Which statement best describes receptive language problems?

• A. Expressive vocabulary only
• B. Processing difficulties and low vocabulary
• C. Fluency issues
• D. Prosody problems

Answer: (B)

Receptive language problems involve trouble understanding spoken language. This often shows up as difficulty following what others say, especially when instructions are long or when language is fast. A key part of this difficulty is processing—the brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of auditory information quickly and accurately. Another important piece is vocabulary knowledge: if a listener has a small vocabulary, they’ll have fewer word-to-meaning connections to draw on, making comprehension harder. So, processing difficulties combined with low vocabulary best describe receptive language problems, because they directly impact understanding of language input.

In contrast, issues with expressive vocabulary are about producing words, not understanding them; fluency problems relate to the ease and flow of speech production; and prosody concerns the rhythm and intonation of speech, which can affect communication but don’t define receptive understanding.