Initial Broad A Words for Speech Therapy

Initial Broad A Words are words that start with the broad A sound, such as on, are, and aren. This list has 14 initial-position Broad A words for speech therapy practice, and most children master the broad A sound by age 3.

Broad A words at the beginning: on, are, aren, honor, army, honest, art, arm, awful, obviously — plus 4 more below. Initial position means the word opens on the vowel itself, with no consonant in front of it to shape the mouth first — the clearest place to hear whether the vowel is on target.

Words:14
Position:Initial

Initial Broad A Words — Full List (14 Words)

Every word below starts with the broad A sound. Work through five at a time rather than the whole list in one sitting.

onarearenhonorarmyhonestartarmawfulobviouslyarmsoperationopportunityonto
Practice these words with games

How to Practice Initial Broad A Words at Home

Strategies for practicing the broad A sound at the beginning of words.

1

These words open on the vowel itself, with no consonant in front of it. Say the broad A sound on its own first, then carry straight on into the rest of "on" without stopping in between.

2

Use a mirror. A vowel is made by how open the jaw is and how the lips and tongue sit, not by a contact your child can feel, so watching the mouth is the clearest feedback available.

3

Practice minimal pairs — two words that differ only in this vowel. Hearing the pair back to back shows a child exactly what has to change, which a single word never does.

4

Go by sound, not spelling. English writes the broad A sound several different ways, so read the words aloud together rather than teaching them as a spelling pattern.

5

Play "I Spy" with the sound rather than the letter: anything whose name begins with the broad A sound counts.

Initial Broad A Words — Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of Broad A words in the initial position?
This page lists 14 Broad A words that start with the broad A sound, including on, are, aren, honor, army, honest, art, arm, awful, obviously.
What age should a child master the Broad A sound?
Most children master the broad A sound by age 3. Vowels come in earlier than most consonants: children generally have their full vowel system before the late-developing consonants such as /R/, /S/ and /TH/. Vowel errors are far less common than consonant errors, so one that is still there in a school-age child is worth raising with a speech-language pathologist.
How do you make the Broad A sound?
This is the sound a doctor asks for with "say aaah", which makes it easy to elicit. Keep the lips relaxed and unrounded; adding lip rounding turns it into the "aw" vowel.
What are common Broad A sound errors?
The most common broad A errors are: Substituting the AW sound (AW as in saw) for the broad A sound.; Substituting the short A sound (Short A as in cat) for the broad A sound..
How do you practice initial Broad A words at home?
These words open on the vowel itself, with no consonant in front of it. Say the broad A sound on its own first, then carry straight on into the rest of "on" without stopping in between. Use a mirror. A vowel is made by how open the jaw is and how the lips and tongue sit, not by a contact your child can feel, so watching the mouth is the clearest feedback available.

More Broad A Word Lists & Resources

Practice the broad A sound in the other word positions, or use the full sound guide and word list.

Medial Broad A Words

14 words with tips

Final Broad A Words

14 words with tips

Broad A Sound Guide

How to make it, common errors, FAQ

All Broad A Words

Complete 42-word list, all positions

Speech Sound Development Chart

What age each sound should appear

Speech Therapy Games

Practice Broad A words with interactive activities

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