three year old and question words

[SarahBear]

How is your three year old with question words? Actually, how is your three year old with grammar in general? Violet wasn't early to start talking, but took off and became advanced once she started, so she is not a good comparison. Leo on the other hand, had a very small vocabulary at two and didn't put two words together until a few months into 2. He is now 3 years 2 months and very expressive. He has a great vocabulary and can communicate his thoughts clearly in most situations. However, he struggles with grammar. One area he struggles with is asking questions. He asks plenty, but often omits the question word or uses the wrong one. He does ask "why" and "where" questions but he doesn't use the word "what" or "who." I can't remember what words he used to ask "how many" today, but it wasn't those words... even after direct prompting and him immitating, he went right back to however it was he was saying it. He doesn't use the word "how" and I am not sure if he uses the word "when." He does however, ask all of these types of questions in his own way... I assume he should pick all of this up over the next year, but my first experience raising a kid was much different on the language front!

Edit: Here are some examples of how he might ask questions:

- "Is you doing?" for "What are you doing?"
- "Me want to know they are" or "Is that is" for "Who are they?"/"who is that"
- "You doing that? for "how are you doing that."

 

[_Meep_]

I think that's completely typical for his age, though mine was a spectacular talker from very early on so I don't have any comparison to offer either.

 

[loeylo]

Gracie was quite like Violet - a later end of average speaker, but developed quite quickly afterwards. She is 2 years 8 months and uses a lot of different types of questions ... for example “what’s that?” “Why?” (I get that one every 30 seconds, lol) “who’s that?” “Where are my wellies?” And “when go to park?”

I’m sure he is developing fine, just differently. Given that he has his own way of asking these questions, I wouldn’t worry.

 

[CRWx]

My DD is a very good talker so not a good comparison but she still has her own way of saying things and from what I’ve worked with, totally normal.

Kids I work with have their own ways of wording what they’re trying to express and they’re to 2-3. He has his own way of telling you what he means and he’ll figure it out eventually. He’s still so little!

 

[Eleanor ace]

DD2 is good with question words but sometimes will say things like "why he do this" instead of "why is he doing that" but it's still obvious what she's asking.

 

[housewifey]

Doesn’t sound like anything to worry about. I’d repeat him using the correct way to show him how to say it but also that you understand what he’s asking, he’ll eventually start using the correct way. My 7 year old still says “for ages” in stead of “forever”!

 

[kellyc1987]

I'd try not to worry too much, Lucas is good with questions but has a things he doesn't say properly, I can't think of them at the moment other than instead of saying "I am" he says "I'm are"

 

[SarahBear]

He just said "who is this" the other day in order to ask "what is this." I find it odd that "what" is such a hard question word for him to use.