Failure to master which skill can contribute to stuttering?

• A. Motor articulation
• B. Sensorimotor integration
• C. Vocal cord strength
• D. Breath control

Answer: (B)

The skill being tested is sensorimotor integration—the ability to coordinate sensory information with motor plans and execute speech smoothly. When this integration isn’t well developed, the timing between planning what to say and moving the speech muscles can become misaligned. That mismatch makes it hard to adjust speaking in real time based on sensory feedback (like what you hear and feel in your mouth), which can lead to blocks, repetitions, or prolonged sounds—features often seen in stuttering.

Articulation motion itself is about moving the lips, tongue, and jaw; having strong or precise movements doesn’t by itself explain the timing glitches that disrupt fluency. Breath control matters for maintaining steady airflow, but fluency issues in stuttering aren’t primarily caused by not enough air. Vocal cord strength deals with voice power and quality, not the timing and coordination between what is planned to say and how the articulators respond. So the best fit is the capacity to integrate sensory input with motor speech planning and execution.