Acquisition Sequence of Grammatical Structures in Azerbaijani-Turkish-speaking Children Aged 4–6 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background

Grammatical development in children follows a relatively predictable sequence across languages; however, most evidence comes from Indo-European languages, particularly English. Azerbaijani-Turkish, an agglutinative Turkic language, remains understudied in terms of the order in which grammatical structures are acquired. Understanding typical acquisition sequences is essential for identifying children with developmental language disorder (DLD) in linguistically diverse populations.

Aims

This study aimed to describe the receptive comprehension sequence of 28 grammatical structures in Azerbaijani-Turkish-speaking children aged 4–6 years and to identify which structures are most and least accurately comprehended across age groups.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 237 children were assessed for eligibility, and after exclusions (n = 37), the final sample comprised 200 children (100 girls, 100 boys) aged 49–72 months, divided into four age groups (n = 50 each). The Azerbaijani-Turkish Grammar Comprehension Test (ATGCT) was used to assess receptive comprehension of 28 grammatical structures on a 0–2 scale. Developmental and cognitive screening measures included the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI). One-way ANOVAs were used to compare age groups.

Results

A clear developmental hierarchy emerged. Two-element phrases (M = 1.88, SD = 0.14) and indefinite pronouns (M = 1.86, SD = 0.16) were the easiest structures, while coordination ‘either-or’ (M = 0.97, SD = 0.52), sentences with objective and subjective pronouns (M = 0.99, SD = 0.52), and coordination ‘neither-nor’ (M = 1.10, SD = 0.51) were the most difficult. Significant age-related improvements were observed for all structures (all p < 0.05), with older children consistently outperforming younger ones. The largest age effects were found for two-element phrases (F = 4.21, p = 0.006, η² = 0.061) and indefinite pronouns (F = 3.87, p = 0.010, η² = 0.056).

Conclusions

This study provides the first systematic description of the receptive comprehension sequence of grammatical structures in Azerbaijani-Turkish-speaking children. The findings offer a normative framework for speech-language pathologists working with this population and identify specific structures that may serve as potential clinical markers for DLD. These results can guide the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment tools and intervention goals.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

What is already known on this subject

• Grammatical development in children follows a relatively predictable sequence across languages, but most evidence comes from Indo-European languages, particularly English.
• Azerbaijani-Turkish, an agglutinative Turkic language, has received limited attention in developmental language research, especially regarding the order in which grammatical structures are acquired.
• Understanding typical acquisition sequences is essential for identifying children with developmental language disorder (DLD) in linguistically diverse populations.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge

• This study provides the first systematic description of the receptive comprehension sequence of 28 grammatical structures in Azerbaijani-Turkish-speaking children aged 4–6 years.
• The findings reveal a clear developmental hierarchy: simple phrases and indefinite pronouns are acquired earliest, while complex coordination structures (e.g., ‘either-or’, ‘neither-nor’) and sentences with multiple pronouns are acquired last.
• The study identifies specific grammatical structures that are consistently difficult for children across all age groups, which may serve as potential clinical markers for DLD in Azerbaijani-Turkish-speaking children.

What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?

• The results offer a normative framework for speech-language pathologists working with Azerbaijani-Turkish-speaking children, enabling more accurate assessment of grammatical comprehension.
• The identified sequence can guide the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment tools and intervention goals.
• Structures with the lowest accuracy (e.g., ‘either-or’ coordination, objective and subjective pronoun sentences) should be prioritised in language intervention programmes for this population.