What is Expressive Language?

When your child is learning to communicate, you might hear terms like expressive language or receptive language used by educators, health professionals, or speech pathologists. While both play an essential role in your child’s ability to communication, this post focuses solely on expressive language; what it is, how it develops, and how a Speech Pathologist can support your child’s expressive language skills.

(Looking for information on receptive language instead? Check out our post: What is Receptive Language?)

What does 'Expressive Language' mean?

Expressive language refers to the way we use words, sentences, gestures, and writing to express our thoughts, needs, feelings, and ideas. It's essentially how we communicate with others, whether by talking, signing, pointing, or even writing a note.

While receptive language involves understanding what others are saying, expressive language is about getting your message across clearly and effectively.

Some of the key components of expressive language include:

Vocabulary (use of words) – using a variety of words to name objects, actions, feelings, and ideas.
Word retrieval – finding the right word to use when speaking or writing.
Sentence structure and grammar – using correct word order and grammatical rules (e.g., plurals, tense, pronouns).
Storytelling and narrative skills – describing events in order, including characters, settings, and plot. This could be from real-life experiences, or a story straight from your child's imagination!
Asking and answering questions – participating in conversations by appropriately asking for and giving information.
Using language for different purposes – such as greeting, requesting, refusing, informing, or negotiating.
Non-verbal communication – using gestures, facial expressions, or body language to enhance spoken messages.

Expressive Language Milestones

Here are some general expressive language milestones to keep in mind:

12–18 months:

Uses 5–20 words consistently.
Names familiar people or objects.
Imitates simple words or animal sounds.
Starts to engage in pretend play (e.g. feeds a doll and tucks it in bed)

18–24 months:

Combines two words (e.g., “more juice,” “mummy go”).
Has a growing vocabulary of 50+ words.
Begins to ask simple questions (“What’s that?”).

2–3 years:

Uses 3–4 word sentences.
Talks about past events (e.g., “We went park”).
Starts using pronouns (I, me, you).
Asks questions with question words like "who" "what" and "where".

3–4 years:

Tells short stories and retells familiar events.
Uses basic grammar correctly (e.g., plurals, verbs).
Asks more complex questions (“Why is he crying?”).
Starts counting and naming colours.

4–5 years:

Speaks in full sentences with more complex ideas, and uses joining words like "and" and "because".
Uses descriptive language (e.g., “The big, brown dog”).
Participates in conversations with appropriate turn-taking.

If your child is not meeting these milestones or seems frustrated when trying to express themselves, it might be time to seek advice from a qualified Speech Pathologist.

How Can a Speech Pathologist Help?

A Speech Pathologist can assess your child’s expressive language skills and create a tailored plan to support their development. This might include:

Targeted therapy to expand vocabulary and improve sentence structure.
Strategies to support word retrieval and reduce frustration during communication.
Modelling and play-based techniques to teach new language concepts.
Parent coaching to help you support expressive language development at home.
Support for school-aged children who struggle with any earlier developing milestones (e.g. still using words like "falled" instead of "fell"), as well as more advanced skills like oral presentations, writing tasks, or participating in class discussions.

Expressive language difficulties can have an impact on learning, friendships, and confidence. The good news is that support from a Speech Pathologist can make a significant difference at any age and stage. If you have concerns about your child’s expressive language development, don’t hesitate to reach out.