What is “expressive language”?

Expressive language refers to the ability to convey thoughts, ideas, and information through verbal or written forms. This encompasses a range of skills including vocabulary usage, sentence structure, and the capacity to form coherent and contextually appropriate responses in conversation or written communication. When individuals demonstrate strong expressive language skills, they can effectively articulate their thoughts and emotions, allowing others to understand what they wish to communicate.

In contrast, the other options focus on different communication aspects. Understanding instructions and conversations aligns with receptive language skills, which involves the ability to comprehend and process information received from others. Reading written texts accurately pertains to decoding and literacy skills rather than the expression of thoughts. Lastly, interpreting non-verbal cues relates to nonverbal communication comprehension, which is distinct from the expressiveness of one's own language ability. Each of these skills plays a crucial role in overall communication, but the definition of expressive language is specifically tied to how individuals convey their own messages.