What Is Receptive Language?

Receptive language refers to our ability to understand and comprehend language. It’s the ability to understand what others are saying to us or what we read in books or hear on TV. Receptive language also includes the understanding of gestures. 

For example, when you ask your child to come over to you or get their shoes, and they understand and do what you ask, they are using their receptive language skills. 

Another example of how we use receptive language is during storybook reading. If you read a story to your child and they can understand and answer questions about what you read, they are demonstrating strong receptive language and comprehension. 

Other receptive language skills include understanding concept words like big and small, position words such as on top of or behind, or interpreting complex grammar that changes the meaning of the sentence they have heard. 

A child with strong receptive language may hear a sentence such as, “Every fall, she gathers pinecones to decorate her mantle.” and understand that this person is a female who, at a specific time of year (between September and December), picks up the fruit of pine trees to put on top of the stone or wooden slab above her fireplace, to make it look beautiful or visually interesting.

Receptive language skills are critical for expressive language development. In order to express, we must first understand. In typical language development, children understand far more than they can say.

In short, receptive language is about understanding and making sense of language. It’s an important skill for communication and learning, and it helps children to engage and participate in their environment.