Final OW Words for Speech Therapy

Final OW Words are words that end with the OW sound, such as now, how, and wow. This list has 14 final-position OW words for speech therapy practice, and most children master the OW sound by age 3.

OW words at the end: now, how, wow, somehow, allow, thou, bow, anyhow, chow, vow — plus 4 more below. Final position leaves the vowel to finish the word on its own, with no consonant to close it, so it is the easiest place for the sound to trail off or get cut short.

Words:14
Position:Final

Final OW Words — Full List (14 Words)

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

nowhowwowsomehowallowthoubowanyhowchowvowciaomeowluausouthpaw
Practice these words with games

How to Practice Final OW Words at Home

Strategies for practicing the OW sound at the end of words.

1

OW 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

These words finish on the vowel, with no consonant to close them. Encourage your child to land on the OW sound and finish it rather than letting the word trail away.

3

Say the OW sound on its own first, then put the rest of the word in front of it and land on that same sound — "now".

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 OW sound several different ways, so read the words aloud together rather than teaching them as a spelling pattern.

7

Rhyming works especially well here: words that end on the same vowel rhyme by definition, so a rhyme game is pure practice for this position.

Final OW Words — Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of OW words in the final position?
This page lists 14 OW words that end with the OW sound, including now, how, wow, somehow, allow, thou, bow, anyhow, chow, vow.
What age should a child master the OW sound?
Most children master the OW 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 OW sound?
Cue it as the "ouch" sound. The lips should start relaxed and end rounded — if they never round, it flattens into a plain "ah".
What are common OW sound errors?
The most common OW errors are: Substituting the broad A sound (Broad A as in father) for the OW sound.; Substituting the AW sound (AW as in saw) for the OW sound..
How do you practice final OW words at home?
OW 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. These words finish on the vowel, with no consonant to close them. Encourage your child to land on the OW sound and finish it rather than letting the word trail away.

More OW Word Lists & Resources

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

Initial OW Words

14 words with tips

Medial OW Words

14 words with tips

OW Sound Guide

How to make it, common errors, FAQ

All OW Words

Complete 42-word list, all positions

Speech Sound Development Chart

What age each sound should appear

Speech Therapy Games

Practice OW words with interactive activities

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