What best describes an articulation disorder?

An articulation disorder is characterized primarily by the physical inability to produce specific sounds correctly. Individuals with this type of disorder often struggle with pronunciation due to issues like incorrect placement of the tongue or lips, which can affect the clarity and accuracy of their speech. This physical aspect distinguishes articulation disorders from other speech-related issues, such as language disorders, which might involve vocabulary and syntax.

The other options describe different aspects of communication and speech disorders. For instance, difficulty with vocabulary relates more to language disorders than articulation. Inconsistent production of sounds might point to a phonological disorder rather than an articulation issue. Excessive speech rates may suggest a fluency disorder, such as cluttering, rather than focusing on the specific difficulties associated with articulation. Thus, the correct description of an articulation disorder is the inability to physically produce the sounds accurately.