W Words for Speech Therapy and Practice: Lists and Activities for All Levels
Amanda Unrau CCC-SLP
01/27/25 | Last modified: 03/03/25
The /w/ sound and w words are a sound that some children have difficulty producing. The /w/ sound, in words such as “wow” or “went,” is classified as a glide because it shares many characteristics with vowels. If a child is unable to produce this sound, they may substitute another sound or just eliminate that consonant completely. This impacts their overall intelligibility or how well others can understand them. If you notice your child or student struggling with the /w/ sound, this resource is for you.
Many children struggle to produce certain sounds, but with speech therapy and consistent practice, their speech can improve. As part of our speech therapy resources, we have created a comprehensive W word list that includes tips for improving production of /w/, /w/ word lists at various levels (words, phrases, sentences, reading passages), and games for practicing this sound. These effective tools can be utilized for targeted practice by speech therapists and parents
Word list: 150+ /W/ Word List
Below is a comprehensive /w/ word list to use in speech therapy and home practice. It is important to practice words with /w/ in different positions, including words starting with /w/, words with /w/ in the middle of the word, and words ending with /w/. In this case, when /w/ is at the end of a word it acts as a vowel because it follows another vowel. For example, in the word “low,” you hear an /o/ at the end of the word, and not the /w/. We have included lists for words starting with /w/ and words with /w/ in the middle, but not /w/ final words.
The /w/ sound is also found in many consonant blends, which you can find a similar resource for here.
| Initial /w/ Words (/w/) | Medial /w/ Words (/w/) |
| Wagon | Between |
| Wall | Award |
| Warm | Flower |
| Water | Power |
| Watch | Howl |
| Weather | Tower |
| Web | Cower |
| Week | Cowbell |
| Weight | Aware |
| Welcome | Await |
| We | Bowel |
| One | Rework |
| Window | Towel |
| World | Awkward |
| Work | Lower |
| Wonder | Shower |
| Worry | Homework |
| Weed | Awake |
| Whale | Driveway |
| Wild | Highway |
| Wash | Always |
| Weave | Cobweb |
| Washer | Hardware |
| Witch | Housework |
| Weak | Jaguar |
| Warrant | Mouthwash |
| Wolf | Pathway |
| Wag | Reward |
| Wood | Kiwi |
| Wand | Microwave |
| White | Seaweed |
| Wig | Sidewalk |
| Wing | Sandwich |
| Wavelength | |
| Whip | Raceway |
| Woven | Someone |
| Wire | Southwest |
| Worm | Away |
| Whistle | Beware |
| Wait | Beeswax |
| Walk | Hallway |
| Wipe | Network |
| West | Nowhere |
| Win | Cartwheel |
| Winner | Pinwheel |
| Want | Brickwork |
| Wet | Freeway |
| Wide | Catwalk |
| Worth | Cakewalk |
| Wallet | Likewise |
| Whiff | Midweek |
| Wax | Outward |
| Windmill | Midway |
| Wedge | Rewind |
| Winch | Reword |
| Wail | |
| When | |
| Weigh | |
| Wink | |
| With | |
| Wobble | |
| Whisper | |
| Weary | |
| Widen | |
| Wager | |
| Whisk | |
| Whack | |
| Wind | |
| Was | |
| Wander | |
| Waddle | |
| Wearing | |
| Wistful | |
| Wield | |
| Wiring | |
| Wheel | |
| Wandering | |
| Waffle |
W Word Lists by Syllables
When working to improve articulation skills, it is important to practice and master the target sound in all possible contexts. This ensures success and carryover of skills outside of the therapy setting.
One example of this is practicing /w/ in words with different numbers of syllables, from one syllable to four or five syllables. Older children will especially be exposed to words with more syllables as they learn domain specific vocabulary in different school subjects. This /w/ words list includes words with /w/ from one to five syllables. There are lists for words with different syllables with /s/ in the initial and medial position of words.
Initial /w/ by syllables (/w/ at the beginning of words)
| One Syllable | Two Syllables | Three Syllables | Four Syllables | Five Syllables |
| Wag | Water | Wanderer | Watermelon | Waterfowlery |
| Wall | Winner | Wonderful | Wonderfully | Whimsicality |
| Warm | Waffle | Wilderness | Waterproofing | Workaholism |
| Wake | Wondrous | Warranty | Wonderfully | |
| Way | Window | Wondering | Warrantable | |
| Weigh | Waiting | Wonderment | Whimsically | |
| Web | Wakeful | Whimsical | Wonderworker | |
| Work | Wooden | Warrior | Whistleblower | |
| Walk | Winter | Whispering | ||
| Win | Warrant | Wistfulness | ||
| Wish | Witness | Waterfall | ||
| Weak | Wishing | Windbreaker | ||
| Wound | Wavelength | Watering | ||
| Wash | Wonder | Waterproof | ||
| Watch | Wonderstruck | |||
| Wear | ||||
| Wore | ||||
| White | ||||
| Weep |
Medial /w/ by syllables (/w/ in the middle of words)
| One Syllable | Two Syllables | Three Syllables | Four Syllables | Five Syllables |
| Swarm | Between | Flowering | Unwillingly | Unquestionably |
| Sweet | Power | Requiring | Overwhelming | Underwhelmingly |
| Quick | Network | Aquatic | ||
| Queen | Sweater | Sweltering | ||
| Quench | Aware | Otherwise | ||
| Swim | Sweeten | Everywhere | ||
| Twist | Tower | Awareness | ||
| Switch | Swimmer | Noteworthy | ||
| Twitch | Swindle | Everyone | ||
| Twelve | Twisted | Everywhere | ||
| Swift | Await | |||
| Swipe | Towel | |||
| Swap | Awkward | |||
| Twice | Highway | |||
| Rewind | ||||
| Blower | ||||
| Midway |
Further /W/ Word Practice: Short Phrases and Sentences
After children master /w/ in words, they can move on to practicing /w/ in short phrases and sentences. This continues to increase the level of difficulty as children become more accurate and confident in their productions.
Parents and speech therapists can use these lists with children after practicing /w/ in words, starting with short phrases and moving on to sentences. Suggestions of ways to incorporate these lists are described below in the section on games and activities with /w/ words.
Short Phrases with W Word
A great way to begin implementing phrases into articulation practice in speech therapy is to use carrier phrases. Carrier phrases are simple phrases that help children continue their success in words and learn how to produce the target sound in sentences.
Below are some examples of carrier phrases:
- “I see a ____.”
- “I want the ____.”
- “There is a ____.”
- “Give me the ____.”
- “I have a ____.”
You can also use the short phrases with /w/ presented in the table below. Short phrases typically consist of 2-4 words.
| Short Phrases: Medial /w/ | Short Phrases:Medial /w/ |
| Warm weather | Swim underwater |
| We need | Take away |
| Watch out | Eat sweets |
| Winter wonderland | On the highway |
| Wait here | Follow the pathway |
| World peace | Travel the walkway |
| Wipe it | Smell flowers |
| Well done | Build a tower |
| We can | Ring the cowbell |
| Work hard | Hang the towel |
| A warm welcome | Lower bunk |
| Powerful wind | I’m awake |
| Quiet whispers | In the driveway |
| High water | Always late |
| Strong wind | Hardware store |
| New world | Clear the cobwebs |
| Very warm | Do housework |
| Show the way | Fast jaguar |
| Make it work | Earn rewards |
| In the way | Eat a kiwi |
| Tail wag | On the sidewalk |
| Whipped cream | Go away |
Short Sentences with W Word
Once a child is successful and comfortable with their production of /w/ in carrier phrases and short phrases, it is time to move on to /w/ in short sentences. The sentences in the table can also be used in the suggested games and activities listed below.
| Short Sentences –Initial /w/ | Short sentences –Medial /w/ |
| We went to the park. | Put the flowers in a vase. |
| Watch the movie. | Can I ask a question? |
| Where is your book? | The library has books everywhere. |
| Winter is coming soon. | This heat is sweltering. |
| The ground is wet. | These cookies are too sweet. |
| It is warm outside. | I don’t swim without goggles. |
| We walk to school. | Twist the lid to close the jar. |
| I woke up early. | I found it worthwhile |
| We should talk later. | I’ll meet you halfway. |
| Walk to the store. | The news was quite surprising. |
| Please wait for us. | The bees swarmed the hive. |
| He worked hard. | We bought a carton of twelve eggs. |
| The wind blew the leaves. | I wasn’t aware we had a test. |
| Wash your hands before dinner. | I dried my hands with the towel. |
| He cleaned and bandaged the wound. | We watched the queen on TV. |
| She made a birthday wish. | I drank water to quench my thirst. |
| Our team won the trophy. | My friend and I swapped snacks. |
| The dog wagged its tail. | I have been to a concert twice. |
| We hung pictures on the wall. | I will await your call. |
| I told my little sister to wake up. | I put the bookmark between the pages. |
| We had waffles for breakfast. | The apple tree is flowering. |
| Open the window for some fresh air. | I hope we win the award. |
W Word Reading Practice
Once children master /w/ in words, phrases, and sentences, they can move on to practicing /w/ in reading passages. This increases the difficulty level of the context in which /w/ is practiced, and is the next step to achieving accurate productions in spontaneous speech in all settings.
Below are examples of short stories and paragraphs containing /w/ words in the initial and medial word position.
Initial /w/ in a story (/w/ at the beginning of words)
We wandered through the winding streets, enjoying the fresh air. With each step, we noticed the warm glow of the setting sun. Where the path split, we took the west turn, eager to explore more. Watching the world around us, we felt a sense of peace. Water trickled in the nearby stream, and while we walked, we could hear the birds whistling in the trees. It was a perfect way to spend the afternoon.
Initial /w/ in a story (/w/ at the beginning of words)
We were playing outside, racing to see who could reach the big tree first. What a fun day it was! The sun was shining brightly, and the wind felt cool against our faces. We laughed as we ran, dodging small rocks and watching out for wet puddles. Each step seemed faster than the last, and the excitement made us forget about everything else.
Where the path split, we stopped to decide which way to go next. With a quick glance, we noticed a small wooden bridge ahead. Curious, we ran toward it, wondering what we might find on the other side. We crossed the bridge carefully, giggling as we felt the old wood creak beneath our feet. On the other side, there was a little water stream that sparkled in the sunlight.
We spent the next few hours wandering around the area, finding small treasures like smooth washed stones and colorful leaves. While we played, we talked about all the fun things we wanted to do next. What a wonderful adventure it had been! As the sun began to set, we headed home, our pockets full of whimsical little keepsakes, already planning our next wilderness adventure.
Medial /w/ in a paragraph (/w/ in the middle of words)
The swift breeze swept through the trees, making the leaves sway gently. We stopped between the towering buildings and took a deep breath, feeling the sweltering air mix with the sunlight. As we walked toward the park, the sound of children laughing echoed everywhere. It was the perfect time to relax on a bench on the sidewalk, and enjoy the quiet moment in the twilight.
Medial /w/ in a story (/w/ in the middle of words)
In the quiet forest, a small rabbit hopped between the trees, looking for a safe place to rest. The day had been warm, and the little creature was tired from running all over the flowering meadow. As it paused by a watering hole, a deer wandered into view, gently grazing on the fresh grass. The rabbit watched carefully, knowing that even in the calm woods, predators could be nearby.
Suddenly, a bird flew through the sky, calling out to its friends with loud tweets. The rabbit, feeling a bit braver, scampered out from the bushes and followed the bird’s flight path. As the bird soared toward the treetops, a family of squirrels dashed swiftly past, their bushy tails flicking with excitement. A swarm of bees flew to their hive of sweet honey. The forest was alive with sounds everywhere, and everything felt connected in this peaceful world.
As evening approached, the animals gathered in a small clearing away from the swamp. The stars began to twinkle overhead, and the night grew quiet. The rabbit found a cozy spot by a large rock, nestled within the grass. The deer and the squirrels sat nearby, all enjoying the sweet beauty of the moment. This quiet forest was their home, and for tonight, it was perfect.
Games & Activities with W Words
Games and activities targeting /w/ make practice more fun and more functional. Practice producing /w/ words in contexts that facilitate carryover into everyday activities, such as interactive games and related tasks. These activities are more motivating for children, leading them to be more engaged in practice.
While practicing /w/ words in these activities, provide gentle reminders or prompts to correct errors. Before starting a game, you can remind them that you will be listening for their good /w/ sounds, so they are thinking about that while they play. As they continue to become more proficient with /w/ words, reduce your prompts and encourage them to self-monitor their /w/ sound.
/W/ Word Sorting
This activity is a great way to build auditory discrimination skills and help the child become aware of what the correct production of /w/ sounds like. Depending on the child’s age and developmental level, provide items, pictures, or a list of words to children and have them sort which ones have the /w/ sound and which ones don’t. For physical items, you can offer a basket for each group.
For lists of words, you can offer two different colored highlighters for the students to differentiate words that contain /w/ versus those that don’t. When students who read are able to complete this activity with words, move on to reading passages! Students can use highlighters to identify words containing the /w/ sound as they read. This is a great functional task since they can do this with their homework or stories they enjoy. This will help to draw their attention to focus on the /w/ words, concentrating on how to accurately produce that sound as they read.
/W/ Bingo
Create bingo cards with pictures of objects that are initial /w/ words, medial /w/ words, and/or /w/ final words. Call out the words, and have the child mark off the pictures that match the sounds as they practice saying the word. If they have achieved success with /w/ at the word level, they can create short phrases or sentences containing the target word.
To add in some vocabulary skills practice as well, instead of naming the picture, you can describe the picture by giving the child 2-3 clues and having them identify the picture being described. For example, you say: “I see something you wear on your wrist that tells time and has a strap.” The child has to determine that you are describing “watch.”
/W/ Memory Game
Create pairs of cards with pictures of objects or words that have the /w/ sound in any position the child is targeting. Lay them face down, and take turns flipping two cards at a time, trying to match the pairs while saying the /w/ words. Every time they get a match, the child uses the carrier phrase, “I found the ___.” Eventually students can even practice making up a short story containing the /w/ word they find. This is a fun game to play with a small group of students, since everyone gets a turn.
/W/ Scavenger Hunt
Give the child a list of things in the environment that have /w/ in them (like water, wall, wool, flower, tower, sweets). Use pictures of items for younger children. Review the list to ensure the child knows what each item is. The child must then find as many objects on the list as they can. They name the /w/ item when they find it and cross it off the list. To make it more interesting, use this activity with a small group of children and see who can find the most items, or who can find all of the items first!
What is a /W/ Sound and How to Pronounce It?
/W/ is a voiced consonant sound that is produced when the lips, jaw, tongue, and the velum, or soft palate, work together. The key components of /w/ production are rounded lips, a high tongue, and vibrating vocal cords.
The /w/ sound is an early developing sound, which means that it is one of the first sounds that children learn. Most children are able to successfully produce /w/ by age 3. If this is not the case, seek out a speech language pathologist and practice using the resources we have provided on this page.
Pronouncing the /W/ Word Sound
To produce the /w/ sound, your lips come forward to pucker and form a tight circle. Then you produce a sound by pushing air through your vocal folds, while keeping the back of your tongue up toward the roof of your mouth.
How to Help Your Child Produce the /W/ Sound Correctly
Below are some strategies to incorporate when helping your child or student correctly produce /w/.
- Tactile cues: Tactile cues involve touch or feeling. Because /w/ is a voiced sound, your voice should be on when producing it. Let the child or student feel your throat as you produce the /w/ sound so that they can feel the vibrations. They can then check this on themselves by gently placing their hand on their throat while saying the /w/ sound and feeling for a vibration.
- Visual Cues: Visual cues are when you offer the child something to look at as they are producing the sound. You can point to your mouth as you say the /w/ sound. You can also hold up your finger in front of your mouth as a target for their lips, like puckering their lips to blow out a candle. In order to learn the correct positioning for production of /r/, the child can look in a mirror to try to make their mouth movements match yours.
- Verbal cues: When you give the child corrections and model correct productions with your voice, you are providing verbal cues. Model how to produce /w/ yourself and provide specific feedback. The long-term goal is for children to learn to self-monitor their own speech to notice errors and make adjustments on their own. Before that can happen, you need to provide these prompts. For example, if a student substitutes /y/ for /w/, you can say, “I heard ‘yave.’ Did you mean to say ‘wave?’ Make sure you use your /w/ sound and bring your lips forward. Let’s try it again. Say it with me. Wave.”
Using Forbrain to Practice W Words
Forbrain is a tool that can complement speech therapy practice of the /w/ sound. An auditory stimulation headset, Forbrain helps individuals to hear their speech louder and more clearly. This can help to improve sound discrimination and speech skills, as children are able to monitor and make changes to their speech sounds through the use of bone conduction technology. This makes Forbrain a great home accompaniment to formal speech therapy for the /w/ sound. Children can add Forbrain to speech therapy by wearing the headset during regular practice of /w/.
In addition to its help with improving articulation skills, Forbrain’s immediate feedback strengthens auditory processing skills. This can in turn improve several components of communication, including language acquisition, vocabulary development, and early literacy skills.
Final Words
When working on improving speech sounds, regular and consistent practice is essential to make progress. If your child or student has difficulty producing the /w/ sound, utilize the provided lists of /w/ words, /w/ phrases and sentences, /w/ paragraphs and short stories, and /w/ games and activities to supplement speech therapy services.
In addition to the above lists and tips, reading is great for overall speech and language development. Reading aloud with children naturally teaches them language skills and exposes them to correct productions of all speech sounds. To take it a step further, you can emphasize /w/ words as you read. With books the child knows well, you can eventually pause when you reach a /w/ word and have the child say it, then practice it together. Reading, and many of the other suggested activities, can be fun ways to improve a child’s speech skills and boost their confidence.
Amanda Unrau
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