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

To teach the W sound, have the child round the lips into a tight little circle — like getting ready to blow a kiss or say “oo” — then open into the next sound with the voice on: “oo-ah” quickly becomes “wa.” A helpful trick is to start from an “oo” (as in “moon”), then glide straight into a word like “we” or “wow.” Practice in order: the sound alone, then syllables (wa, we, wo), then words (we, wave, water), then phrases and sentences. The /w/ sound is a voiced labiovelar approximant and develops early, usually by age 2 to 3. W is one of the first sounds children master, which is why it’s often the sound they substitute for harder sounds like L and R (“wion” for “lion,” “wabbit” for “rabbit”).

The “w” sound is a voiced labial-velar approximant, which means that it is produced by rounding the lips (labial) while simultaneously narrowing the space between the back of the tongue and the velum or soft palate (velar) to create an approximation or near-closure of the vocal tract.

To produce the “w” sound, you need to bring your lips together and round them slightly while raising the back of your tongue towards the velum. This creates a narrowing of the vocal tract and a vibration of the lips that produces a sound similar to the vowel “oo”. You can try producing this sound by saying the word “we” or “well” and paying attention to the way your lips and tongue work together to create the sound. In phonetics, this sound is represented by the symbol /w/. It is also sometimes referred to as the “double-u” sound or the “labiovelar approximant.”

Initial W Words (words that start with W)

1-syllable: wag, wait, wake, walk, wall, wand, want, war, ward, warm, was, wash, watch, wave, wax, way, we, web, wed, weed, week, weep, weight, well, went, wept, west, wet, whack, wide, wife, wig, will, win, wind, wine, wing, wink, wipe, wire, wise, wish, witch, with, wolf, women, won, wood, word, work, worm, worst, would, wound, wow

2-syllable: wagon, waffle, waiter, walnut, walrus, wander, warmer, washer, wasabi, water, watermelon (4), weather, wedding, weekend, western, wiggle, willow, window, winner, winter, wiper, wizard, woman, wonder, wooden, workshop, worried

Medial W Words (W sound in the middle)

2-syllable: always, away, awake, aware, beware, flower, hallway, highway, midway, kiwi, quiet (kw), sandwich, seaweed, someone, subway, sunflower, toward, tower

3-syllable: anyway, everywhere, forward, powerful, umbrella

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

Demonstrate the sound: Start by demonstrating the “W” sound for your child. Make the sound and have your child watch your lips and mouth movements. Explain that the sound is made by rounding the lips and making a voiced sound.

Visual Cue: Show the child how to form their lips into a tight circle and then move their lips outward while simultaneously making a voiced “oo” sound. You can also use a mirror to help the child see how their lips are moving. You can also use a visual cue such as a picture or flashcard of a “W” to help your child remember the sound.

Understand the sound: Help your child understand how the “W” sound is made by explaining that it is a voiced bilabial approximant. This means it is made by rounding the lips and allowing the sound to flow freely through the mouth.

Practice Blowing: Help your child get used to the sensation of rounding their lips by having them practice blowing bubbles or whistling.

Practice Tongue Placement: Show your child how to keep their tongue flat and relaxed while making the “W” sound. You can make it more fun by having them imitate animal sounds, such as a barking dog or a whining cat, while using the “W” sound.

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

Add Syllables: After your child has mastered the “W” sound in isolation, have them practice using it in different syllables, such as “wa,” “we,” and “wo.” You can make it more fun by having them say silly words like “watermelon,” “wiggle,” and “wonderful.”

Practice in Words: Once your child has mastered the “W” sound in syllables, have them practice using it in different words such as “watch,” “wave,” and “wonder.” Use our free w sound words memory games to practice W Initial Words, W Medial Words & W Final Words.

Practice in Phrases: After your child has mastered the “W” sound in words, have them practice using it in phrases like “wonderful weather,” “walk the dog,” and “wild and wacky.”

Practice in Sentences: Finally, have your child practice using the “W” sound in different sentences such as “We went for a walk,” “I love watermelon,” and “The wind is blowing.”

Practice Everywhere: Encourage your child to practice using the “W” 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 “W” sound in different accents or dialects.

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