Learning About Speech Sounds

Children acquire speech sounds during their preschool years. Some speech sounds develop early (p, b, m, d). Some speech sounds are learned gradually over time (l, r, s). Each child follows their own unique timetable for developing sounds.

Speech sounds are made using tongue and lip positions with movement, airflow, and the presence or absence of voicing.

What part of our mouth do we use to make speech sounds?

We use our lips to make:  b, m, p, w
We use our teeth and bottom lip to make:  f, v
We use our tongue tip to make: d, j, l, n, s, t, z
 We use the back of our tongue to make: g, k, r, ng (ing)
We use the back of our mouth to make:  h

Some sounds flow and some sounds are choppy and stop air flow:

Flowing sounds: m, w, f, v, l, s, z, r, h
Stopping sounds:  b, p, d, j, t, g, k

Some sounds use our voice, some sounds don’t:

Voiced sounds:  b, m, w, v, d, j, l, n, z, g, r, ng
Non-voiced sounds:  p, f, s, t, k, h

Some sounds are made in the same place, the only difference is voicing:

t — d;    k — g;    p — b;    f — v

If a child is slow to develop speech or produces sounds that are noticeably different from children the same age then consult a speech/language pathologist.

Age ranges we expect most children to have developed these sounds   

At  2–3 years of age: 
Girls:  b, d, h, m, p, w
Boys:  b, h, m, n, p, w

At  3–4 years of age: 
Girls:  f, k, g, n, t, y
Boys:  d, f, k, g, t

 At 4–5 years of age: 
Girls:  l
Boys:  y

At 5–6 years of age: 
Girls:  ch, j, sh, th, v
Boys:  l, v

At 6–7 years of age: 
Boys:  ch, j, sh

At 7–8 years of age: 
Girls:  r, s, z
Boys:  r, s, th, z