Which witch wished which wicked wish?
Six words, one sound at the start. Even the spelling can't keep up: which and witch look different, but for most speakers they sound the same.
👅 Sounds to Practise
- W /w/, as in which, witch, wished, wicked and wish. Round your lips tightly, like blowing out a candle, then open them as you say the vowel.
- CH /tʃ/, as in which and witch. A tiny stop with your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then a sh sound.
- SH /ʃ/, as in wish. A smooth stream of air, with no stop.
Quick test: say witch, then wish. Feel the tiny stop at the end of witch. There is none at the end of wish.
🐢 Start Slow
Say each chunk slowly. Keep the lips rounded for every W.
Which witch
wished which
wicked wish?
🚶 Normal Speed
Say it at a natural pace, with the stressed syllables in capitals:
WHICH WITCH WISHED WHICH WICKed WISH?
🚀 Tongue-Twister Mode
Say it three times in a row, as fast as you can:
Which witch wished which wicked wish?
If witch and wish swap, slow down. Add the tiny stop to CH and leave it out for SH.
🤯 Why Is This So Difficult?
Every word starts with W, and your lips stay rounded the whole time. That's easy for the start, and hard for the ending.
witch
wish
- Witch and wish sound the same until the very last sound.
- Which and witch sound the same all the way through, so your ear can't tell them apart. Only the meaning does.
- The vowel stays short and quick every time, so the words rattle together.
That is why wish and witch are so easy to swap when you rush.
👀 Words to Notice
These pairs sound the same for most speakers, but have different spellings and meanings:
- which / witch
- whale / wail
- whether / weather
- whine / wine
- where / wear
The next pair is different: wish / witch. Those two sound different, because of the last sound.
🏆 OddLingo Challenge
- Round 1: say it slowly, one chunk at a time, with no mistakes.
- Round 2: say the whole twister once at normal speed.
- Round 3: say it three times fast without stopping.
Bonus round: if you survived all three, try this one:
Which white whale whistled while Wendy whittled?
Three times, fast, and keep the lips round.
🧐 Did You Know?
In some places, which and witch are not the same. In Scotland, most of Ireland and parts of the south-east United States, many people say which with a breathy sound at the start, a bit like hwich. Most speakers in England, Wales, the United States, Canada and Australia say both the same way.
So the answer to "Which witch?" depends on where you grew up.
🔗 Related Practice
- Wendy's Violet Vest: another W twister, this time against V.
- Why Is There a W in "Two"?: another odd W in English spelling.