Short OO Sound: Speech Therapy Guide, Words & Games
The short OO sound is written /ʊ/ in the phonetic alphabet, and most children master it by age 3. This guide covers how to make the short OO sound, 14 practice words split across medial position, and the errors children make most often.
Example Short OO words: would, could, sure, should (middle).
The short, relaxed "oo" vowel in book, look, put and could. It is made near the long OO position but with a lower, looser tongue and gentler lip rounding, and it is always short.
How to Make the Short OO Sound
Contrast full/fool, pull/pool and look/Luke. Short OO should feel quick and loose — if your child stretches it, it turns into the long OO of "moon".
IPA Symbol: /ʊ/
Most children master the short 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.
Common Short OO Sound Errors
- Substituting the long OO sound (Long OO as in moon) for the short OO sound.
- Substituting the short U sound (Short U as in cup) for the short OO sound.
Short OO Word Lists by Position
Practice these words organized by where the short OO sound appears. Start with the position your child finds easiest, or open the complete Short OO word list.
Medial Short OO Words
short OO in the middle of words
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