Speech Sound Development Chart

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen

Speech Sound Development Chart summarizes the typical age range in years when children begin producing specific speech sounds and when most children have mastered them. The chart uses bars where the start indicates acquisition onset and the end indicates mastery for individual consonants and vowels/diphthongs. Examples listed include common sounds such as p (puppy), m (mommy), s (sun), sh (shoe), th (thumb/these), and zh (treasure), supporting age-appropriate speech sound expectations for clinical and developmental reference.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages1

AccessFree to download

Speech Sounds

Age of Acquisition (years)

Vowels and Consonants

The beginning of the bar shows the age at which children begin to say each sound The end of the bar shows the age at which most children have mastered each sound Speech Sounds Age of Acquisition (years) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 | vowels / diphthongs | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | |
vowels | | | | | | | | | | | | | p—(puppy) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
p | | | | | | | | | | | | | m—(mommy) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
m | | | | | | | | | | | | | h—(hi) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
h | | | | | | | | | | | | | n—(no) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
n | | | | | | | | | | | | | w—(window) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
w | | | | | | | | | | | | | b—(baby) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
b | | | | | | | | | | | | | k—(cookie) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
k | | | | | | | | | | | | g—(go) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
g | | | | | | | | | | | | d—(daddy) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
d | | | | | | | | | | | | t—(turtle) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
t | | | | | | | | | | | | ng—(sing) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
ng | | | | | | | | | | | | f—(funny) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
f | | | | | | | | | | | y—(yes) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
y | | | | | | | | | | | r—(rabbit) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
r | | | | | | | | | | l—(lion) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
l | | | | | | | | | | s—(sun) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
s | | | | | | | | | | sh—(shoe) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
sh | | | | | | | | | ch—(chair) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
ch | | | | | | | | | z—(zoo) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
z | | | | | | | | | j—(jump) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
j | | | | | | | | v—(van) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
v | | | | | | | | th—(thumb) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
th | | | | | | | th—(these) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
th | | | | | | zh—(treasure) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
zh | | | *From Templin, 1957; Wellman et al. , 1931, in Sanders—Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1973. NONA Child Development Centre Speech Language Therapy Department

FAQs

What does the beginning of each bar represent in the chart?

The beginning of the bar shows the age at which children begin to say each sound.

What does the end of each bar represent in the chart?

The end of the bar shows the age at which most children have mastered each sound.

Which types of speech sounds are included in the chart?

The chart includes vowels/diphthongs and many consonants, listed with example words such as puppy (p) and treasure (zh).

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen