Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 3 to 5 Years
Overview
Speech and language development milestones relate to two areas:
- Receptive language. This is the ability to understand words and sounds.
- Expressive language. This is the ability to use speech and gestures to communicate meaning.
A child's speech and language development becomes more advanced starting around age 3 through age 5. Receptive language skills during this period become more sophisticated. A child learns to make subtle distinctions between objects and relationships. Also, the child can understand multi-step requests. Most children also gradually speak more fluently and use proper grammar more consistently.
Age | Receptive language | Expressive language |
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3-year-olds: |
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4-year-olds: |
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5-year-olds: |
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Current as of: September 20, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Susan C. Kim MD - Pediatrics & John Pope MD - Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Louis Pellegrino MD - Developmental Pediatrics
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