D Words for Speech Therapy: Lists and Engaging Activities for Practice
Amanda Unrau CCC-SLP
01/27/25 | Last modified: 03/25/25
The /d/ sound is an early developing sound, meaning that it is learned and used at a young age. In fact, the reason that most babies say “dada” before they learn to say “mama” is that children learn to produce the /d/ before the /m/ sound.
For children who are unable to produce /d/ words, their family and caregivers may be unable to understand them, which can cause frustration in the child. These children may benefit from speech therapy, as well as consistent practice at home. This resource aims to help guide home practice.
This comprehensive guide that we have created includes lists of /d/ words, as well as /d/ phrases, sentences, stories, and games. We have also included tips for teaching the /d/ sound to children and ways to help them improve their production of /d/ words. Incorporate these exercises into daily practice to help children make progress in their speech skills.
Word list: 150+ /D/ Words List
When working on improving production of /d/ words, it is important to start by practicing the sound in all positions of words: /d/ at the beginning of words, /d/ in the middle of words, and /d/ at the end of words. This ensures that the child is able to accurately produce /d/ in all words.
Below is a curated list for speech therapy practice that includes /d/ initial, /d/ medial, and /d/ final words:
| Initial /d/ Words | Medial /d/ Words | Final /d/ Words |
| dog | ladder | bird |
| dance | candle | hand |
| doll | ponder | sand |
| door | modern | field |
| duck | bender | word |
| drip | sandal | mind |
| drive | medicine | bold |
| diner | address | sword |
| duckling | radio | bond |
| daily | midday | load |
| dagger | cinder | food |
| danger | fender | read |
| dust | wonder | cold |
| date | muddle | wild |
| dune | puddle | good |
| down | paddle | world |
| dive | lender | friend |
| deal | loader | blend |
| does | hidden | hold |
| dose | under | grand |
| dark | leader | paid |
| dash | wader | plaid |
| deep | border | glad |
| dawn | hoarder | stud |
| drizzle | hinder | end |
| drill | riddle | crowd |
| dazzle | pardon | red |
| dote | gander | lend |
| drove | model | sold |
| drama | tidy | tired |
| den | medal | toad |
| dull | pedal | add |
| dandy | mending | backed |
| dig | addict | stand |
| duct | sudden | thread |
| domain | ready | bad |
| decor | ordinary | fried |
| dearth | order | fold |
| deed | cuddle | dried |
| draft | waddle | kid |
| doorway | giddy | piled |
| downfall | huddle | stood |
| drum | widen | failed |
| dot | rider | played |
| dam | wider | poured |
| don | pinned | |
| downward | wide | |
| dime | slide | |
| dole | lurid | |
| dial | rude | |
| din | mend | |
| ding | boiled | |
| dent | node | |
| debate | blade |
D Word Lists by Syllables
In addition to practicing /d/ in all word positions, children should practice /d/ in words with a variety of syllables. Then they will successfully produce /d/ in both long and short words. It is important to work on multisyllabic words, as these words can be more difficult to pronounce correctly.
Included is a table of /d/ words listed by number of syllables, from one to five.
Initial /d/ by syllables (/d/ at the beginning of words)
| One Syllable | Two Syllables | Three Syllables | Four Syllables | Five Syllables |
| dog | dinner | durable | development | disproportionate |
| duck | doctor | decision | derivative | disoriented |
| date | dancer | dinosaur | disadvantage | disenfranchisement |
| drum | danger | delicate | dissolution | decontaminate |
| dash | dealer | document | dedication | deteriorate |
| dirt | distant | delightful | desperation | depreciation |
| dive | denim | dynamic | disrespectful | discrimination |
| dime | derive | discover | disenchanted | deliberation |
| door | declare | delegate | devastating | discombobulating |
| dice | deepen | dangerous | delectable | derogatory |
| deep | doorway | develop | disturbance | deceleration |
| dove | darling | discretion | demonstrated | disintegration |
| dine | driveway | distinction | deferential | denunciation |
| drone | distinct | destructive | declaration | |
| dwell | disarm | dialogue | decentralize | |
| drift | define | domestic | dehydration | |
| deaf | demand | diminish | ||
| down | distance | distribute | delegation | |
| dune | diverge | distasteful | ||
| distraught | determined | |||
| dwindle | duplicate | |||
| defend | detective | |||
| dally | direction |
Medial /d/ by syllables (/d/ in the middle of words)
Single syllable words do not have /d/ in the medial position, so single syllable /d/ words are not included in this list.
| Two Syllables | Three Syllables | Four Syllables | Five Syllables |
| leader | cylinder | secondary | administrator |
| modern | sandpaper | endangerment | superintendent |
| tudor | wanderer | considerate | consideration |
| ladder | editor | independent | misunderstanding |
| under | standardize | understanding | |
| riddle | reminder | condensation | |
| coder | commander | abandonment | |
| siding | suddenly | administer | |
| medal | calendar | reconsider | |
| cinder | understood | preconditioned | |
| founder | abandon | undetermined | |
| tender | admitted | ||
| wander | bedridden | ||
| sander | provider | ||
| sudden | surrounding | ||
| schedule | addition | ||
| middle | adventure | ||
| reader | |||
| cuddle | |||
| border | |||
| model |
Final /d/ by syllables (/d/ at the end of words)
| One Syllable | Two Syllables | Three Syllables | Four Syllables | Five Syllables |
| sand | wanted | invited | estimated | habilitated |
| world | painted | remembered | complicated | misinterpreted |
| hand | explained | existed | integrated | uninterrupted |
| food | relied | connected | reconstructed | exaggerated |
| road | referred | accepted | reconsidered | humiliated |
| bed | troubled | considered | unintended | |
| blood | tired | created | ||
| gold | agreed | correspond | ||
| kind | disguised | qualified | ||
| mind | replied | admitted | ||
| played | survived | recovered | ||
| loved | transformed | uninformed | ||
| hoped | informed | |||
| learned | returned | |||
| called | ||||
| bored |
Further /D/ Word Practice: Short Phrases and Sentences
Children should practice /d/ words in short phrases and sentences after they master /d/ in various word positions. This increases the complexity of the context in which they practice /d/ words, which helps to improve their speech skills.
Start by practicing /d/ words in phrases of 2-4 words, and then move on to sentences. Use these phrases and sentences in the games and activities suggested later in this guide.
Short Phrases with D Words
You can start building onto /d/ words by introducing carrier phrases, which are short common phrases that help students slowly move from /d/ words to phrases and then sentences.
Examples of carrier phrases include:
- “I found a ____.”
- “I need a ____.”
- “She has a ____.”
- “He sees a ____.”
- “I want a ____.”
This table lists phrases that start with /d/, phrases with /d/ in the middle, and phrases with /d/ at the end of words.
| Initial /d/ | Medial /d/ | Final /d/ |
| Dog barks | Sand dunes | Find a friend |
| Dark sky | Middle ground | Well played |
| Dirty clothes | Hidden message | Read the book |
| Deep breath | Riddle solved | Called a friend |
| Drop the ball | Model design | Hoped for success |
| Dream big | Climb the ladder | Remembered to call |
| Dance class | In the middle | Moved quickly |
| Duck dive | Puddle of water | Watched the game |
| Distant voice | Huddle up | Jumped to conclusions |
| Drip drop | Follow the leader | Needed help |
Short Sentences with D Words
Short sentences containing /d/ should be introduced for practice following success with carrier phrases and short phrases. This table includes lists of short sentences with /d/ at the beginning of words, in the middle of words, and at the end of words.
| Initial /d/ | Medial /d/ | Final /d/ |
| Dive into the water. | The train traveled rapidly. | She smiled and waved. |
| David runs every morning. | I sat in the middle. | The car stopped abruptly. |
| Don’t forget to call. | Open the windows please. | He decided to leave early. |
| Dark clouds filled the sky. | The kids played indoors. | They played hard. |
| Ducks swim in the lake. | Turn the music up louder. | We walked toward the pond. |
| Drive carefully today. | My dog wandered away. | He jumped and landed hard. |
| The doctor gave advice. | I ran through the puddle. | He worked hard all day. |
| Dogs chase the ball. | I cuddle my teddy bear. | He passed the test. |
| Drink plenty of water. | Keep pedaling the bike. | I turned around to see. |
| Do your best in class. | It suddenly started to rain. | They moved forward. |
D Word Reading Practice
Following /d/ practice in sentences, it is helpful to read passages containing /d/ words. You may want to review the /d/ words in each passage with the child prior to reading. This makes them aware of the target words so they can focus on the pronunciation of those words in particular.
Try out the short stories and reading passages containing /d/ in various word positions below:
Dennis the Duck
Dennis the duck loved to swim in the deep, dreamy pond. One day, he decided to dive down to the bottom. He paddled his feet and dove into the cool water, delighted by the bubbles that danced around him.
After a while, Dennis floated up to the surface and dried his feathers in the sun. “What a delightful day!” he quacked.
As the sun began to set, Dennis waddled back to his cozy nest, ready for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, he decided, he would dive again!
Danny the Dancing Donkey
Danny the donkey was different from all the other donkeys on the farm. While they loved to trot and play, Danny loved to dance! Every day, he would find a quiet spot under a big tree and start to dance.
One day, Danny decided to dance for his friends. He trotted to the barnyard and started spinning and twirling. “Look at me!” Danny brayed, delighted by his moves.
The other animals gathered around, watching Danny’s dance. The ducks danced with him, waddling in a circle. The dog barked and wagged his tail. Even the deer in the distance seemed to watch Danny’s happy dance.
Danny danced and danced until the sun began to set. Tired but happy, he stopped and smiled. “Dancing is so much fun!” he said. “I’ll dance every day!”
Daisy’s Day of Discovery
Once upon a time, in a little village, there lived a curious dog named Daisy. Daisy loved to explore and discover new things every day. One sunny morning, she decided to go on a grand adventure.
Daisy dashed out of her cozy doghouse and down the dirt road. She was determined to find something exciting. As she walked, she saw a group of ducks by the pond. “Hello, ducks!” Daisy barked. “What are you doing?”
“We’re swimming and diving,” quacked the ducks. “Want to join us?”
Daisy didn’t know how to dive, but she decided to try. She dipped her paws into the cool water and splashed around. The ducks cheered, and Daisy giggled with delight.
After a while, Daisy continued her journey. She wandered into the woods and discovered a hidden den. Inside, there was a sleepy deer. “Hello, Mr. Deer,” Daisy said. “Are you resting?”
The deer nodded and smiled. “Yes, Daisy. It’s important to rest during the day, but you can keep exploring!”
Daisy thanked the deer and trotted on. She climbed a small hill and saw the most beautiful view. The sky was filled with bright clouds, and in the distance, there was a rainbow. Daisy’s tail wagged with joy as she felt proud of all the new things she had discovered.
At the end of the day, Daisy returned home, tired but happy. She lay down in her doghouse and dreamed about the wonderful adventures she would have tomorrow.
And from that day on, Daisy knew that every day was an opportunity to discover something new!
Games & Activities with D Words
Since daily practice is important for children to make progress in their speech skills, it helps to make it fun! Incorporate practice of /d/ words into games and other activities. We have included a list of ideas to help you get started.
Dinosaur Dash
Create a list of /d/ words (like dinosaur, dance, dog, door, etc.). Have the children run around and when you call out a /d/ word, they must stop and do a dance move or make a silly sound or action related to the word. For example, when “dog” is called, they might bark and wiggle like a dog.
D-Word Story Building
Start telling a story using a few /d/ words, such as “Danny the donkey danced in the dark.” Then, pass it along to the next child to add another sentence using a /d/ word (like “The dog decided to join him”). Continue until you’ve built a fun, silly story! You may want to have pictures or lists of /d/ words to help get children started.
Dance to the /D/ Beat
Play music and tell children to “dance” every time they hear a word with the /d/ sound in it. You could say words like “dog,” “dance,” “door,” etc. Every time a /d/ word is said, the children must freeze or dance! Then they can practice saying that word.
Dash of Drama
Give children a list of /d/ words and have them act out the words like in a charades game. For example, they could pretend to “dance,” “dig,” or “dive” for the group to guess the word. Depending on the age of the children, you can whisper the word to the child or have words written on strips of paper for the child to read.
What is a /D/ Sound and How to Pronounce It?
The /d/ sound is a voiced stop. This means that the airflow from your lungs is stopped by your tongue and then released suddenly. In addition, your voice is on when producing /d/, unlike the unvoiced stop /t/.
/D/ is one of the first sounds children learn to produce. If your child is unable to produce /d/ by age 3, contact a speech language pathologist. Use the /b/ word lists in this resource for practice.
Pronouncing the /D/ Word Sound
To produce the /d/ sound, you place your tongue up on the alveolar ridge, which is the bumpy part inside your mouth behind your upper front teeth. As you move your tongue away from this position, you push air out of your lungs to create a sudden burst of sound.
How to Help Your Child Produce the /D/ Sound Correctly
When a child has difficulty producing /d/, you first want to make sure that they can elevate their tongue. Some children are born with a tongue tie, and while this is not uncommon, it can prevent a child from properly elevating their tongue and they may need to have it repaired.
If the difficulty lies in where to place the tongue, try the following ideas:
- Demonstrate where your tongue goes to produce the sound and use a mirror so they can practice matching your tongue position in their own mouth.
- Use a toothbrush or a lollipop to stimulate the alveolar ridge behind the top front teeth so they can feel where their tongue needs to go.
- Use something that sticks longer like peanut butter. This gives the child more time to find that position as they taste it on the ridge.
Using Forbrain to Practice D Words
Another tool you can add to your toolbox when working with children practicing their /d/ sound is Forbrain. This is a device that children wear like a regular headset, but it uses auditory stimulation to help them improve their speech skills. With Forbrain, children hear their own speech much louder and more clearly. This immediate feedback helps with auditory discrimination as children can recognize whether they are saying /d/ correctly or not. This can lead to greater independence since they learn to adjust their pronunciation of /d/.
Forbrain can be worn during daily practice and during formal speech therapy sessions. It is a great tool for children working on improving their language skills as well. Forbrain has been shown to help with language acquisition, vocabulary development, auditory processing skills, and literacy skills.
Final Words
We have created this guide as a fully comprehensive resource that you can implement with children and students improving their production of /d/ words. With the lists of /d/ words in various positions, multisyllabic /d/ words, /d/ phrases, /d/ sentences, /d/ short stories, and /d/ games, you have everything you need to guide your child in their speech sound development.
When your child gets stuck, remember to use the pronunciation tips listed above. Provide encouragement and positive reinforcement by praising correct productions. Continue to model accurate production of /d/ by incorporating it in your daily life. Emphasize /d/ words while you read books, sing songs, cook, run errands, play, and in any and all daily activities.
Amanda Unrau
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