How children build speech

English · Speaking & Listening · ages 17-18

Name ______________________ Date ____________

A child says goed. Which rule has she worked out?
- Copy adults exactly
- Add ed for the past
- Never change verbs
A baby babbles ba ba but says no real words yet. Which stage comes next?
- First words
- Long debates
- Polite greetings
Each stage of early speech builds toward the next.
Circle one: True False
Rich carer chat clearly boosts toddler words. Which account fits best?
- Copying and reward only
- Social interaction
- Built in machinery alone
Which sample sits later in development: dog or doggy is running?
- Dog, because short words come later
- Both sit at the same stage
- Doggy is running, because it carries grammar words
Saying goed proves the child has learned nothing about the past.
Circle one: True False
A writer backs one theory because its founder is famous. What is wrong?
- Theories need no evidence
- Fame settles nothing; test predictions against findings
- Famous founders are always wrong
Order these: ba ba, ball, she kicked the ball. What marks the last as latest?
- It follows grammar rules for order and tense
- It is simply said louder
- It uses a deeper voice

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Add ed for the past · Goed shows the regular past rule applied everywhere.
First words · Babbling builds sound shapes, and real words come after.
True · Sounds build word shapes, and words build word combos.
Social interaction · A carer effect is exactly what the social account predicts.
Doggy is running, because it carries grammar words · Grammar words mark a later stage than single words.
False · Goed proves the past rule is learned; only exceptions are missing.
Fame settles nothing; test predictions against findings · Loyalty is not evidence; weigh what each account predicts.
It follows grammar rules for order and tense · Grammar words and tense place it after babbling and single words.