We will look at the development of two structures that seem to be acquired in a regular way by most English-speaking children.
In the formation of questions and the use of negatives, there appear to be three identifiable stages:
Stage 1 occurs between 18 and 26 months
Stage 2 occurs between 22 and 30 months
Stage 3 occurs between 24 and 40 months
Forming Question
Stage 1 (1 or 2 words + rising intonation) Doggie? Sit chair?
(add Where) Where kitty? Where that?
Stage 2 (2 or 3 words + rising intonation) You want eat? See my doggie?
(add What and Why) What book name? Why you smiling?
Stage 3 (3 or 4 words + inversion) Can I have a piece? Will you help me?
(add Who and How) Who did you go? How is that open?
(non-adult forms) Why kitty can’t do it? Did I caught it?
Forming Negative
Stage 1 (add No or Not to beginning) No mitten Not a teddy bear
No doing it Not sit there
Stage 2 (add no or not to verb) He no bite you That not touch
(add don’t or can’t to verb) I don’t want it You can’t dance
Stage 3 (add didn’t or won’t to verb) I didn’t caught it She won’t let go
(non-adult forms) This not ice cream He not taking it