Which stage is characterized by two-word utterances such as 'Mommy go'?

• A. Holophrastic stage
• B. Two-word stage
• C. Babbling stage
• D. Telegraphic stage

Answer: (B)

Two-word stage is when children begin combining words to express simple ideas. Phrases like “Mommy go” show a subject and an action, signaling early syntax as vocabulary grows. This typically occurs around 18 to 24 months, after the one-word stage where a single word stands for a larger message. The two-word combinations reveal that children are using word order to convey meaning, often omitting nonessential words in the process. This differs from babbling, which is nonword vocalizations, and from the holophrastic stage, where a single word carries the message. It also sits before the more extended, more grammar-filled telegraphic stage, where sentences include more words but still drop function words.