How to Teach NG Sound: Articulation Activities, and Word Lists for Effective Speech Therapy

To teach the NG sound, have the child lift the BACK of the tongue to touch the soft palate at the back of the mouth (the same spot as K and G), keep the tongue tip relaxed and down, turn the voice on, and let the sound hum out through the nose — “nggg,” held like a hum. A helpful check: have the child touch the side of the nose to feel it vibrate. NG never starts a word in English — it only appears in the middle and at the end (sing, ring, running), so practice starts with syllables like “ing, ang, ong.” The /ng/ sound is a voiced velar nasal and usually develops by around age 3 to 4. Two common slip-ups: adding a hard G at the end (“sing-guh” instead of “sing”) and using N instead (“thin” for “thing”). The fix for both is to hold the nasal hum at the back of the mouth and not release a G.

The “ng” sound is a voiced velar nasal, which means that it is produced by blocking the airflow from the lungs using the back of the tongue (velar) and then releasing it while allowing the air to pass through the nose (nasal). The vocal cords vibrate during the production of this sound, which creates a buzzing or humming sensation in the throat.

To produce the “ng” sound, you need to raise the back of your tongue towards the soft palate or velum, which is located at the back of your mouth, and then release it while simultaneously blocking the airflow from your lungs and allowing the air to pass through your nose. This creates a continuous buzzing or humming sound that is characterized by a vibration in the back of the tongue and a resonance in the nose. You can try producing this sound by saying the word “sing” or “long” and paying attention to the way your tongue and nose work together to create the sound. In phonetics, this sound is represented by the symbol /ŋ/. It is also sometimes referred to as the “voiced velar nasal.”

Final NG Words (words that end with NG)

-ing: bring, cling, king, ring, sing, sling, spring, sting, string, swing, thing, wing, wring, zing -ang: bang, clang, fang, gang, hang, rang, sang, slang -ong: gong, long, prong, song, strong, thong, tong, wrong -ung: clung, hung, lung, rung, sprung, stung, sung, swung, young

ING Verbs (the most common NG pattern — great for practice)

running, jumping, playing, singing, swimming, reading, eating, sleeping, walking, talking, cooking, driving, dancing, drawing, flying, hopping, kicking, laughing, painting, sitting, skipping, smiling, throwing, washing, writing

Medial NG Words (NG sound in the middle)

2-syllable: angry, ankle (nk), bingo, blanket (nk), dingo, finger (note: has extra G), hangar, hunger, jungle, kingdom, longer (extra G), monkey (nk), ringtone, singer, single, springtime, stronger (extra G), younger (extra G)

Here are few tips you can follow to teach the “ng” sound:

Demonstrate the sound: Start by demonstrating the “ng” sound for your child. Make the sound and have your child watch your lips and mouth movements. Explain that the sound is made by pressing the back of the tongue against the soft palate and releasing it with a nasal sound.

Visual Cue: Show the child how to place the back of their tongue against the soft palate at the back of their mouth, and then release the air with a voiced sound while simultaneously lowering the back of the tongue to create a “ng” sound. You can use a mirror to help the child see how their tongue is positioned.Y ou can also use a visual cue such as a picture or flashcard of an “ng” to help your child remember the sound.

Understand the sound: Help your child understand that the “ng” sound is a nasal consonant made by pressing the back of the tongue against the soft palate and releasing it with a nasal sound.

Practice Blowing: Help your child get used to the sensation of releasing air with their tongue by having them practice blowing out candles, blowing bubbles, or blowing feathers across a table.

Practice Tongue Placement: Show your child how to keep the back of their tongue flat and relaxed while making the “ng” sound. You can make it more fun by having them imitate animal sounds, such as a snoring bear or a buzzing bee, while using the “ng” sound.

Practice in Isolation: Once your child has mastered the correct tongue and mouth position, have them practice making the “ng” sound on its own without any other sounds.

Add Syllables: After your child has mastered the “ng” sound in isolation, have them practice using it in different syllables, such as “ing,” “ang,” and “ung.” You can make it more fun by having them say words like “king,” “bang,” and “sunglasses.”

Practice in Words: Once your child has mastered the “ng” sound in syllables, have them practice using it in different words such as “sing,” “ring,” and “long.” Use our free ng sound words memory games to teach ng medial words & ng final words.

Practice in Phrases: After your child has mastered the “ng” sound in words, have them practice using it in phrases like “sing a song,” “ring the bell,” and “long day.”

Practice in Sentences: Finally, have your child practice using the “ng” sound in different sentences such as “I am singing a song,” “The bell is ringing,” and “I had a long day.”

Practice Everywhere: Encourage your child to practice using the “ng” sound in different contexts, such as during playtime, mealtime, or while reading books. You can also make it more fun by having them use the “ng” sound in different accents or dialects.

Free NG interactive audio flashcards featuring words with the “NG” sound words can be a useful tool for improving pronunciation and vocabulary.