Development of Syntax and Morphology
Syntax is commonly known as grammar. It involves correct use of the rules governing
language structure.
Morphology is use if the rules governing word structure
Understanding the rules about word and sentence formation is essential to children’s
language development because without these skills, a child will have difficulty
understanding what is said to them. They will also have difficulty expressing themselves.
The simplest and most effective method of supporting learning about grammar and word
structure is through language stimulation techniques. These techniques are explained
below, with reference to the classroom context.
At the beginning of formal education (5-6 years);
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Nearly all sentences are correct
Students ask and answer wh- questions (who, what, where, when)
Uses the following structures most of the time:
-ing (riding)
“s” plural (cats)
“s” possessive (boy’s house)
a, the, an
he/she as subject (he is running)
“s” third person (he runs)
does/has verbs (Daddy does that)
is/am/are (I am, she is, you are)
contracted “is/am/are” (He’s sick)
some irregular past tense (came/went)
Negatives (not, can’t, don’t)
Future tenses (wanna/gonna)
his/her (his cat)
joining words such as “and/but/because”
comparatives “-er/-est” (bigger/biggest)
Children can typically understand a grammatical concept well before they are able to
accurately produce it themselves.
Produced by the Riverina Schools Project Partnership, 2007