NOCTI Early Childhood Education (ECE) End-of-Pathway (EOP) Practice Test

The timing reflects the one-word stage in early language development. Around one year, children often use a single word to express a whole idea or request, which is the holophrase stage. For example, they might say “mama” to mean “I want my mom” or “up” to mean “lift me.” Even with a small vocabulary, context helps the listener understand the meaning. Babbling and nonword vocalizations occur earlier (around 6 months), while two-word combinations start to appear later (around 18–24 months), and more complex sentences come after that. So, about one year is when holophrases are typically heard.