Observe the child in daily routines. Record or write down the conversation for later analysis.
Ask, “What do you have to do next?”
The child creates complex sentences by combining two simple sentences, (e.g., “I’m going outside, and I’m going to swing.”) They also incorporate dependent clauses (e.g., “I’m going outside so I can swing.”)
Encourage early childhood educators and parents to model complex sentences, particularly ones using but, or, because, then, etc. These words allow children to express more complex relationships.
 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2015
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