Language: By the End of 3, 4, and 5 Years
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Language: By the End of 3, 4, and 5 Years

Source: Centers for Disease Control (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Topics: Early Years (Birth-5), Preschool, Milestones and Development, Language (Ages 3-5)

By the end of 3 years (36 months):

  • Follows a two- or three-part command
  • Recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures
  • Understands most sentences
  • Understands placement in space ("on," "in," "under")
  • Uses 4- to 5-word sentences
  • Can say name, age, and sex
  • Uses pronouns (I, you, me, we, they) and some plurals (cars, dogs, cats)
  • Strangers can understand most of her words

By the end of 4 years (48 months):

  • Has mastered some basic rules of grammar
  • Speaks in sentences of five to six words
  • Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
  • Tells stories

By the end of 5 years (60 months):

  • Recalls part of a story
  • Speaks sentences of more than five words
  • Uses future tense
  • Tells longer stories
  • Says name and address

Reprinted with the permission of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

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4 comments

Comments from readers

  1. Sep 7, 2007
    Neicy says:
    I have a question, my four year old says me instead of I alot,and some words are still a little hard to understand, I correct when I hear him, but would this be considered a speech delay?
  2. Sep 16, 2007
    Eugene Limmen says:
    My girl learned all alphabets, colors, shapes & numbers in 1 1/2 years old & she also learned how to read books  on 2 years & 8 months old on Level 2.  Now she is just 3 years & 23 days old.
  3. May 22, 2008
    Sandy says:
    My 5 year old daughter is having trouble after 2 years of preschool with letter and number recognition.  She also is having difficulty associating the sound with each letter.  Also, her teacher only now tells me that she has a hard time expressing her needs in school and becomes really shy and does not like to participate in table/letter-number activites.  She also has quite the tendency to make wrong choices as school and at home.  She's supposed to start kindergarden this fall. Any suggestions?  Should I take her to a professional?
  4. Jun 16, 2008
    NICKY says:
    Hi I have a 3 year old who is very hyper, sometimes she gets to excited and I feel that maybe there could be something wrong. her excitment doesn't let her pay attention and listen to what I want her to do. I am concern because I feel that I don't have any control over the situation. She has her days when she will behave good, but it doesn't last to long. oh and when i go to the market to buy food she acts up every place i go she acts up and i can't control that behavior. what should i do? i am frustrated and she won't listen to me is this common on all three year old.

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