Speech & Language Milestones

DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

Speech & Language Milestones

A guide to typical development from birth to age five. Every child develops at their own pace — if you have concerns at any stage, the best first step is always a conversation.

Please note: These milestones describe typical development — there is natural variation in when children reach them. If your child is not reaching several milestones in a range, or you have any concerns, please get in touch for a free, no-obligation consultation.

0–6 Months — Pre-language foundations

  • Makes cooing and gurgling sounds
  • Responds to voices and sounds
  • Cries differently for different needs
  • Turns head toward sound
  • Social smiling from around 6 weeks

6–12 Months — Babbling begins

  • Babbles with a range of sounds (ba, da, ma)
  • Understands own name
  • Responds to “no”
  • Starts to wave bye-bye and point
  • Joint attention — following your gaze or pointing finger

12–18 Months — First words

  • First real words appear (typically 5–20 by 18 months)
  • Points to show interest
  • Understands around 50 words
  • Follows simple one-step instructions like “give me the ball”

18–24 Months — Word combinations

  • Vocabulary grows rapidly — often 50+ words
  • Starts combining two words (“more milk”, “daddy go”)
  • Understands simple questions
  • Familiar adults understand around 50% of speech

2–3 Years — Sentences forming

  • Uses 3–4 word sentences
  • Vocabulary of 200–500+ words
  • Asks simple questions
  • Can follow two-step instructions
  • Familiar adults understand most of what is said

3–4 Years — Conversation developing

  • Sentences of 4–6 words
  • Can tell simple stories
  • Understands “who”, “what” and “where” questions
  • Uses plurals, pronouns and past tense (errors are normal)
  • Most speech understood by strangers

4–5 Years — School-ready language

  • Sentences of 5–8 words with complex grammar
  • Can retell a story with a beginning, middle and end
  • Understands most of what is said to them
  • Speech is clear and understandable to all listeners

Concerned about your child?

A free consultation is always the right first step. There’s no obligation, and even a short conversation can give you peace of mind — or help you take action early when it matters most. Get in touch to book your free consultation.