New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

What defines syntactic skills in oral language development?

1. Arranging words randomly

2. Understanding grammatical rules

3. Only memorizing vocabulary

4. Speaking without sentence structure

The correct answer is: Understanding grammatical rules

Syntactic skills in oral language development are fundamentally about understanding and applying the rules of grammar that govern sentence structure. This involves recognizing how words can be combined to form phrases and sentences that convey meaning. Proficiency in syntactic skills allows individuals to construct grammatically correct sentences, use appropriate word order, and effectively convey their thoughts. The ability to manipulate sentence structures is crucial for clear communication and is a foundational component of literacy. Rather than simply memorizing vocabulary or randomly arranging words, developing strong syntactic skills ensures that a speaker can articulate ideas in a cohesive and meaningful way. Understanding grammatical rules leads to more sophisticated language use, enabling speakers to engage in more complex discussions and narratives.