Speech & Language Milestones by Age (0–5 Years)

Most children follow the same broad path. Babble and gestures come before the first birthday, one or two clear words at around twelve months, roughly fifty words and the first two-word phrases by two, short sentences by three, and speech a stranger can follow by four. This guide sets out the speech and language milestones by age from birth to five years, what we look at besides word counts, and the signs that make an early check worthwhile.

Read these as signposts, not a test your child passes or fails. One late milestone on its own is rarely a problem; several missed milestones, or skills that fade after they had arrived, deserve attention. If you would rather have an answer than a worry, our children’s speech and language therapy in Multan starts with an assessment, not a treatment plan — and plenty of those assessments end with “your child is fine”.

Speech and language milestones at a glance

What should my child be doing by 12 months?

By twelve months most babies babble with changing consonants such as “bababa” and “dadada”, turn when you say their name, wave or point to ask for things, and use one or two clear words like “mama” or “dada”. At this age gestures count as much as words. Pointing, in particular, is one of the strongest early signs that language is on its way.

• Babbles with changing sounds, not just vowel noises
• Responds to their own name and to “no”
• Waves, reaches up to be lifted, or points at what they want
• Says one or two recognisable words
• Enjoys back-and-forth games like peek-a-boo

A quiet baby who points, copies you and clearly understands sits in a very different place from a quiet baby who does neither. The second pattern is the one we would rather see early.

What should an 18-month-old be saying?

Around eighteen months most toddlers use roughly ten to twenty words, understand far more than they can say, follow a simple instruction such as “give me the ball”, point at things to show you as well as to ask, and try to copy words you say. Words are still unclear at this age, and that is completely normal.

• Uses around 10–20 words, even if only you understand them
• Follows a simple, familiar instruction without a gesture
• Points to show you something interesting, not only to request
• Copies sounds, words and actions
• Brings you things, and checks your face for a reaction

Many children pick up speed between eighteen months and two years. Some do not, and word count alone cannot tell you which group your child is in — which is why “he’ll talk when he’s ready” is only half right. We have written about that in the common myths about late talking.

How many words should a 2-year-old say?

By their second birthday most children use fifty or more words and have started joining two together — “more milk”, “daddy go”, “no bath”. Family should understand roughly half of what they say. Fewer than fifty words at two, or no two-word phrases at all, is the most common reason parents ask us for a check.

• Uses 50 or more words
• Joins two words together
• Follows a two-step instruction (“get your shoes and give them to me”)
• Points to pictures and body parts when you name them
• Is understood by close family about half the time

Count generously here. Any consistent sound your child uses for the same thing is a word — “ba” for ball, “nana” for banana, an animal noise used to mean the animal. It does not have to be pronounced correctly to count. If your two-year-old has very few words, this page on speech delay and late talkers explains what usually comes next.

What should a 3-year-old be able to say?

Three is the age where language stops being a list of words and starts being a conversation. Most three-year-olds put three or more words together, ask and answer “what” and “where” questions, name most everyday objects, and are understood by their family most of the time — though a stranger will still miss some of it.

• Uses short sentences of three or more words
• Answers simple “what”, “where” and “who” questions
• Names common objects, animals and pictures
• Uses early grammar: plurals, “in” and “on”, doing-words
• Asks you questions of their own, endlessly

If your three-year-old still uses mainly single words, or you find yourself translating for them all day, raise it now rather than at school entry. Our guide on when a speech delay is a concern sets out where the line usually sits.

What does speech look like at 4 and 5 years?

By four and five, children tell short stories about things you did not see, hold a proper conversation with turns in it, use position words like “under” and “behind”, and are understood by people outside the family. A few sounds are still settling at this age — “r”, “th”, “s” blends and “l” are the usual stragglers, and that alone is not a problem.

• Tells a short story or recounts their day in order
• Holds a conversation, takes turns, stays roughly on topic
• Is understood by teachers, neighbours and cousins
• Uses longer sentences with “because”, “but” and “when”

If a four- or five-year-old’s speech is hard for other people to follow, that is the point to look properly — school work leans heavily on being understood. Articulation therapy works on the specific sounds that are missing or swapped. Parents often ask us first whether a tight tongue is behind it; usually it is not, and what tongue-tie does and does not affect explains why.

Should strangers be able to understand my child?

Yes, and increasingly so with age. Speech therapists use a rough guide: an unfamiliar listener understands about a quarter of an 18-month-old, about half of a 2-year-old, about three quarters of a 3-year-old, and nearly all of a 4-year-old. If a stranger understands much less than that for your child’s age, it is worth having their speech looked at.

One practical check: ask someone who does not see your child every day — a neighbour, a visiting relative, a teacher — how much they actually catch. Notice too whether your child gives up or gets cross when they are not understood. Frustration is often what a parent spots first, before the sounds.

Is understanding as important as talking?

It matters more, in some ways. Therapists split language in two: receptive language is what your child understands, and expressive language is what they can say. Understanding normally runs ahead of talking, so a child who follows instructions, fetches the right object and points to pictures on request has a strong foundation even with few words.

The pattern that concerns us more is the reverse — a child who does not seem to understand familiar requests, does not turn to their name, or looks past you rather than at you. That combination needs a hearing check and a proper look, not a wait. The signs a child may need speech therapy are worth reading if this sounds like your child.

My child hears Urdu and English at home — how do I count words?

Count every language together as one total. If your child says eight words in Urdu, six in English and four in Saraiki or Punjabi, that is eighteen words, not eight. Growing up with more than one language does not cause speech delay, and mixing two languages inside one sentence is normal bilingual development, not confusion.

Parents tell us mera bacha bolta nahi or der se bol raha hai — my child doesn’t talk, my child is talking late — then mention almost as an afterthought that home is Urdu, television is English and the grandparents speak Saraiki. Say that out loud at the assessment, because it changes how we count. It never means dropping a language: children need the language their family actually loves them in.

When should I seek help?

Ask for an assessment if your child is not babbling or using gestures by twelve months, has very few words by eighteen to twenty-four months, is not joining words by two, is hard to understand at three, or has lost words and skills they previously had. Losing skills is the one that should never wait.

• No babble and no gestures by 12 months
• Fewer than around 10 words by 18 months, or no pointing
• No two-word phrases by 2 years
• Still hard for family to understand at 3 years
• Not understood by people outside the family at 4 years
• Words or skills that faded away after they had arrived
• Not responding to their name, or you have any doubt about hearing

None of these means your child has a diagnosis. They mean a checklist has done its job and it is time for a person to look. You can work through an age-by-age milestone checker for your child’s age first if you would like something concrete to bring with you.

What can I do at home, starting tomorrow morning?

Milestones tell you where your child is. These are the things that move them, and they cost nothing but attention.

• Get face to face. Sit or kneel so your eyes are level with theirs. Children copy mouths they can see.
• Say it, then wait. Count five slow seconds. Most of us fill the gap before a child has finished planning their answer.
• Add one word. They say “ball” — you say “big ball” or “ball gone”. One step above where they are, not a whole sentence.
• Name it before you hand it over. Cup, water, shoe, biscuit. Everyday routines beat flashcards because they repeat daily.
• Turn off background noise. A television nobody is watching makes it harder to pick your voice out of the room.
• Follow their interest. Talk about what they are already looking at, not what you want them to look at.

Ten minutes, twice a day, in ordinary moments — bath, breakfast, the walk to the gate. Short and daily beats a long session on a Sunday.

What happens if you bring your child in for a check?

A first appointment at our centre is mostly play and conversation. We watch what your child does with toys, whether they share attention with an adult, what they understand, what they can say, and how they let you know what they want. You talk us through the history — birth, ears, illnesses, languages at home, and what worries you.

You leave with a plain answer rather than a label: this is within the normal range and here is what to expect next, or this needs support and here is the first goal. If what your child needs is a hearing test, a paediatrician or a different service, we say so and point you there. Assessments at Inclusive Developmental and Therapy Centre are led by Mahnoor Baloch, Speech & Language Therapist, and the first consultation is free.

We are on MPS Road, Block A Model Town, Multan, near Bloomfield Hall School, Street No. 2, Monday to Saturday 10am–7pm. If you are unsure whether it is worth coming in, it is: a short conversation either settles your mind or starts support early. Call or WhatsApp +92 314 6040262 and we will talk it through.