Language Milestones

  • Dallas is born

    Dallas is born
  • Semantic Milestone at Birth

    Looks towards source of sounds, ex: Dallas looks outside when she hears the neighbor’s dog barking.
    Gets startled in response to loud sounds, ex: Dallas gets startled when someone slams the door loudly.
  • Form/Phonology: Birth

    A milestone of form/phonology at birth includes discriminating languages from different rhythmic classes such as English vs. Japanese. As well as, being able to produce Reflexive sounds (0-2 months). An example of this milestone would be Dallas crying when she begins to feel hungry or irritated.
  • Semantic Milestones at 2 months

    Briefly holds and inspects 2 objects
    ex: Dallas holds and inspects 2 different toys at once
  • Pragmatics Milestone at 4 months

    Recognizes own name and fixes gaze on face
    EX: Dallas smiles at her mom when she plays with her and calls Dallas’ name. While doing so she is also looking at her mom's face and looking into her eyes.
  • Form/Phonology: 4 months

    At 4 months, the milestones for Form/Phonology includes Distinguishing languages belonging to the same rhythmic class such as English vs. Dutch. Also can include producing vowel sounds, vowel glides, squeals, and growls (Expansion 3-8 months). An example of this milestone includes when Dallas shows her excitement for something she begins to squeal and uses a vowel glide such as “eeeey.”
  • Semantics Milestone at 6 months

    Attempts to imitate gestures
    ex: Dallas starts clapping when she sees her mom clapping
    Understands no
    ex: When Dallas throws her food on the floor and her mom says no, she stops throwing her food
  • Semantics Milestone at 8 Months

    looks in the correct place for objects out of sight
    ex: Dallas goes to look in her bed when she can’t find her favorite stuffed animal
    searches for partially hidden objects
    ex: Dallas looks for a specific toy in her toy bin
  • Pragmatics Milestone at 8 months

    Begins to use intentional communication Has the following preverbal language functions: attention seeking, requesting, greeting, transferring, protesting or rejecting, responding or acknowledging, and informing EX: Protesting- Dallas crying if she doesn’t like the toys she is playing with and protests for her parents to give her a new one
    Attention seeking- Dallas screeching or tapping them to get someone’s attention
  • Form/Phonology Milestone: 8 months

    Dallas discriminates native from non-native stress patterns and phonotactic patterns. She also babbles now, saying "ma ma ma" and “da ma goo ga” during tummy time.
  • Pragmatic Milestone: 11 months

    Dallas indicates what she wants by pointing, which is called imperative pointing. She points to her sippy cup when it's out of her reach.
  • Form: Phonology (12 months) Toddlerhood

    milestones of Form in terms of Phonology at 12 months consist of mostly unintelligible speech, except for a few words, and 50% of their utterances consist of single nouns. An example of these milestones would be Dallas during playtime may be talking and only a few of her words are intelligible such as "store," or "tired."
  • Form: Syntax/Morphology (12 months) Toddlerhood

    At 12 months, toddlers utilize syntax and morphology by using single nouns in 50% of all their utterances. An example of this is when Dallas consistently uses nouns like mom, dad, park, store, etc when talking.
  • Pragmatic Milestone: 12 months

    Pragmatic Milestone: 12 months
    Dallas utters her first true word. A true first word must have a clear intention, approximate the adult form, and must be used consistently beyond the original context. Dallas uses the word cookie when she plays with toy cookies and wants an actual cookie.
  • Form/Phonology Milestone: 12 months

    Dallas identifies words that do not conform to the native language stress patterns. She identifies function words in utterances (e.g., the, a). Dallas also uses jargon in babbling. Dallas’ mom asks her if she’s tired, and Dallas seems to respond by using jargon.
  • Use: Pragmatics (12 months) Toddlerhood

    The toddler uses referential gestures
    Use of line regard, gestures, voice direction, and body posture to infer intentions underlying other people’s actions
    Ex: Dallas waves his hand to say bye or hello to her relatives
    EX: Dallas motions driving a wheel to indicate that she wants to play with her toy cars
  • Content (semantics) Toddler milestone: 16 months

    Uses between 3 and 20 words
    ex: Dallas can say words like "milk", "dog", and "cat".
  • Form: Phonology (16 months) Toddlerhood

    At 16 months, toddlers pronounce about 25% of all words intelligibly when it comes to Phonology. For instance, if Dallas stated, "Mommy....go...."
  • Form: Syntax/Morphology (16 months) Toddlerhood

    At 16 months, toddlers use single nouns in approximately 33% of all their utterances and have an MLU of about 1.31. Because of this, Dallas' phrases often consist of statements such as "no juice," or "daddy truck."
  • Use: Pragmatics (16 months) Toddlerhood

    Uses verbal turn taking
    Ex: Dallas and her mom takes turns communicating with each other when having a discussion about a book they read together. Her mom is teaching while asking questions to Dallas while Dallas is answering them. Their question and answers are alternating, one person after another.
  • Form: Phonology (20 months) Toddlerhood

    At 20 months, Toddlers process spoken words incrementally. For instance, Dallas is only able to understand parts of her mother's speech when she is using full sentences.
  • Form: Syntax/Morphology (20 months) Toddlerhood

    At 20 months, toddlers begin to use grammatical morphemes such as present progressive "-ing", and at this age, they have an MLU of approximately 1.62. For instance, Dallas will often be seen pointing outside and exclaiming "doggie playing.'
  • Use: Pragmatics (20 months) Toddlerhood

    The toddler begins using gesture-word combinations
    The toddler begins using two-gesture combinations
    Ex: Dallas points at her mother’s water bottle and pretends to drink to indicate that she wants something to drink
  • Content (semantics): 20 months (Toddlerhood)

    Dallas has now produced about 50 words and uses some verbs and adjectives. She will likely add -ed to irregular verbs. Some verbs she may use are "goed", "maded", and "danced".
  • Form: Phonology (24 months) Toddlerhood

    At 24 months, toddlers may exhibit milestones for form by asking questions with rising intonation, using two-word combinations, using prepositions "in" and "on," etc. An example of these milestones would be, for instance, Dallas asking "↗Why sad?" with a rising intonation and a two-word combination.
  • Form: Syntax/Morphology (24 months) Toddlerhood

    At 24 months, toddlers begin using two-word combinations, using prepositions "in" and "on," as well as, having an M:U of about 1.92 thus, entering Brown's Stage II. For instance, a milestone representing 24 months would be when Dallas states "bird on tree," or "cat in box."
  • Use: Pragmatics (24 months) Toddlerhood

    Begins to use imaginative, heuristic, and informative language functions
    Ex: Dallas and her mom pretends to be princesses during play time
  • Content (semantics) 24 Months Toddlerhood milestone

    Content (semantics) 24 Months Toddlerhood milestone
    Comprehends approximately 500 words
    ex: Dallas understands when her dad tells her to go to bed
  • Use (pragmatics) 28 Months toddlerhood milestone

    Engages in short dialogues
    Ex: Dallas can tell her mom about her day
  • Form: Phonology (28 Months) Toddlerhood

    At 28 Months, milestones of form include using present progressive morpheme "-ing" at a mastering level, pronouncing about 70% of all words intelligibly, demonstrating phonological processes, etc. An example of one of these milestones would be Dallas exclaiming, 'I like playing dress-up!"
  • Form: Syntax/Morphology (28 months) Toddlerhood

    At 28 months, toddlers are entering Brown's Stage III and begin using present progressive morpheme "-ing" with mastery. For instance when Dallas accurately uses "-ing" when stating, "Bird falling off tree."
  • Content: 28 Months (Toddlerhood) Semantics

    Dallas overgeneralizes about one-third of all new words. An example of this would be her referring to all drinks as juice.
  • Content: 33 months (Toddlerhood)

    Dallas begins to fast map new words, which is when a child is exposed to a novel word and its referent and they make connections. An example of this would be Dallas learning "mommy's home" from her dad saying the phrase and the car pulling up.
  • Use (pragmatics) 34 months toddlerhood milestone

    Requests clarification during conversations
    Ex: Dallas asks where they're going when her mom puts her in her car seat.
  • Content: 34 months (Toddlerhood) Semantics

    Dallas asks simple sentences like, "What's that?"
  • Form: Phonology (36 Months) Toddlerhood

    At 36 months, milestones for Form include suppressing most common phonological processes, pronouncing 80% of all words intelligibly, using some contractions, etc. For instance, Dallas may say "baby is sleeping," but may have some trouble pronouncing "sleeping."
  • Form: Syntax/Morphology (36 months) Toddlerhood

    At 36 months, toddlers are able to utilize contractions in about 25% of all their utterances and have an MLU of about 2.85-3.16. For instance, at this point in time, Dallas can often be heard saying "I didn't do it," or "Is it Allison?"
  • Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (36 months)

    Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (36 months)
    At 36 months, preschoolers use four to five words within their sentences. They also use compound sentences while utilizing "and." For instance, Dallas states, “Mom and I opened gifts.” when talking about her birthday.
  • Preschool: Content/Semantics (36 months)

    Dallas begins to use pronouns such as they, them, and us and continues to use fast mapping to learn new words. Dallas has learned the word basketball from playing with other kids.
  • Use: Pragmatics (36 months) Preschool

    Begins to engage in longer dialogue
    EX: Dallas and her friends at school make conversations and talk about their toys during recess.
  • Preschool Milestone: Phonology 36 months

    Begins to develop shallow phonological awareness abilities
    Ex Dallas knows the word "sit" has 3 sounds.
  • Preschool Milestone: Phonology 40 Months

    Continues to refine articulatory skills
    Ex: Dallas can say more challenging words such as "spaghetti"
  • Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (40 months)

    At 40 months, preschoolers are able to use pronouns consistently alongside adverbs of time. For instance, Dallas says "Tomorrow can we play?."
  • Preschool: Content/Semantics (40 months)

    Dallas now uses about 1,000-1,500 words and can comprehend about 1,500-2,000 words. She also understands some relational terms such as hard-soft
  • Use: Pragmatics (40 months) Preschool

    Begins to use primitive narratives
    Begins to make conversational repairs
    EX: When the teacher asks Dallas who took her to school were she replies “My mom, she got up and took me to school”
  • Preschool Milestones: Phonology 44 Months

    Has mastered most consonants
    Ex: Dallas is now able to say words like "cheese", when she used to have trouble producing the "ch" sound.
  • Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (44 months)

    At 44 months, preschoolers use past tense and contractions consistently. Such as Dallas pointing to her friend and saying, "she's six years old," or talking to her teacher and stating "I walked to school."
  • Preschool: Content/Semantics (44 months)

    Dallas has begun to understand some kinship terms like mommy, daddy, sister, and brother. She also uses syntactic information to narrow the possible meaning of new words.
  • Use: Pragmatics (44months) Preschool

    ​​Understands indirect requests accompanied by nonverbal pointing
    EX: When Dallas saw it was getting dark outside she pointed to the light switch and said “It’s going to get dark in here”
  • Preschool: Content/Semantics (48 months)

    Dallas overextends new words on the basis of the object function. An example of this would be when Dallas calls gardening gloves “mittens”.Dallas also uses animacy information to infer the meanings of new words and uses reflexive pronouns such as himself, herself, itself.
  • Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (48 months)

    At 48 months, preschoolers are combining four to seven words in their sentences with the use of contractible auxiliaries, uncontractible auxiliaries, and irregular third-person verbs such as “has.” For example, Dallas points to her sister's cup on the table during breakfast and says, "She's drinking juice, but it's cold."
  • Use: Pragmatics (48 months) Preschool

    Uses interpretive, logical, participatory, and organizing functions
    Constructs true narratives
    EX: When Dallas is playing with cooking toys with her friends, she is using organizing functions by saying, “First, we put the eggs in the bowl”
  • Preschool milestone: Phonology 48 Months

    Decreases use of phonological processes (e.g., weak-syllable deletion, cluster reduction)
    Ex: Instead of saying "nana" for banana, Dallas now says "banana"
  • Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (52 months)

    At 52 months, preschoolers use subordination and coordination in sentences. They also utilize plural forms consistently. For instance, after playing around outside Dallas runs into the house saying, "I was running and I cut my finger."
  • Preschool: Content/Semantics (52 months)

    Dallas uses “what do, what does, and what did” questions. She asked her mother, "what does that do?"
  • Use: Pragmatics (52 months) Preschool

    Uses indirect requests
    EX: Dallas asks her mom “Can you please get me ice cream?”
  • Preschool Milestones: Phonology 54 Months

    Is very intelligible in connected speech
    Has mastered almost all consonant sounds, but they may not be mastered in all contexts
    Ex: Dallas can sing the clean up song really well, she says it like "cleanup" instead of clean-up.
  • Preschool: Content/Semantics (58 months)

    Dallas uses about 1,500-2,000 words and can comprehend about 2,500-2,800 words. She uses deictic terms such as this, that, here, and there.
  • Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (58 months)

    Preschool: Syntax/Morphology (58 months)
    At 58 months, preschoolers are combining up to five to eight words in their sentences. Because of this, Dallas can now say complex sentences such as, "When I grow up, I will be the president."
  • Use: Pragmatics (58 months) Preschool

    Uses narrative with a sequence of events but no main character or theme
    EX: When the teacher asked what Dallas did over the weekend she says "play at the playground, went down the slide,..."
  • Preschool Milestones: Phonology 58 Months

    Knows letters that make up own name
    Shows only languishing difficulties with the later-developing sounds
    Has some persisting phonological processes (e.g., liquid gliding, substitution)
    Ex: Dallas knows the letters D, A L and S really well because those letters are in her name.