Receptive vs. Expressive Language: Skills by Age and Signs of a Delay
Receptive language is understanding — following directions and making sense of what others say. Expressive language is using words and sentences to share ideas. A child can struggle with one or both, and both differ from speech, which is making sounds clearly. Here are typical skills at 3 to 5 and signs of a delay.
Receptive, expressive — and speech
| Skill | What it is | A difficulty looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Receptive language | Understanding what others say | Trouble following directions or answering questions |
| Expressive language | Using words and sentences to share thoughts | Short or ungrammatical sentences, limited vocabulary, trouble telling a story |
| Speech | Producing sounds clearly and fluently | Sound errors, unclear speech, or stuttering |
ASHA describes a spoken language disorder as a persistent difficulty acquiring and using listening and speaking skills across any of five domains — phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics — and lists receptive-only, expressive-only, and mixed expressive–receptive disorders as diagnostic outcomes.2
Typical skills at 3 to 5
| Age | Understanding (receptive) | Using (expressive) |
|---|---|---|
| 3–4 years | Understands location words like inside, on, under | Compares things (bigger, shorter); tells a story from a book or video; uses “a” and “the” |
| 4–5 years | Understands location words like behind, beside, between; follows simple directions and rules in games | Grammatically correct, longer sentences; stories with characters and settings; time words like yesterday and tomorrow |
Selected milestones by what they show (ASHA communication milestones).3,4
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Signs of a language difficulty
- Often seems not to understand questions or directions that peers follow.
- Uses noticeably shorter or simpler sentences than peers.
- Struggles to find words or retell an event in order.
- Language difficulties appear in every language the child uses.
ASHA notes that multilingualism is not a cause of speech or language disorders, that dominance can vary across languages, and that true expressive difficulties appear in all languages a child uses. It estimates that 6.6% to 20.6% of 4- to 5-year-olds in several countries have a spoken language disorder of some kind.2
In coding, ICD-10-CM uses F80.1 for expressive language disorder and F80.2 for mixed receptive-expressive language disorder.5
About SpeechStep
SpeechStep practices speech sounds for ages 4–8; it does not assess or treat language. If you are worried about understanding or sentence building, see an SLP.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between receptive and expressive language?＋
NIDCD describes receptive language as understanding what others say and expressive language as sharing thoughts. Children who have trouble with either may have a language disorder — which is different from a speech disorder, where the problem is producing speech sounds or fluency.
What are receptive language skills by age?＋
ASHA’s milestones include understanding and using location words like inside, on, and under by 3–4 years, and behind, beside, and between by 4–5 years, along with following simple directions and rules to play games by 4–5.
Can a child have both receptive and expressive language problems?＋
Yes. ASHA lists receptive-only, expressive-only, and mixed expressive–receptive language disorders as diagnostic possibilities, and ICD-10-CM has separate codes: F80.1 for expressive language disorder and F80.2 for mixed receptive-expressive language disorder.
Is a bilingual child more likely to have a language disorder?＋
No. ASHA states that multilingualism is not a cause of speech or language disorders, and that a child’s dominance may differ by language — for example, understanding more in one language and speaking more in another. Signs of a true expressive difficulty appear in all the languages a child uses.
Put this into practice today
Try the free speech milestone checker, or start daily AI speech practice — every child takes one SpeechStep at a time.
References
5 sources from authoritative bodies. Last reviewed October 2026.
- 1.NIDCDSpeech and Language Developmental Milestones — Fact sheet.
- 2.ASHASpoken Language Disorders — Practice Portal page.
- 3.ASHACommunication Milestones: 3 to 4 Years — Milestone guidance.
- 4.ASHACommunication Milestones: 4 to 5 Years — Milestone guidance.
- 5.ASHA2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Codes Related to Speech, Language, and Swallowing Disorders — Coding resource (PDF), 2026.