What’s Typical? A Guide to Speech and Language Milestones for 3–5 Year Olds

Between the ages of 3 and 5, children’s language skills grow in leaps and bounds! You’ll hear longer sentences, more questions (so many questions!), and start to see your child using language to explain, describe, and connect with the world around them. Here’s a quick guide to what’s typical at each age:

At 3 Years Old

Understanding

Children can usually:

• Follow more complex two-part instructions (e.g., “Give me the teddy and throw the ball”).

• Understand simple wh- questions like what, where, and who.

• Understand the concepts of same and different.

• Sort items into groups when asked (e.g., food vs toys).

• Recognise some basic colours.

Talking

Children can usually:

• Use 4–5 word sentences (e.g., “I want big truck”).

• Use a variety of words, including names, actions, places, and describing words.

• Ask questions using what, where, and who.

• Talk about something in the past, but may still use incorrect grammar (e.g., “he goed there”).

• Join in conversations, though they may not always take turns or stay on topic.

At 4 Years Old

Understanding

Children can usually:

• Answer most questions about daily tasks.

• Understand most wh- questions, including those about a story they’ve recently heard.

• Understand some numbers.

• Show awareness that some words start or end with the same sound.

  
  

Talking

Children can usually:

• Use words like and, but, and because to make longer sentences.

• Describe recent events (e.g., “We went to the park and I played on the slide”).

• Ask lots of questions.

• Use personal pronouns (e.g., he, she, me, you) and negation (e.g., don’t, can’t).

• Count to five and name a few colours.

At 5 Years Old

Understanding

Children can usually:

• Follow three-part instructions (e.g., “Put on your shoes, get your backpack and line up outside”).

• Understand time-related words like before, after, now, and later.

• Start thinking about the meaning of words when learning.

• Understand instructions even while doing another activity (e.g., continue playing while listening).

• Begin recognising some letters, sounds, and numbers.

Talking

Children can usually:

• Use well-formed sentences that are understood by most people.

• Take turns in increasingly longer conversations.

• Tell simple, short stories with a beginning, middle, and end.

• Use past and future tense correctly (e.g., “went”, “will go”).

• Use most speech sounds clearly, though sounds like s, r, l and th may still be tricky.

 Got questions about your child’s speech or language development?

Every child is different, and milestones can vary. If you’re unsure whether your child is on track or you just want to chat about ways to support their communication, get in touch! We're here to help.

Claire Buchanan - Speech Pathologist at Kids Inspired

Reference: Speech Pathology Australia (2025)