Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers… So goes the popular English tongue twister… And what about the Hindi tongue twister – kachcha papad, pakka papad, kachcha papad, pakka papad… Well, popularity of tongue twisters is spread across all languages. Be it for diction improvement, sharpening skills to play around with words or just for fun, we all love them for one reason or the other. Here we have an extensive collection of some of the best tongue twisters in English for you. Hope, you’ll enjoy them.

I can talk English, walk English…

…that I can leave Angrej behind. You see sir, I can talk English, I can walk English, I can laugh English because English is a very funny language. Bhairon becomes Byron and Byron becomes Bhairon because their minds are very narrow. In the year nineteen hundred and twenty nine, Sir, when India was playing against Australia in Melbourne city, Vijay Merchant and Vijay Hazare, they were at the crease and Vijay Merchant told Vijay Hazare, “Look Vijay Hazare, this is a very prestigious match and you must consider this match very carefully”. So considering the consideration that Vijay Hazare gave Vijay Merchant, Vijay Merchant told Vijay Hazare that ultimately we must take a run and when they were striking the ball on the leg side, Sir, the consideration came into an ultimatum and ultimately Vijay Hazare went to Vijay Merchant and said…

In the year nineteen hundred and seventy nine, when India was playing against Pakistan in Wankede stadium Bombay, Wasim Raja and Wasim Bari, they were at the crease and Wasim Bari gave the same considertion to Wasim Raja and Wasim Raja told Wasim Bari “look sir, this ultimately has to end in a consideration which I cannot consider therefore the consideration that you are giving me must be considered very ultimately.” Therefore the run that they were taking, Wasim Raja told Wasim Bari “Wasim Bari you take the run…” and ultimately both of them ran inconsiderately, they got out.”

– From bollybood flick “Namak Halal”

Baking powder tongue twister

I bought a bit of baking powder and baked a batch of biscuits. I brought a big basket of biscuits back to the bakery and baked a basket of big biscuits. Then I took the big basket of biscuits and the basket of big biscuits and mixed the big biscuits with the basket of biscuits that was next to the big basket and put a bunch of biscuits from the basket into a biscuit mixer and brought the basket of biscuits and the box of mixed biscuits and the biscuit mixer to the bakery and opened a tin of sardines.

– said to be a diction test for would-be radio announcers: To be read clearly, without mistakes, in less than 20 seconds (from Coronet Magazine, August 1948)

Peter Piper tongue twister

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,

How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

Bitter batter butter tongue twister

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.

She sell sea shells

She sells sea shells by the sea shore.

The shells she sells are surely seashells.

So if she sells shells on the seashore,

I’m sure she sells seashore shells.

When a doctor falls sick

When a doctor falls ill and another doctor doctors him,

does the doctor doctoring the doctor, doctor the doctor in his own way?

Or does he doctor the doctor the way the doctor being doctored doctors?

Skunk stump thunk

A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk,

but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

Black bug bear

A  big black bug bit the big black bear,

but the big black bear bit the big black bug back!

If a black bug bleeds black blood, what color blood does a blue bug bleed?

Sick Sheik sheep

The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.

Fig plucker

I’m not a fig plucker nor a fig plucker’s son,

but I’ll pluck your fig’s ’til the fig plucker comes.

Pheasant plucker

I am not the pheasant plucker, I’m the pheasant plucker’s mate.

I am only plucking pheasants, Because the pheasant plucker’s late.

Flea fly flue

A flea and a fly in a flue were imprisoned. So what could they do?

Said the flea, “Let us fly!” Said the fly, “Let us flee!”

So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

Biting bittern better brother

A bitter biting bittern bit a better brother bittern,

And the bitter better bittern bit the bitter biter back.

And the bitter bittern, bitten by the better bitten bittern said:

“I’m a bitter biter bit, alack!”

See saw Soar sore

Mr. See owned a saw. And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw.

Now See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw, Before Soar saw See, which made Soar sore.

Had Soar seen See’s saw before See sawed Soar’s seesaw,

See’s saw would not have sawed Soar’s seesaw.

So See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw.

But it was sad to see Soar so sore, just because See’s saw sawed Soar’s seesaw!

Bear upon a hare

I cannot bear to see a bear, Bear down upon a hare.

When bare of hair he strips the hare, Right there I cry, “Forbear!”

Needless needless for noodles

I need not your needles, they’re needless to me;

For kneading of noodles, ’twere needless, you see;

Neat knickers kneed

But did my neat knickers but need to be kneed,

I then should have need of your needles indeed.

Tree toad in a two-toed tree

A tree toad loved a she-toad who lived up in a tree.

He was a two-toed tree toad but a three-toed toad was she.

The two-toed tree toad tried to win the three-toed she-toad’s heart,

For the two-toed tree toad loved the ground that the three-toed tree toad trod.

But the two-toed tree toad tried in vain. He couldn’t please her whim.

From her tree toad bower, with her three-toed power, the she-toad vetoed him.

Silly sally sheep

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.

Night light tonight

You’ve no need to light a night-light on a light night like tonight,

For a night-light’s light’s a slight light,

And tonight’s a night that’s light.

When a night’s light, like tonight’s light,

It is really not quite right to light night-lights with their slight lights

On a light night like tonight.

Stu chews shoes

If Stu chews shoes, should Stu choose the shoes he chews?

Felt I felt

Of all the felt I ever felt, I never felt a piece of felt

which felt as fine as that felt felt, when first I felt that felt hat’s felt.

Swim swan swim

Swan swam over the sea, Swim, swan, swim!

Swan swam back again. Well swum, swan!

Sarah shot silk sash

Sarah saw a shot-silk sash shop full of shot-silk sashes as the sunshine shone on the side of the shot-silk sash shop.

Strong stringy silky snakes

Strict strong stringy Stephen Stretch slickly snared six sickly silky snakes.

Truckee truckers truck

Two Truckee truckers truculently truckling to have truck to truck two trucks of truck.

Wash Washington windows

While we were walking, we were watching window washers wash Washington’s windows with warm washing water.

Wife knife swipe

Give Mr. Snipa’s wife’s knife a swipe.

Strap shop shut

What time does the wristwatch strap shop shut?

Bear and boar in barren moor

Once upon a barren moor, There dwelt a bear, also a boar.

The bear could not bear the boar. The boar thought the bear a bore.

At last the bear could bear no more, of that boar that bored him on the moor,

And so one morn he bored the boar, that boar will bore the bear no more.

Ned Nott and Sam Shott

Ned Nott was shot and Sam Shott was not. So it is better to be Shott than Nott.

Some say Nott was not shot. But Shott says he shot Nott.

Either the shot Shott shot at Nott was not shot, or Nott was shot.

If the shot Shott shot shot Nott, Nott was shot.

But if the shot Shott shot shot Shott, then Shott was shot, not Nott.

However, the shot Shott shot shot not Shott,  but Nott.

Fischer fishing in a fissure

There was a young fisher named Fischer, who was fishing for a fish in a fissure.

A  fish with a grin, pulled the fisherman in; Now they’re fishing the fissure for Fischer.

Liquor in locker

If you stick a stock of liquor in your locker, It’s slick to stick a lock upon your stock,

Or some stickler who is slicker will stick you of your liquor

If you fail to lock your liquor with a lock!

Graze groves grass

Cows graze in groves on grass which grows in grooves in groves.

Brisk brave brigadiers

Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons – balancing them badly.

Copyright for copy you write

When you write a copy you have the right to copyright the copy you write.

Pete poked pea patch

Pete’s pa pete poked to the pea patch

to pick a peck of peas for the poor pink pig in the pine hole pig-pen.

Thirsty thumped Thurber

Thirty-three thirsty, thundering thoroughbreds thumped Mr. Thurber on Thursday.

Greek grape growers

The great Greek grape growers grow great Greek grapes.

Laser ray eraser

On a lazy laser raiser lies a laser ray eraser.

Cunning stunning kites

If you’re keen on stunning kites and cunning stunts, buy a cunning stunning stunt kite.

If you understand…

If you understand, say “understand”.

If you don’t understand, say “don’t understand”.

But if you understand and say “don’t understand”

how do I understand that you understand. Understand?

Frantic frogs and fierce fishes

Five frantic frogs fled from fifty fierce fishes.

Fuzzy French frogs

Five fuzzy French frogs Frolicked through the fields in France.

Shysters sold sealskin

Seven sleazy shysters in sharkskin suits sold sheared sealskins to seasick sailors.

Turbot is not a burbot

A turbot’s not a burbot, for a turbot’s a butt, but a burbot’s not.

What Tate ate at eight

I know a boy named Tate who dined with his girl at eight eight.

I’m unable to state what Tate ate at eight eight

or what Tate’s tete a tete ate at eight eight.

Saw in a saw mill

I saw a saw in a saw mill, such a saw I never saw.

Rascal ran round the rock

Round and round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.

Bike’s brake broke

That Blake’s black bike’s back brake bracket block broke.

Canner can can

How many cans can a canner can if a canner can can cans?

Woodchuck chuck wood

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Sheet slitter slit

How many sheets could a sheet slitter slit if a sheet slitter could slit sheets?

I sit on slitted sheet

I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.

Fister sister by the sea shore

There once was a man who had a sister, his name was Mr. Fister.

Mr. Fister’s sister sold sea shells by the sea shore.

Mr. Fister didn’t sell sea shells, he sold silk sheets.

Mr. Fister told his sister that he sold six silk sheets to six shieks.

The sister of Mr. Fister said I sold six shells to six shieks too!

Wheat reapers reap white wheat

Ripe white wheat reapers reap ripe white wheat right.

Eddie eats Easter eggs

Each Easter Eddie eats eighty Easter eggs.

Untwist the twists Twister twisted

A twister of twists once twisted a twist.

and the twist that he twisted was a three twisted twist.

now in twisting this twist, if a twist should untwist,

would the twist that untwisted untwist the twists.

Hunt’s country cut front

Mrs. Hunt had a country cut front in the front of her country cut petticoat.

Miss Smith’s fish sauce shop

Miss Smith’s fish-sauce shop seldom sells shellfish.

Imaginary menagerie manager

Can you imagine an imaginary menagerie manager

imagining managing an imaginary menagerie?

Witches watching watches

If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?

Witch wicked wish

Which witch wished which wicked wish?

Seas slapping shores

She sees seas slapping shores.

Till trouble troubles you

Never trouble about trouble until trouble troubles you.

Thistle sifter

She was a thistle sifter and sifted thistles through a thistle sieve.

Perfume Willy sent to Millicent

The bottle of perfume that Willy sent was highly displeasing to Millicent.

Her thanks were so cold that they quarreled, I’m told

o’er that silly scent Willy sent Millicent.

I thought a thought

I thought a thought But the thought I thought

Was not the thought I thought I thought.

Mary married Matthew

Meter maid Mary married manly Matthew Marcus Mayo,

a moody male mailman moving mostly metered mail.

Turtles talking tongue twisters

Three tree turtles took turns talking tongue twisters.

If three tree turtles took turns talking tongue twisters,

where’s the twisters the three tree turtles talked?

Tricky tongue twisters

These thousand tricky tongue twisters trip thrillingly off the tongue.

Shipshape ship

Sure, sir, the ship’s sure shipshape, sir.

Damp scamp tramps

Don’t pamper damp scamp tramps that camp under ramp lamps.

Epitome of femininity

The epitome of femininity.

Fred fed bread to Ted

Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.

Six thin things

I can think of six thin things and of six thick things too.

Hottentot taught tot to talk

If a Hottentot taught a Hottentot tot to talk ere the tot could totter,

Ought the Hottenton tot be taught to say aught, or naught,

Or what ought to be taught her?

Hottentot tot tutor

If to hoot and to toot a Hottentot tot be taught by her Hottentot tutor,

Ought the tutor get hot if the Hottentot tot hoot and toot at her Hottentot tutor?

Sister’s sixth zither

Is this your sister’s sixth zither, sir?

Old oily Ollie

Old oily Ollie oils old oily autos.

One-One and Two-Two racehorses

One-One was a racehorse; Two-Two was one, too.

When One-One won one race, Two-Two won one, too.

Mule legs

On mules we find two legs behind, And two we find before.

We stand behind before we find, what those behind be for.

Place to place a plaice

A pleasant place to place a plaice is a place where a plaice is pleased to be placed.

Coffee from copper pot

A proper cup of coffee from a proper copper coffee pot.

Ruby Rugby’s brother

Ruby Rugby’s brother bought and brought her back some rubber baby-buggy bumpers.

Sick scenic sightseers

Shelter for six sick scenic sightseers.

Mimicking hiccuping

She stood on the balcony inexplicably mimicking him hiccuping, and amicably welcoming him home.

Shy Shelly says

Shy Shelly says she shall sew sheets.

Sinful Caesar

Sinful Caesar sipped his snifter, seized his knees, and sneezed.

Six slippery snails

Six slippery snails slid slowly seaward.

Steel steam cruisers

Six twin-screwed steel steam cruisers.

Soldiers with shooters on shoulders

The soldiers should have shooters on their shoulders. Some shun sunshine.

Frugal ruler’s mural

A truly rural frugal ruler’s mural.

Tutor tooted flute

A tutor who tooted the flute, Tried to tutor two tooters to toot.

Said the two to the tutor: “Is it harder to toot or to tutor two tooters to toot?”

Sun shine soon

We surely shall see the sun shine soon.

Sailor went to see the sea

A sailor went to sea to see, what he could see. And all he could see was sea, sea, sea.

Thirty three thieves

The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.

Notice the notice

If you notice this notice, you will notice that this notice is not worth noticing.

Freaky Fred found fruit

If freaky Fred found fifty feet of fruit and fed forty feet to his friend Frank how many feet of fruit did freaky Fred find?

Jolly juggling jesters

Jolly juggling jesters jauntily juggled jingling jacks.

Kittens knitting mittens

Kindly kittens knitting mittens keep kazooing in the king’s kitchen.

Saw fish on the seashore

She saw a fish on the seashore, And I’m sure The fish she saw on the seashore was a saw-fish.

Betty block bric brac

Betty block brought some bric a brac.