What counts as a word?
Parents often ask, “How many words should my child be saying?” when their little one is learning to talk.
Knowing what counts as a word is essential when counting the number of words a child says. And “Does ____ count as a word?” is one of the most common questions asked on my instagram page @toddler_talk_.
In this post we’ll cover what counts as a word, and answer your questions about:
What counts as a word?
First off, to be counted as a word, your child must use the word consistently, independently, and intentionally to refer to someone or something.
Here’s a little more detail on what counts versus what does not ↓
Consistently: As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to hear your child say a word 3-5 times before it counts as a word. It doesn’t count as a word yet if your child has only said a word once.
Independently: If your little one says a word on their own without hearing you say it first, then it counts as a word. If they repeat a word you’ve said, it doesn’t count as a word just yet.
Intentionally: It counts as a word if your child says a word for a specific reason. For example, to label a person or toy, to comment on something they see, or to let you know they’re having fun. It doesn’t count as a word if your child says it, but doesn’t really understand what the word means. You’ll sometimes see this if kids repeat something from a tv show.
Do baby signs count as words?
This is a tricky question, and I’ll explain why.
No - If you are counting the number of words your child says, I would not count baby signs as words. That’s because a child may have 20 baby signs and 0 spoken words. In this example, it may be important to support the child’s ability to say words even though they are using many baby signs. Counting only the number of words a child says can help us identify the earliest missed milestone.
Yes - But you can count baby signs as words when you are counting the number of messages your child can express using words, baby signs, and gestures. If your child is using some or many baby signs, I recommend keeping a second count for the number of words they can express = the number of words they say + the number of baby signs they use. This can help you understand how their expression compares to the number of words they can say. If a child can use many baby signs but isn’t talking yet, this may be a sign of a speech delay.
Here’s a great resource if you feel like your child knows many words, but isn’t talking yet.
Do animal sounds count as words?
Yes! Animal sounds count as words.
Especially for 1 year olds, the names of the animals, such as “horse” or “elephant,” are too complicated for their developing mouths to pronounce. So when they say the animal sounds to label the animals, you can count them as words. As their pronunciation develops, you should notice the shift from animal sounds to animal names.
Do sound effects count as words?
Yes!
Sound effects, like “beep-beep,” “Achooo,” and “wee-oo wee-oo” count as words. Much like animal sounds, sound effects are often easier to pronounce than the names of things that make the sounds. For example, “wee-oo wee-oo” is easier to pronounce than ambulance. Toddlers will say the sound effects to talk about things hard to pronounce names, and you can count it as a word! The rules about your child using the word consistently, independently, and intentionally still apply.
Do exclamatory sounds count as words?
Yes!
Exclamatory remarks, such as “Oh-No!” and “Yay!” count as words. Toddlers use these words to express their emotions or comment on what’s happening.
Do word approximations count as words?
Yes!
When children are learning to speak, their words might not sound exactly like adults say them. When babies and toddlers use simpler pronunciations of words, speech therapists will say they are using word approximations. Word approximations count as words.
Refer to this article to learn more about common & expected toddler speech “errors” or ways they simplify hard to pronounce words.
Does it count as 1 or 2 words if a child says two different words the same way?
Two words!
Early on many toddler words may sound the same. That’s because their pronunciation skills are still developing. For example, your child may say “Ba” for both ball and bath. You can count “Ba” for two words if your child is saying “Ba” to refer to two different things. Remember, as long as they are using the pronunciation consistently and intentionally it counts!
Do letters count as words?
No.
I do not count letters as words for toddlers. The concept of letters is usually too abstract for toddlers to truly understand. When toddlers say letters they are often reciting the ABC song or simply labeling a letter that they see. Because they can’t use letters to ask for something they want and they aren’t spelling just yet, I do not count letters as words.
Do numbers count as words?
Maybe.
Yes - You might count a few numbers as words, especially as your child approaches their third birthday. You can count a number as a word if your child shows you they understand what the number means. For example, if you say “I’m going to give you 3 pieces” but you only give your child 2 pieces and your child notices that you gave them one less than 3 by telling you “This is 2, you said 3” or “I need 1 more” - then you can count those numbers as words.
No - If your child is repeating numbers, such as “One two three five ten!” but they don’t really understand what the numbers mean, then I would not count the numbers as a word just yet.
Do shapes count as words?
Yes IF your child says many other words.
You can count shapes, like “circle” and “triangle” as words if your child is labeling shapes in a book, puzzle, play, or another activity.
If your child is saying shapes (or numbers and letters), but not other words I would not count shapes (or numbers and letters) when looking at vocabulary milestones. If your child is saying shapes, numbers, and letters but not other words I recommend talking to your child’s pediatrician or scheduling a free speech and language evaluation (available in US through state funded early intervention programs).
Here are some more common questions about what counts as a word:
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Yes, “Uh-Oh” counts as a word for toddlers and babies when they use it on their own.
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In speech therapy, we use the term expressive vocabulary to talk about the number of messages a child can express through words, gestures, or baby signs. Spoken vocabulary refers to the number of words a child can say.
Written By: Stephanie Hatleli, MS CCC-SLP
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