First-Person Pronoun Use

merged.language.first_person_pronoun

Languagemeasurable22mo–2.2y

Measured by 2 instruments· Cross-instrument confidence:

What this is

Uses 'I' or 'me' more often than own name

Instrument	Approach	Age range	Mapping confidence	Ref
ASQ-3 24mo Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition — 24 Month Questionnaire	Parent screening report Subscale: Communication	22mo–2.2y		communication_q5
ASQ-3 24mo Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition — 24 Month Questionnaire	Parent screening report Subscale: Personal-Social	22mo–2.2y		personal_social_q4

“Approach” describes how the instrument assesses this construct, not the specific items. We never reproduce proprietary test items.

Consensus window: 22mo–2.2y (all 2 instruments overlap).

Baseline: developmental_24mo_en_gbAge: 2yLocale: en-GBTone: mixed

“Does {child_name} say 'I' or 'me' when talking about {him_her}self — 'I did it', 'me too'?”

Follow-up: “Or does {he_she} still use {his_her} own name — 'Lucy do it' rather than 'I do it'?”

Not yet

Refers to {him_her}self only by name

Emerging

Uses 'I' or 'me' occasionally, often alongside name

Developing

Mostly uses 'I' or 'me' for self-reference

Secure

Consistently uses first-person pronouns in conversation

Saying 'I' is a big self-awareness step — a new way of locating {him_her}self in the family.

The same canonical item shows up on the curriculum page with prerequisites, activities, and full developmental context.

ASQ-3 24mo
Squires, J., Bricker, D. (2009). The development of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires
doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.00996.x