Wasps' nests
Two words and some of the heaviest endings in English. “Wasps” ends with SPS, “nests” with STS, and they meet in the middle with almost no vowel to separate them. Say it three times and the clusters start to collapse.
Wasps' nests, wasps' nests, wasps' nests.
More tongue twisters for the same sounds
- Thanks for the drinks, the snacks and the chats.
- She asks what he asked, and he asks what she asks.
- Measure the depths, widths and lengths of the tanks.
- Her desk's drawers hold maps, stamps, clips and old prints.
- The judge trusts facts and lab tests, not the lawyers' tricks.
- She melts the butter, sifts the flour, adds the milk and bakes.
Other famous tongue twisters for these sounds
Where to breathe
- Wasps' nests,
- wasps' nests,
- wasps' nests.
Why the endings collapse
“Wasps” is W, short O, S, P, S. The P is squeezed between two hisses, and the lips have to close and open in a fraction of a second. “Nests” is N, short E, S, T, S, with the T squeezed the same way. Then the next round starts with W again.
The usual slips are “wass nests”, “wasp ness” and “wasps nesses”. The P and T are the first to go, because the S sounds around them are long and easy, while the stops are short and quick.
The apostrophe tells you that the nests belong to the wasps. It changes nothing in pronunciation: “wasps'” sounds the same as “wasps”.
How to practice it
Build the clusters slowly. Say “wasp”, then “wasp-s”. Make the P a clear pop before the final S. Then “nest”, then “nest-s”, with a clear T.
Next, join the two words: “wasps · nests”, with a tiny pause. The pause gives the final S time before the N. Then shorten the pause.
Say the three pairs slowly, then faster. Whisper it once: in a whisper the P and T pop out clearly, so you hear whether they are really there.
Questions about this tongue twister
- Do native speakers really pronounce the P in wasps?
- In careful speech, yes. In fast speech it is often softened. For training, say every sound, because that is what makes this a tongue twister. In normal conversation a light P is enough.
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.