Should such a shapely sash
A question with almost every word starting with SH or S, and two “such” words that start with S but end with CH. It sounds old-fashioned and a bit fussy, like a tailor complaining about bad sewing, and the sounds change so often that the tongue rarely gets two of the same in a row.
Should such a shapely sash such shabby stitches show?
More tongue twisters for the same sounds
- Zoe's sister surely shouldn't share these secrets, so she says she's sorry and sits in silence.
- The sushi chef slices fresh salmon, sprinkles sesame seeds and serves six small dishes to the hungry guests.
- Zach's cautious sister says he shouldn't sell the seaside house, so he shares it with his six cousins each summer.
- The busy shop assistant shows shoppers six shirts, seven scarves and a dozen shiny zippers, and sells them all by sunset.
- The zoo's zebras doze in the sun, the seals splash in the shallow pool and the visitors' shoes squeak on the shiny stones.
- Sam's shop sells sheets, shirts, socks and shoes.
Other famous tongue twisters for these sounds
- She sees cheese
- Selfish shellfish
- Sheep should sleep in a shed
- Sure the ship's shipshape, sir
- Irish wristwatch, Swiss wristwatch
- Six slippery snails
- Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches
- If a dog chews shoes
- A noisy noise annoys an oyster
- Swan swam over the sea
- Susie works in a shoeshine shop
- She sells seashells by the seashore
Where to breathe
- Should such a shapely sash
- such shabby stitches show?
Where the sounds swap
The order of starting sounds is SH, S, SH, S, S, SH, S, SH. In between, “such” ends with CH twice, “sash” ends with SH, and “stitches” has a CH inside it. The tongue is constantly moving between the S position, near the teeth, and the SH position, further back, while the lips round and relax.
The common slips are “shuch a shapely shash”, “should sush” and “shabby shtitches”. The S words are the ones that suffer, because there are more SH sounds around them.
“Stitches” is a word of its own: ST at the start, CH in the middle, and a Z sound at the end. Rushed, it becomes “stiches” or “shtitches”.
How to learn it
Split the line in half, after “sash”. In the first half, focus on “such a shapely sash”: S, then CH, then SH, then S again. Say it slowly and feel the tongue move back and forth.
In the second half, the hardest word is “stitches”. Say “stitch, stitches” several times, then “shabby stitches”, keeping the ST clean.
When both halves work, join them with a rising voice at the end, as if asking a real question. Three rounds without a single swap is a good target before you add speed.
Questions about this tongue twister
- What is a sash?
- A wide strip of fabric worn around the waist or over one shoulder, often as part of a dress or a uniform. A shapely sash is a nicely shaped one, and shabby stitches are poor, worn-looking sewing.
Keep practicing
Practice with a timer
In DramaLab, the speed ladder is an exercise: it gives you tongue twisters one by one, walks you up the five steps and keeps time. No sign-up needed.