Babies usually start saying their first words around 9–12 months of age. It’s such an exciting milestone—and once it happens, things really start to take off!
By the time your little one is about 18 months old, you might hear around 50 words in their vocabulary. This is a great sign that they’re getting ready to start putting those words together into short phrases and early sentences.
A simple (and powerful!) strategy we often share in speech therapy is called the “+1 strategy.”
Here’s how it works: when your child says a word, you repeat it back and add just one word.
For example:
Child says: “Milk”
You say: “More milk!” or “Milk please!”
By hearing those extra words from you, your child learns how to start combining their own words too. And soon enough, you’ll start hearing short sentences popping up on their own!
Here’s a quick peek at the types of sentences many toddlers and preschoolers begin using as their language grows:
Ages 12–22 months
Declarative (telling): Agent + action, or action + object
“Doggy run”, “Pop bubble”
Negative: One-word forms like “no” or “all gone”
“No juice”, “All gone cracker”
Questioning: Yes/no questions or asking “what” and “where”
“Where daddy?”
Naming: Saying a few things in a row without “and”
“Doggy kitty”
Ages 27–28 months
Declarative: Subject + verb + object
“Cat eat food”
Negative: “No” and “not” used interchangeably
“No bedtime”, “Not bedtime”
Questioning: Starting to use “that” or “what doing”
“That blanket?” “What sissy doing?”
Location words: Prepositions like “in” and “on” show up
“Ball in box”, “Cup on table”
Conjoining: Using “and”
“Crackers and juice”
Ages 28–30 months
Declarative: Using helper verbs like “is”
“Mommy is waiting”
Questioning: “Where” + noun + “going?”
“Where papa going?”
Negative: “No,” “not,” “don’t,” and “can’t” all get mixed in
“I don’t/can’t/no swim”
Casual speech: Starting to use “gonna,” “wanna,” “gotta”
“Sissy gotta play!”
As your child grows, their sentences will get longer and more complex—and yes, mistakes are totally normal along the way! A helpful trick is to repeat what they say back to them using the correct grammar, without making it a big deal.
For example:
Child says: “He falled down!”
You say: “Yes, he fell down!”
By modeling the correct version in a supportive way, you’re giving your child the tools to grow their language skills naturally.
Most children are speaking in full sentences by around age 5. But every child develops at their own pace, and some grammar rules can take a little longer to master.
If you ever have questions or concerns about how your child is using language, we’re here for you! Don’t hesitate to reach out to our clinic—we love supporting families just like yours.