Speech-sound development
Speech-Sound Age Chart
A gentle, descriptive guide to the typical age by which many English-speaking children produce each speech sound. Ages vary; this is not a test.
This chart shows a rough, typical age by which many English-speaking children produce each consonant sound clearly. It describes typical ages — it is not a test and cannot tell you whether an individual child needs support. Children vary widely, and a later sound is not a problem by itself. Ages summarised from Crowe & McLeod (2020), Children’s English Consonant Acquisition in the United States.
| Sound | IPA | Nickname | Typical age (yrs) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | b | the bouncy sound | 3 | — |
| D | d | the drumming sound | 3 | — |
| H | h | the windy sound | 3 | — |
| M | m | the humming sound | 3 | — |
| N | n | the nose sound | 3 | — |
| P | p | the popping sound | 3 | — |
| W | w | the kissy sound | 3 | — |
| F | f | the bunny-teeth sound | 4 | — |
| G | ɡ | the gulping sound | 4 | — |
| K | k | the coughing sound | 4 | — |
| T | t | the ticking sound | 4 | — |
| Y | j | the smiley sound | 4 | — |
| CH | tʃ | the choo-choo sound | 5 | — |
| J | dʒ | the jumping sound | 5 | — |
| L | l | the singing sound | 5 | — |
| S | s | the snake sound | 5 | — |
| SH | ʃ | the quiet sound | 5 | — |
| V | v | the buzzy bunny sound | 5 | — |
| Z | z | the bee sound | 5 | — |
| R | ɹ | the growly sound | 6 | Later-developing |
| TH (this) | ð | the buzzy tongue-peek sound | 6 | Later-developing |
| TH (thumb) | θ | the windy tongue-peek sound | 7 | Later-developing |
Practising one of these at home? We keep illustrated word lists for R sound words, S sound words, L sound words and TH sound words.
Leaving the last sound off a word is a pattern rather than a single sound, and it has its own page: final consonant deletion.
Worried about a specific sound? See when to talk to a speech-language pathologist — and remember an app or chart can’t interpret this for you.
These word lists are for calm at-home practice and general information. They are not a diagnosis or an assessment. Whether a sound is “on time” depends on age, language background and the whole communication picture — a speech-language pathologist can help you read it; an app or a list cannot.
Frequently asked questions
At what age do speech sounds develop?
In the order this chart follows, P, B, M, N, D, H and W are typically clear by around age 3; F, G, K, T and Y by around 4; CH, J, L, S, SH, V and Z by around 5; R and the voiced TH by 6; and the voiceless TH by 7. Children vary widely.
What are the latest speech sounds to develop?
R and both TH sounds are the last to arrive on this chart — R and the voiced TH at around age 6, the voiceless TH at around 7. A child still working on those at five or six is inside the typical range. A later sound, on its own, is not a problem.
When should I be concerned about my child’s speech sounds?
If a sound is well past its typical age here, if people outside the family often cannot understand your child, or if your child is frustrated trying to be understood, a speech-language pathologist evaluation is worth asking for. You never have to wait for a particular birthday to ask.
Practise these at home
SpeechSeed groups words by the sound they help with and lets a grown-up — not an algorithm — judge each whole-word try. A practice and support tool, not a replacement for a speech-language pathologist.
Related: speech-sound age chart · when to talk to an SLP · minimal pairs · articulation practice at home