6 Functions of Language and How To Work on Them with Your Toddler

Parents are often asked how many words their baby is saying. While this is an important factor in whether a child’s language development is on track, another important element for parents to understand is how their baby is using their words. A single word can be used for many different functions. For example, your child may say the word “banana,” but they use this single word to communicate with different objectives. They may see a banana and say, “banana,” which is labeling. They may say, “banana,” with the purpose of asking for banana, which is requesting. You may ask your child, “What is this?” and they respond, “banana,” which is the skill of responding to questions. They may point and say, “banana!” while at the store, to show you the banana, which is commenting. Some babies may have a large number of words, but are only using these words to communicate for one or two different functions, while other babies may have only a few words, but are able to use them for many functions.

When we understand how our child is using different words, it can help us better support their language development journey. For example, if we notice our child is mostly using words to label objects, we can harness their strength of the words they already know how to say, and help them use the words for a new purpose, such as making requests, or responding to questions. The functions of language we discuss here all typically begin to develop between 12-24 months of age.

Labeling

Labeling is when your baby says a word for the purpose of saying the name of the object or action they see. When a child sees a dog and says, “dog,” they are naming the object they see. If they see a picture of someone sleeping and they say, “sleep,” they are labeling the action they see.

baby pointing to picture — Pointing at a picture in a book and naming the object or action is labeling.

How to work on labeling:

The best way to work on labeling, is to model it! Throughout the day, label objects you and your baby see and interact with, and actions you do and see others do. If we model words for them, rather than just asking them to name things for us, they will actually learn to label faster. When you do ask your child to label something for you, try to use the 3 statements to 1 question strategy. This means that for every question you ask, you would also model 3 statements (e.g. 1. Time for snack, 2. I’m cutting your bananas, 3. They’re yellow and smell sweet. Q: What is this? [banana]). When we ask children too many questions in a row they can feel under pressure like they’re being quizzed. Especially when they do not know the word or understand what you are asking, this can feel frustrating for them. However, if we model the names of the objects and actions, they will learn the words they need to answer questions such as, “What is this?”

If your child does not respond to your question (e.g. “What is this?”), try saying the first sound of the name. For example, if you’re asking your child to label a ball, try saying, “b” to see if this helps trigger your child’s memory for the word “ball.” If they still do not respond, try giving two verbal choices (e.g. “Ball or cup?”). Make sure to alternate if you say the correct label first or second, as many children will just repeat the last word they hear. By alternating the order you say the choices, you are teaching them to really listen to the words. If they still do not respond, label the object for them, “ball,” and see if they imitate it. You can reinforce their response by smiling, or saying something like, “Yes this is the ball!”

Requesting

This is when a child uses words for the purpose of asking for something they want. For example, if your child says, “milk,” they are likely asking for milk. We can further determine that a child is using a word to request, rather than just label, based on their non-verbal communication skills, such as gestures (e.g. reaching towards the requested object), or if the item is not in sight.

How to work on requesting:

Using words to make requests is a very important communication skill, and one that is motivating! Once your child learns they are able to communicate what they want with words, it helps reduce frustration for you and your toddler. If your child is starting to say some words independently and is imitating words, you can try modeling the word, paired with gentle withholding. It works best to start with highly motivating items, such as favorite toys, snacks, or songs. If you think you know what your toddler wants, before giving it to them, model the word and look at them expectantly (e.g. “Ball,” smile, eyebrows raised). Avoid saying, “Say ball,” and just model the word you want them to imitate. Pause for at least 3-5 seconds while you wait for them to imitate the word. If they attempt to imitate the word (it might not sound like the true word yet), give them the natural reward of receiving the item they asked for, and give some verbal praise (e.g. “Ball! You told me, ball!”). If they do not imitate the word, repeat these steps 1-2 more times (we want to avoid making your toddler too frustrated, especially if this is a new skill for them - this is why we want to use this strategy once your toddler is already imitating words, or if you’ve heard them say the targeted word before). If they still do not repeat the word, model it one more time as you give the item to them. Another strategy to help your toddler use words to make requests is giving verbal choices (learn more here).

Protesting

This is when a child uses a word to tell us that they do not want something. While early non-verbal protesting may look like becoming upset, when children start using words to protest, they are able to say, “no,” or “no” paired with what they don’t want (e.g. “no bath,” “no hat”). While your child may not ultimately have a choice in every matter, it can be helpful and reduce some frustration knowing what it is your child is getting upset about.

baby crying — Using words to protest can help reduce some frustration for you and your toddler.

How to work on using words to protest:

You can work on your baby learning “no” during less emotionally charged opportunities. During a snack or meal you can begin to ask, “Do you want more?” You can then ask, “Yes or no?” If you can tell by your baby’s gestures they do not want more, you can model, “no,” “no more,” or “all done.” When playing with toys, you can ask your baby if they want a specific toy, and if you’re working on saying “no” you can try to ask about a toy or object you know they don’t want. For example, “Do you want a sock?” Again, you can model “no” or “no sock” if it looks like your child does not want the object you asked about. Once your child does learn to respond to yes/no questions, be sure to still give them ample opportunities to use specific words to make requests, rather than just relying on asking yes/no questions.

Greetings/Farewells

This is when your baby uses words to say “hi” and “bye.”

Children typically first learn to wave hi/bye and will later pair a word with their wave.

How to work on greetings/farewells:

Children often first use the hand-wave gesture for greetings and farewells, and continuing to model the word paired with the gesture is a great way to work on it. Model “hi” and “bye-bye” each time you wave hi/bye to someone, and resist telling your child, “say bye-bye,” especially if they’re not saying this word yet, as it can be frustrating for the child to be told to say something they don’t know how to say yet. Another way to increase opportunities to practice saying hi/bye is to say “hi” and “bye-bye” to toys as you play with them and clean-up. Saying “bye-bye bear,” “bye-bye block,” “bye-bye ball,” etc. creates a verbal routine, and even more opportunities to practice these words.

Responding to Questions

This is when your child uses words to respond to questions. Earlier in development, children will start indicating they understand your question, but they respond in a non-verbal way. For example, if you ask your child, “Where is mommy?” and the child starts looking around, goes to find their mom, or points, this shows your child understands the question, they just are not yet using words to respond. This goes for yes/no questions too, as your child will likely learn to shake their head yes/no before using the words “yes” and “no.”

How to work on responding to questions:

The ability to respond to different types of questions is expected to develop at different ages. Children are typically able to respond to ‘what’ (e.g. “What’s this?” “What is he doing?”) and ‘where’ (e.g. “Where is the book?” “Where is your shoe?”) questions, as well as yes/no (e.g. “Do you want more?”or preferential, and “Is this an elephant?” or fact-based) questions first, and are typically able to respond verbally to some simple what/where and yes/no questions around 2 years of age. If your child is not yet responding with words to questions, after you ask the question and wait 3-5 seconds for your child to respond (wait time is important! Sometimes we find ourselves asking rapid fire questions, and our child has not yet even processed the question or how to respond by the time we may already be repeating the question), model the correct response (e.g. “What is this?” …3-5 seconds… “carrot” or “it’s a carrot”), and see if your child imitates. To take this to the next level, try using verbal choices (e.g. “Is it an apple or a carrot?”). It’s helpful to point to the answer when applicable (e.g. “Where is your shoe?” point to your child’s foot before modeling the response, “Foot, on your foot!”).

Commenting

Commenting is when your child uses words to communicate what they see, feel, and experience, for the purpose of sharing that information with others. This may look like your child saying, “dog” and pointing when they see a dog on a walk, to bring your attention to the dog. This may include expressions, like “ow,” when they are hurt, “yum” when something tastes good, and “woah” when something exciting happens. Your child may also relate past or personal experiences, such as saying, “home,” when they see something at the store that you already have at home. Commenting also includes expressing how you feel, or if you like or don’t like something.

How to work on making comments:

The best way to work on your child’s skills with making comments, is to model making comments about your experiences throughout the day. Making statements like, “Look, a doggy!” “Yum I like my soup,” or, “We ate all our apples at home, we need more,” are all examples of commenting. If your child is labeling familiar objects, you can start by frequently modeling, “Look, I see a ___!” Eventually, you can use the cloze statement strategy by saying, “Look, I see a…” and pausing and waiting while you point to the object and see if your toddler fills it in (e.g. bird, airplane, bus). This takes your child from the function of simply labeling something they see, to the purpose of bringing your attention to something they see or experience.

What if my child is not using words to communicate for a variety of functions?

If your child is nearing 18 months of age and is not yet using words, or only a few words, to communicate, you may want to talk to your pediatrician and get a referral for a speech-language evaluation with a speech-language pathologist. There are multiple factors involved in determining if a child requires speech-language therapy. Early intervention has been proven to have better outcomes than the outdated “wait and see” approach. Some children may benefit from an evaluation sooner than 18 months of age, so speak to your pediatrician if you are concerned.

This website and information on this blog post is provided for educational purposes only. It is not meant as medical advice, intended to replace a speech-language assessment, therapy from a speech-language pathologist, or serve as medical care for a child. It is recommended that you discuss any concerns or questions you might have with your speech-language pathologist, pediatrician, and medical team, and develop an individualized team plan specifically for your child.

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