A study examined the consistency of consonant use in the infant's transition period from babbling to early words. Phonetic data were collected from the speech of 10 infants aged 9 to 15 months. Analysis of consonant distribution patterns indicate striking segmental preferences in all 10 children, with some segments more prominent for the sample as a whole and the rest in extreme use in one or more subjects. Subjects' vocal motor schemes, or patterns of intentional use, were determined by examining the frequency and longevity of segment use, controlling for individual variations in volubility. All subjects developed early and continuing preferential use of one or more segments, and some developed a syllabic structure of one or more units. These vocal motor schemes represent competence in controlling articulation to produce forms based on a given segment, which may later be enriched and invested with meaning. (MSE)