Which sequence describes the stages of language development as described?

• A. Babbling; single words; phrases
• B. Pre-linguistic; holophrase (1 word sentences); two-word sentences
• C. Gestures; words; sentences
• D. Whole sentences; paragraphs

Answer: (B)

Language development moves from nonverbal communication to simple words and then to short combinations. In the earliest months, infants communicate without real words—through cries, gestures, cooing, and later babbling. Then they enter a stage of holophrases, using single words to convey broader meanings (for example, "more" to signal a request or "up" to mean please pick me up). As vocabulary grows, they start combining two words to express clearer messages (for example, "want juice" or "mommy eat"). This progression shows growing control of sounds, meaning, and syntax and matches how children typically acquire language.

Other sequences don’t fit this natural pace: jumping straight to phrases or sentences ignores the essential single-word stage, and suggesting phrases and sentences come before mastering two-word combinations or skipping the prelinguistic phase isn’t aligned with typical development.