A child saying "Ho" rather than "hop" is using which of the following phonological processes?

The child saying "Ho" instead of "hop" exemplifies the phonological process known as final consonant deletion. This process occurs when a child omits the final consonant sound in a word. In this case, the final consonant "p" is dropped from "hop," leading to the simplified form "Ho."

This phenomenon is typical in speech development, particularly among younger children, who are still mastering the full production of speech sounds. By focusing on the initial part of the word and omitting the final consonant, the child demonstrates a common pattern in early language acquisition where certain consonant sounds, especially those that may be more complex to articulate, are omitted.

Understanding this process can help speech therapists identify areas where children may need additional support to develop their speech skills.