What term describes speech that consists of short sentences, typically two to three words long?

• A. Telegraphic speech
• B. Holophrase
• C. Syncretic speech
• D. Motherese

Answer: (A)

Telegraphic speech describes how young children often express themselves with short, two- to three-word phrases that pack in content while leaving out small function words. This stage appears as vocabulary grows and basic syntax begins to emerge, so a child might say “want juice,” “mommy eat,” or “more milk” to convey a clear request or idea. Holophrase, by contrast, is a single word that stands for a whole idea or sentence, like “up” meaning “I want to be picked up.” Motherese describes the caregiver’s speech style—higher pitch, slower tempo, simplified language—to help the child learn. The term in question fits telegraphic speech because it matches the two-to-three-word, content-focused phrasing characteristic of early sentence structure.