From the Research
A typical two-year-old should know around 50 words, as indicated by the most recent and highest quality study available 1. This study, published in 2024, evaluated the expressive vocabulary of children with cerebral palsy and speech/language difficulties, and found that all participants had an expressive vocabulary of less than 50 words at study intake. By age two, most children can combine two words to form simple phrases like "more milk" or "daddy go." Some children may know fewer words while others might have vocabularies exceeding 200 words, and both scenarios can still fall within normal development. Children typically experience a "vocabulary explosion" between 18-24 months when they begin rapidly acquiring new words. Language development is influenced by various factors including exposure to language, interaction with caregivers, and individual developmental pace. Parents can support vocabulary growth by reading to their child daily, narrating daily activities, asking questions, and responding to their child's communication attempts. If a child knows fewer than 50 words by age two or isn't combining words, it may be worth discussing with a pediatrician, as early intervention for language delays is most effective when started early, as supported by studies such as 1 and 2. Key factors to consider in language development include:
- Exposure to language
- Interaction with caregivers
- Individual developmental pace
- Use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for children with speech and language difficulties, as seen in studies such as 3. It is essential to note that every child develops at their own pace, and some may need more support than others, as highlighted in studies such as 4 which found that pre-term children present a greater occurrence of expressive language delay. Overall, monitoring a child's vocabulary size and language development is crucial, and parents should seek professional advice if they have concerns about their child's language development, as emphasized by studies such as 5 and 1.