Comprehensive T Words Resource for Speech Therapy: 150+ T Words

The /t/ sound is an early developing sound, meaning it is one of the first sounds children learn to say. Most children are able to produce /t/ by about two to four years of age. However, some children have difficulty producing this sound correctly. If this sounds like your child or student, this resource is for you!

This free guide includes lists of /t/ words, /t/ phrases, /t/ sentences, /t/ stories, and /t/ games. We have also included instructions on how to teach children to produce the /t/ sound. This article is perfect for speech therapists and parents of children working on improving their production of /t/ words. 

Word list: 150+ /T/ Words List

Start targeted practice of the /t/ sound with /t/ in words. Children need to practice producing /t/ in all word positions: the beginning of words, the middle of words, and the end of words. 

This /t/ word list includes initial /t/ words, medial /t/ words, and final /t/ words.

Initial /t/	Medial /t/	Final /t/
table	butter	cat
time	water	hat
top	letter	light
tall	matter	soft
target	center	bat
tack	later	cart
team	battle	flight
test	winter	night
tin	waiter	spot
track	button	print
twist	better	act
tide	after	cut
tired	artist	art
tight	bottle	sit
tip	eater	heat
turtle	hunter	gift
talk	doctor	hunt
tail	cotton	diet
touch	total	sweet
trap	metal	bit
trunk	writer	left
turn	bitter	knit
tune	filter	mat
ticket	quitter	chart
trace	heater	rest
tame	master	remote
tent	hitting	coat
tribe	sweaty	flat
total	actor	ant
troop	kitten	fruit
tailor	butterfly	basket
treasure	guitar	test
tank	little	fit
tape	city	plant
toss	dirty	knot
trick	hotel	kit
tablet	beautiful	front
torch	pretty	hit
tiger	hospital	shirt
tint	brighter	shot
tunnel	biting	boat
tower	mittens	trust
tire	potato	count
type	Saturday	slot
trade	thirteen	lift
tube	motel	stunt
truth	tomato	list
trend	waiting	pocket
teach	fleeting	wait
term	floating	habit
tender	batting	set
tree		belt
tool		moat
tick		lot
tone		skirt
tag		port
trip		seat
		heart
		part
		unit
		cast
		pot
		salute
		flute

T Word Lists by Syllables

In addition to accurately producing /t/ in all positions of words, children need to practice the /t/ sound in words consisting of multiple syllables. This prepares them to accurately say both short and long /t/ words. 

The following lists contain /t/ words from one to five syllables.

Initial /t/ by syllables (/t/ at the beginning of words)

One Syllable	Two Syllables	Three Syllables	Four Syllables	Five Syllables
tap	table	tangible	transubstantial	transformational
top	ticket	tenderness	tranquility	territorial
tin	talent	technician	transactional	triviality
tip	tunnel	tangerine	transnational	technological
tick	tonic	tabulate	transfiguration	trigonometry
tack	target	terrible	trepidation	telekinetic
tug	terror	trilogy	transformation	thermodynamic
ten	tumbler	tendency	transcendental	theological
tint	tender	tolerance	temporary	televangelist
torn	tutor	triumphant	temerity	telekinesis
track	token	turbulence	technologist	theoretical
test	tower	temporal	transmutation	terminology
toss	tiger	thespian	transmissible	topographical
team	trigger	telescope	transportation	testimonial
trunk	titan	talented	transcriptional	telegraphically
torch	timing	transition	tectonically	trinitarian
twist	trouble	tentative	transplantation	thermochemistry
tomb	temper	trivial	tribulation	transcontinental
trick	treasure	transfusion	termination	telepathically
tall	trinket	transcendence	theatrical	transfiguration
town	tumble	tournament	theology	temporality
tear	texture	transaction	transitory
trap	tailor	translation	territory
tripe	trumpet	transmission	therapeutic
tame	tablet	terminate	totality
toll	tackle	transference	transatlantic
tramp	traffic		traditional
treat	tenor
tract
tongue
tail
task
taunt

Medial /t/ by syllables (/t/ in the middle of words)

Single syllable words do not have /t/ in the medial position, so single syllable /t/ words are not included in this list.

Two Syllables	Three Syllables	Four Syllables	Five Syllables
better	sensitive	authority	familiarity
letter	habitat	activity	contemplatively
pattern	excitement	equality	sensitivity
matter	attention	contemplative	disability
center	lottery	community	multiplication
hotter	multiply	participate	unpredictable
waiting	cavity	integrity	productivity
water	interpret	automatic	sensibility
later	charity	complexity	misunderstanding
winter	determine	celebrity	relativity
writer	importance	indistinctive	indestructible
bitter	gravity	ability	interpretation
cutter	royalty	mentality	unintentional
battle	watery	humanity	intentionally
greater	waterfall	capacity	reflectivity
filter	levity	simplicity	hospitality
ladder	catapult	mobility	probability
metal	beautiful	velocity	disorienting
meter	attitude	intensity	opportunity
shelter	computer	stability	determinable
partner	excited	accountable	unpredictably
filter	forgotten	adaptable	similarity
system	hospital	identity	accidentally
waiter	invited	ability	inconsistency
master	photograph	momentary	understandable
district	potato	compatible	capability
shelter	visitor	facility	intelligible
writing		reality	inevitable
button		sustainable	incompatible
batter		eternity	inconsequential
setter			inadvertently
			possibility

Final /t/ by syllables (/t/ at the end of words)

One Syllable	Two Syllables	Three Syllables	Four Syllables	Five Syllables
act	artist	efficient	immediate	indeterminate
bat	market	elegant	influential	unintelligent
bit	ticket	important	inconsistent	indiscriminate
dot	tablet	excellent	independent	inconsiderate
fit	secret	sufficient	significant	overcomplicate
hat	diet	persistent	magnificent
hit	credit	dependent	impertinent
let	concert	confident	indefinite
met	rocket	represent	inconvenient
net	jacket	contradict	incompetent
pet	basket	competent	misrepresent
put	carpet	definite	nonresistant
rat	habit	opposite	appreciate
set	magnet	pertinent	intelligent
shot	summit	convenient	unrepentant
that	moment	accident	disorient
wait	budget	correlate
wet	present	adequate
mat	quiet	violent
boot	packet	innocent
cart	subject	absent
coat	blanket	patient
cut	expect	affluent
flat	pocket	insistent
knot	target	diligent
lot	impact	reluctant
pot	comfort	prominent
chat	desert	consistent
sit	planet	relevant
top	rabbit	incomplete
bet	urgent	hesitant
debt	vibrant
wait	statement
net	brilliant
hit	recent
chart	patient
tot	content
	minute

Further /T/ Word Practice: Short Phrases and Sentences

Following success with /t/ sound words, children should move on to practicing /t/ in phrases and sentences. This helps to improve their speech skills and generalization as it increases the complexity of speech.

Children should practice producing /t/  words in short phrases of 2-4 words before moving on to sentences. You can incorporate these /t/ phrases and sentences in activities like the ones described later in this resource. 

Short Phrases with T Word

Short common phrases called carrier phrases are a great place to start. Carrier phrases build progressively on the child’s skills by moving from /t/ words to phrases to sentences. 

Examples of carrier phrases include:

• “There is a ____.”
• “I have a ____.”
• “I want a ____.”
• “I need a ____.”
• “I see a ____.”

This table lists phrases that contain words that start with /t/, words with /t/ in the middle of the word, and words that end with /t/. 

Initial /t/	Medial /t/	Final /t/
The tall tree	Water bottle	Quiet night
Take the time	Better luck	Wait for it
Talk to me	Little cat	Just about
Tip the waiter	Bad attitude	Hold tight
Turn the page	Lose a button	Stop it
Time flies	Waiting for it	Hit the target
Tea on the table	Fighting for it	Make it right
Tell me the truth	Hold a meeting	Thought about it
A fun trip	Protect your heart	Spot on
The test results	Hitting the ball	Got it right
Try your best	Better than that	Wait a bit
The team won	The artist draws	Hit the mark
Toss the ball	A master painter	Sit tight
The total amount	Into the night	Test the waters
Take the lead	Putting it together	Cut it short
Toss the trash	A lighter weight	Plant it
Take a break		Got it
Teacher’s pet		The best part
		Put the past behind

Short Sentences with T Word

After students can accurately produce /t/ in phrases in various word positions, sentences with /t/ should be introduced. This table consists of lists of short sentences with /t/ at the beginning of words, in the middle of words, and at the end of words. 

Initial /t/	Medial /t/	Final /t/
The turtle took a nap.	I will attend my class lecture.	I don’t want to faint.
Tom tried to make the team better.	I better not be late for my appointment.	I kept the locket in a box.
That table is very large.	I met with my doctor yesterday.	She put it back on the shelf.
Take a seat while I prepare.	We waited for it to happen.	Don’t forget it.
The tall man walked quickly.	We visited the artist’s gallery.	He caught it in the net.
They talked for hours about the plan.	I helped with the cabinet adjustment.	He hit it right on the target.
Tim’s team won the game.	He bought tickets for the basketball game.	He thought about it for a while.
He parked the truck on the street.	The artist painted a perfect portrait.	The dog bit it and ran away.
There is a twist in the story.	I lost the mitten in the closet.	I will set it down here.
Tyler is a talented player.	I tested out of geometry and accounting.	Please put it on the table.
Take your time when walking.	They couldn’t break the contract.	Wait for it to dry.
The teacher told us a story.	We visited the waterfall on vacation.	Sit tight and wait for the result.
That was a very trying task.	The dog was protecting the boy.	Don’t stop it now.
They took a break during the hike.	He had a bad attitude.	I caught it just in time.
The tree was tall and green.	I water the plants in my garden.	That’s where I left it.
Thomas touched the warm blanket.	The butterflies are colorful.	Don’t turn it off.
The ticket was expensive to buy.
The time has come to leave.

T Word Reading Practice

The next step after phrases and sentences is to practice /t/ words in paragraphs and short stories. You can preview the passages and highlight the /t/ words ahead of time so that the child will know to focus on accurate production of /t/ when reading those specific words. 

Your child can practice the following short stories and reading passages with /t/ in all word positions. 

Tiffany’s Team Adventure

Tiffany was a talented tiger who loved to try new things. One day, her teacher told the class about a terrific team competition. Tiffany’s tail twitched with excitement. “I want to join the team!” she thought.

Tiffany quickly told her friends, “Let’s team up and take on the challenge!” Her friends, Tom, Toby, and Tara, were thrilled to be on the team too. Together, they trained every day. Tiffany tried her best to tackle each task—whether it was testing her speed in a race or teaming up for a tricky puzzle.

On the day of the competition, Tiffany and her team felt a little nervous but mostly excited. They tackled each event with teamwork and trust. Tiffany timed the race, Tara took the leap, Tom made the target, and Toby tackled the tricky obstacle.

In the end, Tiffany’s team took the trophy! They were thrilled to have worked together and tried their best. “Teamwork really does make a terrific difference!” Tiffany said with a big, proud smile.

Timmy the Tiger’s Terrific Trip

Once upon a time, there was a tiny tiger named Timmy. Timmy was a very curious tiger, always trying new things. One sunny morning, Timmy decided to take a trip to the tall trees at the edge of the jungle.

Timmy trotted through the tall grass, tapping his tiny paws on the ground. The birds tweeted above him, and the trees swayed gently in the breeze. Timmy was thrilled to see so many things on his terrific trip.

Suddenly, Timmy saw something shiny in the distance. It was a tiny turtle, tiptoeing along the path! Timmy trotted up to the turtle and said, “Hi there, tiny turtle! Where are you going?”

The turtle smiled and said, “I’m taking a trip to the tall tree where the tastiest treats grow. Want to come with me?”

Timmy’s tail twitched with excitement. “I’d love to!” he said.

Together, Timmy and the turtle trudged through the jungle, stopping to smell the flowers and listen to the tigers’ tiny roars in the distance. They crossed a tranquil stream, tiptoeing over stones to avoid getting their paws wet.

At last, they reached the tall tree. Timmy’s eyes widened as he looked up. “Wow! This tree is huge!” he exclaimed. Hanging from the tree were tasty fruits—tangerines, tangy apples, and tasty berries.

Timmy tasted the treats and was so happy! “This is the best trip ever!” he said. “Thank you for taking me to this terrific tree!”

The turtle chuckled. “It was my pleasure, Timmy! Now you know the secret to the tastiest treats in the jungle.”

Timmy smiled and waved goodbye to his turtle friend. As he trotted home, he felt proud of his terrific trip and all the tasty treats he’d found.

And from that day on, Timmy the Tiger took many more trips to discover all the wonders of the jungle!

Games & Activities with T Words 

A fun way to practice /t/ words at any point is to incorporate games. Games can be used to target /t/ at any level: in words, phrases, sentences, or stories. Games can increase motivation and engagement, and help children to see the relevance and payoff of all their hard work! Below are suggestions of games and other activities you can incorporate into your practice of /t/ words.

T Sounds Tic-Tac-Toe

Create a tic-tac-toe board with pictures of items starting with the /t/ sound (e.g., tiger, table, turtle). Describe one of the items for the child to identify. Children must say the word before placing their mark on the board.

T Sound Sorting

Gather a mix of pictures or objects that start with the /t/ sound and ones that do not. The child has to sort them into two piles—words that start with /t/ and those that don’t. They should practice saying the words starting with /t/. 

T Sound Toss

Use a soft ball or beanbag and toss it to a partner. Each time the ball is caught, the person must say a word with the /t/ sound (e.g., “tap,” “turn,” “top“). You can provide a list of /t/ words for the child to choose from. 

T Sound Walk

Take a walk around the house or neighborhood and point out objects that start with the /t/ sound. For example, “That’s a tall tree,” “Look at the toy,” or “There’s a table.”

What is a /T/ Sound and How to Pronounce It?

The /t/ sound is a voiceless stop. This means that your voice is off when producing /t/, unlike the voiced stop /d/. In addition, the airflow from your lungs is paused by your tongue and then released in a puff of air.

/T/ is one of the earliest sounds children learn to say. If a child has difficulty producing /t/, they may substitute it with another sound or eliminate it completely. If this is the case, contact a speech language pathologist and practice with the /t/ word lists in this resource.

Pronouncing the /T/ Word Sound 

When producing the /t/ sound, lift your tongue up to the alveolar ridge, which is the bumpy section inside your mouth just behind your upper front teeth. Then move your tongue down and away from this spot, pushing air out of your lungs as you do so to create a sudden burst of air. 

How to Help Your Child Produce the /T/ Sound Correctly

When a child is exhibiting errors in their production of the /t/ sound, you need to first make sure that they can lift their tongue tip. You can test this by having the child move their tongue from side to side and then up and down. If a child is born with a tongue tie, they may not be able to do this and they may need to have it repaired.

If the child is able to elevate their tongue, you may just need to teach them where their tongue needs to go when producing /t/. Here are some ways to do this:

• Demonstrate elevating your tongue to the alveolar ridge and have the child practice matching your position in a mirror. 

• Stimulate the alveolar ridge with a small sponge or toothbrush. You can also place pudding or peanut butter in that spot so the child must lift their tongue in order to lick off the food.

• To strengthen tongue tip elevation, have the child hold a cheerio up on the alveolar ridge with their tongue. See if they can hold it while you count to 10 before they can eat it.

• Once the tongue tip is in the correct position, have them practice the /t/ sound. You can tell them to “Make the sound of a ticking clock, t-t-t-t-t.”

Using Forbrain to Practice T Words

Forbrain can be used as a complementary tool for speech therapy practice of the /t/ sound. Forbrain is an auditory stimulation headset that helps children hear their speech louder and more clearly through bone conduction technology. Since children can monitor their speech, they can make changes to their speech sounds. This helps improve sound discrimination and speech skills. Children can wear the Forbrain headset during regular speech therapy and practice of /w/. 

In addition, Forbrain also strengthens auditory processing skills, which can help improve language, vocabulary, and literacy acquisition and development.

Final Words

Regular and consistent practice is key to making progress when working on improving articulation skills. If your child or student has difficulty producing the /t/ sound or is exhibiting errors or substitutions, use the lists in this guide of /t/ words, /t/ phrases and sentences, /t/ paragraphs and short stories, and /t/ games and activities.

You can also include regular practice into your daily life, without much extra effort. Practice saying words that start with /t/ while getting ready for the day, such as “toothbrush,” “towel,” “tie,” “t-shirt,” and “toes.” When playing outside, such as with a ball or a frisbee, incorporate words with the /t/ sound. For example, “Throw the toy,” “Take a turn,” or “Toss the ball.” While preparing meals, point out and practice items starting with /t/, like “tomato,” “taco,” “tongs,” “tea,” and “tray.” When your child sees how often they use /t/ words in their daily life, they will be more excited and motivated to practice. In addition, the more they practice and improve their speech skills, the more their confidence will increase.

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