The two-twenty-two train
A train leaves at two twenty-two and rushes into a tunnel. Almost every word starts with T, but the T keeps changing partners: alone, with W, with R. In the middle, “through” sneaks in a TH, and that is where most people trip.
The two-twenty-two train tore through the tunnel.
More tongue twisters for the same sounds
- Dad taught the twins to tie tight knots, tug the cord and drag the canoe to the dock before it got dark.
- Greg quickly typed the code, double-checked the date, printed the ticket and got to the gate ten minutes early.
- The careful clerk quickly checked the credit cards, counted the coins, tagged the goods and kept the cash drawer tidy.
- At the top of the tower, the tour guide told the group to take care, keep together and count the steps on the steep, dark stairway down.
- The cook took a good look at the cookbook.
- Doug's dog dug a deep ditch and decided to doze in the dirt.
Other famous tongue twisters for these sounds
Where to breathe
- The two-twenty-two train
- tore through the tunnel.
T, TW, TR and one TH
The plain T in “two”, “tore” and “tunnel” needs a crisp tap on the ridge behind the upper teeth and a small puff of air. “Twenty” starts with TW, so the lips must round right after the tap. “Train” starts with TR, where the tongue pulls back for R right after T.
“Twenty” has its own trap. In fast American speech the middle T often disappears and people say “twenny”. That is common and fine in casual talk, but for a tongue twister, try to keep it: “twen-ty”.
“Through” is the odd one out. It starts with a voiceless TH, not a T. After five T words, the tongue wants another T, and you hear “trough” or “troo”.
How to learn it
Say the contrasts one by one: “two, twen-, train”. Then “tore, through, tunnel”. Notice that “through” is the only one where the tongue comes forward to the teeth.
Breathe after “train”. The first half is the train, the second what it did. Say each half three times, then join them.
When you can say it cleanly, imagine the train speeding up and say the line faster, but only until “through” starts to sound like “true”. That is your limit for today.
Questions about this tongue twister
- What does two-twenty-two mean here?
- It is the time, 2:22, as in the train that leaves at two twenty-two. Saying train times this way is common in English.
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.