Speech sounds
They can use sounds the p, b, t, d, m, n, w, k, and g in their speech.
They may still have trouble with trickier sounds like sh, ch, th, and r.
People who know them can usually understand them.
They might sometimes sound like they are stuttering. This often happens when they are excited or trying to say something quickly. It is usually normal, but if it carries on for a long time or if you are worried, it can be helpful to ask for advice.
Vocabulary
They understand a wide range of words — usually at least 300.
They know what “big” and “small” mean and they use doing words, such as “run” and “fall.”
They ask lots of questions and want to find out the names of things
Attention, listening and understanding
They are able to follow longer directions, like “make the train move” or “put your shoes on the floor.”
They can answer simple questions starting with “who,” “what,” or “where.”
Sentence building and grammar
They can put 4 – 5 words together to make short phrases, like “me want more milk” or “she took my toy.”
They start to use “s” at the end of a word to show there is more than one, for example turning “dog” into “dogs.”
Storytelling and narrative
They can listen to a short picture story and understand it, although they might still lose focus sometimes.
Conversations and social interaction
They begin to take interest in what other children are doing and may want to join in with their games.
They talk about themselves, such as saying what they enjoy or don’t enjoy.