How much wood would a woodchuck chuck — what's the answer?

A New York wildlife biologist calculated about 700 pounds (318 kg), based on how much dirt a woodchuck moves when burrowing. It's a novelty answer — the tongue twister is about sound, not lumber.

What makes the woodchuck tongue twister hard?

W and CH alternate across thirteen words. The rounded W lip shape fights the CH release every time, and "wood" and "would" being homophones makes it easy to lose your place.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

At a glance

Difficulty: Medium
Target sounds: W, CH
Words: 13
Reps to pass: 15 in 60s

Why this one is hard

W and CH alternate across thirteen words. The rounded W lip shape fights the CH release every time.

Pronunciation

/haʊ mʌtʃ wʊd wʊd ə ˈwʊdtʃʌk tʃʌk/

Common mistakes

"Wood" and "would" are homophones, so the brain loses its place. "Woodchuck chuck" stalls because the CH release fights the rounded W lip shape of the next word.

Practice tip

Lean on the W lip shape — round your lips hard for every "wood/would" and snap them open for "chuck". The contrast keeps the two sounds from blurring.

How to practise it

1
Say it once, slowly
Read the whole line aloud at half speed. Get every sound correct before you think about pace.
2
Break it into chunks
Split the line into two or three pieces. Repeat each piece on its own until it comes out clean every time.
3
Join the chunks back up
Say the full line again, still slowly. Accuracy first — speed is worth nothing if the words are wrong.
4
Start the timer
Hit start and push your pace. You need 15 clean repetitions in 60 seconds to pass medium.

Try these next

Browse all medium tongue twisters or practise more W sounds.

Frequently asked questions

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck — what's the answer?: A New York wildlife biologist calculated about 700 pounds (318 kg), based on how much dirt a woodchuck moves when burrowing. It's a novelty answer — the tongue twister is about sound, not lumber.
What makes the woodchuck tongue twister hard?: W and CH alternate across thirteen words. The rounded W lip shape fights the CH release every time, and "wood" and "would" being homophones makes it easy to lose your place.