Fuzzy Wuzzy: A Z and W Tongue Twister

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear is a rhyme where Z and W take turns, and the last line is the real tongue twister.

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't very fuzzy, was he?

A rhyme that is easy to start and hard to finish. The final question is where tongues trip.

👅 Sounds to Practise

Z /z/, as in fuzzy, wuzzy, was and wasn't. A buzz made with the same mouth shape as S. Your throat should hum.
W /w/, as in wuzzy, was and wasn't. Round your lips tightly, then open them.
F /f/, as in fuzzy. Top teeth on bottom lip.
V /v/, as in very. The same mouth shape as F, with a buzz.

Quick test: say fuss, then fuzz. The only change is the buzz in your throat.

Say each chunk slowly.

Fuzzy Wuzzy
was a bear.
Fuzzy Wuzzy
had no hair.
Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't
very fuzzy,
was he?

Say it at a natural pace, with the stressed syllables in capitals:

FUZzy WUZzy was a BEAR. FUZzy WUZzy had no HAIR. FUZzy WUZzy WASn't VEry FUZzy, WAS he?

Say it three times in a row, as fast as you can:

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't very fuzzy, was he?

If the Z sounds blur into S, slow down. Make your throat hum.

Z and W take turns, and the rhyme keeps changing the order.

fuzzy wuzzy / wasn't very fuzzy / was he

Fuzzy and wuzzy rhyme, so they are easy to swap.
F and V use the same mouth shape, and W is nearby.
The last line adds wasn't very fuzzy, was he, where the words begin with W, V, F and W.

The end of the rhyme moves through four starting sounds in a row.

These pairs differ by the buzz:

Notice how buzzing Z and hissing S are the same mouth shape. Only the voice is different.

Bonus round: if you survived all three, try this one:

Wiggly Wendy was dizzy with fizzy lemonade.