Recommended number of classes for this text: Two 25-minute classes or 50 minutes
R and L Consonants
A. Tongue Twister
Tongue twisters brings people back to childhood days trying to recite a tricky rhyme or phrase as fast as possible without tripping over the verbal challenges and hurdles lurking within these tongue-tying sentences. By combining the effects of alliteration (repetition of a sound), particularly of similar but not identical sounds, with a phrase designed such that it is made very easy to slip, these sentences and poems can be guaranteed to provide us with lots of fun and laughter. Tongue twisters also serve a practical purpose in practicing pronunciation. English tongue twisters may be used by foreign students of English to improve their accent, actors who need to develop a certain accent, and by speech therapists to help those with speech difficulties.
![Picture](/uploads/2/1/9/3/21936960/5109258.jpg?351)
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thick, say it quick!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thicker, say it quicker!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Don't eat with your mouth full!
Spread it thick, say it quick!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thicker, say it quicker!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Don't eat with your mouth full!
B. Articulation and Demonstration
/r/ sound
![Picture](/uploads/2/1/9/3/21936960/1659462.jpg?388)
Placement - the /r/ sound before a vowel is made by turning the tip of the tongue toward the palate, but does NOT touch the roof of the mouth. Press the
sides of your tongue against your upper back teeth. Your tongue should be tense. The /r/ sound at the end of a word often follows a vowel and becomes a controlled /r/ sound (e.g. far, door, more).
Manner - air stream is continuous and flows over the tongue. Lips are slightly open and slightly rounded or pushed out.
Voice - your vocal chords vibrate; it is a voiced sound.
Examples : relax, curve, blurry
Note: Other spelling patterns with the /r/ sound include silent /w/ write.
sides of your tongue against your upper back teeth. Your tongue should be tense. The /r/ sound at the end of a word often follows a vowel and becomes a controlled /r/ sound (e.g. far, door, more).
Manner - air stream is continuous and flows over the tongue. Lips are slightly open and slightly rounded or pushed out.
Voice - your vocal chords vibrate; it is a voiced sound.
Examples : relax, curve, blurry
Note: Other spelling patterns with the /r/ sound include silent /w/ write.
/l/ sound
![Picture](/uploads/2/1/9/3/21936960/8242778.png)
There are two /l/ sounds in English. One is the light /l/, which occurs at the beginning of a word, and the
dark /l/, which can be found in the middle or at the end of a word. To make the light /l/, place the tip of your
tongue just behind your top teeth. Your breath should pass along both sides of the tongue and through the
open lips. The dark /l/ is similar, except have the tip of your tongue further back. /r/ is very close to the dark
/l/, except the tip of your tongue should not touch the roof of your mouth.
Placement - the tip of the tongue is pressed against the gum ridge behind the upper front teeth. The /l/ sound before a vowel and /l/ in the medial position is produced with the front of the tongue touching the ridge just behind the teeth, and the middle of the tongue is high. The /l/ sound after vowels is produced with the back of the tongue touching the ridge behind the teeth and the back of the tongue is high. These two positions produce slightly different sounds.
Manner - air flows around the sides of the tongue. It is continuous and passes over both sides of the tongue.
Voice - /l/ is voiced (vibration).
Examples : luxurious, vulnerable, pilot
Note: The sound of /l/ will be easier to produce if you concentrate on feeling your tongue tip press against the upper gum ridge like /t/.
C. Production Exercises
Practice words with "r" and "l" in the initial position
leaf
lobe
rhinestone
lick
Lyle
|
reef
robe
limestone
Rick
rile
|
Practice words with "r" and "l" in the medial position
berry
climb
jelly
bereave
bowling
|
belly
crime
Jerry
believe
boring
|
Practice words with "r" and "l" in the final position
spool
near
real
dial
pole
|
spoor
kneel
rear
dire
pour
|
Practice words with "r" and "l" in phrases
blessed are the peacemakers mixed fruit float
the wrath of God withdrawal symptoms
Crystal Blue persuasion the bluegrass state a man, a plan, a canal: Panama go against the grain grease and grime a crank call
the wrath of God withdrawal symptoms
Crystal Blue persuasion the bluegrass state a man, a plan, a canal: Panama go against the grain grease and grime a crank call
D. Dialogue
Racquel: Lester, what in the world are you doing?
Lester: I'm cleaning the kitchen sink.
Racquel: With my brand new dish rag?
Lester: It was already dirty.
Racquel: Aren't there any paper towels?
Lester: I couldn't find any.
Racquel: I think they're in the cupboard.
Lester: You should've told me that sooner.
Racquel: Well, just remember to wring out the dish rag.
Lester: I will when I'm finished.
Racquel: And don't splash water all over the place.
Lester: I'm cleaning the kitchen sink.
Racquel: With my brand new dish rag?
Lester: It was already dirty.
Racquel: Aren't there any paper towels?
Lester: I couldn't find any.
Racquel: I think they're in the cupboard.
Lester: You should've told me that sooner.
Racquel: Well, just remember to wring out the dish rag.
Lester: I will when I'm finished.
Racquel: And don't splash water all over the place.
E. More Practice
A. Practice these sounds slowly, until you can say them with clear contrast.
1. ara, ala, ala, ara, aray, alay, alay, aray, aree, alee, aro, alo, alo, aro.
2. eera, aala, eeray, eelee, eero, eelo.
3. aria, alai, aru, alu, alere, ara, aro, eelo.
4. la, lay, lee, lo, lu, ra, ray, ree, ro, ru.
5. ra, la, ray, ree, ro, lo, ru, lu.
B. Practice saying the following words:
1. ray, row, reap, red, room, rye.
2. lay, low, leap, led, loom, lie.
3. day, dough, deep, dead, doom, die.
C. Practice saying the following:
1. Is it right? No, it is wrong.
Is it light? No, it is dark
2. What's a lamb? A baby sheep.
What's a ram? A male sheep.
3. Where's the load? It is in the truck
Where's the road? It is in the city
D. Practice saying this nonsense verse:
I think that's not an alligator;
It's not a crocodile.
It won't go in an elevator,
Because the people smile.
1. ara, ala, ala, ara, aray, alay, alay, aray, aree, alee, aro, alo, alo, aro.
2. eera, aala, eeray, eelee, eero, eelo.
3. aria, alai, aru, alu, alere, ara, aro, eelo.
4. la, lay, lee, lo, lu, ra, ray, ree, ro, ru.
5. ra, la, ray, ree, ro, lo, ru, lu.
B. Practice saying the following words:
1. ray, row, reap, red, room, rye.
2. lay, low, leap, led, loom, lie.
3. day, dough, deep, dead, doom, die.
C. Practice saying the following:
1. Is it right? No, it is wrong.
Is it light? No, it is dark
2. What's a lamb? A baby sheep.
What's a ram? A male sheep.
3. Where's the load? It is in the truck
Where's the road? It is in the city
D. Practice saying this nonsense verse:
I think that's not an alligator;
It's not a crocodile.
It won't go in an elevator,
Because the people smile.