Does your child mispronounce some sounds when speaking? Do you wonder whether their speech is age-appropriate? While there is variability in children’s mastery of speech sounds, there are general guidelines for ages at which most children can pronounce specific sounds correctly.
Speech Sound Mastery by Age
| Age | Sound |
| 2 to 3 years | P, B, M, D, N, H, T, K, G, W, NG, F, Y |
| 4 years | L, J, CH, S, V, SH, Z |
| 5 years | R |
| 6 years | TH |
A Cross-Linguistic Review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
By 4 to 5 years old, a child’s speech should be clear and easy to understand. Children who are missing sounds from their sound system, say things in an unusual or unpredictable way, or sound like a younger child may need input from a speech and language therapist.
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