The development of language form makes great gains during the preschool years. Two and three-word utterances mature into sentences that closely approximate the form of adult language in their complexity. The manner in which children go about improving the form of their language is similar to that of a high school student in a science laboratory. The child observes and absorbs language in the environment and forms a hypothesis about the rules underlying the language. The child then tests these rules in his/her own speech. If the hypothesis fails, a new and improved hypothesis emerges and is then tested. This process continues until the child has mastered the form of language being explored. Hypotheses are formed in regards to morphology, phonology, and syntax as children demonstrate remarkable growth in language form in a very brief period.
