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Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 1 to 3 Years

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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.

Most 1-year-olds start to understand the meanings of words. Their receptive language grows from understanding names of people and objects to being able to follow simple requests sometime between ages 1 and 2. Expressive language advances from primarily using gestures and babbling at age 1, to using words, simple phrases, and some early sentence structures between ages 2 and 3.

Speech and language milestones

Age

Receptive language

Expressive language

1-year-olds (12 months to 24 months):
  • Learn that words have meaning.
  • Usually recognize the names of family members and familiar objects.
  • Understand simple statements such as "all gone" and "give me."
  • Between 1 and 2 years, understand simple requests such as "give daddy the ball."
  • By 18 months, know the names of people, body parts, and objects.
  • Use gestures, such as pointing.
  • Babble less than babies do.
  • Often make one- or two-syllable sounds that stand for items they want, such as "baba" for "bottle." They point to things they want.
  • Between 12 months and 18 months of age, may use their own language, sometimes called jargon. It's is a mix of made-up words and understandable words.
  • Between 1 and 2 years, usually can say between 20 and 50 words that are intelligible to family members.

2-year-olds (24 months to 36 months):
  • Know the name of at least seven body parts.
  • Increase their understanding of object names.
  • Follow simple requests (such as "put the book on the table").
  • When asked, point to a picture of something named (such as "Where is the cow?" or "Show me the airplane.")
  • Continue to learn and use gestures.
  • Sometimes talk a lot, although some are quiet.
  • If quiet, develop a communication system using gestures and facial expressions.
  • Usually can name some body parts (such as arms and legs), favorite toys, and familiar objects (such as cats and dogs).
  • Use pronouns like "me" and "you," but they often get them mixed up.
  • Can make phrases, such as "no bottle" or "want cookie."
  • By age 3, usually can say between 150 to 200 words. Strangers can understand them about 75% of the time.

Related Information

Credits

Current as of: October 24, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

Current as of: October 24, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

Current as of: October 24, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

The Health Encyclopedia contains general health information. Not all treatments or services described are covered benefits for Kaiser Permanente members or offered as services by Kaiser Permanente. For a list of covered benefits, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage or Summary Plan Description. For recommended treatments, please consult with your health care provider.