Speech and Language Traits of the
Two-Year-Old

At age two years, your child will…

• Understand simple questions and commands
• Identify body parts
• Carry on “conversation” with self and dolls
• Ask “what’s this?,” “what’s that?,” and “where’s my _____”
• Compose sentences two or three words in length
• Refer to self by name
• Use two-word negative phrases such as “not go,” “not right,” “no want”
• Form some plurals by adding “s”, such as book/books
• Have about 300 words in his or her vocabulary
• Ask for drink, toilet, food
• Listen to stories with pictures

You can stimulate the speech and language of your two-year-old by…

• Reading books with simple colorful pictures
• Being a good speech model
• Repeating new words many times
• Helping your child listen and follow instructions by playing games: “pick up the ball,” “touch Mommy’s nose”
• Talking about what you are doing
• Playing records with the child
• Listening to your child when he or she is talking; never say, “I don’t understand you”
• Praising the child for telling you some of the things he or she is doing and for the child’s efforts to say things
• Taking the child on trips and talking about what you see
• Carrying on a conversation with the child
• Asking the child a question to stimulate additional thought and language

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