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Who is the child speaking to?Tap a term: its definition, what you can do with it, and how often the exam asks it.
Definition: short 3-4 word sentences with poor tense, used at about 2-3 years.
You can: Tell telegraphic speech from full grammar by sentence length and grasp of tense.
Definition: fully grammatical, adult-like sentence structure, reached by about age 5.
You can: Tell full grammar from telegraphic speech by whether every sentence follows adult grammar rules.
Definition: understanding puns and jokes, which needs abstract language, at about 6-7 years.
You can: Tell pun comprehension from full grammar by whether the child understands a double meaning.
Definition: complex grammar near adult level, with about 20,000 words, by about age 13.
You can: Tell passive voice from full grammar by the use of complex grammar and a vocabulary near 20,000 words.
Definition: speech a child directs at the self to work through ideas, from about age 3.
You can: Name internal speech when a child of about 3 talks quietly to self to plan a task.
Each card is one term. The grey line is what the patient says, which is what the question stem gives.
Summary
Telegraphic speech is the use of 3-4 word sentences at about 2-3 years, or 24-36 months.
Telegraphic speech is the use of 3-4 word sentences at about 2-3 years, or 24-36 months. The child strings short words together and leaves out small grammar words. The child can change word order to ask questions. The child still has a poor grasp of tense. The child's speech is not fully intelligible to strangers.
Two-word messages come before short sentences. Children vary in pace. A hearing test is advised when a child makes no two-word sentences by age 2.
Bilal is 2 and a half and waits in a community paediatric clinic. Bilal points at the door and says, "Me go park."
Candidates often place full grammatical sentences at 3 years. A child with 3-4 word sentences and poor tense is 2-3 years old. comes later, at about 5.
At 2-3 years a child uses language to ask for needs and announce plans. Chats with other children are mostly monologues.
Mnemonic
Telegram toddler, whispering three-year-old, whole five, jokes seven, passive thirteen. Cue: me go park tomorrow
A telegram is short and drops small words, like a toddler's 'me go park'. A whispering three-year-old talks to self to plan. Whole sentences come at five, jokes at six to seven, and passive voice at about thirteen.
6 more sections on Language development milestones in childhood
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