What is the typical language development milestone for children by 18 months?

By 18 months, children typically reach several significant language development milestones primarily focused on vocabulary acquisition and initial communicative skills. At this age, children usually begin to use single words and may start to combine two words, often relying on nouns, as they attempt to express their needs and desires. This means that they are fundamentally in the stage of using a limited range of expressions, often repeating words or phrases they hear and employing a predominant use of nouns to label objects or actions in their environment.

This behavior is reflective of their growing understanding of language as a tool for communication, albeit still in a very rudimentary form. It emphasizes their focus on identifying and labeling the world around them, rather than constructing more complex forms of language such as complete sentences, which typically emerge later. The development of more intricate language skills, such as using adjectives or understanding complex instructions, usually occurs as they progress into the 2-3 year age range and build a more substantial vocabulary and comprehension.