Six squeaky squirrels squeezed squishy squashes.
Five of the six words start with SQU, which is really three sounds in a row: S, K and W. Say it quickly and they start to melt into each other.
👅 Sounds to Practise
- SQU /skw/, as in squeaky, squirrels, squeezed, squishy and squashes. Make an S, then a quick K at the back of the tongue, then round your lips for the W, all in one smooth push.
- SH /ʃ/, as in squishy and squashes. Keep your lips a little rounded and let the air make a soft shh.
- Z /z/, as in squirrels, squeezed and squashes. The buzz is in your throat.
Quick test: say seek, then squeak. The only difference is the quick K and W squeezed in after the S.
🐢 Start Slow
Say each chunk slowly. Keep the S, K and W together.
Six squeaky
squirrels squeezed
squishy squashes.
🚶 Normal Speed
Say it at a natural pace, with the stressed syllables in capitals:
SIX SQUEAKy SQUIRrels SQUEEZED SQUISHy SQUASHes.
🚀 Tongue-Twister Mode
Say it three times in a row, as fast as you can:
Six squeaky squirrels squeezed squishy squashes.
If squeaky turns into sneaky, or squashes turns into sashes, slow down and put the K and W back in.
🤯 Why Is This So Difficult?
- Three sounds in a row. SQU asks your tongue and lips to do S, K and W in a split second, and it happens at the start of five words.
- One S runs into another. Six ends with an S sound and squeaky starts with one, so the two nearly run together and it is easy to drop one.
- The vowels keep changing. Squeaky and squeezed use a long EE, squishy uses a short I, and squashes uses a different vowel again, so your mouth never settles.
- SH turns up twice, then a buzz. Squishy and squashes both have SH in the middle, and squashes finishes with a buzzy Z.
👀 Words to Notice
- squeak /skwiːk/ and seek /siːk/
- squid /skwɪd/ and skid /skɪd/
- squish /skwɪʃ/ and swish /swɪʃ/
- squash has several meanings: a vegetable, a racket sport, a fruit drink in British English, and to flatten something.
🏆 OddLingo Challenge
- Round 1: say it slowly, one chunk at a time, with no mistakes.
- Round 2: say the whole sentence once at normal speed.
- Round 3: say it three times fast without stopping.
Bonus round: try this one:
Squirrels squabble over squares of squashed squash.
💡 Did You Know?
The word squirrel can be traced back to a Greek word meaning "shadow tail". It travelled through Latin and French before it reached English.
🔗 Related Practice
- Quick Quiet Quacks: the QU sound.
- Strange Strategic Statistics: the STR cluster.
- Spry Sprinters: a three-consonant start.
- Six Sleek Swans: S with SL and SW.