What is the first word most children learn to say

Common First Words Children Should Be Saying

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We encourage you to use this list when practicing at home.

Home practice will make progress toward meeting individual language goals much faster.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are only able to see students/clients 30-60 mins (or less) per week. This is not enough time or practice for someone to strengthen their understanding of this important language concept.

Every day that your loved one goes without practice it becomes more difficult to help them. 

SEE ALSO: The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

We know life is busy , but if you’re reading this you’re probably someone who cares about helping their loved one as much as you can.

Practice 5-10 minutes whenever you can, but try to do it on a consistent basis (daily).

Please, please, please use this list to practice.

It will be a great benefit to you and your loved one’s progress.

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Think about it – right from the beginning, your baby learns to communicate. The first form of communication in any baby is crying. Every time your baby cries and you rush to tend to her, you are laying down the foundation for communication. The next way babies start to communicate is through sounds like cooing, growling and babbling. Once your baby starts to practice her consonants, it is only a matter of time before your baby starts trying to imitate the sounds you make while speaking.

At What Age Babies Speak Their First Word?

When do babies say their first word? The average age at which kids utter their first real word is around the one year mark. By the age of two, babies can generally form two word sentences such as “doggy nice” (The dog is nice) or “got boo-boo” (I got hurt). Most children are able to form more advanced, though not perfect sentences once they are three. For example, your child may say “I drinked all my juice” instead of “I drank all my juice” as they are not yet able to understand tenses.

Baby-Speaking Milestones

The first two years of your baby’s life are the most important for speech. Before using any words themselves, babies learn to communicate by watching how the adults around them do it. Your child will first begin by exploring the tongue, lips, palate and any grown teeth and making sounds with them. As your baby develops, she will be able to learn to use words to describe things in her life and what she wants.

Some of the most common first words of babies are “Dada”, “Mama” and “Bye-Bye.” At the age of 12 months, words like “ball” and “dog” go on the baby first words list. Some of the important milestones to look out for when it comes to your child’s speech development are as follows:

1. Baby’s First Words at the 3^rd Month:

Everything is new to babies of this age, and they spend a lot of time observing your facial expressions and listening to the sound of your voice. They are also curious about any other sounds that they can hear around the house. Babies prefer the sound of a female voice over a male one and are more partial to the voices they heard while in the womb. By the end of three months, babies learn to coo.

1. Baby’s Words at the 6^th Month:

This is the age at which babies learn to babble. They begin with simple things like “da da”, and they are able to recognise their own names. They can also distinguish their mother tongue from other languages. They learn to communicate if they are happy or sad through tone of voice. They do not understand the meanings of any words yet.

1. Baby’s Words at the 9^th Month:

Now babies are beginning to understand the meaning of some very simple words such as “yes” and “bye” and will start to practice their consonant sounds.

1. Baby’s Words at the 12^th Month:

Your baby now understands the meaning behind the words that she hears all the time. This is the age at which most babies utter their first real word.

1. Baby’s Words at the 18^th Month:

Your baby’s vocabulary expands at this age, and she will be able to point out objects to you if you name them for her. Many babies have fun learning the names of their body parts by pointing to the one they think you are asking for and try to imitate what you are saying.

1. Baby’s Words at 2 Years:

Babies are finally starting to understand that words are not only meant to refer to objects but also to other things like possession and they can even put together two-word sentences like “ball mine!” to communicate.

How To Make Your Baby Talk

Keep talking to your baby. Make sure to focus on pronouncing each individual word carefully when speaking to your child and tell her what you are doing as you do it. Here are some ways of helping your baby learn to talk:

1. Be Observant:

Young babies often communicate through actions, and you should pay attention to their every attempt. Your baby may hold up her arms to you to let you know she wants to be carried, or she could push her food away to let you know she is full. When these things happen, smile and make eye contact so that she will feel encouraged to communicate more.

2. Listen Carefully:

When your baby coos at you, coo back at her. This will help her learn to vary pitch and tone as she will imitate the way you make the sounds. When your child is speaking to you, look at her and be responsive so that she feels more comfortable talking to you.

3. Lots of Praise:

Babies often do not make any sense as they experiment with and learn different sounds. Praise your child for every attempt, whether it makes sense to you or not.

4. The Art of Imitation:

If your baby happens to glance at the cat and say “cah” you should do the same, except, use the correct word, “cat.” It will help her learn the correct way to say things and also confirms for her that yes; that is a “cah,” making her more confident in her associations.

5. Small Talk:

At mealtime, if your baby points to her bowl and makes a noise, don’t just give her more food. Converse with her first, “Would you like more pasta? It tastes lovely with cheese, doesn’t it?”

6. Narration:

Tell your baby everything you are doing to help her connect certain words with activities. “Let’s put on this green hat!” or “Mommy is cutting carrots for Cara.”

7. Don’t Give Up:

If you don’t understand what your baby is saying, clarify it with her, “Ball? Do you want the ball?”
Even if you still don’t understand what she is trying to say, don’t lose heart. Show your baby a lot of love. She will still feel rewarded for trying.

8. Follow the Leader:

Let your baby set the pace during playtime and follow your child’s interests. Let her pick the topic of conversation in her own way. This will teach her that that communication is a two-way street where there is talking, listening, following and leading.

9. Playacting:

Children should be encouraged to play and pretend, using creative imaginary scenes as these activities can help them develop their verbal skills as they become toddlers.

10. Read Out Loud:

Young children enjoy things that are pleasant and if you make reading sessions fun and relaxing, your child will not only develop her verbal skills, learn how to form sentences and how stories flow from listening to and imitating you, but could also develop a love for reading as she grows.

How to Deal With Speech Delay

At around two years is when the average child learns to speak. If your child is still not speaking, it is best to consult a doctor. If the problem is diagnosed early, the chances of your child getting back on track is higher. Here are some ways to help with delayed speech:

1. Hearing Test:

Hearing loss is a major cause of delayed speech development. Three out of 1000 babies have it, Make sure to get your baby fully checked for this problem.

2. Consult a Professional:

An SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist) will be able to diagnose and treat whatever is causing your child to have delayed speech development. Treatments could involve giving you tips and games to improve her speech skills.

3. Developmental Screening:

Development or behavioural disabilities such as autism or cognitive disabilities can cause speech delays, and it is in your child’s best interest to have these diagnosed and properly treated if she is found to have any.

Like every other milestone in your child’s life, she will hit all her speech ones when she is ready. Parents really need not worry about their children developing their verbal skills at exactly the ages given above, as those are the average ages at which things should fall into place.

Also Read: What is Baby Babble?

What is Baby Babbling?

“Baba”, “mama”, “egoo” These sounds (baby jargon) are known as babbling. Babbling is an essential phase of speech development in a child. In this stage, an infant appears to be experimenting with creating first words but is not quite ready.

Babbling is one way to measure how a child’s language is developing. Language milestones are progress recorded as a child goes through the various stages of language development. These developmental milestones involve hearing, understanding, and the ability to speak (i.e., receptive and expressive language skills).

Stages of Language Development — When Do Babies Talk?

Parents and caregivers often ask questions such as: “When do babies start making sounds?”, “When do babies start giggling?”, “When do babies start cooing?”, “When do babies start babbling?”, «When do babies talk?»

Speech Milestones involve a series of stages that begins with crying, cooing, forming a few words, and culminates in sentences. Note that the following dates overlap and vary from one child to the next and should not be interpreted too rigidly.

BIRTH

Babies communicate pain and pleasure by making sounds.

0-3 MONTHS

The pre-talking stage is the baby’s first sound production (besides crying and sucking). Babies laugh or giggle in response to things in their world. This period also involves the cooing phase; cooing refers to the baby producing vowel-like sounds. The sounds like Oooooooooooo and Aaaaaaaaaaaa are noticeable. Infants make these coos when having face-to-face interactions with caregivers. Babies may use a different cry for different situations.

4-6 MONTHS

In this stage, babies begin to use babbling to include consonant and vowels combinations such as “da, da, da.” They may use their babbling to gain attention and make different sounds to express feelings.

7-12 MONTHS

During this period, a baby’s speech uses a broader range of sounds and syllable combinations in babbling. Young children may attempt to imitate sounds that they hear. They may use simple gestures such as shaking their head no. As they approach their first birthday, first words may emerge.

1- 2 YEARS

In this stage, babies utter their first one word as a means of expressing their emotional state. The child’s vocabulary continues to grow. Here children begin to form words and two-word sentences such as “Baby go” or “More ball.” Your baby’s grammar will not be perfect in the beginning but as they develop their sentences will become longer and sound more adult-like.

2-3 YEARS

In this period, the child’s vocabulary is expanding rapidly. A child goes from a few words to producing statements that are one, two, or three words in length.

The Phases of Babbling

There are three main phases (types) of babbling, with each stage overlapping with the next as the child develops. These phases are:

MARGINAL BABBLING

This babbling usually occurs between 4-6 months of age. During this period, the infants put together consonant-vowel or vowel-consonant sound combinations like “baa,” “maaa,” or “uuum.” Marginal babbling is also called pre-canonical vocalization. It is also accompanied by squealing and cooing.

CANONICAL BABBLING

The canonical babbling period usually spans between 6-10 months of age. This phase can be further divided into two subtypes:

• Reduplicated Babbling: The period when infants repeat the same syllable over and over, such as “babababa” or “mamamama” or “gagagaga”.

• Non-Reduplicated Babbling: In this phase of babbling, the sounds are now more varied. Instead of producing the same syllable over and over, they start to combine different sounds and syllables like “magaga,” “gagamee,” or “gababama”. This type is also called variegated babbling.

CONVERSATIONAL BABBLING

The final period of babbling typically begins at approximately 10 months of age. Babies enter a stage called conversational babbling (baby jargon), including pauses, turn-talking, rhythm, and intonation. It can appear as an adult conversation, e.g., a form of pseudo dialogue. This stage often overlaps with a child’s first word.

Babies First Words

When do babies start talking? Every parent dreams of the day their child will utter that first meaningful word. Soon after the conversational babbling phase, most babies start talking around their first birthday. When babies say their first word, it often becomes a sign of the child’s emerging personality.

Once they start talking, it can become overwhelming for parents to understand what their baby is saying. It is difficult because there are so many words to learn, and they often use short sentences or even one word such as “Mommy” or “Daddy.” Even though they say words, babies may not understand the meaning yet.

The first words are usually one-word utterances. For instance, a child may hear the word “dog” and unconsciously pick it up to refer to a specific dog. Or they may learn it from their parents and caregivers in context. That is why it can be difficult for parents to determine when their baby truly understands how to use a word.

First words are usually grammatically correct because children learn them from people around them who speak with proper grammar. Babies learn to copy everything they hear, so be careful about what you say to your child. Although this may seem like a blessing for parents, it also means that babies pick up bad habits in speaking too. That is why parents need to provide their children with age-appropriate and positive input. This will help them learn to speak properly.

First Word Combinations

• Intrinsic Combination: They make up their combination of two words (e.g., “bye-boo”).

• Extrinsic Combination: When a child uses the first word to modify another word or sentence, such as “mama milk” or “gaga night.”

The Most Common First Words: List of 10 Popular Baby Words

When do babies start saying mama and dada? Babies learn at their own pace, but more than likely, your child will say these simple words before any others. These words are very common and expected!

Baby babble beginning words:

1. Mama: According to linguists, this word is on top of the list of first words that babies learn before any other words. It seems to be instinctive for them to call their mother “mama.”

2. Dada (Daddy): Dada is equally likely to be a baby’s first word as Mama. Why do babies say dada first? Saying dada is easy to sound out for babies.

3. Dog: Another common word in baby babbling, dog or doggie. A baby’s first words are likely tied to how they see the world around them. A child living with a dog is likely to have «dog» as one of their first words since language is related strongly to their visual experiences.

4. Ball: Soon after learning the word for dog, many infants learn the word for ball. They then use it to refer to anything round, such as a bead or an apple.

5. Kitty: Another favorite animal of babies is a kitty! This first word refers to both cats and kittens. When your child starts to talk, you may notice that they are using their own version of terms for a cat or kitten.

6. Bye: Babies pick up the word bye or bye bye because of their frequent exposure to adults saying goodbye to each other. It usually has no special meaning or connotation, except that it marks the end of an activity.

7. Hi: They learn this word in much the same way they learn bye. The difference is that hi is used as a greeting instead of bye.

8. No: This is one of the simplest first words for babies to learn since it only has one syllable and follows the pattern of “yes,” which most children pick up before the age of 1.

9. Mommy: It is a good thing that “mama” was the first word because this one follows right behind it in popularity too! You will hear babies even use this word to call other caregivers.

10. Banana: Bananas are often the first food and babies may see the fruit eaten and shared by caregivers. Babies’ first words usually involve concrete objects in their immediate surroundings, making banana or just nana a popular first word.

The Significance of Babbling in Language Milestones

Babies are one of life’s most precious gifts. However, it seems almost as soon as your little bundle of joy is born, you begin to ask questions like:

“Is my child speech development on track?”, “Is it too early for my baby to start talking?”, “When will my baby say mama or when will my baby say dada?”, the questions are endless and, of course, compelling.

Babbling is a prelinguistic tool, and it serves as a stepping stone to actual words and a key marker of speech and language development. Babbling is vital, and research suggests that when parents/caregivers respond to these initial attempts at communication, it:

• Shows the child what communication is genuinely about. Communication is a two-way affair; one person speaks, the other person listens, and then gives an appropriate response.

• Motivates the infant to continue trying to make sounds.

• It helps the child realize the importance of first words. Babbling indicates that the infant’s first word is near.

• Lastly, there is evidence that canonical babbling is an essential precursor to later language development. Some research points out that delays in canonical babbling can sometimes predict later disabilities like language and speech delays or learning disabilities.

Causes of Delayed Speech or Language Acquisition in Infants

If your baby does not seem to be using their voice to make early communication attempts, you should speak to your pediatrician. A wide range of factors may contribute to speech delays. Some factors may include hearing impairment, communication delay, or neurological impairment, and often the cause is unknown. A lack of babbling can be predictive of later language delays. Parents should remain diligent about language developmental delays because with early awareness comes early intervention.

Early intervention can often make a tremendous difference in the outcome of language or speech delay.

If your pediatrician suspects that there has been a delay in your baby’s speech and language acquisition, you will be referred to a speech-language pathologist. They will work with you and your child to pinpoint the reason for the delay. The treatment plan may include concentrating on different areas of development like:

• Motor skills (tongue rolling, lip movement, and articulation)

• Vocalizations (including canonical babbling and early words)

• Hand skills (demonstrating awareness of the mouth for feeding and talking as well as hand movements that complement speech)

• Social interaction (interaction with caregivers, peers, or objects)

Ways to Encourage Communication in Infants

To aid both receptive and expressive language development, it is important to always respond to your little ones. Studies show that infants acquire communication skills faster when their parents react to their babbling with supportive language cues. Some things that you can do now include:

• Maintain eye contact with your infant while they are having a “conversation” with you.

• Imitate your child’s babble. When adults mimic babies’ vocalization, it increases the likelihood that babies will make the sounds again. So even though it may feel a little silly, bring out the baby sounds. Babies exposed to this will love the back and forth game, and it will be an exciting practice.

• Give your baby a toy and talk about it with them.

• Sing and read to your baby and ask a lot of questions too.

• Do not interrupt. Infants need to hear themselves make these sounds; the auditory feedback they receive after making babbling noises is good for proper language development. A slight nod and a smile will serve as a form of encouragement.

• Diets: Babies use the same oral muscles to speak as they use to eat. Each time they graduate to a new category of solid foods, they use their muscles in more robust, more coordinated ways. Solid food will also help them to make more complicated speech sounds. A well-fed infant is a happy Infant, and a happy infant is a chatty infant.

With enough practice and encouragement from you, your baby’s babbling will eventually lead to their first essential real words.

Reliable Approach to Teach Your Toddler to Talk

Conclusion

During a baby’s first year, you should expect to hear vocalizations like crying, babbling (like “coo” and “goo”, “mama” and “dada”), and vocal exploration like squealing and yelling.

A baby’s first babbling sounds usually are made around 4-6 months of life, as infants practice the speech sounds used later to form syllables, words, or sentences.

In time, the syllables they form become more complex, and by the end of the first year, infants may begin producing their actual first words.

If your baby hasn’t started making these early developing sounds, we recommend consulting with your pediatrician because early recognition of delayed speech and language is essential.

When is it the Right Time for a Speech-Language Evaluation?

Free Consultation

Do you have questions or want to learn more about our early intervention program? At Connected Speech Pathology, we provide an early intervention service to parents and children approximately 16 months or older. Set up a free phone consultation with our lead speech pathologist.

From coos to growls to sing-songy combinations of vowels and consonants, your baby’s vocalizing and verbal experimentation may sound just as adorable as it is nonsensical. But listen closely and one day you’ll hear it: the first real word.

By 9 months, your baby will probably start stringing together «ma-ma» and «da-da» sounds without necessarily knowing what they mean. But when those sounds start to transform into words with meaning, it’s a milestone that feels like magic.

When do babies start talking?

Babies start talking — that is, attempt to express themselves in words with meaning — anywhere between 9 and 14 months. But babies start learning how to speak right after they’re born, mainly by watching and listening to you and other people.

Here’s a timeline of how baby’s speech will typically progress:

By the end of month 4

From birth, babies listen to the words and sounds all around them and begin to sort out their meanings, the first step in language acquisition. 

At 4 months, your baby will likely babble or even copy some of the babbling sounds he’s heard you make. His cries may also sound different, depending on whether he’s hungry, tired or in pain.

By the end of month 6

By about 6 months, your baby is picking up on the idea that the jumble of sounds he’s hearing every day include individual words. He may even understand a few of them, such as his name, and the names of other people and familiar objects. He may also make some sounds himself, and may string together a few vowels when he babbles, such as «ah,» «eh» and «oh.» Consonants like «m» and «b» may also appear too.

By the end of month 9

Your baby is starting to experiment with making sounds of his own — including some impressively long ones, like «ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma» and «ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba.»

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He may also start to mimic other people’s sounds and gestures, and understand what «no» means (whether he’ll listen is another thing altogether). All of this brings him closer, day by day, to saying his first word.

By the end of month 12

By the time your child is 1 year old, he can likely say at least one word like, «mama,» «dada” or «uh-oh.» He may also try to say the words he hears you say, as well as change the tone of his words — all of which is starting to sound something like real speech! 

When do babies say their first word?

Babies often say their first word around the age of 1, but it can vary from child to child. 

Some perfectly normal babies don’t say a recognizable word until 18 months, whereas some babies begin to communicate in word-sounds (like «ba-ba» for bye-bye, bottle or ball and «da-da» for dog, dad or doll) as early as 7 months.

«Da-da» seems to be slightly easier for babies to say than «ma-ma,» so don’t be surprised if it’s your baby’s first «real» word. Other popular first words include «uh-oh,» «bye-bye» and, around 18 months of age, «no.»

How to teach baby to talk

The best way to help your baby say his first words is to talk to him —  a lot! Your baby will be eager to pick up on your verbal cues. 

Narrate your day, describing what you’re doing as you dress your baby, cook dinner or walk down the street. Speak the names of objects and people. Read to your baby, pointing out objects and their names in the pictures he sees.

Ask questions, hold one-sided conversations — and listen if he answers. When he does vocalize, be sure to smile, make eye contact and show him that you’re listening. He’ll be encouraged by your attention — and excited to try again.

More ways to encourage a baby to talk:

• Speak slowly and clearly, and focus on single words. There’s no need to resort to caveman-speak all the time around your baby, but slowing the pace as you flip through a picture book, or explaining in clear, simple language what you’re doing as you put the book back on the shelf, helps your child understand and focus on individual words. 
• Use names rather than pronouns. Whenever possible, name the people you’re talking about rather than using the shorthand of a pronoun: «This is Mommy’s coffee» or «Here is Sarah’s bear» are both clearer and easier for babies to understand than «This is my coffee» or «Here is your bear.»
• Sing songs and rhyme rhymes. Your baby will learn valuable language skills from the simple rhythms and silly repetitions of nursery rhymes and songs.
• Repetition is your friend. Repetition is your friend. (Get it?) Saying things not once but twice, singing the same songs over and over, pointing out the same flower pot every time you pass it on the street … all that repetition, boring as it may seem to you, is incredibly interesting to your little one, since it helps reinforce your child’s growing understanding of how a particular sound attaches to a particular thing — in other words, what individual words really mean.

What not to worry about

When it comes to speech, the window of what’s considered «normal» is wide open. Your child may start to use sound-words like «mi» for «milk» or «dat» for «that» (as in, «I want that!») as early as 7 months. Or your child might not start to say words or word-sounds until as late as 18 months. 

Believe it or not, it’s just as appropriate to hear a child’s first words at either end of that age range — or at any age in between. Every child develops at his own pace. 

When to talk to your doctor

If you notice any of the following signs in your baby, it’s a good idea to check in with your pediatrician:

• Not babbling at 4 to 7 months
• Only making a few sounds or gestures by 12 months
• Not saying simple words like «ma-ma» or «da-da» by 12 to 15 months
• Not understanding simple words like «no» or «stop» by 18 months. 

These can sometimes signal something’s up. Here’s what your pediatrician will look for:

• Hearing loss or hearing difficulties, which can occur at birth or develop in infancy or toddlerhood. If there’s a family history of hearing loss, tell your pediatrician. Hearing problems can make it difficult for children to learn how to speak. Your pediatrician may be able to treat mild hearing loss that results from, for example, fluid that has accumulated in the inner ear, or can refer you to an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist).
• Language delays, which affect about 1 out of 5 children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Sometimes, this delay is only minor, and may resolve itself with a little extra attention from a parent or caregiver. In other cases, children may benefit from working with a speech and language therapist.
• Autism, a spectrum disorder (also called autism spectrum disorder, or ASD), can result in social or language delays. Let your pediatrician know if your child doesn’t respond to his name by 9 months or if he doesn’t make eye contact when you speak to him.

In general, the earlier a speech delay is detected, the sooner you’ll be able to address it. 

What’s next for baby

Long before he speaks his first words, your baby will learn to understand words, but understanding concepts and directions takes a little longer. 

Sometime around the first birthday, most toddlers can begin following simple commands «like give me that» or «put that down,» but only if they’re issued one step at a time. Your toddler’s vocabulary will likely begin to explode around month 18, and he may string a few words together by age 2.

Every baby develops at his own pace, but if you have any concerns about your child’s development, don’t hesitate to check in with your pediatrician sooner rather than later.

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“The key for talking with pre-talkers is for you to take your turn, and then you wait and look expectantly at your child.”

Gopika Kamdar, Speech Language Pathologist

Baby’s first words — few milestones are met with more emotion from the adults in the room! But what constitutes a first word and when should parents be expecting to hear them? Join Host Jessica Rolph and Speech Language Pathologist Gopika Kamdar for a look at some common indicators of language development.

On the table for discussion is research from the ’90s suggesting the volume of words spoken to infants is paramount to speech and language development, as compared with more recent research that emphasizes the importance of serve-and-return, the turn-taking that comes naturally to adults. So which is it? As with most topics we cover, we think you’ll find the answers reassuring. 

Key Takeaways:

[1:26] Gopika talks about the benefits of narration and serve-and-return as approaches to promote language development.

[4:07] Gopika explains the difference between receptive language and expressive language.

[5:11] When do most children say their first words?

[6:52] When should we worry? When do you start to see a need for intervention?

[9:06] What are some language milestones for a 24-month-old?

[11:28] What are markers of a speech delay if a child isn’t meeting the average ranges?

[13:51] Myth or truth: Does pacifier use cause speech delays? 

[16:07] Jessica shares her top three takeaways.

Script:

Most of us know how important it is to read to our babies and young children. But few parents are reading “Cat Hat In The Hat” 18 times a day. Ludicrous as that sounds, it was actually referenced as an equivalent to the 30,000 words per day recommended in a landmark study on language by Hart & Risley in the ’90s.

The study said that the more language children are exposed to, the better prepared they are for school. This lead many of us to believe that the number of words spoken was paramount. A wearable device surfaced that even counted the number of words a parent uses in any given day with their child, but more recent research emphasizes the importance of serve-and-return, that turn-taking that comes naturally to adults.

Here to help us understand the nuances of language development, is Speech Language Pathologist Gopika Kamdar.

So which is it, Gopika, narration, serve-and-return, or both?

The Importance of Serve and Return

Gopika: So, I think it’s both, in the sense of exposure to language. It is important to narrate to your baby. You do want to expose them to as much language as possible, and you want to talk to them about what you are doing. But also, you want to engage in a real back-and-forth conversation. So sure, with a young child under the age of one, you will be doing the majority… Well, all of the talking. But these back-and-forth conversations, teach children early on that there is expected turn-taking and conversational interactions.

I communicate and then you communicate, and then I communicate. And it’s nice and juicy. And it’s so exciting. And here’s the key for doing it with pre-talkers, you take your turn, and then you have to wait. And this is key. You have to wait and look expectantly at your child. And then you… So you’re directing your expectation at them in a way that’s somewhat tangible, you’re using your facial expression, you’re using your body language like “I’m really looking forward to what you’re going to say. And you do this every time so that the child, the baby develops this understanding that there’s a pattern, and then they respond, and the response is… Again, it can be a smile, a raspberry, a movement, a facial expression, a coo, a babble. So, people… Parents who are new to this often won’t wait long enough, but really if you wait, and sometimes we recommend waiting for 10 seconds which feels like an eternity.

Jessica: That is so long!

Gopika: It’s so long.

Jessica: I didn’t do that.

Gopika: If I was silent for 10 seconds, right now, I think people would be like, “Is there a glitch in the system? Is anyone on air?” But you’ll be surprised by how the child will fill that void, with some sort of communication. And, all the while looking at you to continue this conversation.

Expressive and Receptive Language

Jessica: That is such a great wisdom, and I will say it’s such a great reminder for some of us who are really enthusiastic and just, have trouble giving space to, I’ll say, my children, just to speak. So I want to get into some more research that says that babies as young as 10 months of age can understand 40 words, just like absorbing that, 10 months of age can understand 40 words. Can you explain the difference between receptive language, and expressive language? 

Gopika: So expressive language is the use, receptive language is the understanding. And it’s important to understand that a baby, or any child has to understand language before they can even use it. So receptive language is the first step, always, and then comes expressive language. So a child needs to understand what the word is, and really have a nice grasp of where and how to use this word before they can actually put it together and use it in context. 

When do Babies Say Their First Words?

Jessica: I think it’s so grounding and comforting for us to hear that they’re picking up so much about language, even if they’re not speaking those first words yet or speaking in full sentences, which gets me to my next topic that I want to cover with you is, giving us some guidance on what are the healthy ranges for babies and toddlers to start talking, expressive language, and when to worry. So, when do most children say those first words? 

Gopika: This is such a common question, and most parents are so conscious of this moment… There’s a lot of emotion around it, parents are so excited when they hear their child imitating or saying their first word, and then some parents feel quite anxious or concerned if they aren’t hearing those words. I would like to first define… What is a first word? And obviously actual first words, saying a full first word counts. But approximations like, ca for car, and onomatopoeia and exclamations, so animal sounds and exclamations like, “Oh oh. Oh no,” are all examples of words. And what’s important is that these words are consistent, so they’re said multiple times, they’re intentional… The babies and the children aren’t just saying the words, as they walk around just to say it but there was an intent behind it. And they’re independent, so the child is saying it without a model or without imitating. And so, again, consistent, intentional, and independent.

So ideally by 12 months we’d like to see one to five words. These first words start appearing in conversation.

Language Milestones and When to Worry

Jessica: So you’ve given us the healthy ranges or what you see as typical. When should we worry? When do you start to see a need for intervention, especially with, there’s that very first stage of expressive language emerging? 

Pre-linguistic Communication and Skills 

Gopika: Well, it’s important to understand that there are broad ranges around developmental language milestones. And so, there’s a distribution, a bell curve, and there are children who are going to be early on that bell curve like, their first words will appear at eight or nine months. And then there are children who are a little later, around 14 or 15 months. And I want parents to know that there are pre-linguistic skills that are flashing signs that their children are working on core components of communication. And generally, if you see these skills by 12 months. Then I am not overly concerned about a language delay… So these skills include, engagement and reciprocity… Does your child want to communicate and have this nice back-and-forth with you? Is your child babbling, so are they practicing all their sounds? Are you hearing a variety of vowels and a variety of consonants? Are there patterns within that… Those babbling sounds? For particular items and people. And then are they using gestures?

So I’m looking for those pre-linguistic skills as a sign that your child is, and maybe on their way to saying their first words. However, I do encourage parents to take a proactive and more focused role and maximize language opportunities between 12 to 15 months if they aren’t seeing first words yet, because I would like to see, and most speech pathologists would like to see, the first words really in there by 15 months.

24-Month-Old Language Explosion 

Jessica: That is so reassuring. I love having this information. I feel like we don’t get direct information all the time when we’re trying to figure it out on our own. And so let’s talk about the next thing, toddlerhood. So what does language, look like for a 24-month-old, for example? 

Gopika: 24-month-olds are so juicy, they really just want to communicate, and they have so much to share.

At 24 months, children are starting to string words together because they have had this huge language burst from 18 to 24 months, so they’re moving out of these one-word utterances and starting to combine descriptive language and verbs, and they can express a wide variety of emotions during their interactions and play, and they start to produce coordinated meanings. For example, my almost 24-month-old is starting to do this, he is noticing that there are other people out there who have purses like his mother, and he went up to our nanny and pulled on her purse and said “Mommy, mommy’s, mommy’s bag.” So you put two words together and it had meaning behind it, it was coordinated, he related to a situation. And so they become more interactive and they’re understanding new words and they can follow two-step directions, and they answer questions about the here and now, and also start to ask simple questions, which is just so fun.

And at this age, they love to relate personal experiences and try to share information with their parents, and they’re engaging in longer play sequences and using words, you’re going to start seeing words during play. They start pushing lawn mowers and labelling things they see as they go on walks. So it’s really… You’re going to see a huge language burst around 24 months. On average, a 24-month-old has approximately 200 to 300 words.

Jessica: Wow. It’s just such an explosion. It’s so amazing.

Gopika: So amazing.

Delayed Speech and What to Look Out For 

Jessica: And then I always think you hear the stories of these very, like Einstein didn’t speak until three. When should we worry? What are the cues that we need to be tuning into to actually be concerned about a speech delay, if a child isn’t meeting these kind of average ranges…

Gopika: Well, first and foremost, parents know their own children the best and they’re their greatest advocates, and I’m a big believer in trusting your gut. I’m also a big believer in early intervention, as research has shown the earlier you intervene and earlier treatment is provided, results in better outcomes or a faster catch-up. So at every age there are different milestones that speech and language pathologists are looking for… In general, we’re looking for a communicative intent, so is your child engaged. We are looking for understanding and use of language. We are looking for difficulties with feeding and swallowing. My top five red flags for children under the age of two, are if your child is not engaged or not as responsive during communication attempts by you as the parent or the siblings or friends, also, if your child is not babbling by five to six months. Babbling is so crucial for sound development and organizing the sound system.

Practicing the sounds that are in later, more complex words. If your child does not have five to 15 words by 15 months, or 15 to 50 words by 18 months, I like to have a child looked at by a speech language pathologist. If your child is a picky eater, having difficulty with feeding and swallowing, we can help. We as speech pathologists can help with feeding and swallowing, but also there may be something going on with the development of the articulators, the mouth, the oral development, so all the parts of the mouth that help with feeding also help with sound development and language. And then if your child is having trouble understanding what you were saying, following simple directions and answering simple questions.

Do Pacifiers Delay Speech? 

Jessica: Is this a myth that pacifier use can cause speech delays? Or is this true? 

Gopika: There is nothing wrong with pacifier use. There are actually many benefits to pacifiers. They help with self-soothing during times of upset or when a child is trying to wind down to sleep, and there’s research indicating that pacifiers protect against SIDs up to six months. In regards to language, there is no indication that pacifiers cause a language delay. Pacifiers can, however, impact dentition by 24 months. It can definitely impact the development of the oral pallet, so your mouth, and that can impact how a child develops their sound system and the articulation… The way they produce their sounds. So while there’s nothing wrong with using a pacifier, I find it really important starting from infancy to maximize a baby’s opportunity to explore his/her environment and communicate, oral exploration, mouthing, babbling, crying, and these all require the ability to make sounds. So if there’s a pacifier in the baby’s mouth, there’s less opportunity to really practice the sounds. So my recommendation is to try to limit the baby’s pacifier use to nap time or sleep time, and instead of offering your child, immediately offering your child, the pacifier during moments of increased emotion, to find ways to help your child communicate that emotion or learn how to self-soothe on their own.

Jessica: Gopika, it has been so wonderful having you with us. Thank you so much for joining us today.

Gopika: Thank you so much for having me. This was so fun.

Three Episode Takeaways for Parents

All this talk of baby talk reminds me of when Leland said the word Light for the first time on the airplane as I flipped the switch over and over again. I was so excited. 

1. Have Conversations With Your Baby

It is possible to have a “conversation” with infants. You do this by pausing after asking your baby a question or making an observation, and waiting for your child to respond with a sound or facial expression. Tuning in and turning to them when they make those little grunts, coos, and babbles reaffirms their attempts at communication. 

2. Receptive Language Comes First

Children must understand words before they can use them in conversation. This is why receptive language comes first — babies as young as 10 months old can understand about 40 words. Just because your baby or toddler is not responding back with their own words, does not mean they aren’t absorbing the language you are modeling for them.

3. Expressive Language and Pre-linguistic Communication

First spoken words — expressive language — shows up on a bell curve anywhere from 8 to 15 months. Here are some pre-linguistic skills that indicate your child is on their way to speaking: They’re engaging in attempts at back-and-forth communication, they’re babbling, and they’re using gestures. Look for consistent, intentional, and independent attempts at communication. These can be sounds or exclamations, so long as they are intentional. 

You can find more information on language development on the Lovevery blog.

Данные тесты предназначены для учащихся,
желающих поступить в ВУЗ, где английский язык является профилирующим. Если у
вас есть учащиеся, желающие стать учителями английского языка или переводчиками
предложите им проверить свои знания.

Test 1.

1.      Раскройте
скобки, употребляя глаголы в нужном времени:

Windsor
Castle

           Windsor
(lie)    1    twenty-one miles west of London. If you (go)      2    
  there by train, it (take)         3        you an hour. If you
(go) ___4___ by bus, it (take)         5        you only a little longer

Windsor (be)    6        
 famous for its ancient castle and beautiful countryside.

             For
over 800 years Windsor Castle (be)         7         the residence of
the British Royal Family. The Castle (start)      8         by William
the Conqueror in the 11^th century. The surrounding countryside
(change) ____9___ little since the time when Chaucer (stand) ___10_____ here
looking at the country beneath.

The
most important feature of the Castle (be) ____11___the Round Tower. It (be) ___12___
eighty feet high and (can see) ____13_____ from the way.

2.
Задайте 5 вопросов к тексту “Windsor Castle”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Из
четырёх вариантов (A), (B), (C), (D) выберите
единственнo правильный:

1.They
__________ to the party last night.

a)
have gone

b)
went

c)
had gone

d) will go

2.
Grandmother gave me __________

a) a good advice

b) good advices

d) some good
advices

d) some good
advice

3. I
wonder ____________________.

a)
what my younger brother is doing now

b)
what is my younger brother doing now

c)
what does my younger brother do now

d)
what is doing my younger brother

4.
What is the first word most children learn to_________?

a)
talk

b)
tell

c)
say

d)
retell

5.
They haven’t finished breakfast ____________.

a)
yet

b)
already

c)
still

d)
else

6. A
hot lemon drink with honey it very good _________ a cold.

a)
to

b)
from

c)
with

d)
for

7. I
don’t think I have _________ eaten Chinese before.

a)
always

b)
ever

c)
sometimes

d)
never

8.
I’d like you to meet a very good friend of _________ Tom Brown.

a)
us

b)
we

c)
our

d)
ours

9.
The children ________ left alone. They are too young to look after themselves.

a)
mustn’t

b)
mustn’t to be

c)
shouldn’t be

d)
shouldn’t to be

10.
An elephant can lift _________ a ton with its tusks.

a)
so much that

b)
them

c)
most

d)
as much as

11.
Since early times, man _________ in flight.

a)
interested

b)
has interested

c)
is interested

d)
has been interested

12. Nick bought a
new tie. It ________ 10 dollars.

a) costed

b) had costed

c) cost

d) was cost

13. There are only
about 5 million Scots and _______ live in the Lowland.

a)  most of them

b) most of they

c) most they

d) they most

14. On my
_________ to school I often meet my neighbor, Nick Adams

a) going

b) way

c) road

d) walking

15. I’ve spoken to
everyone except _________.

a) he

b) his

c) him

d) himself

16. At 5 o’clock
the guests ___________ tea in the sitting room.

a) had

b) had had

c) were having

d)had been having

17. Catherine the
Great was one of Russian’s ________ rulers

a) most famous

b) the most famous

c) famousest

d) much famous

18. Agatha
Christie is known all over the world ________ the Queen of Crime.

a) for

b) because

c) as

d) like

19. Last January,
there ______ a fire on the second floor of my house.

a) has been

b) had been

c) was

d) were

20. I ______ in
Moscow before I moved to St. Petersburg.

a) lived

b) live

c) had lived

d) had been living

21. I phoned ________
tell her about the party.

a) for

b) to

c) and

d) because

22. The sun shone
________ brightly that I had to put on my sunglasses.

a) so

b) such

c) very

d) too

23. They didn’t
know _______ book it was.

a) which

b) who

c) whose

d) their

24. I’d like
__________________ .

a) that you help
me

b) you helping me

c) you help me

d) you to help me

25. Tom is only
interested __________ making money.

a) for

b) about

c) in

d) on

26. How _________
letters are in the Russian alphabet?

a) much

b) few

c) a few

d) many

27. Would you mind
________ the window, please?

a) to open

b) open

c) opening

d) I open

28. If I were you
_______________.

a) I won’t argue
with him

b) I wouldn’t
argue with him

c) I don’t argue
with him

d) I wouldn’t
argue with him

29. I have worked
as a secretary ________ 6 years.

a) for

b) in

c) since

d) by

30. Mary is one ___________________.

a) of the
brightest children in the class

b) of the
brightest childs in the class

c)  child who is
the brightest children in the class

d) of the bright
childs in the class

4. Напишите 10-15
предложений на одну из предложенных ниже тем:

                              
1.
Music in my life.

                             
 2.  Knowledge is power.

                                   
 3. My favourite holiday.

                                   
 4. My English teacher.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Keys:

1

1-lies, 2 — go, 3
— will take, 4 — go, 5 — will take, 6 – is,7 — has been, 8 — was started, 9 — has
changed, 10 – stood, 11- is, 12 — is, 13 — can be seen

3.

1– b, 2 – d, 3 –
a, 4 – c, 5 –a, 6 – d, 7 – b, 8 – d, 9 – c, 10 – d, 11 – d, 12 –c, 13 – a, 14 –
b, 15–c, 16 – c, 17 – a, 18 – c, 19 – c, 20 – c, 21 – b, 22 – a, 23 – c, 24 – d,
25 – c, 26 – d, 27 – c, 28 – b, 29 – a, 30 – a

TEST 2

1. Раскройте
скобки, употребив глаголы в нужном времени:

A
Letter to a Girlfriend

One
day a young man was writing a letter to his girlfriend who (live)      1     
 just a few miles away in a nearby town.

Among
other things, he was telling her how much he (love)        2          her
and how wonderful she (be)   3                             . The more he
(write)         4           , the more poetic he (become)       
5          . Finally, he said that in order to be with her he (suffer)          6        
the greatest difficulties, he (face)           7            the
greatest dangers anyone (can)         8          imagine. In fact, to
spend only one minute with her, he (climb)          9                 the
highest mountain in the world, he (swim)        10            across the
widest river, he (enter)         11             the deepest forest and
with his bare hands against the wildest animals.

He
(finish)           12               the letter, (sign)       13          
      his name and then suddenly (remember)          14               that
he (forget)           15               to mention something important.
So, in a postscript below his name, he (add)              16               .

“By
the way, I (come)      17         to see you on Wednesday – if it (rain,
not)         18        .”

2.
Задайте 5 вопросов к тексту “A Letter to a
Girlfriend”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  

3. Из четырёх
вариантов (A), (B), (C), (D) выберите
единственнo правильный:

1.
When _______________ in London?

a) have you
arrived

b) did you arrive

c) you have
arrived

d) you arrive

2.      New York is
_____________ city of the USA.

a)     
the
largest

b)     
the
larger

c)     
largest

d)     
most
largest

3.      What  ____________
we are having today!

a)     
a
nasty  weather

b)     
the
nasty weather

c)     
nasty
weather

d)     
weather
is nasty

4.      Which of you
___________ to go to the Tretyakov Gallery on Sunday?

a)      does want

b)      do want

c)      want

d)      wants

5.      I enjoyed
_______________ very much at Ann’s party.

a)     
oneself

b)     
myself

c)     
self

d)     
me

6.      It was very
difficult text. I _____________ look up a lot of words in the dictionary.

a)     
must

b)     
have
to

c)     
had
to

d)     
must
to

7.      You have never
been to the USA, ________________?

a)     
isn’t
it

b)     
is
it

c)     
haven’t
you

d)     
have
you

8.      Tell me
________________________________.

a)     
where
are the forks

b)     
the
forks where are

c)     
where
the forks are

d)     
the
forks are where

9.      There aren’t
_____________ easy ways of learning a foreign language.

a)     
some

b)     
no

c)     
any

d)     
the

10.  John F. Kennedy
was the youngest president of the United States and _______ to be murdered.

a)     
the
fourth

b)     
fourth

c)     
four

d)     
the
four

11.  Many of Agatha
Christie’s novels __________________.

a)     
made
into films

b)      have made into
films

c)      have been made
into films

d)      into films were
made

12.  You can get to
most places in London very quickly if you ____________ the Underground (the
Tube).

a)      will take

b)      take

c)      to take

d)      taken

e)       

13.  Tom _______ he
could improve his test scores, but he didn’t have enough time to study.

a)      knew to

b)      knew how

c)      knew how that

d)      knew how to

14.  My parents  want
____________________.

a)      me to become a
lawyer

b)      my to become a
lawyer

c)      me  become a
lawyer

d)      that I  become a
lawyer

15.  Her wedding dress
is made ___________________ white silk.

a)      from

b)      of

c)      out of

d)      for

16.  She said that she ­­­­­­­­____________________
to Italy.

a)      was never

b)      had been never

c)      had never been

d)      has never been

17.  When my mother was
young she _______________ an actress.

a)      wanted to become

b)      had wanted to
become

c)      wanted become

d)      wanted becoming

18.  _____________
television when I phoned you?

a)      Did you watch

b)      You were watching

c)      Did you watching

d)      Were you watching

19.  He didn’t even
offer to help us, but I’m sure we can get _____________ without him.

a)      along

b)      away

c)      through

d)      across

20.  You’d better
_________________.

a)      not to worry

b)      to stop to worry

c)      stop worrying

d)      stop worry

21.  Last night we went
to Pete’s birthday party, ____________ we enjoyed very much.

a)      whose

b)      which

c)      where

d)      when

22.  I wonder if it has
stopped raining __________________/

a)      still

b)      yet

c)      any longer

d)      already

23.  I’m sorry, I’m
late. It’s all my ___________________.

a)      fault

b)      guilt

c)      crime

d)      shortcoming

24.  I was angry
______________Bill for keeping me waiting.

a)      about

b)      because

c)      at

d)      with

25.  I have always
wanted to ____________ to  play the piano

a)      know

b)      learn

c)      make

d)      understand

4.
Переведите следующие предложения на английский язык:

1. В пятнадцатилетнем возрасте Джек
Лондон стал моряком.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Анна всегда опаздывает на
занятия. Вчера она на 10 минут опоздала на урок английского языка.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. В воскресенье я не смогу пойти с
тобой в театр. Приезжает моя двоюродная сестра, и я должна буду её встретить.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Не могли бы вы объяснить мне это
правило ещё раз?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.  Когда мы вышли на улицу, дождь
уже прекратился и снова ярко светило солнце.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Ничто не заставит меня выйти из
дома в такую мерзкую погоду.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Что ты собираешься делать
сегодня вечером? – Я иду с Линдой на выставку.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Тебе понравился фильм? – Нет. –
Мне тоже.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Попроси его позвонить мне
сегодня вечером.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Волга гораздо длиннее Темзы.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Keys:

1

1 –lived, 2 –  loved, 3 – was, 4 – wrote,
5 – became, 6 – would suffer, 7 – would face, 8 – could,

9 – would climb, 10 – would swim, 11 –
would enter, 12 – finished, 13 – signed,

14 -remembered, 15 – had forgotten, 16 – added,
17 – will come, 18 – doesn’t rain.

3.

1 – b, 2 – a, 3 – c, 4 – d, 5 – b, 6 – c,
7 – d, 8 – c, 9 – c, 10 – a, 11 – c, 12 – b, 13 – b, 14 – a,

15 – b, 16 – c, 17 – a, 18 – d, 19 – a, 20
– c , 21– b, 22 – d, 23 – a, 24 – d, 25 – b.

4.

1. At the age of 15 Jack London became a
sailor.

2. Ann is always late for her classes.
Yesterday she was 10 minutes late for her English lesson.

3. I want be able to go to the theatre
with you on Sunday. My cousin is coming and I’ll have to meet her.

4. Could you explain this rule to me once
again?

5. When we left the house, it had already
stopped raining and the sun was shining brightly again.

6. Nothing will make me leave the house in
such nasty weather.

7. What are you going to do tonight? – I
am going to the exhibition with Linda.

8. Did you like the film? – No, I didn’t.
– Neither did I.

9. Ask him to ring me up tonight.

10. The Volga is much longer than the
Thames.

Источник:

Цветкова И.В., Клепальченко И.А.,
Мыльцева Н.А./Английский язык для школьников и поступающих в ВУЗы/ Москва.
Издательство «ГЛОССА»