Developmental Norms for Articulation

Listed below are ages at which your child should be using correctly articulated consonant sounds.  Vowel sounds are considered intact by age 3.  If your child is having difficulty with sounds that they should have already mastered they may qualify for speech services.  To qualify for speech services your child’s articulation impairment must be adversely affecting them in the classroom.

FEMALE

AGE 3 - /b/, /p/, /m/, /n/, /h/, /w/, /d/, /g/, /k/, /f/
AGE 4 - /y/, /t/, /kw/, voiced /th/
AGE 5 - /f/, /v/, /l/, /pl/ ,/bl/, /kl/, /gl/, /fl/
AGE 6 - /sh/, /ch/, /j/, /l/, voiceless /th/
AGE 7 - /s/, /z/, /s/ blends, /ing/
AGE 8 - /r/, /pr/, /br/, /dr/, /gr/, /kr/, /dr/, /fr/, /er/
AGE 9 - /thr/, /str/, /spr/, /skr/

AGE 3 - /p/, /b/, /m/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /h/, /f/
AGE 4 – /g/
AGE 5 - /f/, /v/, /y/, /tw/, /kw/
AGE 6 - /l/, /l/ blends
AGE 7 - /ch/, /sh/, /j/, voiced /th/, /ing/, /s/, /z/, /s/ blends
AGE 8 - voiceless /th/, /r/, /r/ blend, /er/
AGE 9 - /thr/, /str/, /spr/, /skr/