How to Say Y
Grown-up and child: read this together. Practice in front of a mirror.
Need more than one? Tap + for extra copies (up to 10).
How to do it
- Read the steps together in front of a mirror.
- Practice the sound alone, then in syllables.
- Color a star on the ladder at each level you master.
Teaching tip
Start every word with a long eee: eeee-yarn. Then make the eee shorter and shorter.
About this worksheet
A cue card with a mouth picture, three simple steps, syllables to practice, and a practice ladder from sound to talking.
What kids practice
Articulation means making speech sounds clearly. To make the y sound, the middle of the tongue rises high, like for ee, then glides into the vowel. Most children say it by about age 4. A child who is still working on it often says l for y (lellow for yellow) or leaves it off (ellow). 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.
Watch for
- 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.
It's free to print, as many copies as you need. See the full articulation: the y sound guide for 1st grade.
More sheets in this set
- See it all
1. All My Y WordsEvery y practice word on one page, sorted by where the sound is: start, middle or end. 
3. Y Cards: Start of WordsNine picture cards with y at the start of the word. The sheet is the same every time, so two copies make matching pairs.
4. Y Cards: Middle of WordsNine picture cards with y at the middle of the word. The sheet is the same every time, so two copies make matching pairs.
5. Y PhrasesNine short phrases like "a big ___" with y words. A new set every time.
6. Y SentencesEight simple sentences with a y word in each. A grown-up can read first if needed.
7. Y BingoTwo bingo boards with y pictures. Use coins, cereal or buttons as markers.
8. Y Board GameA board game with 15 y words and three special squares. New words every time.
9. Y Roll and SaySix Y 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.
10. Y Spin and SayA paper clip spinner with Y pictures and a box row for each word. Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10 pictures.
11. Y Practice TrackerA ten-day chart to track correct tries out of 10 at each level.