Medial Long OO Words for Speech Therapy

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

Long OO words in the middle: doing, move, excuse, used, use, actually, beautiful, soon, news, lose — 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 OO Words — Full List (14 Words)

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

doingmoveexcuseuseduseactuallybeautifulsoonnewslosefoodmusicpoorhuman
Practice these words with games

How to Practice Medial Long OO Words at Home

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

1

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

2

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

3

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.

4

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.

5

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

6

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

Medial Long OO Words — Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of Long OO words in the medial position?
This page lists 14 Long OO words that have the long OO sound in the middle, including doing, move, excuse, used, use, actually, beautiful, soon, news, lose.
What age should a child master the Long OO sound?
Most children master the long OO 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 OO sound?
Ask for "kissing lips" — strong lip rounding is the main cue. Children who round too little produce something closer to the short OO in "book".
What are common Long OO sound errors?
The most common long OO errors are: Substituting the short OO sound (Short OO as in book) for the long OO sound.; Substituting the long O sound (Long O as in boat) for the long OO sound..
How do you practice medial Long OO words at home?
Break each word into syllables and practice only the syllable holding the long OO sound, then put the word back together. Clap out the syllables and give the syllable with the long OO sound the strongest clap, so it does not get swallowed by the ones around it.

More Long OO Word Lists & Resources

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

Final Long OO Words

14 words with tips

Long OO Sound Guide

How to make it, common errors, FAQ

All Long OO Words

Complete 28-word list, all positions

Speech Sound Development Chart

What age each sound should appear

Speech Therapy Games

Practice Long OO words with interactive activities

Ready to practice the long OO sound?

Join SpeechTherapyMagic for interactive games and activities targeting the long OO sound in medial position.

Get Started Free