Metaphors to Model Speech Sounds

Sometimes we use metaphors as a way to explain or model how to make a certain speech sound or sound structure. Children can find it easier to understand a sound and have an easier time figuring out how to make it when explained with a metaphor. Below are some of the more common examples found in the world of speech pathology.

• Individual Sounds

  • ‘p’ = quiet popping sound, lip popping sound

  • ‘b’ = noisy popping sound, lip bursting sound

  • ‘t’ = ticking sound, clock sound

  • ‘d’ = drum sound, jackhammer sound

  • ‘k’ = quiet throat popping sound

  • ‘g’ = noisy throat popping sound

  • ‘f’ = quiet windy sound, blowing rabbit sound

  • ‘v’ = noisy windy sound, noisy rabbit sound

  • Voiceless ‘th’ = flat snake sound, flat tire sound

  • Voiced ‘th’ = noisy tongue sound

  • ‘s’ = snake sound, hissing sound

  • ‘z’ = buzzing sound, long sleepy sound

  • ‘sh’ = quiet library sound

  • ‘ʒ’ = vacuum sound

  • ‘h’ = huffing sound, puppy dog sound

  • ‘ch’ = train sound

  • ‘j’ = noisy helicopter sound, noisy train sound

  • ‘m’ = yummy sound, humming sound

  • ‘n’ = mosquito sound, noisy nose sound

  • ‘ng’ = back sound, gong sound

  • ‘w’ = wimpy sound, whining sound

  • ‘y’ = yo-yo sound

  • ‘r’ = growling sound, roaring sound

  • ‘l’ = singing sound

• Voicing (the voice box is vibrating/not vibrating)

  • Voicing Sounds = noisy sounds, loud sounds, voice-on sounds

  • Voiceless Sounds = whisper sounds, quiet sounds, voice-off sounds

• Place (where is the vocal tract obstructed)

  • Labial = lip sounds

  • Alveolar = front sounds

  • Postalveolar = roof-of-the-mouth sounds

  • Velar = back sounds

• Manner (how is the vocal tract obstructed)

  • Plosives = poppy sounds, short sounds, quick sounds

  • Fricatives = windy sounds, long sounds

  • Affricates = train sounds

  • Lateral = singing sounds

  • Approximants =. wimpy sounds

  • Nasals = nose sounds

• Word Structure

  • Initial Consonants = beginning words, engine sounds, head sounds

  • Final Consonants = end sounds, carriage sounds, tail sounds

  • Monosyllable Words = one-tap/one-clap words

  • Pollysyllable Words = tapping/clapping words

  • Words with Consonant Clusters = friendly words, buddy words, greedy words

Please note the above information is general in nature and is not intended as professional medical advice. Please seek an appointment with a registered speech-language pathologist if you are at all worried about your child's development.

Suggested Resources

FREEBIE Stone Age Struggle: /b/ Sound

Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with dangerous dinos in a fun interactive game.

FREEBIE Shopping Trip: /b/ Sound

Practice your child’s /b/ sounds by competing to see who can fill their shopping basket first.

FREEBIE Monster Madness: /b/ Sound

Practice your child’s /b/ sounds with mad monsters in a fun interactive game.