The Development of Infinitives from Three to Five
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1994
Abstract
This study investigated the form of infinitival sentences produced by young children and their knowledge of the control properties of this sentence form. Twenty-five children between the ages of 3; 7 and 5; 4 participated in a story completion task designed to elicit infinitive sentences and in an act-out comprehension task. Although the infinitive form was productive for even the youngest children in this study, development of this form was not complete even for the five-year-olds, nor did any child demonstrate adult knowledge of control. In addition, two competing claims regarding order of acquisition (that of Limber, 1973, and Hyams, 1985) were evaluated.
DOI
10.1017/S0305000900009521
Montclair State University Digital Commons Citation
Eisenberg, Sarita and Cairns, Helen S., "The Development of Infinitives from Three to Five" (1994). Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 118.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/communcsci-disorders-facpubs/118