In language development, a child must be able to ask and answer questions in order to navigate a conversation and to seek and relay information. When assessing a child’s ability to ask and answer questions, it is important to separate their content knowledge from their ability to ask or answer questions.

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

1-2 years

  • When asked, “Where’s Daddy/Mommy?” They will look in the appropriate person.
  • Answers “Where” questions, such as “Where’s the ball?” by pointing to the pictured item in the book.
  • Answers “What’s this?” questions about familiar objects or pictures such as “Cookie or Baby?”
  • Answers “Yes/No” questions, possibly with a head nod or shake

2-3 years

  • Points to objects when described, such as “What do you wear on your head?”
  • Answers simple “WH” questions logically.
  • Answers critical thinking questions, such as “What do you do when you are cold?”
  • Answers questions such as “Where….?” “What’s that?”, “What’s…..doing?”, “Who is….?”
  • Answers or understand “Can you…?” questions

3-4 years

  • Answers more complex questions logically, such as “Who”, “Why”, “Where” and “How”
  • Answers “If….What?” questions, such as “If it starts raining, what would you do?”
  • Answers questions about the functions of objects, such as “What are spoons for?” Why do we have shoes?”

4 years

  • Answers “When” questions
  • Answers “How many” questions (in which the answer does not

ASKING QUESTIONS

1-2 years

  • Starts to use question forms, beginning with “What’s that?”
  • Using rising intonation

2-3 years

  • Asks simple ego-centric questions, such as “Where cookie?”
  • Asks “Where…?” “What…?,” “What…doing?” questions

3-4 years

  • Asks one-word “Why” questions
  • Uses “What”, “Where,” “When,” How,” and “Whose” when asking questions
  • Asks “Is” questions

4 years

  • Asks the following types of questions using correct grammatical structure
    • “Do you want to…?”
    • “Are we going to….?”
    • “Can you…?”

LISTENING

Birth – 3 months

  • Discriminates speech from non-speech sounds
  • Startles to loud sounds
  • Quiets or excites in response to novel sounds
  • Recognizes a primary caregiver’s voice
  • Smiles or quiets when spoken to 
  • Decreases or increases sucking behavior in response to sounds

3 – 6 months

  • Moves eyes in direction of sounds
  • Discriminates friendly and angry voices
  • Reacts to changes in tone of voice
  • Attends to music and toys that make sounds
  • Listens to a speaker and watches a speaker’s face when spoken to

6 – 12 months

  • Responds to sound when a source is not visible
  • Responds physically to music
  • Stops an activity when their name is called
  • Recognizes words for common items
  • Listens with increased interest to new words
  • Begins to respond to simple requests, such as “Sit here”

1-2 years

  • Follows one-step directions with cues
  • Understands simple questions, such as, “Where’s Daddy?”
  • Points to named pictures in a book
  • Follows directions to find familiar objects
  • Listens to simple stories

2-3 years

  • Responds to commands involving body parts, such as “Show me your foot”
  • Follows two-step directions, such as “Get your cup and bring it to me”
  • Follows directions that include action + adverb or action + adjective, such as “Walk slowly” or “Give me the red” ball”
  • Demonstrates an understanding of several verbs by selecting the corresponding pictures
  • Recognizes family labels such as “baby“, “grandpa“

 

3-4 years

  • Attends to name being called from another room
  • Understands simple “Wh” questions
  • Understands most simple questions pertaining to their activities and environment
  • Improves listening skills and begins to learn from listening

4-5 years

  • Attends to the short story and answers simple questions about it
  • Hears and understands most of what is said at home and in school
  • Repeats four digits when they are given slowly
  • Readily follows simple commands involving remote objects