Medial Long O Words for Speech Therapy

Medial Long O Words are words that have the long O sound in the middle, such as going, home, and told. This list has 14 medial-position Long O words for speech therapy practice, and most children master the long O sound by age 3.

Long O words in the middle: going, home, told, hold, whole, most, hope, alone, phone, nobody — plus 4 more below. Medial position is where English vowels do most of their work: nearly every one-syllable word is a vowel with consonants around it, so this is usually the most useful list to practise from.

Words:14
Position:Medial

Medial Long O Words — Full List (14 Words)

Every word below has the long O sound in the middle. Work through five at a time rather than the whole list in one sitting.

goinghometoldholdwholemosthopealonephonenobodysupposedknowsclosegoes
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How to Practice Medial Long O Words at Home

Strategies for practicing the long O sound in the middle of words.

1

long O is a diphthong: the mouth starts in one vowel position and glides to another inside a single syllable. Say the two halves slowly and separately first, then blend them until it is one smooth movement.

2

Break each word into syllables and practice only the syllable holding the long O sound, then put the word back together.

3

Clap out the syllables and give the syllable with the long O sound the strongest clap, so it does not get swallowed by the ones around it.

4

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.

5

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.

6

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

7

Use the words in short, natural phrases ("I see a going") so the vowel keeps its shape in connected speech.

Medial Long O Words — Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of Long O words in the medial position?
This page lists 14 Long O words that have the long O sound in the middle, including going, home, told, hold, whole, most, hope, alone, phone, nobody.
What age should a child master the Long O sound?
Most children master the long O 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 Long O sound?
Watch the lips in a mirror — they should tighten into a smaller circle by the end of the sound. If the lips stay still the vowel sounds flat and clipped.
What are common Long O sound errors?
The most common long O errors are: Substituting the AW sound (AW as in saw) for the long O sound.; Substituting the long OO sound (Long OO as in moon) for the long O sound..
How do you practice medial Long O words at home?
long O is a diphthong: the mouth starts in one vowel position and glides to another inside a single syllable. Say the two halves slowly and separately first, then blend them until it is one smooth movement. Break each word into syllables and practice only the syllable holding the long O sound, then put the word back together.

More Long O Word Lists & Resources

Practice the long O sound in the other word positions, or use the full sound guide and word list.

Initial Long O Words

14 words with tips

Final Long O Words

14 words with tips

Long O Sound Guide

How to make it, common errors, FAQ

All Long O Words

Complete 42-word list, all positions

Speech Sound Development Chart

What age each sound should appear

Speech Therapy Games

Practice Long O words with interactive activities

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