The best evidence that there is a critical period for language mastery is the fact that
A) infants babble in sounds that occur in their parents' native language.
B) toddlers maintain a capacity to discriminate language sounds they have never heard.
C) people most easily master the grammar of a second language during childhood.
D) preschoolers typically fail to use proper syntax.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that people most easily master the grammar of a second language during childhood supports the idea that there is a critical period for language mastery. Research has shown that after puberty, individuals have a much more difficult time learning a second language and may never become fluent in the same way that a native speaker can. A critical period for language learning appears to be biologically based, and is likely linked to brain development during early childhood.

The Best Evidence That There Is a Critical Period for Language