Speech and Language Development Milestones

If a child has not achieved the speech and language milestones for the age groups below, please consider referring the child for speech and language testing.

Hearing and Understanding

  • Points to a few body parts when asked.
  • Follows simple commands and understands simple questions (“Roll the ball,” “Kiss the baby,” “Where’s your shoe?”).
  • Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
  • Points to pictures in a book when named.

Talking

  • Says more words every month.
  • Uses some one- or two- word questions (“Where kitty?” “Go bye-bye?” “What’s that?”).
  • Puts two words together (“more cookie,” “no juice,” “mommy book”).
  • Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

Hearing and Understanding

  • Follows two requests (“Get the book and put it on the table”).
  • Understands differences in meaning (“go-stop,” “in-on,” “big-little,” “up-down”).

Talking

  • Has a word for almost everything.
  • Uses two- or three- word “sentences” to talk about and ask for things.
  • Speech is understood by people outside of the family 80% of the time.
  • Asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them.
  • Uses pronouns he, she, I, you, they, his, her, my, mine, we.

Hearing and Understanding

  • Hears you when you call from another room.
  • Hears television or radio at the same loudness level as other family members.
  • Understands simple “wh” (who, what, where, why) questions.

Talking

  • Talks about activities at school or at friends’ homes.
  • Speaks clearly enough that people outside of the family understand his or her speech 100% of the time.
  • Uses a lot of sentences that have four or more words.
  • Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.
  • Uses all sounds correctly with the possible exception of one of the following: r, l, s, z, v or th.

Hearing and Understanding

  • Pays attention to a short story and answers simple questions about it.
  • Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school.

Talking

  • Uses sentences that give lots of details (e.g., “My friend is coming over to play after school.”).
  • Tells stories that stick to topic.
  • Communicates easily with other children and adults.
  • Says most sounds correctly with the possible exception of one of the following: l, s, r, z, or th.
  • Uses the same grammar as the rest of the family.