Drama Class Curriculum Pages

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Vocal Warm-ups - Exercise 4 - "Diction"


EXERCISE 4

DICTION

If the actor prepares by doing a few voice exercises regularly, they'll be better prepared when it comes time to perform.


PART ONE: Examples from actual scripts or publications.
A good way to improve one's delivery of normal phrases is to practice on difficult ones. 
  • A twenty-two point two cubic foot frost free refrigerator-freezer.
  • A central ice crystal's six similar sides determine a snowflake's six-way similarity.
  • A lower-cost alternative to traditional plans.
  • A one half-inch insulin syringe.
  • [Brand X gum gives you] that just brushed freshness.
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ACTIVITY: Find an actual slogan being used to sell a product that would work as a tongue twister.
Type it out and upload for pts.

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PART TWO: These "tongue-twisters" are categorized by the specific vocal elements that each exercise targets.

Exercises for Consonants


  • High roller, low roller, lower roller.
  • I need a box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer.
  • He thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
  • The jolly collie swallowed a purple lollipop.
  • Friday's Five Fresh Fish Specials aren't free!
  • Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.
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ACTIVITY:Write a tongue twister of your own that works a certain consonant.
Type it out and upload for pts.
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PART THREE:
Exercises for Vowels

  •  That fascinating and fancy financial planning friend is a real hard person to feed.  
  • Lot lost his hot chocolate at the loft.
  • The evil elephant erupted and trampled an unexpecting elderly giraffe without even a care. 
  • The witness to the wine cases window being washed and wiped dry was only one person who is no longer wishing to talk.
  • Luke liked loose change for lunch bills and lingering at loud live concerts on the levy in Livingston.
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ACTIVITY:Write a tongue twister of your own that works a certain vowels.
Type it out and upload for pts.
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PART FOUR: Exercises for working out everything

  • Eleven benevolent elephants.
  • Girl gargoyle, guy gargoyle.
  • Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
  • She stood on the balcony inexplicably mimicking him hiccupping and amicably welcoming him in.
  • Six sick slick slim sycamore saplings.

PART FIVE :Repeaters

I've set these aside a special class of tongue twister -- the kind that becomes more challenging the more you say it. So if you don't find each one "hard to say" at first, just keep repeating it until you do!

  • Unique New York.
  • Toy boat.
  • Lemon liniment.
  • Three free throws.
  • Blue black bugs blood.
  • Red lorry, yellow lorry.
  • Giggle gaggle gurgle.


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ACTIVITY:Write a set of (5) phrases that works as quick tongue twister warm-ups and are harder for your fellow actors.
Type it out and upload for pts.
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