60 ZH Words for Speech Therapy

This list has 60 ZH words for speech therapy: 20 with the /ZH/ sound at the beginning, 20 in the middle, and 20 at the end. Use them for practice at home or in the clinic, and expect most children to master the /ZH/ sound by age 7.

Example ZH words: genre, azure, Asia, Asian, usual (beginning); television, decision, division, occasion, unusual (middle); garage, beige, rouge, luge, massage (end).

Total words:60
Initial:20
Medial:20
Final:20

Initial ZH Words (20)

Words with the /ZH/ sound at the beginning. 20 words for speech therapy practice.

genreazureAsiaAsianusualusuallyvisionversionvisualmeasuretreasurepleasureleisureseizureclosurecasualfusionlesionPersiaregime
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Medial ZH Words (20)

Words with the /ZH/ sound in the middle. 20 words for speech therapy practice.

televisiondecisiondivisionoccasionunusualconfusionconclusionexplosioncollisionillusioninvasionevasionexposureenclosureprecisionprovisionrevisionsupervisionenvisionerosion
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Final ZH Words (20)

Words with the /ZH/ sound at the end. 20 words for speech therapy practice.

garagebeigerougelugemassagemiragecollagecorsagebarragemontageprestigetriagesabotagecamouflageentourageconciergefuselageespionagedressagedecoupage
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About the ZH Sound

Background information to help you support your child's speech development.

The /ZH/ sound is a voiced postalveolar fricative — the buzzing sound in the middle of "measure," "vision," and "television." It is the voiced twin of /SH/: same tongue and lip position, voice turned on. /ZH/ is the rarest consonant in English, and it lives almost entirely inside words. It essentially never starts an English word, and the handful of words that end with it ("garage," "beige," "rouge") are all borrowed from French.

Most children master the /ZH/ sound by age 7. It is one of the last consonants to settle in, partly because it is so rare that children hear it far less often than other sounds. Because /ZH/ shares its mouth position with /SH/, it usually arrives once /SH/ is solid and voicing is under control.

How to Practice ZH Words at Home

Evidence-based strategies for getting the most out of word list practice.

1

Start with just 5 words at a time. Short, focused practice sessions (5-10 minutes) are more effective than long ones.

2

Say each word slowly and clearly so your child can hear the /ZH/ sound. Exaggerate the sound slightly.

3

Practice words in all three positions (initial, medial, final) but focus on whichever position your child finds easiest first.

4

Once individual words are easy, combine them into short phrases and sentences for carryover practice.

5

Use a mirror during practice so your child can see their mouth movements and compare them to yours.

6

Keep it fun — turn the word list into a game, use stickers as rewards, or practice during everyday activities.

ZH Words — Frequently Asked Questions

What are some ZH words for speech therapy?
Common /ZH/ words include genre, azure, Asia, Asian, usual at the beginning of a word, television, decision, division, occasion, unusual in the middle, and garage, beige, rouge, luge, massage at the end. This page lists 60 in total.
How many ZH words are on this list?
60: 20 initial-position words, 20 medial-position words, and 20 final-position words.
At what age should a child master the ZH sound?
Most children master the /ZH/ sound by age 7. It is one of the last consonants to settle in, partly because it is so rare that children hear it far less often than other sounds. Because /ZH/ shares its mouth position with /SH/, it usually arrives once /SH/ is solid and voicing is under control.
How do you make the ZH sound?
Set your mouth up exactly as you would for /SH/: round your lips slightly and push them forward, then pull your tongue back so the wide front part sits close to the roof of your mouth, just behind the bumpy ridge. The sides of your tongue touch your upper back teeth. Now turn your voice on and let the air buzz through the channel. Where /SH/ is a quiet "shhh," /ZH/ is a humming "zhhh" — put a hand on your throat and you should feel it vibrate.
What are common ZH sound errors?
The most common /ZH/ errors are: Devoicing: saying /SH/ instead of /ZH/ (e.g., "meashure" for "measure"); Substituting /J/ (e.g., "garaj" for "garage" or "vidgeon" for "vision"); Substituting /Z/ (e.g., "treazure" for "treasure"); Stopping the airflow so the sound starts with a /D/ press instead of buzzing continuously; Losing the sound entirely inside longer words (e.g., "telvision," "decidion").

More ZH Sound Resources

Explore our complete guide, position-specific lists, and interactive games for the /ZH/ sound.

ZH Sound Guide

How to make it, common errors, tips, and FAQ

Initial ZH Words

20 words with practice tips and sentences

Medial ZH Words

20 words with practice tips and sentences

Final ZH Words

20 words with practice tips and sentences

Speech Sound Development Chart

What age each speech sound should appear

All Speech Therapy Word Lists

Word lists for every sound we cover

Speech Therapy Activities

Ways to practice ZH words beyond the list

Practice with Games

8 interactive games for the /ZH/ sound

Practice ZH Words with Interactive Games

Turn this word list into fun practice sessions with pronunciation games, stories, and flashcards targeting the /ZH/ sound.

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