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2-3 Years

A woman with a clipboard signs to a young girl who is sitting in her mother's lap in a classroom.

2-3 Years

Language Explosion

During this stage, your child will learn so many new words will start to use longer and more detailed sentences. Get ready for the language explosion!

The Michigan Language Milestones for Deaf/Hard of Hearing are written to highlight typical language development for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), regardless of language and communication modality. However, it is recognized that English and American Sign Language (ASL) are different languages with unique features. Therefore, milestones specific to ASL are in bold and those specific to English are italicized. Any use of “word” refers to spoken or signed words.

Michigan Language Milestones for DHH: 2-3 Years [PDF]

  • Receptive Skills

    • Understands the meanings of some simple adjectives and numbers that describe (e.g., one, all, hot, cold, empty, full, happy, sad, big, little).
    • Identifies parts of an object (e.g., cars have wheels, doors, and lights).
    • Understands that objects can be grouped by categories (e.g., items you can wear).
    • Understands prepositions (e.g., in, on, under).
    • Follows two-to-three-step directions (e.g., get the book and put in on the table).
    • Understands familiar and simple fingerspelled words, including their own name.
    • Repeats six-to-seven-word sentences modeled for them.
    • Understands about 900 words.

  • Expressive Skills

    • Uses simple three-to-four-word sentences and questions.
    • Tells simple stories about present situations.
    • Uses 250-500 words or more.
    • Gives their full name and age when asked.
    • Counts to five on their own.
    • Names at least three colors and can match colors when asked.
    • Answers questions with the words yes or no.
    • Labels objects, animals, and people in pictures or in their environment.
    • Uses possessives and more pronouns (e.g., I, my, your, he, she, it, his, her).
    • Uses negation (e.g., no, none, not, don’t like, don’t know, not yet).
    • Uses simple adjectives and numbers to describe pictures or objects (e.g., small, big, hot, cold, soft, two apples, three dogs).
    • Uses simple classifiers (CL) to describe objects and show movement (e.g., CL:O for POLE, CL:3 for CAR DRIVING FORWARD).
    • Uses lexicalized signs (e.g., #BUS, #ICE).
    • Uses quantity words (e.g., all, a lot, many).
    • Asks simple two-to-three-word who, what, where, and yes/no questions. In ASL, this includes using non-manual markers (e.g., raised/squinted eyebrows).
    • Asks why and how questions.
    • Uses prepositions (e.g., in, on, under, above, below, next to).
    • Uses more complex handshapes (e.g., B, F, O) but substitutes basic handshapes at times (e.g., 5 for W for WATER).
    • Correctly produces most vowels and the consonants b, m, p, d, t, n, h, and w in words.
    • Uses -ing verbs (e.g., eating, running).
    • Uses some plurals (e.g., birds, toys, snacks).
    • Gives one- and two-step directions to others (e.g., you do it, sit down and eat).
    • Uses words to express emotions and feelings (e.g., happy, sad, mad, scared).

  • Pre-Literacy Skills

    • Holds a book with two hands and turns pages one by one.
    • Words are becoming clearer but may not be understood by everyone.
    • Answers simple questions about a story.
    • Recites parts of familiar stories, songs, and nursery rhymes.
    • Enjoys stories and imitates the actions, facial expressions, movement, and other characteristics of characters from a story.
    • Imitates simple lines and shapes with a crayon.