1. Understands common questions and can answer them.
At this age, a four-year-old should have the ability to understand and respond to common questions that are asked of them, such as "what is your name?" or "what color is this?". They should be able to answer in complete sentences and provide detailed responses when appropriate.
2. Follows 2-3 step directions.
Four-year-olds should have the ability to understand and follow more complex instructions that require multiple steps, such as "go get your shoes and put them on". They should be able to complete tasks in the order that they are given.
3. Engages in conversation with others.
Four-year-olds should be able to engage in conversations with others, including adults and other children. This includes taking turns speaking, offering feedback or reactions to what is being said, and actively contributing topics for discussion.
4. Tries to communicate needs and wants.
At this age, four-year-olds should begin exploring different ways of expressing their needs and wants without relying solely on verbal communication. They should be able to utilize nonverbal cues, such as gestures and body language, to make their needs known.
5. Recognizes sentences with multiple clauses.
Four-year-olds should have the ability to recognize complex sentences that contain multiple clauses and understand the meaning of all parts of the sentence. For example, they should be able to comprehend a sentence such as "I want an apple but I don't like oranges".
6. Tells stories.
Children at this age should be able to tell more complex stories than before, including ones with characters, settings, and plot points. These stories may not necessarily make complete sense, but they do demonstrate an understanding of narrative structure and sequential events in time.
7. Uses language in a variety of ways.
Four-year-olds should be able to use language for various purposes, such as expressing thoughts and feelings, narrating experiences, making requests, asking questions, and engaging in conversations with others.
8. Uses pronouns correctly (e.g., I, me, she).
Four-year-olds should have the ability to understand and use pronouns correctly when speaking or writing. They should also be able to recognize when someone else is using incorrect pronoun usage.
9. Understands and follows rules of conversation.
Children at this age should be aware of basic conversational etiquette and know how to follow the turn-taking protocols associated with talking with other people. They should also understand the importance of not interrupting other people when they are speaking and respect the feelings of those around them.
10. Produces sentences with four or more words.
At this age, children should be able to produce longer sentences that contain at least four words. They are also beginning to add details and descriptions to their language output, allowing for more nuanced conversations. This includes adding adjectives, adverbs, and descriptive phrases into their speech patterns.