Development

Mother reading book with children

Learning to understand and talk is a complex process. Children need to master a number of different skills. They need to hear lots of talking and experience lots of interaction with other people to understand what words mean and be able to combine words together to make sentences.

Most children will follow the same steps in learning language, but the age at which they learn them can vary a lot. These tables will help you work out what the next steps are for your child’s speech or language learning.

Using the tables

Step 1: Click on the skyscraper for the area of language you want to check.

Step 2: Move across the coloured ‘ages’ bar to find your child’s age. Read the statements to check if your child is developing the right skills for their age.

Step 3: If your child does not have those skills in place move down the bar until you find the statements that best describe your child. Then move up one band to see what the next steps are.

Don’t panic if the ages your child is at and their correct age don’t match. Children develop at different rates. It is more important to focus on what the next steps are rather than what age they should be doing those things.

Step 4: Go to the activities page and look for activities from the same stage. These are coloured coded to help you.

Select a skyscraper

Speech ‐ The sounds we make when saying words

  • By around 7 years, I have a near complete speech sound system.
  • Don’t worry about these errors in my speech:
    • I might drop sounds in words where there are 3 consonants together (a ‘blend’) so straw is “staw”
    • I might still say a ‘w’ for a ‘r’ (red is “wed”)
    • I might simplify sounds like ch and dge (Jam is “dzam”, watch is “wots”)
    • I might simplify ‘th’ (thumb = “fum”, this = “dis”)These are all perfectly normal for my age
  • When to seek advice – seek advice if:
    • Your child hasn’t mastered ‘sh’ by 5½
    • Your child hasn’t mastered ‘r’ by 6½
  • I have more sounds that I am using in words: p, b, t, d, k, g, m, n, ng, f, v, s, z, ch, zh, dge, w, y, h, l and all my blend sounds
  • I am beginning to learn some more sounds: r, sh and more complex blend sounds (skr, str)
  • Don’t worry about these errors in my speech:
    • I might drop sounds in words where there are 3 consonants together (a ‘blend’) so straw is “staw”
    • I might still say a ‘w’ for a ‘r’ (red is “wed”)
    • I might simplify sounds like ch and dge (Jam is “dzam”, watch is “wots”)
    • I might simplify ‘th’ (thumb = “fum”, this = “dis”)These are all perfectly normal for my age
  • When to seek advice – seek advice if
    • Your child is struggling with 2 part consonant blends (star = “tar”)
  • I have more sounds that I am using in words: p, b, t, d, k, g, m, n, ng, f, v, s, z, ch, w, y, h, l
  • I am beginning to learn some more sounds: dge, sh, r and l blends (fl, cl, bl)

  • Don’t worry about these errors in my speech:

    • I might drop sounds in words where there are 2 consonants together (a ‘blend’) so brick is “bick”
    • I might say a ‘w’ for a ‘r’ (red is “wed”)
    • I might simplify sounds like sh, ch and dge (ship is “sip”, watch is “wots”)
    • I might simplify ‘th’ (thumb = “fum”, this = “dis”)
  • When to seek advice – seek advice if:
    • Your child misses the end of words (cup is “cu”)
    • Your child misses the beginnings of words (sun is “un”)
    • Your child uses a ‘short’ sound instead of a ‘long’ one (sun is “tun”)
    • Your child uses a ‘front’ sound instead of a ‘back’ one (car is “tar”)
    • Your child has very few different sounds that they use and they often produce the same word differently each time they say it
  • I have more sounds that I am using in words: p, b, t, d, k, g, m, n, ng, f, s, w, y, h
  • I am beginning to learn some more sounds: v, s, l
  • Don’t worry about these errors in my speech:
    • I might drop sounds in words where there are 2 consonants together (a ‘blend’) so brick is “bick”
    • I might still drop syllables (banana is “nana”)
    • I might say a ‘w’ for a ‘r’ (red is “wed”)
    • I might simplify sounds like sh, ch and dge (ship is “sip”, watch is “wots”)
    • I might use a ‘short’ sound instead of a ‘long’ one (sun is “tun”)These are all perfectly normal for my age
  • When to seek advice – seek advice if:
    • Your child misses the end of words (cup is “cu”)
    • Your child misses the beginnings of words (sun is “un”)
    • Your child is unable to use the sounds p, b, t and d in words
    • Your child uses ‘back’ sounds instead of ‘front’ ones (tea = “kea”)
  • I have more sounds that I am using in words: p, b, t, d, m, n, w, y, h
  • I am beginning to learn some more sounds: f, s, l, k, g, ng
  • I might need to repeat myself sometimes if people haven’t understood me
  • Don’t worry about these errors in my speech:
    • I might drop sounds in words where there are 2 consonants together (a ‘cluster’) so brick is “bick”
    • I might still drop syllables (banana is “nana”)
    • I might use a ‘short’ sound instead of a ‘long’ one (sun is “tun”)
    • I might say a ‘back’ sound at the ‘front’ of my mouth (car is “tar”)
    • I might say a ‘w’ for a ‘r’ (red is “wed”)These are all perfectly normal for my age
  • When to seek advice – seek advice if:
    • Your child can’t copy early sounds, or has a very limited range of sounds (e.g. only ‘d’)
    • Your child misses the beginnings of words (sun is “un”)
    • Your child dribbles a lot
  • I have more sounds that I am using in words: p, b, t, d, m, n
  • I am beginning to learn some more sounds: k, g, ng, y, w, and h
  • My speech might still be quite unclear at times
  • Don’t worry about these errors in my speech:
    • I might still drop the last sound in a word (bus is “bu”)
    • I might drop sounds in words where there are 2 consonants together (a ‘cluster’) so brick is “bick”
    • I might still drop syllables (banana is “nana”)These are all perfectly normal for my age
  • When to seek advice – seek advice if:
    • Your child can’t copy early sounds, or if they have an underlying difficulty which might have an impact on their speech (like, for example a cleft palate)
  • I can use some sounds, like p, b, m and n
  • I am beginning to learn some more sounds: t, d and w
  • Those who know me well understand some of my words, but people who don’t know me may struggle
  • Don’t worry about these errors in my speech:
    • I might drop the last sound in a word (bus is “bu”)
    • I might repeat a syllable twice for a word (pudding is “pupu” bottle is “bobo”)
    • I might drop syllables (banana is “nana”)These are all perfectly normal for my age
  • When to seek advice - Only seek advice if:
    • Your child has an underlying difficulty which might have an impact on their speech (like, for example a cleft palate)
  • I am just getting started with talking. I might use sounds like b, m and d in my babble.
  • My family can understand some of my attempts at talking, but people who don’t know me well need some help! This is perfectly normal for my age.

Talking ‐ Using words and sentences

  • I can define lots of words and give examples (e.g. inequality means that things are not fair)
  • I can use complex words like “therefore” and “otherwise” in talking and in writing
  • I can take part in discussions using complex vocabulary, responding to or challenging the views of others
  • I can describe events and give detailed accounts of what has happened
  • I can use language to persuade others and to defend my viewpoint
  • I can tell detailed stories and recall them in sequence
  • I can change my talking style (e.g. I talk to my teacher in a different way than I talk to my family)
  • I rarely make grammatical mistakes
  • I can express myself clearly using a sequence that makes sense (e.g. explaining the rules of a game)
  • I use a words like ‘before’, ‘so’ and ‘also’ to join sentences in my speech and in writing
  • I am starting to use a wider range of verbs (action words) and to express thoughts, opinions and ideas (e.g. “I think that’s a bad idea” “I wonder what will happen if…”)
  • I can explain my reasoning saying how I have worked things out
  • I can use a range of regular and irregular grammatical word endings like ‘thought’, ‘might’, ‘rode’, ‘sheep’ and ‘mice’ without making many errors
  • I can work out key information needed when giving explanations
  • I can use time related language like ‘morning’, ‘later’, ‘next week’ and ‘today’
  • I can ask for specific help when I need to (e.g. ask the meaning of words or for repetition of instructions)
  • I can use words like ‘know’, ‘feel’, ‘sure’ and ‘guess’ to explain my thinking
  • I can use language to reason and explain why something has happened
  • I can make up stories, rhymes and songs
  • I am starting to use words to talk about the future like ‘will’ and ‘going to’
  • I can group ideas into categories and sub categories (e.g. fruit, red fruit, fruit with skins you eat…)
  • I can guess words when given clues and tell you what they mean (e.g. its red, you eat it, its sweet but it’s not an apple, it’s a vegetable and it begins with ‘p’)
  • I can use a wide range of reference pronouns like ‘theirs’, ‘our’ and ‘your’
  • I can use a wide range of negatives like ‘couldn’t’, ‘haven’t’ and ‘wouldn’t’
  • I can link lots of ideas together by using words like “but”, “so, “if” and “then”, as well as “and” and “because”
  • I am beginning to reason and can explain why something has happened
  • I can retell stories in the right order
  • I can talk about things beyond my experience using more unusual words
  • I am beginning to use pronouns like ‘them’, ‘him’, and ‘her’
  • I can name things in groups (e.g. fruit, sports, transport)
  • I am using sentences of 4-6 words in length
  • I can talk about things that have happened in the past, although I make a few mistakes (e.g. “I goed to the zoo”)
  • I am trying to use plurals and past tense verbs, although I sometimes get them wrong (e.g. “I seed two sheeps!”)
  • I can ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions
  • I am beginning to use ‘and’ and ‘because’ to link words and sentence
  • I can use lots of describing words like ‘big’, ‘sticky’, ‘round’ and ‘wet’
  • I can use pronouns, like ‘he’, ‘she’ and ‘they’
  • I can use a range of negative words like ‘don’t’, ‘can’t’ and ‘haven’t’
  • I am using three word phrases all the time (e.g. “me go home”)
  • I can ask simple questions containing ‘who’, ‘where’ and ‘what’
  • I am starting to talk about things that have happened in the past but I make lots of mistakes (e.g. “me runned away”)
  • I am beginning to put longer, 4-5 word phrases together, to make sentences
  • I’m using lots of two word combinations now (e.g. “where Daddy” “more juice”)
  • I’m starting to use some three word combinations (“Daddy go work”)
  • I am beginning to use a few negatives like ‘no’ and ‘not’ (e.g. “me not got that”)
  • I might be using up to 200 words now, including question words, body parts and lots of labelling things I see e.g. ball, cat,
  • I am beginning to use describing words like ‘big’, ‘little’, ‘happy’ and ‘sad’
  • I can babble away in pretend conversation, with rise and fall in my babbling
  • I can say between 25 and 50 words
  • I am beginning to put words together (e.g. “all gone!” “more juice”)
  • I can make sounds to get attention and show enjoyment
  • I can point and pull an adult towards what I want
  • I can make babbling sounds for fun and sometimes to try and talk to others
  • I am starting to use a few words and gestures meaningfully (e.g. “gone”, or I might raise my hands for “up”)

Understanding ‐ The ability to follow instructions and conversation

  • I can understand that the word order changes the meaning of a message (e.g. ‘the boy the girl chased had a dog on the lead’ – who chased the dog? Who had the dog?
  • I can understand academic words like ‘interpret’, ‘predict’, and ‘explain’
  • I understand that lots of words have more than one meaning (e.g. a bank where you keep your money and a grassy bank that you sit on)
  • I can read ‘between the lines’ to infer meaning and understand sarcasm
  • I understand lots of everyday expressions (e.g. no point crying over spiltmilk)
  • I understand instructions involving inclusion and exclusion including words like ‘all except’ and ‘neither’, ‘nor’, ‘either’ and ‘or’
  • I can understand most language and ideas including complex concepts like ‘facing’ and ‘third from left’
  • I can follow instructions in sequence including words like ‘before’ and ‘after’
  • I can ask for clarification and repetition if I have not understood (this is called active listening)
  • I can select information which is relevant
  • I am beginning to ‘read between the lines’ and infer meaning (e.g. “I don’t want to hear a noise” means “I want everyone to be quiet”)
  • I can understand complex sentences with conditions including words like ‘unless’, except’ and ‘but not if’
  • I understand how the world works to help me make sense and solve problems
  • I am beginning to understand that some phrases mean something else (metaphors) e.g. “Mummy was climbing the walls!”
  • I can understand a sequence including words like ‘before’ and ‘after’
  • I can make predictions about future events e.g. say what will happen next in a story
  • I am beginning to ‘read between the lines’ to make simple inferences
  • I understand words that mean conditions like ‘if’, ‘or’ and ‘but not’
  • I can identify similarities and differences and group things together in many different ways
  • I can understand instructions in a sequence including words like ‘first’ and ‘last’ and I am beginning to understand ‘before’ and ‘after’
  • I can understand words that show things are going to happen in the future like ‘will’
  • I know that some words have many meanings (e.g. a bat to hit a ball, and a bat that flies at night)
  • I can sort things in different ways based on features e.g. table - furniture, things made of wood or things with legs
  • I can understand ‘how’ questions and I am beginning to explain how I know the answers
  • I can now understand all instructions containing 4 parts (e.g. give big teddy the blue spoon) where there is a choice of objects for the underlined words
  • I can answer questions about stories I have heard
  • I am beginning to understand sequence words like ‘first’ ‘next’ and ‘last’
  • I can understand ‘when’ and ‘why’ questions
  • I am beginning to recognise some similarities and differences e.g. spot an odd one out
  • I ask if I do not know what a word means
  • I can name things in groups e.g. vegetables, sports
  • I can understand some instructions containing 4 parts (e.g. give big teddy the blue spoon) where there is a choice of objects for the underlined words
  • I can understand lots of describing words relating to size, texture, position and order e.g. ‘big’, ‘soft’, ‘dry’, ‘in front’, ‘beside’, and ‘next’
  • I can understand ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘who’ questions confidently
  • I can follow some ‘why’ questions
  • I understand words that show things have happened in the past e.g. climbed, went
  • I can now understand instructions containing 3 parts (e.g. “wash teddy’s tummy”) where there is a choice of objects for the underlined words
  • I can remember simple stories, with pictures to remind me
  • I am beginning to understand question words, like ‘what’, ‘who’ and ‘where’
  • I am beginning to understand words that show things have happened in the past e.g. running, ran
  • I am beginning to match things and sort things into groups
  • I can now understand most instructions containing 2 parts (put the spoon in the cup) where there is a choice of objects for the underlined words
  • I am beginning to follow instructions containing 3 parts (e.g. “wash teddy’s tummy”) where there is a choice of objects for the underlined words
  • I can understand some early action words, like ‘jumping’ and ‘sleeping’
  • I can understand simple questions, like “do you want more juice? And “what’s that?”
  • I can understand the function of objects (e.g. “what do we sleep in?”)
  • I can understand some size and position words: ‘big’, ‘little’, ‘in’, ‘on’ and ‘under’
  • I can understand between 200 and 500 words!
  • I understand the names of lots of objects and can point to them when asked
  • I can understand some short phrases (E.g. “shoes on”)
  • I’m beginning to understand some simple instructions containing 2 parts (like ‘put the spoon in the cup’ – where there is a choice of objects for the underlined words)
  • I am starting to understand some familiar words, like ‘juice’ and ‘ball’.
  • I am beginning to understand by using context (e.g. I know someone is going when they wave and say ‘bye bye’)
  • I can understand tone (the rise and fall in talking) in questions (e.g. “where’s Daddy?”)

Listening ‐ How we concentrate and switch between tasks
Attention ‐ How we recognise speech sounds

  • I can listen and concentrate well for 7+ minutes
  • I can refocus my attention after distractions without your help
  • I can blend sounds to make short words e.g. s u n makes sun
  • I can break words down into sounds e.g. bread into b r ea d
  • I can listen to you and concentrate on my task easily
  • I am beginning to refocus my attention on a task when I get distracted without your help
  • I can recognise lots of sounds at the beginning of words
  • I can blend onset and rime to make words e.g. f + ish to make fish
  • I can say if two words rhyme e.g. pat and cat rhyme but pat and pot don’t
  • I am beginning to be able to listen to you and carry on playing
  • I can refocus my attention when distracted with your help
  • I can concentrate for 4 minutes on my task
  • I can break words down into syllables e.g. bu tter
  • I am beginning to recognise some sounds at the beginning of words
  • I like to say words that rhyme e.g. mat, cat, sa
  • I enjoy the rhythm of language and the sounds of words e.g. six silly sausage
  • I can switch my attention from one task to another
  • I can concentrate for 3 minutes on my play
  • I can hear the difference between most speech sounds
  • I can switch my attention from my game to you when you call me
  • I can listen to you or play my game but not both at the same time
  • I can hear the difference between some words that sound the same e.g. pat and bat
  • I can concentrate on my own game and will ignore you when I am playing
  • I can recognise environmental sounds e.g. plane, door bell, dog barking, toilet!
  • I am starting to hear the difference between some sounds e.g. m, b, d
  • I am easily distracted by new noises, people or events
  • I like to listen to talking and enjoy the rhythm of people’s voices