Types of Vocabulary & Their Usage

Function words are  words that have very little meaning. These words are used to help create sentences by linking words together. 

Common function word classes (parts of speech) include:

• Prepositions – Across| From

• Determiners – Those| Theirs| Few

• Pronouns - We| Both

• Conjunctions - For| Nor

• Qualifiers  - Many| Few| Little

• Auxiliary verbs – Been| Does| Did

• Determiners – This| That| These| Those

• Articles – A| An| The

• Modals - Can| Could| Should| Would| Must

Fringe vocabulary are words that align with an individual’s activities, interests, environment and age. Fringe words are necessary to help AAC user’s communicate with a range of different people throughout their lifetime. Therefore, they need to be reviewed and updated regularly. Fringe words align with an individual’s preferences and interests (see individual AAC user preferences and interests). They are also used for a variety of environments (see environment). Additionally, fringe words are used for functional needs (see individual AAC user’s functional needs).

Fringe word classes (parts of speech) include:

• Nouns – Book| Computer| Scooter

• Verbs – Skip| Run| Hop

• Adjectives – Beautiful| Hot| Cold| Warm| Boring

Case study example:

Erin is seven years old and uses a speech generating AAC system to communicate. Erin lives with her two mums and an older brother. Her family say that Erin has a big sense of humour and makes her family, friends and all the people around her laugh. Humour has been shown to help improve social interaction and increase language and communication skills. The AAC team, Erin and her family have selected jokes/riddles that Erin can use in her AAC system when she is communicating with people.

Examples of words that have been selected to use in Erin’s AAC system include: 

• Responding to jokes: That’s funny| Tell a joke| Who’s there?

• Giving  jokes (knock knock joke): Knock knock| Noah| Noah good place we can get something to eat?

Core vocabulary is a small group of words that are frequently used every day. Core words help with interactions and activities and with lots of different people throughout a person's lifetime. Many core vocabulary words are pre-set in an AAC system because they are used for many environments and experiences and can be used across different ages. Therefore, core vocabulary does not need frequent reviewing and updating.

Example of the usefulness of core vocabulary across environments:

• A child might use the core vocabulary “mine” if a child tries to take a toy away from another child.

• When a teacher holds up paintings to children and asks which painting belongs to which child, one child might respond  “mine” to the teacher.

Core vocabulary contains a variety of word classes (parts of speech) including:

• Pronouns – You| He | She| They

• Conjunctions – And| But| Or

• Prepositions - At| After| Behind

• Verbs – Want| Do| Go| Stand| Think

• Adverbs – Now| Then| So| Always

• Auxiliary verbs –Have| Can| Should

• Modals – Can| Could| Should| Would| Must

• Determiner – This| That| These| Those

• Articles – A| An| The

Basic concept words are a type of core vocabulary. They are important for early knowledge and can help children to become more independent. Children need to understand and use basic concept words to talk about the environment and participate in a range of activities, such as mathematics and painting in the classroom.

Basic concept words are important for academic, social and language development.

Research highlights how basic concept words on shapes and directions were common and other types were often missing. Therefore, it is recommended that a range of basic concept words are included within an AAC system.

Basic concept words include:

• Colours – Green| Purple| Yellow

• Numbers – 2| 3| 10

• Size/weight – Big| Small

• Quantity/completeness – Some| finished| All

• Directions – Up| down|Behind

• Self-social awareness – Happy| Cheeky

• Condition/quality – Good| Old

Content words are words that have a meaning. These words create the meaning within a sentence.

Common content word classes (parts of speech) include:

Nouns – Cup| Bag| Shoe

Verbs – Cry| Smile| Walk

Adjectives – Fast| Tiny| Kind

Adverbs – Quickly| Slowly

It is recommended that a variety of word classes are selected to use within an AAC system. This is because there are often more nouns/object words in AAC systems which can limit communication to only requesting functional needs. A variety of word classes can help AAC user's communicate across many environments and help an AAC user learn new words.

Example of the usefulness of a variety of word classes (parts of speech):

• The word “apple” (noun) on an AAC system can help an AAC user request and comment about apples.

• The word “that” (determiner) on an AAC system allows an AAC user to comment, ask about and request anything in the environment.

• The word “stop” (verb) can be used multiple ways (animals, cars, people) to protest, comment and request anything in the environment.

Word classes (parts of speech) include:

• Nouns – Cup| Bag| Shoe

• Verbs – Cry| Smile| Walk

• Adjectives – Fast| Tiny| Kind

• Adverbs – Quickly| Slowly

• Prepositions – Across| From

• Pronouns - We| Both

• Conjunctions - For| Nor

• Auxiliary verbs – Been| Does| Did

• Indefinites -  Anybody| Anything| Anywhere

• Determiners – This| That| These| Those

• Articles – A| An| The

• Modals - Can| Could| Should| Would

Syntactic communication:

Syntactic communication refers to using syntax. Syntax are grammatical rules for combining and arranging words and phrases together to create sentences to make meaning.

For example:

• Subject “I” – Verb  “Went” – Object “Home”

Semantic communication:

Semantic communication refers to using semantics. Semantics is the study of language that looks at what the meaning of words, phrases and sentences are.

For example:

Where is the park?  - This phrase could have two meanings:

• Where is the public garden area?

• Where is the park to park my car?

Pragmatic communication:

Pragmatic communication refers to pragmatics. Pragmatics is the study of language that looks at how the meaning of words, phrases and sentences are used to communicate in social interactions. Context and shared understanding between the speaker and the listener is necessary to understand the correct meaning of words, phrases and sentences.

      For example: 

      The teacher says to the students “it’s getting late.” 

      The teacher might not just be commenting about the time, but 

      also suggesting that the class is  finished for the day.