Question

I’m 14 years old, and I’ve always had trouble speaking clearly. Could it be a tongue problem?

Answer

If your tongue cannot extend very long, it might indicate a short frenulum. You can check this by extending your tongue as far as possible. If your tongue appears wide and short, with the tip not curling up, or if it forms a W shape or other configurations when extended, you may have difficulties with pronunciation, especially with rolled sounds. If you indeed have a short frenulum, it’s recommended to undergo surgery for correction as soon as possible; the sooner the correction, the better. After surgery, you will also need appropriate training to improve your pronunciation.