Speech and Language Milestones for 6-Year-Olds

By the time a child turns 6, there are several speech and language milestones they should be meeting. Six-year-olds can typically pronounce almost all speech sounds. They can understand language well, answer questions clearly, and join in conversations. Many kids gain these skills in kindergarten and first grade, but others may need some extra support. Let’s take a closer look at these 6-year-old milestones and discuss what to do if your child doesn’t seem to be on track.

Key takeaways

• Six-year-olds should be able to say almost all speech sounds correctly and use correct grammar most of the time.

• They should have strong language comprehension and be able to answer questions clearly. 

• Six-year-olds are typically able to engage in conversations, interact well with other children, and participate in the classroom.

• Speech therapy can be an excellent support for kids who are behind in their 6-year-old developmental milestones.

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Speech milestones for 6-year-olds

Being able to form clear and distinct speech sounds is known as articulation. We produce these sounds using our lips, tongue, teeth, palate, and the coordination of our breath.

As children begin to talk, they often pronounce some consonants incorrectly. That can be a normal part of development. However, these errors shouldn’t stick around forever. Each year a child grows older, they should be saying more and more of the consonants in the English language correctly.

By the time a child is 6 years old, they should be able to say almost all speech sounds correctly. One exception is the voiceless “TH” sound, like in the words “teeth” and “thanks.” For some kids this can be a later developing sound. 

Alexis Irazoque, M.S., L/SLP, a speech therapist at Expressable, explains why clear speech is so important. “Six-year-olds are in kindergarten or first grade, interacting with other kids as well as with teachers and coaches. Friendships and relationships are becoming more important, and good communication skills are at the root of this,” she says.

Irazoque also notes that the ability to communicate clearly helps children grow their confidence and self-esteem. If people are always asking a child to repeat themselves, the child may avoid speaking and engaging with others. These are formative years, and strong communication skills make a big difference.

Clear speech is also a safety issue. As caregivers, we never want our children to be in an emergency situation. But if they are, their speech should be clear enough to communicate and answer important questions.

If your 6-year-old is still having trouble with certain speech sounds, schedule an evaluation with a speech-language pathologist, also known as a speech therapist. The speech therapist can assess your child and recommend treatment if it's needed. The earlier you reach out, the better. So don’t wait!

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Language milestones for 6-year-olds

There are two types of language: expressive language and receptive language. 

Expressive language refers to a person's ability to communicate a message, either verbally (with words) or nonverbally (such as with gestures). It includes skills such as using the right words and vocabulary, forming sentences, and using correct grammar.

Receptive language refers to a person’s understanding of words, gestures, and directions. It includes skills such as understanding conversations and listening to and following directions.

When a child is 6 years old, they should be able to express what they want to say clearly. They should also generally be able to understand what’s said to them. 

One of the ways they do this is by asking and answering questions. Six-year-olds should easily be able to ask and answer questions that begin with who, what, where, when, and why. Your 6-year-old should also be able to follow three-step directions without them needing to be repeated. An example at home might be: “Go set down your backpack, take off your shoes, and come sit down for dinner.” Or, in the classroom: “Push in your chair, get your lunchbox, then line up at the door.”

In terms of grammar, your 6-year-old may still make errors here and there. However, most of what they say should be grammatically correct. It can be tricky to know what specific areas of grammar to look for in your child’s development. Irazoque outlines them here:

1 The ability to use pronouns correctly

Pronouns are what we use to refer to people and things. These are words like me, my, he, him, she, her, we, us, you, and they. Pronouns can be singular or plural. Children should no longer be mixing up pronouns by age 6.

2 The correct use of plurals

When discussing more than one item, your 6-year-old should be adding an “s” at the end, as in words like dogs or kids. Six-year-olds should also be able to use irregular plurals correctly, such as people, children, or fish.

3 The correct use of possessives

Six-year-olds should be able to correctly describe someone that has possession of something. These can be pronouns like mine, yours, his, hers, its, and theirs. This also includes the use of the possessive “s,” as in The girl’s book or Tommy’s toy.

4 The ability to use verb tenses correctly

No matter if a child is talking about something in the past, present, or future, their verb usage should reflect the time frame they’re discussing. Let’s use the word drink for an example. When referring to something in the past, you would say, I drank the milk. Present tense: I am drinking the milk. Or when referring to the future:I will drink the milk.

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Social language milestones for 6-year-olds

In kindergarten and first grade, your child is meeting other children and beginning to make new friends. By age 6, these relationships can become quite important to kids. And strong social communication skills (also called pragmatics) help pave the way for making friends!

Six-year-olds should be able to introduce themselves to others, such as “Hi, I’m _____. What’s your name?”

When kindergarteners and first graders talk with each other, they should be able to have a back-and-forth conversation, with comments and questions that are on topic. They should be learning how to start a conversation on a topic that the other person is likely to enjoy. Irazoque gives this example: “If they see a child playing with trucks, they may ask the child about their toy or make a comment about vehicles they like.” 

Finally, kindergarteners and first graders should be able to follow the rules at school easily. These may be rules like not talking when the teacher is talking, being respectful, and following directions. It may take some practice, but these skills should be in place at around age 6.

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What if your child isn’t meeting 6-year-old milestones?

If you notice your 6-year-old is lacking some of these essential communication skills, tell your pediatrician. Speech therapy may be needed, and in many cases, your child’s doctor will need to write a referral for speech therapy in order for health insurance to cover it. Your pediatrician may also be able to recommend specific speech therapy providers.

You can also contact a speech therapist directly to schedule an evaluation. They can assess your child’s skills and determine whether speech therapy would be helpful. It’s never too late to start, so don’t wait if you think your child might need support!