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147+ Final K Speech Therapy Words for Articulation

Are you a speech-language pathologist or parent working on the k sound in the final position? This post has over 147 final k words for speech therapy that will help your student or child practice their k final sounds all in one place. 

Final K Words Speech Therapy

Below is a list of final k words to practice during your student’s speech therapy session or simply send the link to this website to a parent to practice at home.

Final Consonant Deletion

Is your child or student struggling with final consonant deletion of the final k sound? 

If so, a great way to work on final consonant deletion is to use minimal pairs to work on the difference between making the final k sound and deleting the final k sound. 

Here is a set of great minimal pair worksheets to help when working on the phonological process of final consonant deletion – Final Consonant Deletion Minimal Pairs – No Prep Final K Freebie by Nurture Speech Pathology .

If you’re on the hunt for a helpful visual or tactile cue for final consonants then be sure to check out this one by Panda Speech Therapy – End Sound Helper Freebie – for Final Consonant Deletion Phonological Processing by Panda Speech Therapy.

If your child or student does final consonant deletion on more than just the k sound then be sure to check out this freebie that focuses on final /p ,b, t, d, m, n, k, g, s, f/ – No Print Final Consonant Deletion Picture Scenes by Teach Speech 365 .

Correct Production

The final k sound is one of many back sounds. When working on the final k sound, a velar consonant, the first thing you want to do is pull your tongue to the back of the mouth and place it against the soft palate (the top of your mouth).

Once your tongue is in position then push air through your mouth while lowering your tongue towards the front of the mouth. 

By 2 years of age children will begin making the k sound and by the age of 3 years old the child will have mastered the sound according to the GFTA-2 Standardized sample.

If your child or student is struggling to place their tongue in the correct position you can use a tongue depressor to provide your child or student with a tactile cue.

Target Word

Here’s a list of final k articulation sounds for you to use in therapy or at home practice to work on your student or child’s new skill.

• For Example: peak, make, fork, steak, fake, lake, squeak, woodchuck, kayak, block, speak, leak, oak, poke, sneak, wreak, creek, pick, clock, sick

See full list of words, phrases, and sentences below.

Be sure to grab my one page freebie of final k sounds below. Simply scroll to the bottom of this post and grab your free copy!

Word Level: Final K Words Speech Therapy 

Initial position of words.

The initial k sound is at the beginning of a word. For example, “kite” or “care”.

Medial Position of Words

There are also medial k words, which have the k sound in the medial position of a word, such as “raccoon”, “racket”, and “bucket”.

Final Consonants

The final positions of words are when the target sound is at the end of a word. For example, “rock” or “dock”.

Final Words at Word Level

You can start at the auditory bombardment level, or syllable level, or start at pronunciation of the whole word.  Starting with single words is a great place to start and then you can adjust to go backwards towards syllable level or forward to the phrase level. 

Some young children enjoy using a dot marker as a fun way to practice their sound while working on their articulation communication disorder. 

For example they can put a dot under each of their final k sounds. 

I’ve also created an easy-to-download one-page overview of final k sounds below. Simply scroll down to the bottom of this post and download your free copy.

• 1 Syllable: peak, make, fork, steak, fake, lake, squeak, block, speak, leak, oak, poke, sneak, creek, pick, clock, sick, ask, elk, book, duck, honk, bark, cook, desk, streak, shrink, shrunk, shriek, squawk, think, black, track, break, check, quick, thank, drink, stick, thick, stuck, click, truck, brick, shook, crack, blank, clerk, knock, trick, stack, cheek, trunk, flock, snack, chalk, brisk, chick, shark, blink, whisk, stink, stork, work, back, look, week, bank, park, talk, walk, seek, rock, dark, weak, neck, pink, pack, milk, kick, lock, mask, hook, desk, sink, junk, pork, sank, hawk, tick, soak, peek, tuck, wink, ink, yak
• 2 Syllable: woodchuck, kayak, shipwreck, groundwork, heartbreak, schoolwork, sketchbook, broomstick, schoolbook, starstruck, moonstruck, salesclerk, framework, trademark, benchmark, livestock, horseback, housework, yardstick, guidebook, patchwork, racetrack, checkbook, crosswalk, flashback, clockwork, roadblock, boardwalk, scrapbook, throwback, sidetrack, hatchback, backtrack, awestruck, toothpick, beanstalk, drumstick, birthmark, pipsqueak, feedback, notebook, landmark, outbreak, homework, handbook, comeback, playback, textbook, teamwork, ballpark, paycheck, lipstick, sidewalk, woodwork, cookbook, shamrock, rollback, joystick, yearbook, sidekick, workbook, playbook, backpack, homesick, bookmark, gridlock, firework, haystack, cakewalk, nonstick, knapsack, songbook, sunblock, bareback, chipmunk, aardvark, beadwork, facemask, network, outlook, artwork, peacock, bedrock, payback, outback, hammock, potluck, padlock, soymilk, unstuck, restock, skywalk, ziplock, attack, unlock, unpack, unhook, untuck, mohawk
• 3 Syllable: laughingstock, quarterback, candlestick, crackerjack, pocketbook, buttermilk, needlework, candlewick, aftershock, lumberjack, turtleneck, meadowlark, meterstick, paperwork, paperback, hyperlink, riverbank, handiwork, metalwork, storybook, piggyback, interlock, disembark, multipack, overlook, asterisk, limerick, overwork, antilock, overcook
• 4 Syllable: cabinetwork, audiobook

Practice in Flash Card Mode Right Here from Your Computer!

SEE ALSO: 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy

Short sentences or phrases.

When working on final K sounds, it’s important to work on short phrases after your child or student has learned how to produce the sound at the word level. They should be able to achieve 80% accuracy for this skill before moving on to longer complete sentences.

Here is a list of final K word phrases to try:

Final K Words Speech Therapy in Phrases

Sentence Level: Final K Words Speech Therapy

After phrases the next level to work on is the final k sound in sentences. There are a few ways to practice at the sentence level.

For example, one way is to give your child or student a list of sentences to read aloud while they work on their final k sound. 

Another fun way to practice is to give your child or student pictures with their final k sound in them and then have them create a sentence about those pictures.

Below is a list of sentences to use with your child or students.

Final K Words Speech Therapy in Sentences

SEE ALSO: Free Articulation Games for Speech Therapy

Final k words speech therapy ideas, game boards.

Do you like working on your child or student’s articulation sound while having some fun? 

Board games are a perfect way to keep your students engaged while working on their sounds. 

A few board games worth trying are: Apples to Apples , Chutes and Ladders , or Go Fish to name a few.

Final T for Final K Sound

When your child or student substitutes the final k sound for a final t sound this is called velar fronting and they are taking a sound that is normally made in the back of the throat for the same sound that is made in the front of the mouth. 

An example of this would be saying the word “dot” instead of the word “dock”. 

One way to work on velar fronting of the final k sound would be to work on minimal pair words. By having your child or student have the words “dot” and “dock” side by side with a picture and then having your student practice saying each word and listening for the slight difference. 

Here are a few resources to get you started:

• Fronting & Backing Minimal Pairs (/k/ /t/ and /g/ /d/) by Rachel’s Speech Goodies – Four pages of kid friendly picture cards plus a page of words lists.
• Articulation Activity Go Fish | T and K Minimal Pairs | Speech Therapy by Speechies and Cream – 32 fun cards that can be used as a card game.
• Final Consonant Deletion Minimal Pairs – NO PREP Final K FREEBIE by Nurture Speech Pathology – a no-prep activity that will help your student with final consonant deletion.

Weak Syllable Deletion

Weak syllable deletion is when the child or student omits the unstressed or in other words the weak syllable within a multisyllabic word. 

For example, the weak syllable deletion of the final k sound in the word “sock” would be pronounced as the word “saw”.

One way to work on correcting weak syllable deletion is to use minimal pairs. So for example, you would provide the child with the words “saw” and “sock” next to each other with pictures and then have the student practice each word side by side.

• T/K minimal pairs by SLPMommyofApraxia – use these minimal pairs to help your students visualize what they are saying.
• Minimal Pairs Fronting/ Backing- /k/ /g/ and /t/ /d/ by Ellen Rector – you can use this activity as a game in your classroom.
• FREE /T/ and /K/ Minimal Pairs Speech Handout (Fronting/Backing) by TheSpeechScoop – These visual pictures are great for young learners.

Phonological Processes

If you’re interested in learning about more phonological processes be sure to grab my handy phonological processes sheets , which includes typical and atypical phonological processes. 

Does your child or student love to play Go Fish? Then be sure to grab our Go Fish board game for all sounds . 

If you’re on the hunt for word lists to practice. Be sure to scroll up on this page and see the word lists for practice. 

Also, be sure to click on the clickable words and practice using the interactive flashcards!

Faster Progress

Wish your child could make progress faster? 

Sometimes all you need is to practice consistently. Simply try practicing for at least 5 minutes a day.

Here is a list of 5 minute therapy ideas to work on the final k sound.

• At Home Word Lists for Articulation and Phonology for SLPs – Freebie by Natalie Snyders – this freebie includes a word list for final K as well as other letters.
• Word Study Work Board: Final /k/ Sound -ck, -k, -ke by Sarah Alisaleh – a great set of quick daily lessons that can be used for online learning as well.
• CVC final k words clothespin activity by everythingisspeechieinohio – 8 final k words are included in this fun activity.

SEE ALSO: 279+ Free Speech Therapy Digital Materials

Picture cards.

If you like using picture cards to practice your therapy then scroll to the bottom of this post and grab your free 20 picture cards to get started practicing today.

Or click on the words in the word list above that have a link attached to use the picture cards as flashcards to practice online right from your computer. 

A great way to practice is to use Boom Cards, which are a fun and engaging way to strengthen your child or student’s articulation skills.

Here are a few favorite boom cards to work on the final K sounds: 

• Free Boom Cards Apple Tree Articulation K Sound by The Speech Zone – K sound boom card that you can easily implement into your classroom.
• Easter Express for Articulation: K Sound (No Print)(Boom Card)(FREEBIE) by My Teletherapy Room – A fun Easter themed activity!
• Free Articulation Cards and Boom Cards (Cycles & Traditional) by Ausome Speech – No prep and digital. A perfect addition to your classroom.

Therapy Room

If you’re a speech therapist looking for final k words to practice with your clients then be sure to check some of the ideas below or our list above!

• Quack! Go Back! Speech Therapy Game with Final /k/ Cards by Speech Sprouts – a great activity for small groups in your classroom.
• Final K Sound -ck, -ke, -k – Word Pattern Play by Emily Fano – Passport2Teach – 3 different games to practice the final k sound.
• Word Final /K/ Truck Activity by Lisa McGregor – A fun way to practice single-syllable final k words.

In Conclusion: Final K Words Speech Therapy

We hope you have found this article helpful for working on your child or student’s final k sound. 

Be sure to grab your freebie of 20 words to start practicing 5 minutes a day!

<< Click here to download your free final K articulation practice pages! >>

Want even more final k speech therapy.

• 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy
• 261+ Free Ideas for Digital Therapy
• 917+ Best Free Boom Cards for Speech Therapy
• 11 Free Articulation Games for Speech Therapy
• Best Free Interactive PDF for Speech Therapy All-in-One

Want the Best of the Bests?

Be sure to check out our most popular posts below!

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• 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios
• 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle
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• 279+ Free Speech Therapy Digital Materials
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Tuesday 22nd of March 2022

This is awesome!! Thank you!

Melissa Berg

Hi Lisa, thank you! You're so welcome!

These look great! Love that the pictures are actual photographs.

Hi Tammy, thanks so much! I'm glad you like the use of real photos as well. :)

Awesome list~

Thanks Cathy! Glad you like this list.

Free K Sound Articulation Words Flashcards

Free K sound articulation words flashcards for autism and speech therapy. Initial, medial and final word lists download printable PDF worksheets. The “k” sound, known as a voiceless velar stop, is produced by briefly stopping the airflow with the back of the tongue against the soft part of the roof of the mouth (the velum) and then releasing it with a burst of sound. These picture flashcards can be used to target different positions within words.

Initial K Words

Download Printable PDF

Medial K Words

Final K Words 

Interactive k words audio flashcards.

Playing With Words 365

Educating, inspiring, and empowering parents & professionals in supporting young children's overall development

How to Elicit (Teach) the K & G Sounds {Part One: Elicitation Techniques}

May 21, 2013 by Katie Filed Under: Articulation & Phonology (aka Speech Sounds) , K & G Tips , Sound Elicitation Techniques 14 Comments

Welcome to the next installment of the Eliciting Sounds Series. You can check out the other posts in this series HERE . now, let’s get started on the /k/ and /g/ sounds! (There are affiliate links in this post for your convenience)

MY Tips for Eliciting the K & G Sounds

Here are MY tips for eliciting the /k/ and /g/ sound that I personally have found effective:

• Having the child lean his head back so the tongue slides back to the oral cavity. Sometimes having the child actually lay on his back is needed. 
• For tricky kids who are fronting, I have found that using a Dum Dum or Mini Tootsie Pop to told the tongue tip down and THEN tell the child to make the sound, will allow for the back of the tongue to move up and make the /k/ or /g/ or a close approximation. I learned this trick in grad school and have used it many many times!
• I always use gestural cues to cue children on which sounds we are working on. For the /k/ and /g/ I point to the throat. I will also lean my head back for an additional visual cue to get the tongue back and up.

Visual Aides

Just like for the /r/ sound, a fantastic 3 dimensional visual aide I like to use when teaching sounds is the  Jumbo Mighty Mouth Hand Puppet  from SuperDuperInc. I also have used play doh to make a tongue and mold it into the shape it needs to be in for a given sound (you see this on my Tips to Teach the /r/ Post )

Proprioceptive Elicitation Tools

You can use some different items to assist in providing a child with some tactile/proprioceptive feedback when teaching the /k/ and /g/. Here are a few examples!

Books That Go Over Elicitation Techniques

Your fellow slps weigh in: their tips.

• Lay down on your back. Gravity helps pull the tongue back. ~Jocelyn, New York
• For most students I use a tongue depressor to guide placement of the tongue for /k/, explaining to the student that they need to keep their tongue tip down. For some I have even combined the instruction to put their head back or to make the “throat clearing” sound. Once I am able to elicit a good glottal I teach the student how to use the tongue depressor to elicit the sound independently. We then work on practicing with and without the tongue depressor until the student is able to produce a “good /k/”. For some students this takes quite a while as they need a lot of practice to shape their glottal production into an intelligible production of /k/, working on making sure that the sides of their tongue are on the bottoms of there top teeth. ~Christina, Michigan
• Most effective tip – Use tongue blade to hold down tongue tip; others – have child put head back so that tongue naturally falls back, have child pretend to gargle or growl like a bear ~Paula, West Virginia
• One method – talk about making a “surprise face” (mouth wide open, tongue tip down) and say “aahhhh”.  Then tell the child to keep tongue tip “right where it is” on the bottom teeth, and make the “cough sound” right here, (tapping my throat as a visual). ~Michele, Pennsalvania
• I use a pediatric spoon or tongue depressor (or, in a pinch, cue the student to use his/her own finger) to hold down the front of the tongue while producing /g/ or /k/.  This gets their tongue in appropriate position — back up, front down.  We practice that a few times, then move to producing words while using the prop, so the child can get a feel for how the word should be produced.  This has been successful with my students with hearing impairment, as well! ~Anonymous
• For both /k/ and /g/, I like to use a dum dum sucker. I will put the sucker right on the top of the tongue tip and then push the tongue all the way back so that the back of the tongue is touching the throat. I will have the student say k and g in isolation 5-10 times before I release. Then I will move to the word level and have him say the word a few times with the sucker in his mouth. The goal is to move away from the sucker and have him produce the k and g on his own in isolation before moving to words. ~Brea, Michigan
• Tactile cues, like feeling the throat. Two fingers in the mouth stacked one on top of the other, keeps your mouth open and makes creating an error sound /t/or/d/ difficult, also easy to fade back to one finger in the mouth, then on the lip, then independently. ~SLP, Minnesota
• For most of the young kiddos, I find it helpful to take away from too many “details” regarding phonemic awareness. For example, I work with the birth to three population and discussing “throat” “voice off” “coughing” all the good go-to’s for preschool and up is too complex for the really young ones. Therefore, I sneak it in via “Dino walk!” Walk like a Dino /k/, /k/, /k/…this is an exaggerated walk of course made partially stomping and “crashing” /k/ sound. The kids love it. You can also find an easy template for Dino feet and trace onto foam or simply laminate. Lay the “tracks” down and then let the kids /k/ /k/ /k/ along the way. As they move up to words, put pictures card along the path. ~Anonymous
• I use a dum dum lollipop to.hold the tongue down,push it back, etc. The kids get it and any parents that come in understand and can do the same at.home.   I teach preschoolers so this is usually the older ones ~Lisa, Pennsylvania
• I show them the tip of my tongue and ask them to touch the tip of their own tongues.  Then I tell them that we make /t/ and /d/ with the tips of our tongues. Then I show them the back of my tongue. I also use a mouth puppet called “Mighty Mouth” so they can see and touch the tip and back of the tongue. Then I show them how I can make the back of my tongue touch the top of my mouth and say, /k/ and /g/.  Then I let them try it out on “Mighty Mouth”.  After they do this a few times, I have them try it on their own tongues while looking in a hand held mirror. I’ve also had them fake cough and feel where their tongues touch when that happens and then try the sound at the same spot.  sometimes this works. Also, tipping their heads back while trying to get the back of the tongue up, to the roof of the mouth, works sometimes, too. ~Ann, Massachusetts
• Pretend like you are going to swallow your tongue! (But please don’t: we’ll need that tongue for more talking!) Then try saying the sound you make, way back in your throat. Here, watch me. ~Suz, North Carolina
• I find that targeting /g/ first can help elicit /k/ without direct instruction. ~Aby, Iowa
• Open up the mouth BIG, sometimes hold the chin, demonstrate the movement with my hand, tongue depressers to hold tongue tip down. ~Anonymous
• If a child is fronting their /k/ and /g/ sounds, I use a tongue depressor to hold the tongue tip down so that the back of the tongue moves up and makes contact with the soft palate (instead of the fronting moving up to make contact with the alveolar ridge).  I start at syllable level, then move on to CVC words (that do not contain: blends of the target sounds, the target sound in the position we are not practicing, and /t/ or /d/ sounds).  I slowly reduce the use of the tongue depressor, and try to let the child be as independent as possible using it.  Eventually, I just let the child hold the tongue depressor as a reminder.  This technique works well (at the word level) with kindergarten and first graders I’ve used it with.  It has been a little harder with the preschoolers I’ve worked with. Once the child becomes more proficient at /k/ or /g/ in initial and final positions, I move onto the medial position and multisyllabic words; then onto short phrases, sentences, etc. Some CVC words I like are: /k/ initial Cage, cup, comb, kiss, come; corn, king (although they have blends in other sounds, so it depends on the child); car (if the child has trouble with /r/ sounds I won’t use this word).  CV words I like are: key, cow /k/ final book, shake, bike, back, sick, knock, sock, hike; lick, look, rock, rake (if the child has trouble with /l/ or /r/ sounds I may leave these out). /g/ initial go (CV), gum, gas, game, ghost; goal (leave it out if the child has trouble with /l/) /g/ final egg (VC), hug, bag, mug, pig, big, bug, wig, jog; leg, log, rag, rug (leave out if child has hard time with /l/ or /r/ sounds). I use the cards available at mommyspeechtherapy.com as well as some I’ve made myself and I always try to reinforce with a game (like Chipper Chat by Super Duper) unless I’m doing a 5 minute artic in the hallway. ~Erica, Ohio
• Having the child cough, or lay on floor for gravity to move tongue back for K.  For G have the child pretend they are drinking water. ~Becky, Nebraska
• Coughing works for me. Cough out the word…cough + up = cup ~Anonymous
• 1)  Work on eliciting final /g/ first.  That sound implies the /g/ in all other positions as well as the /k/ sound.  2)  Tip of tongue stays down while back of tongue jumps up to make the /k/ or /g/. 3)  The water drinking sound (imitate gulping water /g/, /g/, /g/) ~Anonymous
• I have students lay down on the floor under a table on their backs.  We shine flashlights up at pictures that I have Velcroed (speling??) or taped underneath the table.  They are usually having so much fun they relax and forget about the sound at times and I have often gotten /k/ in a CV or VC syllable this way! I have had success shaping /k/ from /h/ as well.  The student says an extended /h/ and then coughs and at times an isolated /k/ will pop out. ~SLP, New Hampshire
• My youngest kids like to touch their throat and k k k cough ~Suzanne, Texas
• I use animals cut in half to demonstrate a visual concept of front and back.  Then we talk about front and back sounds we make, which has really been a great initial activity for the beginning of therapy.  I have also had success with having my students use their pointer finger as a ‘hook’ to hold their own tongue tip down while making the /k, g/ in isolation. ~Jenn, Florida
• One thing I stumbled on in desperation that has worked surprisingly well is to have kids produce the sound with their mouths open WIDE. It is more difficult to produce /t/ and /d/ without some degree of lip closure, and easy to produce velar sounds. Also, if fronting does occur, it is very visible in front of a mirror with your mouth wide open! I do this at the word level or at the syllable level, pairing with vowels like /a/ so the mouth can stay open wide for the entire word/syllable. Sounds strange, maybe, but it has worked really well for me for some tricky velar fronters! ~Anonymous
• 1.  Often K is more stimulable than G.  I don’t tell the child we are working on a speech sound; I just tell him we are making a sound.  “Do this!”  Then I make a long, loud KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK sound in the back of my throat with my mouth open and encourage imitation. 2.  If that doesn’t work I have the child watch my mouth and I make the same sound in short bursts.  I have my mouth open slightly so he can see I am not using the tip of my tongue; OR 3.  I have the child do an H sound in a loud, but voiceless, manner: HUH-HUH-HUHKKKKKK.  I attach that KKK to the end of the HUH.  I might tap behind the child’s jaw (TMJ) at the same time to provide some tactile cues. 4. If these don’t work I lie down on my back and have the child do the same so that the tongue wants to move back with gravity.  Repeat step 1. 5.  If the child is making T for K at this point I have the child press the tip of his tongue down while making that exaggerated, crunchy KKKKKKKK sound.  I am still not mentioning K if the child fronts.  Having his mouth open wide makes it harder to do a T if fronting’s an issue. 6.  I use a mirror OR have the child and I look at ourselves in the camera on the iPad at any point where I think it will help. 7.  I sometimes do bombardment, then discrimination, if the child is still not getting a decent K sound, but honestly, I usually get K with Step 1.  For discrimination I use the LinguiSystems Apraxia program manual cues and pictures for T and K. I make a K or T sound and point to the corresponding picture from LinguiSystems for T (ticking clock) and K (dinosaur crunching dry leaves).  Then I start having the child point to answers as I exaggerate the sounds, including an open mouth for K.  Mini milkchocolate M&Ms are often very motivating for close listening. 8.  I may work on K until it’s in all positions of single words 90% while independently naming pictures before starting G, because at that point it’s usually very easy for the child to do. ~Jennifer, Pennsylvania
• Sometimes I try letting my kids try imitating me making noise as I drink juice.  The younger ones have trouble hearing the sound so that helps them hear that /g/  sound and if you try doing it without drinking they realize it is a /g/.  It doesn’t always work but I have had some success with it and the boys love the mess and noise so they don’t feel like it is ‘speech stuff’ ~Cee, North Carolina
• I give them a toy camera and have them lie on their back in bed at night and make the /k/ sound of the camera clicking (old school!). Lie on their back and make a static noise which you can shorten and sharpen.  Once it is sounding like a /k/, I put my hand under their head and slowly bring them up while they keep making the sound.  When it stops being a k (or static) then we go back down and try and get a bit higher next time! Hum happy birthday using mmmmm and then nnnnn and then ng and I can usually get a quick /k/ afterwards! ~Anonymous
• Keep mouth open as wide as possible and try ….gets tip of tongue out of the way.  If old enough, I have them gargle to get used to moving the velum…then “dry gargle”.  Usually I have the parents do this at home as part of teeth brushing time.  Then they can model a/k,g/  with a very wide mouth.  Wierd but works for many!! ~Kristie, Oklahoma
• I use a lollipop as a tongue depressor to hold the child’s tongue down and tell him to make his “back”sound. ~Leslie, Texas
• I have pushed a raisin onto the end of a straight pretzel to create a little “tool” for holding the tongue tip down and pushing gently back to help the child elevate the back of the tongue.  This has worked almost every time to elicit the sound.  Once the child has the feel for the movement needed, he/she can usually replicate it.  And they like eating the “tool”! ~Mary, Washington
• I use dum-dum suckers to elicit the /k/ and /g/ sounds. They are small and fit right behind the bottom teeth and help hold the tongue tip down (and kids don’t mind them like they do tongue depressors). I hold the tongue tip down and have them say /k/. When they are able to do it in isolation, we move to “ke.” It usually only takes a few trials before they remember to keep tongue tip down. I like this much better than laying on their back or other “coughing” type because it doesn’t have the glottal fricative sound that coughing tends to produce. ~Mary, North Dakota
• One thing I have found useful in eliciting /k/ and /g/ sounds is to hold down the tongue tip with a tongue depressor while the child practices the target sounds. Another “trick” is to have the child lie flat on his back while he makes the /k/ and /g/ sounds. This will help the child get a “feel” for the correct placement before beginning sounds in words. ~Leigh, Alabama
• I use a tongue depressor on the tip of the tongue! ~CC from Oregon
• -use a flavored tongue depressor to hold tongue tip down; if no flavored t.d., put a little sugar or pixie stick sugar on it -or use a flat lollipop, pretzel stick, candy cane, toothbrush, etc to hold tip down -have child use their own finger to hold tip down (lots of handwashing needing but gives them control of the situation) -gargle with water then try to “dry” gargle (guh, guh, guh) ~Liz, New York
• Put a dum dum in the bottom of the mouth. It sort of pushes the tongue up and back. I’ve also heard lying on a slight decline (head down) works, but I haven’t personally had success with this. ~Anonymous
• Tongue depressor… Have them say “kangaroo” ~Anonymous
• Have child hold teeth open approx. 1 inch. Keeping teeth open instruct then to imitate your production of the /k/. ~Susan, Indiana
• -Have the child lay on their back on the floor and look up at the ceiling. This position helps to naturally move their tongue in the back of their mouth. -Instead of using a tongue depressor to aid in correct tongue placement for k/g try using a lollipop (I like using Dum-Dum’s because they are cheap and small enough for little mouths). Most of my clients  will work extra hard to say their sound when they are reinforced with candy and it seems less invasive to my kiddos who are anxious about the doctor/anything going in their mouth. ~Olivia, Pennsylvania
• I have used a toothette or even a dum dum lollipop to help keep the front of the tongue down when first targeting the /k/ or /g/ sound in isolation. ~Anonymous
• -If you’re struggling just to elicit any back sounds you can use coughing (especially for /k/), growling (especially for /g/), or dry gargling (for /g/) ~Kelsey
• After teaching auditory discrimination between t/k, I’ve used a tongue depressor and mirror and talked to the studen about how there are tippy sounds like /t/ and throaty sounds like /k/. I’ll have them stick out their tongue while looking in the mirror and touch the tip of their tongue. That’s where we say tippy sounds. They’ll imitate /t/. Then, I’ll touch a little further back (not too far!) and talk about how that part of the tongue makes the throaty sound and I’ll model /k/. I also put my hand on the back of their head and talk about that’s where their tongue goes. We’ll also swallow together and “feel” our tongue hit the “back of our head.” I’ve also had success with having a student either (1) tilt their head back on my hand while swallowing to feel their tongue fall back. They try the sound or (2) lay on the floor and try swallow/feel tongue fall back.David Hammer (a wonderfully amazing SLP with a ton of therapy ideas and information on childhood apraxia of speech) has named this sound the “throaty” sound. I have my students put their hands on their throat while saying their “throaty” sound. He’s come up with clever names for all the speech sounds. ~Anonymous
• This is a tip for eliciting /k/ at the word level in the initial position.  Pairing /k/ with /h/ immediately following results in an easier transition to the vowel, without reverting back to sound in error (works well for fronting).  This also works with /f, s/ if stopping is involved. ~Kyle, Ohio
• I start with /g/ in isolation as something about the voicing makes it clearer.  I am very careful not to call it the “g” sound because kids will automatically do /d/ for that.  I tell them we’re going to do exercises to make their tongue strong.  We do a couple of tongue touches so they get the idea of copying me.  Then I hold the tip of their tongue down with a tongue depressor and have them copy a /g/ sound. I make sure they are opening their mouths as wide as possible. ~Katie, Illinois
• *Use a tongue depressor to hold the tongue tip down and slightly push it back. or *Start with /h/ to get the idea of a back sound.  Then move to “gargling.”  It sounds like a velar fricative.  This can be done with or without water and sounds really harsh on the voice but it’s just temporary.  Next, try to make the gargles shorter.  I’ve found that the shorter bursts get close to /k/ and you can praise the closest until success is achieved. ~Manda, Illinois
• I have a student who is severly apraxic and I had tried everything under the moon to elicit the /k/ and /g/.  Both his first and last name started with /k/.  First I tried having him lay on the floor (I left my door open in case passer by wondered what was up!)  I then used a tongue depressor to help push his tongue back into the proper position.  He didn’t like this, so I had to come up with a different method.  I read about the nutella spot where you take a dab of nutella and place it behind the lower teeth and have them lick it off.  Do this for a week.  The next week tell them to put there tongue at the nutella spot and then have them make the /k/ sound.  We’ve been moderately successful with this technique.  His /k/ is still closer to a velar fricative.  He is so apraxic that he just cannon coordinate his tongue for proper closure.  I’m always searching the net for different ways that I haven’t thought of yet! ~Leanne, Iowa
• Using a dumdum or tongue depressor to push front of tongue down / back of tongue up. Making glug glug sounds (as long as they’re not pharyngeal sounds). Lie on your back on the floor. Look up at the ceiling ~Daphne, Toronto

Links to other Tips and Tricks for K & G

Looking for more? Here are links to other posts on the subject of /k/ and /g/:

• Eliciting Sounds /k/ by Dean
• Therapy Ideas for /k/ and /g/  by Lauren Nelson PhD at Speech Pathology dot com
• Stimulation Ideas for the /k/ and /g/  by Pam Marshalla
• How to Teach the /k/ and /g/ Sounds from Mommy Speech Therapy
• How to Teach the /k/ Sound by Chicago Speech Therapy
• 12 Ways to Teach Your Child the /k/ Sound by Home Speech Home
• How to Elicit the /k/ Sound in Young Children  from Speech Language Resources

Check back tomorrow for Part Two, where I share some products, programs and resources for eliciting and treating the K & G! 

Don’t want to miss future posts? You can have posts delivered via email! just click  HERE  (be sure to watch for the confirmation email). You can also follow along on  Facebook  and  Pinterest  for even more speech and language information and fun!

About Katie

Katie is a licensed, credentialed and certified pediatric speech-language pathologist and mom to four (8, 6, 3 and 6 months). Her passion for educating, inspiring and empowering parents of children with all abilities led her to start her blog playing with words 365 where she shares information about speech & language development & intervention strategies, parenting, photography and a little about her family life too. Katie has been working in the field of speech pathology for 12 years and is certified in The Hanen Centre’s It Takes Two to Talk ® and Target Word ® programs and holds a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). In addition to blogging and being a mommy, Katie works part time in her small private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can follow her on Facebook , Pinterest and Twitter .

May 21, 2013 at 7:34 pm

this list is so helpful! thank you!

May 22, 2013 at 12:04 pm

I am so glad!

May 22, 2013 at 3:24 pm

May 22, 2013 at 8:56 pm

YAY! Love hearing this!

December 2, 2013 at 7:34 pm

I was wondering if Michele who posted this comment “One method – talk about making a “surprise face” (mouth wide open, tongue tip down) and say “aahhhh”. Then tell the child to keep tongue tip “right where it is” on the bottom teeth, and make the “cough sound” right here, (tapping my throat as a visual). ~Michele, Pennsalvania” had any evidence based practice to support it. After working with a child for 5 weeks and having no luck her tip worked and I was hoping for some EBP to back it up 🙂

January 27, 2014 at 12:58 pm

Love this list- I have tried so many with a very committed fronter! Interestingly, he can produce velars, but only in a blend (kl, kr, gl, gr). I have tried minimal pairs, using colored blocks to represent the sounds and “taking away” the l or r, but have had no luck in shaping it out or eliciting just the velar. He is now in 2nd grade and we’ve been working on this (along with other issues- all other artic issues have resolved) since he was a kindergartener. Suggestions would be appreciated!!

February 6, 2014 at 5:23 am

Hi- I am working with a 4 year old. His language is above average and he’s very smart. He demonstrates phonological processes. We first worked on /s/ blends and he got them immediately and carried them to conversation quicker than I would expect. Now, with fronting, I am having serious problems! I cannot, for the life of me, get a /k/ or a /g/. I’ve tried every single method listed on this site, and NOTHING! He’s starting to get frustrated. The problem is, I’m not sure which sounds to move to next, because the only sounds left in error are later developing sounds. I tried /L/, and he’s having trouble with that too. Any thoughts?

February 6, 2014 at 5:09 pm

Melanie, what phonological approach are you using? Remember…in phonology it is NOT about developmental articulation norms…it’s about the processes. I like to use Cycles and highly recommend Hodson’s books. Regarding the velars…sometimes the child simply isn’t ready…you may need to just take a break on them.

February 20, 2014 at 8:38 am

I am using cycles. It was great for s-blends. His mom wants me to see him twice per week, but I feel like I am wasting my time because he is not stimulable for ANY more sounds.

February 20, 2014 at 1:43 pm

What sounds does he have left?

February 24, 2014 at 5:40 am

The sounds he has left are /k/ and /g/, /l/, /r/, and all /l/ and /r/ blends. I finally got him to stop using /t/ for k…. now he is using a combination of a cough and /h/ sound… i think that is progress, right? I just have to learn to how to shape that into a good /k/.

February 24, 2014 at 10:30 am

It’s tough because k/g can be hard for some kids. Sounds like you are on the right track though!

February 25, 2014 at 9:49 am

May 23, 2018 at 6:56 am

Not sure if the comments are read anymore…but I have a very tricky student. He can say /k, g/ in medial and final positions, and in the initial position…except with /ae/, /I/, /i/ vowels! It is the oddest thing. His attention is pretty poor which doesn’t help. We’ve segmented the words but just can’t get past that stage. He is 4 years old. Any suggestions?

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250+ K Words, Phrases, Sentences, and Reading Passages

As promised here are the words for your unlimited use .

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Initial K by Syllables

caterpillar

cauliflower

coincidence

combination

congratulate

Connecticut

conversation

kindergarten

congratulations

conversational

cooperation

Medial K by Syllables

acknowledge

handkerchief

salt shaker

stomachache

accountable

agriculture

application

persecution

walking safety

accommodation

amplification

incalculable

inconsiderate

justification

Final K by Syllables

birthday cake

garter snake

quarterback

railroad track

T-bone steak

wedding cake

chocolate cake

magazine rack

South Pacific

SEE ALSO:   The Best Free App for Speech Therapy

Initial K Phrases and Sentences

healthy cabbage

cactus in a pot

bright candle

piece of candy

fresh carrots

silver coin

freezing cold

traffic cone

new cookbook

yellow corn

red ketchup

wireless keyboard

Some people think cabbage is gross.

Her cabin is made from logs.

Cactus grow in funny shapes.

Everyone likes cake.

The soda was in a cooler.

The candle lit up the dark room.

I will save my candy.

The car is fast.

We will play a game with cards.

We pick carrots from the garden.

The cat was going to crawl away.

The cave was by the ocean.

A coat is for sale.

He used his coin to buy treats.

He shivers when he is cold.

She likes to comb her hair.

Slow down when you see a traffic cone.

She is using her cookbook to make dinner.

The cop was working a case.

We are having corn for dinner.

A farmer had a cow.

A bear cub looks so playful.

I put ketchup on all my food.

I lock my door with this key.

My keyboard is wireless.

She is a cute kid.

The kite flew high.

Medial K Phrases and Sentences

ripe apricot

crispy bacon

muffin baker

racing biker

green bookmark

eat breakfast

broken vase

playing checkers

chicken coop

fresh cookies

crunchy cracker

stubborn donkey

rain jacket

paper napkin

small package

male peacock

white pocket

orange pumpkin

raccoon tail

tennis racquet

red raincoat

soccer ball

pink sucker

crunchy taco

male turkey

white vacuum

An apricot is delicious.

A bacon smell fills the house.

A baker loves muffins.

Racing is fun for a biker.

She uses a bookmark to keep her page.

I love bacon, eggs, and orange juice for breakfast.

The vase was broken.

Checkers is a fun game.

The chicken was by the coop.

He likes his cookies fresh.

He has four crackers.

The donkey stood in a pasture.

She wore a rain jacket in case it rained.

He wrote on the napkin.

Where did this package come from?

The peacock has gorgeous feathers.

He has nothing in his pocket.

The pumpkin is on the rock.

The raccoon has a striped tail.

He hit the ball with the racquet.

His raincoat was red.

The boys love playing soccer.

The gum on my shoe is too sticky.

She licks her pink sucker.

He wants his taco fresh.

A turkey sounds funny when it gobbles.

I need to vacuum the rug.

Final K Phrases and Sentences

yummy cupcake

bad headache

strawberry milkshake

sheet music

notebook paper

pretty peacock

rake leaves

long sidewalk

healthy snack

throw stick

sore stomach

short toothpick

silver truck

He has a pain in his back.

He liked to bike long distances.

She wants to read the book.

She is pointing to her cheek.

Her cupcake was yummy.

He saw a duck at the petting zoo.

I have a bad headache.

Let's go on a hike in the mountains.

That is a rusty hook.

He has a leak in his pipes.

My dog likes to lick me.

You can use a lock on a shed.

I want a strawberry milkshake.

This looks like hard music to play.

She is touching her neck.

She uses her notebook every day.

We rake leaves in the fall.

The rock is heavy.

She is too sick to go to work.

The sidewalk goes through the park.

She is eating a midnight snack.

She throws a stick for her puppy.

His stomach was sore from the pain.

He has a toothpick in his mouth.

A silver truck drives by.

She goes for long walks.

K Reading Paragraphs

Uncle taco's bike.

Uncle Taco loved to go biking every weekend. He liked to bike up and down mountains, around lakes, and through tunnels and caves. He liked to bike when it was hot and when it was cold.

One day he wanted to go on a bike ride, but couldn't find his bike. He looked and looked, but could not find it.

On his way to work the next day, he was puzzling about where his bike would be. As he was walking he noticed a carrot-colored pumpkin in someone’s garden.

"That's it!" he exclaimed. He ran home as fast as his little biking legs could carry him.

When he got home, he ran to the shed behind his house. After moving the rake, his backpack, and his colorful kite, he found his bike - right next to a carrot-colored plastic pumpkin. He had put his bike in the shed to remind himself that he needed to clean it out. And he spent the next weekend doing just that.

Cookbook Detective

Every Tuesday I go to Candle Park. I listen to music and read my book of the week.

Last week I took my breakfast to the park with me. A taco, some bacon, and a milkshake...my favorite. As I ate my breakfast, a cop with a notebook came by.

"Did you see a cat, a donkey, or a duck run by here?" he asked.

"No sir, I didn't?" I said.

"I am a detective, and I am trying to solve the stolen cookbook case," he said, "If you see anything weird on this sidewalk please call me."

"I will," I said. When he left, I thought of a great book title for his case. I would call it "The Great Cookbook Catastrophe."

Katie's Candy

Katie is careful with her candy. She loves it. She doesn't like cookies, crackers, or cupcakes - just candy. She likes her candy so much, she puts a lock on her candy box whenever she goes to sleep. She wears the key around her neck.

All of that changed after Katie got a sick stomach from eating too much candy. Now she eats healthy food like carrots, corn, and turkey. She hopes she won't get sick like that again.

This list of functional words was professionally selected to be the most useful for a child or adult who has difficulty with producing the "K" sound.

We encourage you to use this list when practicing at home.

Doing home practice will help your child make much faster progress toward correct production.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are only able to see students/clients 30-60 mins (or less) per week.

This is not enough time  for your child to overcome an articulation disorder with the "K" sound. But with high caseloads...

...it's all SLPs can do.

There's  only so much time  in the day.

Every day that your child goes without practice  it becomes more and more difficult  to correct an "K" error because he/she continues to say it incorrectly. 

SEE ALSO:   The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

We know life is busy , but if you're reading this you're probably someone who cares about helping their loved one as much as you can.

Practice 5-10 minutes whenever you can, but try to do it on a consistent basis (daily).

Please, please, please use this list to practice.

It will be a great benefit to you and your loved one's progress.

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Initial /k/ Fill-in Story

• February 28, 2010
• Articulation , K Sound , Materials , Speech

This fill-in-the-blank story is a fun way for students to practice initial /k/ at the word and sentence levels.  Have the students pick a word from the choices on the right side of the page.  Fill in the story with their answers and read it back to them or have them read it if they are able.  This story can also be found as part of the K Sound Expansion Set.

Find It Fast Game for S Sound

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Pocket Chart Memory Game for Speech or Language Therapy

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Fact vs. Opinion – Beach Theme

Do your students need extra practice discriminating between facts and opinions? You can use these…

Initial /sn/ Snake Chain Activity

This activity is great for practicing initial /sn/ words.  Included are instructions and two pages…

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• next post: Initial /k/ Game Board