is the roof of your mouth just behind your alveolar ridge (the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth).
Voiceless: The /ʧ/ sound is voiceless, so your vocal cords should not vibrate while making this sound.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in place.
Create Friction and Release: While maintaining the tongue position and voiceless airflow, release the air suddenly by moving your tongue away from the hard palate. This release creates a brief, popping sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /ʧ/ sound, such as “cheese,” “church,” or “watch.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, keep the sound voiceless, and release the air with a quick, abrupt motion to produce a clear /ʧ/ sound.

Chubby chickens chase cheerful children in the courtyard.
Charlene’s charming chinchilla chewed on a cherry branch.
Chester’s cherished cherry cheesecake chilled in the fridge.
The cheerful chef chopped chives for the chicken chili.
Charlie’s chocolate chips churned into a chunky chewy treat.
Cheryl’s choice of chili cheese chips cheered the crowd.
The chirping chickadees chirped near the cherry trees.
Cherry blossoms bloomed as children cheered in the park.
Chet’s energetic cheetah chased chipmunks in the woods.
Charlotte’s cheerful children chatted in the churchyard.

2. /ʤ/ as in “judge” (j-sound)

The /ʤ/ sound, as in “judge,” is a voiced postalveolar affricate in English. To pronounce it correctly:

Tongue Position: Start with the front part of your tongue raised toward the hard palate, which is the roof of your mouth just behind your alveolar ridge (the bony ridge right behind your upper front teeth).
Voice Activation: Engage your vocal cords to create vibration in your throat. The /ʤ/ sound is voiced, so you should feel the vibration in your throat.
Build Up Air Pressure: Begin to exhale or blow air gently while keeping your tongue in place.
Create Friction and Release: While maintaining the tongue position and vocal cord vibration, release the air suddenly by moving your tongue away from the hard palate. This release creates a brief, popping sound.
Practice: Practice saying words that include the /ʤ/ sound, such as “judge,” “bridge,” or “badge.”

The key is to maintain the correct tongue position, engage your vocal cords to make the sound voiced, and release the air with a quick, abrupt motion to produce a clear /ʤ/ sound.