Articulation: the NG sound worksheets
A complete printable ng sound articulation set: how-to cue card, picture cards for the middle and end of words, phrases, sentences, bingo, a board game, roll and say and spin and say games and a practice tracker.
The worksheets
- See it all
All My NG Words
Every ng practice word on one page, sorted by where the sound is: start, middle or end.
How to Say NG
A cue card with a mouth picture, three simple steps, syllables to practice, and a practice ladder from sound to talking.
NG Cards: Middle of Words
Nine picture cards with ng at the middle of the word. The sheet is the same every time, so two copies make matching pairs.
NG Cards: End of Words
Nine picture cards with ng at the end of the word. The sheet is the same every time, so two copies make matching pairs.
NG Phrases
Nine short phrases like "a big ___" with ng words. A new set every time.
NG Sentences
Eight simple sentences with a ng word in each. A grown-up can read first if needed.
NG Bingo
Two bingo boards with ng pictures. Use coins, cereal or buttons as markers.
NG Board Game
A board game with 15 ng words and three special squares. New words every time.
NG Roll and Say
Six NG pictures, one for each side of a die, with circles to color each time you say the word. Fewer has 3 circles each and More adds a second round of 6 pictures.
NG Spin and Say
A paper clip spinner with NG pictures and a box row for each word. Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10 pictures.
NG Practice Tracker
A ten-day chart to track correct tries out of 10 at each level.
Print the whole packet
One copy of every sheet above, in order. Tap + for more copies (up to 10).
For the parent or teacher
What it is
Articulation means making speech sounds clearly. To make the ng sound, the back of the tongue lifts like for k and the sound hums out through the nose. Most children say it by about age 4. A child who is still working on it often says n for ng (rin for ring, kin for king). This set walks through the steps speech therapists use: the sound by itself, then syllables, words, phrases, sentences and finally everyday talking. Common Core doesn't cover speech sounds, so these sheets have no Common Core code.
What comes next
Practice the next sound, or use the mixed sound sheets to review several sounds at once.
How to teach it
- Hold the nose gently. If the sound stops, the ng is going through the nose the right way.
- Practice a little every day. Five to ten minutes of focused tries beats one long session.
- Climb the ladder. Sound, syllables, words, phrases, sentences, then talking. Move up when your child gets about 8 out of 10 right.
- Pick one word position to start, usually the beginning of words, then add middle and end.
- Ding-dong! Pretend to be a doorbell or a clock and stretch the ng.
Common mistakes
- Moving up too fast. If the sound slips in sentences, go back to phrases for a few days.
- Correcting every word in everyday talk. Save corrections for practice time and keep conversation fun.
- Saying the sound right alone but not in words. That's normal. Syllables are the bridge.
- If your child is hard to understand, frustrated when talking, or not improving, ask your pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation.