How many words should the average 4 year old understand?

Question

Anyone know a number? It's a question I have to answer. I think I know, but I would like ECE's or related to be specific. Thanks

Answer 1

I can have a full blown conversation with my 4 year old son. He understand everything i say to him,  sometimes he needs things explaining but he understands and replys accordingly. He is sometimes a bit slow with his reply and tends to ramble on a bit but he gets there eventually, he's just trying to find the right words to make his sentence sound the right way.

Just remember that all children are different and they all develop at different times.

xxxxxx

Answer 2

They say about 1,500 different words. Seems like too many but you figure they know most everyday phrases like " hand me that please" and "where are your shoes" If you think your child is not understanding as much, ask their pediatrician.

Answer 3

My four year old understands pretty much all words used in  normal conversation and is learning new words at a high rate. She is constantly asking what words mean that she isn't familiar with and tries to use them in sentences.

Answer 4

It would be in the thousands.   4 year old kids are pretty conversational.

ETA:   When my son was 4, he had a severe receptive language (understanding of language) problem.    I was told  awful things about his future.    He did have academic  problems when he was in elementary school but he always managed to get promoted.   We started him in kindergarten at age 6 and he started receiving services right away.   It took until the 4th grade (10 years old) before his receptive and expressive language skills caught up and it came out like an explosion.   If he hadn't caught up when he did then I'm sure he would've needed to repeat a grade.   In 4th grade he had a lot of catching up to do academically now that he could understand so much more language.   Within a year after that (5th grade)he was caught up in Math but it took until about 7th grade, maybe even 8th grade before he was all caught up in Reading(his most challenging subject).    He's currently going into 11th grade and has all the usual college preparatory classes.   He maintains about a "B" average.   He still has some social skill delays but academically he's fully on aboard.   I think his social delays are partly because he was language delayed for such a long time and also because he keeps to himself too much.    If you know someone who has a receptive language delay then I hope my story gives him or her some hope.

Answer 5

a 4 year old should understand thousands of words, they should understand anything you ask them (unless it is totally out of their realm, asking a 4 year old who has never heard of sushi is clearly not going to understand the word sushi, just like you or I wouldn't)

At 4 they are still aquiaring spoken language but have a full grasp on understanding. They have trouble phrasing and speaking most times but they understand everything that is said including words they may not be able to say or put into exact proper context.

Answer 6

I guess it depends on there pace and how much you try hrder to teach them.  My 3 year old knows how to count to 20, the english alphabet, and is pretty conversational.  But not all kids are like that.  So its really a random number.

Answer 7

lots!!!!!

Answer 8

Children at any age are different,some are quick to learn new words,while others at the same age are slower,to much slower! The problem is determining,what is average for a four year old!