Which statement describes language delays at age 2 or older?

• A. A child cannot use spoken language to express anything other than immediate needs.
• B. A child speaks in full sentences.
• C. A child uses gestures only.
• D. A child has no language delay.

Answer: (A)

At age 2, children are expected to use spoken language to convey more than just immediate needs. When a child cannot use spoken language to express anything beyond basic requests—relying on words that only signal immediate needs like “eat,” “more,” or “up”—that shows a delay in expressive language development. They should be moving toward combining words into simple phrases and communicating a wider range of ideas, so a limitation to expressing only immediate needs signals a problem that may warrant screening or early support.

The other scenarios don’t align with a language delay at this age. Speaking in full sentences is more advanced than typical two-year-old speech, not a delay. Using gestures only can be seen in earlier communication stages, but by two, most children have begun to use words in addition to gestures. Saying there is no language delay is simply the absence of any delay.