Typical Speech Sound Development

This table provides a guide for when most children develop the sounds that we use for speaking in English. If you have concerns regarding your child’s speech sound development, please contact a Speech Pathologist.
Age Acquired
Speech Sound
2 years
p
3 years
b     m     d     n     h     t
​k      g     w    ng      f     y
4 years
l     j     ch     v     sh  
s     z (without lisp)
5 years
r
​  zh (as in 'asia')    th (as in 'this')
6-7 years
th (as in 'thumb')
Based on 15 English speech acquisition studies compiled by McLeod and Crowe (2018)
(c) Next Challenge 2022.
Next Challenge acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional owners of this country and its waters. We wish to pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future.