S and SH Sounds

Basic · Tongue Twisters

These train the hiss /s/ (sun) and the hush /ʃ/ (she), which many learners blur together. Keep /s/ crisp with the tongue near the ridge behind your teeth, and pull the tongue back a little with rounded lips for /ʃ/.

Target sounds

/s/ (sun, sea) vs /ʃ/ "sh" (she, shell)

Tips to remember

• For /s/, keep a thin, steady hiss; for /ʃ/, round your lips like you are saying "shush".
• Slow the switch between s and sh at first — that switch is the hard part.