MORPHOLOGICAL/SYNTACTIC ACQUISITION
AGE
1-1 to 1-6 50% all utterances are nouns
MLR 1.2 words
1-7 to 2-0 Follows directions using 1 or 2 spatial concepts: in/on
Negation “No” (no bed)
Possessive emerging (daddy car)
Refers to self with pronoun + name (me Tommy)
33% utterances are nouns
Combines two words into phrases in noun + verb, or noun + adj. form
MLR 1.8 words
2-1 to 2-6 Articles “a” and “the” appear in sentence
Present progressive –ing on verbs
Regular plural forms emerging: cat→cats
Uses some contractions in memorized form (don’t, can’t, it’s, that’s)
25% utterances are nouns, 25% are verbs
Combines 3-4 words in sub + verb + object
MLR 3.1 words
2-7 to 3-0 Auxiliary “is” + adj. used (ball is red)
Auxiliary “is”/”am” + -ing used (boy is running)
Regular past tense verbs appear (walk→walked)
Uses ‘s for possession (daddy’s car)
Uses pronouns: I, me, your, mine (he, she, and it are emerging)
Negative “not” emerging
Uses contracted form of “is” (he’s running)
Adverb of location emerging (here, there)
Begins to use do, can, and will (emerging future tense)
Uses imperatives (commands: go, get it, don’t, etc.)
20 % utterances are nouns, 25% are verbs
MLR 3.4 words
Infinitive compliment (I want to play) emerging
Beginning to use “is” at beginning of questions
Third person singular present tense emerging (he runs)
Contracted forms of modals (won’t, can’t)
Irregular plural forms emerging (child→children)
Uses “are” with plural nouns (boys are running)
Uses “and” as conjunction
Regular plural forms are consistent
Uses “is, are, am” in sentences
3-1 to 3-6 MLR 4.3 words
Combines 4 to 5 words in sentences
Uses compound sentence “and”
3-7 to 4-0 Possessive marker ‘s consistent
Regular third person singular –s consistent
Simple past tense (t, d) consistent (walked)
Present progressive “is” + ing consistent
Contractions used consistently
Uses negative “not” consistently
Pronouns “he, she, I, you, me, mine” consistent
“Are, they, their” used inconsistently
Reflexive pronoun “myself” emerging
More adverbs of time and manner are being used
Conjunction “because” emerging
Uses “got” (I got it)
“What was, what were” questions emerging
“Was/were” (yes/no) questions emerging (Was he there?)
MLR 4.4 words
Combines 4-5 words in sentences
Complex sentences used frequently
Imperatives and emphatics used consistently
Parts of speech now in stable relationship
4-1 to 5-0 “If” and “so” appear in sentences
Irregular plurals used fairly consistently (child→children)
“Our, they, their” used consistently
Uses “could” and “would” in sentences
Errors of noun/verb and adj/noun agreement are frequent
MLR 4.6 words
Combines 4 to 7 words in sentences
Passive voice emerging in some children. (The dog was kicked by the boy.)
4-7 to 5-0 Possessive pronouns “his, her” emerging
Uses “will” to form future tense
Fewer errors in agreement between adj/noun
Reflexive pronouns becoming more consistent
Comparative –er emerging (bigger)
MLR 5.7 words
Combines 5 to 8 words in sentences
Passive voice emerging in some children. (The dog was kicked by the boy.)
5-1 to 6-0 All pronouns used consistently
Superlative –est used (biggest)
Adverbial word endings emerging (slowly, faster, etc.)
MLR 6.6 words
Syntax near normal
6-1 to 7-0 Fairly consistent use of most morphological markers
“If” and “so” developed by most children
Reflexive pronouns developed by most children
Irregular comparatives used more correctly (good, better, best)
Perfect tense “have” and “had” emerging
Nominalizations occurring: noun forms are developed from verb forms
Continued improvement on irregular plurals
Iteration emerging “You have to clean clothes to make them clean.”
Participial compliments emerging
MLR 7.3 words
Passive voice fully developed in most children
Continued refinement of syntax
Speech and Language Development Chart
Word Making Productions 1980
Salt Lake City, UT
1-1 to 1-6 50% all utterances are nouns
MLR 1.2 words
1-7 to 2-0 Follows directions using 1 or 2 spatial concepts: in/on
Negation “No” (no bed)
Possessive emerging (daddy car)
Refers to self with pronoun + name (me Tommy)
33% utterances are nouns
Combines two words into phrases in noun + verb, or noun + adj. form
MLR 1.8 words
2-1 to 2-6 Articles “a” and “the” appear in sentence
Present progressive –ing on verbs
Regular plural forms emerging: cat→cats
Uses some contractions in memorized form (don’t, can’t, it’s, that’s)
25% utterances are nouns, 25% are verbs
Combines 3-4 words in sub + verb + object
MLR 3.1 words
2-7 to 3-0 Auxiliary “is” + adj. used (ball is red)
Auxiliary “is”/”am” + -ing used (boy is running)
Regular past tense verbs appear (walk→walked)
Uses ‘s for possession (daddy’s car)
Uses pronouns: I, me, your, mine (he, she, and it are emerging)
Negative “not” emerging
Uses contracted form of “is” (he’s running)
Adverb of location emerging (here, there)
Begins to use do, can, and will (emerging future tense)
Uses imperatives (commands: go, get it, don’t, etc.)
20 % utterances are nouns, 25% are verbs
MLR 3.4 words
Infinitive compliment (I want to play) emerging
Beginning to use “is” at beginning of questions
Third person singular present tense emerging (he runs)
Contracted forms of modals (won’t, can’t)
Irregular plural forms emerging (child→children)
Uses “are” with plural nouns (boys are running)
Uses “and” as conjunction
Regular plural forms are consistent
Uses “is, are, am” in sentences
3-1 to 3-6 MLR 4.3 words
Combines 4 to 5 words in sentences
Uses compound sentence “and”
3-7 to 4-0 Possessive marker ‘s consistent
Regular third person singular –s consistent
Simple past tense (t, d) consistent (walked)
Present progressive “is” + ing consistent
Contractions used consistently
Uses negative “not” consistently
Pronouns “he, she, I, you, me, mine” consistent
“Are, they, their” used inconsistently
Reflexive pronoun “myself” emerging
More adverbs of time and manner are being used
Conjunction “because” emerging
Uses “got” (I got it)
“What was, what were” questions emerging
“Was/were” (yes/no) questions emerging (Was he there?)
MLR 4.4 words
Combines 4-5 words in sentences
Complex sentences used frequently
Imperatives and emphatics used consistently
Parts of speech now in stable relationship
4-1 to 5-0 “If” and “so” appear in sentences
Irregular plurals used fairly consistently (child→children)
“Our, they, their” used consistently
Uses “could” and “would” in sentences
Errors of noun/verb and adj/noun agreement are frequent
MLR 4.6 words
Combines 4 to 7 words in sentences
Passive voice emerging in some children. (The dog was kicked by the boy.)
4-7 to 5-0 Possessive pronouns “his, her” emerging
Uses “will” to form future tense
Fewer errors in agreement between adj/noun
Reflexive pronouns becoming more consistent
Comparative –er emerging (bigger)
MLR 5.7 words
Combines 5 to 8 words in sentences
Passive voice emerging in some children. (The dog was kicked by the boy.)
5-1 to 6-0 All pronouns used consistently
Superlative –est used (biggest)
Adverbial word endings emerging (slowly, faster, etc.)
MLR 6.6 words
Syntax near normal
6-1 to 7-0 Fairly consistent use of most morphological markers
“If” and “so” developed by most children
Reflexive pronouns developed by most children
Irregular comparatives used more correctly (good, better, best)
Perfect tense “have” and “had” emerging
Nominalizations occurring: noun forms are developed from verb forms
Continued improvement on irregular plurals
Iteration emerging “You have to clean clothes to make them clean.”
Participial compliments emerging
MLR 7.3 words
Passive voice fully developed in most children
Continued refinement of syntax
Speech and Language Development Chart
Word Making Productions 1980
Salt Lake City, UT