Phonological Processes

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia

Phonological processes describe common patterns of sound errors children may use to simplify speech while learning to talk. If these sound patterns persist beyond the age when they are typically resolved, they can indicate a phonological disorder or delay. The chart lists specific processes such as backing, consonant deletion, voicing changes, stopping of fricatives, assimilation, reduplication, and related patterns, with examples and typical resolution ages to support identification and comparison.

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Phonological Processes

Definition and clinical significance

Chart of phonological process patterns

Phonological Processes Phonological processes are patterns of sound errors that typically developing children use to simplify their speech as they are learning to talk. When a phonological process persists beyond the typical age at which it should have resolved, a child is said to have a phonological disorder or delay. | Phonological Process | Example | Age at which process is typically gone | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Backing: A front/alveolar sound is substituted with a back/velar sound | toy 􀁯 koy door 􀁯 goor | Usually seen in more severe phonological delays | | | Initial consonant deletion: A consonant atthe start of a word is deleted | cup 􀁯 up more 􀁯 ore | | | | Pre-vocalic voicing: A voiceless sound before a vowel is substituted with a voiced sound | cat 􀁯 gat | | | | Word final devoicing: A voiced consonant atthe end of the word is substituted with a voiceless consonant | bed 􀁯 bet | 3 years | | | Final consonant deletion: A consonant atthe end of a word is deleted | cat 􀁯 ca | | | | Stopping of /f/ and /s/: The fricative sounds /f/ and /s/ are substituted with a stop sound | fish 􀁯 bish sock 􀁯 dock | | | | Reduplication: A complete or incomplete syllable is repeated | water 􀁯 wawa | | | | Fronting: A back/velar sound is substituted with a front/velar sound | car 􀁯 tar girl 􀁯 dirl | 3 years 6 months ~~ ~~ | | | Stopping of /v/ and /z/: The fricative sounds /v/ and /z/ are substituted with a stop sound | vacuum 􀁯 bacuum zip 􀁯 dip | | | | Assimilation: A consonant sound starts to sound like another sound in the word | bus 􀁯 bub kitty cat 􀁯 titty tat | 3 years 9 months | | | Weak syllable deletion: Deletion of a weak/unstressed syllable from a word | elephant 􀁯 efant banana 􀁯 nana | 4 years ~~ ~~ | | | Consonant cluster reduction: A consonant sound is deleted from a consonant cluster | spoon 􀁯 poon train 􀁯 tain | | | | Stopping of /sh/, /ch/ and /j/: The fricative sounds /sh/, /ch/ and /j/ are substituted with a stop sound | sheep 􀁯 deep chair 􀁯 tair jump 􀁯 dump | 4 years 6 months | | | Gliding of /l/ and /r/: The /r/ sound is substituted with a /w/ sound; The /l/ sound is substituted with a /w/ or /y/ sound | rabbit 􀁯 wabbit lion 􀁯 wion leaf 􀁯 yeaf | 5 years
| | | Stopping of /th/: The fricative sound /th/ is substituted with a stop sound | thing 􀁯 ting them 􀁯 dem | | | | Labialisation: The /th/ sound is substituted with a /f/ sound | thumb 􀁯 fum thank you 􀁯 fank you | 7 years | | Kids Chatter Speech [Pathology](Pathology 0432 735 044 info@kidschatter.com.au)[ 0432 735 044](Pathology 0432 735 044 info@kidschatter.com.au)[ ](Pathology 0432 735 044 info@kidschatter.com.au)[info@kidschatter.com.au](Pathology 0432 735 044 info@kidschatter.com.au) Copyright © 2014

FAQs

What are phonological processes in children’s speech?

Phonological processes are patterns of sound errors typically developing children use to simplify speech as they learn to talk.

When do phonological processes suggest a disorder or delay?

If a phonological process persists beyond the typical age when it should have resolved, it may indicate a phonological disorder or delay.

What information does the chart provide for each phonological process?

For each process, the chart provides a description, an example of the child’s error, and the age at which the process is typically gone when available.

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia