Are you a speech-language pathologist or parent looking for TR words for speech therapy to practice with your child or student? Then this blog is just what you need! It has over 100 Initial TR blends that will help strengthen your child or student’s /tr/ sound.
Initial TR Words Speech Therapy
One area that can often present challenges for both therapists and clients is working with consonant blends, particularly those involving the “R” sound. The “TR” blend, in particular, can be a significant focus in speech therapy sessions because of how common it is.
Key Takeaways
- Addressing “TR” words in speech therapy is important for clear and effective communication
- Interactive tools and techniques are essential in practicing R sounds and blends
- Both linguistic and physical aspects of speech formation need to be considered in therapy
Speech-language pathologists can begin by assessing the individual’s ability to produce the /tr/ sound. This involves examining the placement of the tongue, lips, and other oral structures. It is important to pay close attention to the manner in which the sounds combine, as it is common for individuals with speech disorders to struggle with blending consonants.
Correct Sound Production
In the English language, the r sound is one of the most difficult sounds as well as one of the last sounds to develop. There are two different ways a Speech Language Pathologist can teach tongue placement for r remediation.
First, let’s review the two different variations for tongue movements for producing the correct r sound:
- Retroflexed R
- Bunched R
The two different tongue positions are very similar and vary in mid-tongue and tongue tip placements:
- Teeth: The /r/ sound is made by having a slight gap between the teeth.
- Lips: Lips should be in a neutral position and not rounded. (A rounded lip shape might lead to a w sound in place of an /r/ sound, such as “wed” for the word “red”.
- Sides of the Tongue: Be sure to place the sides of the tongue and back of the tongue against the upper side of your teeth to allow for the passage of air to go down the center of the tongue.
- Tongue Placement:
- Retroflexed Tongue Position: Have the mid-tongue somewhat tense but not bunched up. Then place the tip of the tongue pointing up to the roof of their mouth just past the alveolar ridge.
- Bunched Tongue Position: Have the mid-tongue bunched up near the roof of the mouth. Then place the tip of the tongue pointing down or straight.
- Air: Then blow a skinny stream of air over the center of your tongue (you do not want the air to come out the sides of the tongue).
- Voice: The next step is that the r sound is also a voiced sound so your voice box or vocal cords should vibrate. You can tell that their voice is turned on by touching your voice box on your neck and feeling it vibrate (the upper part of the throat).
Hardest Sounds
Please keep in mind that the r sound is a later developing sound and one of the hardest aspects is teaching the complexity of speech movements.
Teaching the right way to place the child’s tongue can give you a hard time.
That’s why it’s important to work closely with a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist to give you professional help to work with your child to find the right position for their tongue to produce a great sounding r sound.
R Speech Sounds
- Prevocalic R – is when the r sound comes before a vowel sound, such as an initial r word “red”.
- Vocalic R Sound – is when the r sound comes after a vowel sound, such as: or, ar, er, ear, ire, air.
Consonant Blends
In speech therapy, consonant blends, also known as consonant clusters, play a vital role in helping individuals develop proper speech patterns.
An initial consonant blend is when two or more consonant sounds come together at the beginning of a word without any vowels between them.
For instance, bl in “blink,” cr in “crunch,” and st in “sting” are examples of consonant blends.
An essential part of speech therapy is to practice and perfect initial consonant blends, which occur at the beginning of words. Our goal is to avoid the simplification of consonant blends into single sounds, which is common and also known as a consonant cluster reduction.
We work together with clients to ensure they can accurately pronounce these blends and increase their overall speech intelligibility.
Practicing R Sounds and Blends
To practice the R sound, we begin by focusing on the positioning of the tongue.
The tip of the tongue should be curled up and placed near the alveolar ridge (just behind the upper front teeth). The sides of the tongue should touch the upper molars, while the rest of the tongue remains flat in the mouth. This is called the retroflex R. Encourage clients to maintain this tongue position while sustaining the R sound for a few seconds.
Once clients have learned the correct tongue position, we can introduce different target sounds such as R blends in the TR- and STR- (sounds at the initial position of words). To practice these sounds, use a variety of words containing the target blends, like:
- TR words: truck, train, tray, tree, trust
- STR words: street, strong, stripe, strawberry, structure
We can create fun activities to practice these words, such as memory games, word matching, or flashcards. Including visuals, like images of the objects, can help clients associate the words with their meanings.
Here is a quick compilation of different resource types we have created and compiled for you to use in your speech therapy services!
Target Words
Here’s a list of Initial TR articulation sounds for you to use in therapy or at home practice to work on your student or child’s new skill.
- For Example: truck, truth, try, trophy, trunk, trust, triangle
See full list of words, phrases, and sentences below.
Be sure to grab my one page freebie of Initial TR sounds below. Simply scroll to the bottom of this post and grab your free copy!
Initial TR Words Speech Therapy Word List
Some ways to practice include having your child or student say each initial /tr/ word one by one as they go through a list.
Using a dot marker can also be a fun way to practice having your child put a dot under each Initial TR sound.
In addition, I’ve compiled an easy-to-download one page overview of Initial TR sounds below. Simply scroll down to the bottom of this post and download your free copy.
- 1 Syllable: tree, truth, train, truck, true, try, trust, trout, trip, track, treat, trade, trap, Troy, tray, trick, trend, tram, trail, trash, trim, trike, trump, Trey, trace, trunk, trek, trot, trench, trance, troll, trait, tread, trite, treeless, tracks
- 2 Syllable: treasure, trave, tractor, triple, Tracy, trouble, triumph, Tristan, trio, treatment, trophy, trial, trigger, trying, trailer, training, trumpet, tremble, trident, trickster, trojan, triad, trifle, trainer, trendy, truthful, trolley, trachea, tragic, trousers, trauma, truffle, treason, tribute, traitor, trampling, treaty, transport, traffic, trapeze, trucker, trading, transfer, tribune, tripping, trusting, treasures, triplet
- 3 Syllable: tropical, trampoline, tragedy, triangle, trinity, tradition, trivia, treasurer, translation, trilogy, transmission, transition, trivial, traveler, trapezoid, transmitter, tricycle
- 4 Syllable: transformation, transportation, tranquility
Practice in Flash Card Mode Right Here from Your Computer!
Initial TR Words Speech Therapy
| 1 Syllable | 2 Syllable | 3 Syllable | 4 Syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| tree | treasure | tropical | transformation |
| truth | trave | trampoline | transportation |
| train | tractor | tragedy | tranquility |
| truck | triple | triangle | |
| true | Tracy | trinity | |
| try | trouble | tradition | |
| trust | triumph | trivia | |
| trout | Tristan | treasurer | |
| trip | trio | translation | |
| track | treatment | trilogy | |
| treat | trophy | transmission | |
| trade | trial | transition | |
| trap | trigger | trivial | |
| Troy | trying | traveler | |
| tray | trailer | trapezoid | |
| trick | training | transmitter | |
| trend | trumpet | tricycle | |
| tram | tremble | ||
| trail | trident | ||
| trash | trickster | ||
| trim | trojan | ||
| trike | triad | ||
| trump | trifle | ||
| Trey | trainer | ||
| trace | trendy | ||
| trunk | truthful | ||
| trek | trolley | ||
| trot | trachea | ||
| trench | tragic | ||
| trance | trousers | ||
| troll | trauma | ||
| trait | truffle | ||
| tread | treason | ||
| trite | tribute | ||
| treeless | traitor | ||
| tracks | trampling | ||
| treaty | |||
| transport | |||
| traffic | |||
| trapeze | |||
| trucker | |||
| trading | |||
| transfer | |||
| tribune | |||
| tripping | |||
| trusting | |||
| treasures | |||
| triplet |
SEE ALSO: 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy
Short Sentences or Phrases
When working on Initial TR sound production, it’s important to work on short phrases once your child or student has mastered the sound at the word level at or near 80% or higher accuracy.
Here is a list of Initial TR word phrases to try:
Initial TR Words Speech Therapy in Phrases
| 1 Syllable | 2 Syllable | 3 Syllable | 4 Syllable |
|---|---|---|---|
| tree house | treasure chest | tropical vacation | made a transformation |
| tells the truth | broke trave | play on the trampoline | has transportation |
| train tracks | green tractor | experienced tragedy | feels tranquility |
| red truck | triple the amount | drew a triangle | |
| true or false | Tracy is a | trinity necklace | |
| try again | in trouble | is tradition | |
| trust her | will triumph | trivia game | |
| trout fishing | Tristan clapped | is a treasurer | |
| road trip | funny trio | new translation | |
| track team | for treatment | read the whole trilogy | |
| eat a treat | won a trophy | transmission problems | |
| trade cards | trial and error | big transition | |
| mouse trap | is a trigger | trivial problem | |
| Troy waved | trying hard | world traveler | |
| fruit tray | new trailer | trapezoid shape | |
| trick or treat | training exercise | transmitter radio | |
| new trend | play the trumpet | new tricycle | |
| take the tram | made her tremble | ||
| hike this trail | holds a trident | ||
| trash can | is a trickster | ||
| trim the bush | trojan horse | ||
| rides her trike | triad of subjects | ||
| trump in cards | small trifle | ||
| Trey jumped | work out trainer | ||
| trace the letter | trendy style | ||
| open trunk | is truthful | ||
| long trek | ride the trolley | ||
| trot along | hurt her trachea | ||
| dug a trench | tragic news | ||
| in a trance | trousers are too big | ||
| troll under the bridge | works in trauma recovery | ||
| good character trait | ate a truffle | ||
| tread in the water | charged with treason | ||
| trite response | gave tribute | ||
| treeless field | was a traitor | ||
| tire tracks | trampling through | ||
| signed the treaty | |||
| will need a transport | |||
| stuck in traffic | |||
| trapeze show | |||
| is a trucker | |||
| trading berries | |||
| transfer to a new school | |||
| wrote for the Tribune | |||
| tripping up the stairs | |||
| trusting herself | |||
| found treasures | |||
| is a triplet |
Sentence Level: Initial TR Words Speech Therapy
The next step after working at the word and phrase levels is to work on the Initial TR sound at the sentence level.
For example, you could give your child or student a list of sentences to read aloud while they work on their Initial TR sound.
Another idea would be to give your child or student pictures with their Initial TR sound in them and then have them create a sentence about those pictures.
Below is a list of sentences to use with your child or students.
Initial TRWords Speech Therapy in Sentences
| 1 Syllable | 2 Syllable |
|---|---|
| They play in the tree house. | They hunt for the treasure chest. |
| He tells the truth. | The broken trave needs to be fixed. |
| The train is on the tracks. | There is a green tractor in the field. |
| I drive a red truck. | He made triple the amount. |
| It is a true or false question. | Tracy is a good friend. |
| We will try again. | He is in trouble. |
| He will trust her. | They will triumph. |
| They go trout fishing. | Tristan clapped loudly. |
| I am on a road trip. | They are a funny trio. |
| She joins the track team. | He goes in for treatment. |
| We will eat a treat. | She won a trophy. |
| They trade cards. | They will use trial and error. |
| The mouse trap is set. | That is a trigger. |
| Troy waved at his friend. | He is trying hard to win. |
| I brought a fruit tray. | The new trailer was clean. |
| Let’s go trick or treat. | He was in a training exercise. |
| It is a new trend. | She can play the trumpet. |
| We can take the tram. | The sound made her tremble. |
| Let’s hike this trail. | He holds a trident. |
| The trash can is full. | He is a trickster. |
| He uses the cutters to trim the tree. | They were in the Trojan Horse. |
| She rides her trike. | He knows a triad of subjects. |
| He plays the trump in cards. | It was a small trifle. |
| Trey jumped high. | He is a workout trainer. |
| She can trace the letter. | She has a trendy style. |
| The open trunk has groceries in it. | She is truthful. |
| It is a long trek. | He can ride the trolley today. |
| They all trot along. | She hurt her trachea. |
| They dug a trench. | They received tragic news. |
| He is in a trance. | His trousers are too big. |
| There is a troll under the bridge. | He works in trauma recovery. |
| He has a good character trait. | She ate a truffle. |
| She can tread in the water. | She was charged with treason. |
| He gave a trite response. | He gave tribute. |
| The treeless field is open. | He was a traitor. |
| There are tire tracks in the mud. | The animals went trampling through. |
| He signed the treaty. | |
| I will need a means of transport. | |
| We are stuck in traffic. | |
| I watched the trapeze show. | |
| He is a trucker. | |
| They are trading berries. | |
| She will transfer to a new school. | |
| I wrote for the tribune. | |
| She is tripping up the stairs. | |
| She is trusting herself. | |
| I found treasures. | |
| She is a triplet. |
| 3 Syllable | 4 Syllable |
|---|---|
| I went on a tropical vacation. | He made a transformation today. |
| They play on the trampoline. | She has a form of transportation. |
| They experienced tragedy. | He feels tranquility here. |
| He drew a triangle. | |
| She wears a trinity necklace. | |
| This is a tradition. | |
| They play a trivia game. | |
| She is a treasurer for the club. | |
| This is a new translation. | |
| He read the whole trilogy. | |
| The car has transmission problems. | |
| This is a big transition. | |
| It feels like a trivial problem. | |
| She is a world traveler. | |
| He has a trapezoid shape. | |
| He uses a transmitter radio. | |
| She has a new tricycle. |
Initial TR Words Speech Therapy Ideas
Boom Cards
Boom cards are another fun and engaging way to strengthen your child or student’s articulation skills.
Here are a few favorite boom cards to work on the Initial TR:
- Free Articulation Boom™ Cards | Spot the Target R Blends Sample TR FR By Speech Your Mind is a fantastic set of teaching tools for young children to practice articulation of TR and FR blends. This set is also good for distance learning!
- Break The Ice – Maze Game for r-blends Freebie by The Speech Banana TpT is an interactive favorite for early intervention practice for students at different levels of R-Blend articulation!
SEE ALSO: Free Articulation Games for Speech Therapy
Therapy Room
Are you a speech therapist looking for Initial TR words to practice with your clients?
Here are a couple of fun worksheets and games that you can use in your therapy room to work on the Initial TR sound.
- TR, STR, THR Picture-less Articulation Playing Cards by SLPeepo is a highly rated game for middle school, high school or small groups! This will be a great teaching tool in your therapy room.
- Gumball Articulation for TR words by One SLP in a Pod is a fun game for early readers to practice TR articulation. This is a great resource for different age groups from young children to middle school!
- Articulation Word List- Speech Therapy-R blends-FREE by Georgia Speech LLC is a great resource to practice TR articulation at word level with picture cards. These also make great flash cards and is a comprehensive K-12 resource.
SEE ALSO: 279+ Free Speech Therapy Digital Materials
No Prep
Do you feel like you don’t have much time to work on your child or student’s initial TR sound?
Articulation therapy can be as simple as 5 minutes of practice a day.
Here is a list of 5 minute therapy ideas to work on the Initial TR sound.
- R blends (br, cr, dr, fr, gr, tr, pr) CONNECT 4: digital/PPT version by Old Sol New World is a highly rated game on interactive whiteboards. This activity is great for young children to middle school.
- Dinosaur R Blends Articulation Speech Activity by Fun Early Learning is a great print and go resource for young children or for early intervention when practicing TR articulation. This also would be good in an independent work packet!
Need Other Sounds?
Check out our initial s sound, medial s sound, final s sound or s blends or simply check out our complete growing list of the most common sounds in all my articulation word lists!
In Conclusion: TR Words Speech Therapy
The key to success with TR words speech therapy is practice and persistence. By incorporating these techniques into therapy sessions or at-home practice, individuals can make tremendous strides in articulating sounds more clearly and confidently. We hope you have found this article helpful for working on your child or student’s Initial TR sound.
Be sure to grab your freebie of 20 words to start practicing 5 minutes a day!
Grab Your Free Initial TR Word List with Pictures Here!
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Frequently Asked Questions – Speech-Language Pathology
What are some common TR blend words for speech therapy?
We often find that common TR blend words used in speech therapy include: train, tree, truck, treat, trace, and triangle. These words give children a solid foundation for practicing and mastering the TR sound.
What are helpful strategies for teaching TR words to kindergarteners?
We find that a multi-sensory approach is beneficial for teaching TR words to kindergarteners. This may include activities like tracing the TR blend with their finger in the air or on a textured surface, saying the word out loud, and incorporating visual aids such as flashcards or pictures.
Which TR sound words are suitable for first graders?
For first graders, we recommend using TR sound words that are simple and age-appropriate, such as train or truck. As they become more advanced, you can introduce longer and more complex TR blend words.
Are there any useful TR blend worksheets available?
Yes, there are many TR blend worksheets available online for various age groups and skill levels. Worksheets can focus on word identification, matching, or spelling activities. They can be a helpful resource for reinforcing TR sound word recognition and practice.
How can pictures enhance learning of TR blend words?
Pictures facilitate visual learning and can help children better understand and remember TR blend words. Using images alongside the written word helps to create a mental association between the image and the word, making it easier for children to retain and recall the information. Visualization can be a powerful learning tool in speech therapy.
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