Comprehension of Relative Clauses By Children Aged Five To Nine Years

Although studies of children's speech suggest that sentences with object relative clauses ( O) are mastered before those with subject clauses (S), there are reasons for predicting that children comprehend the latter first. The present research confirms the findings of an earlier study which supported this. In addition, the results indicate that the O form is not reliably comprehended until nine years, some two years after the S form. Evidence was obtained which lends support to the hypothesis that interpretation of O, but not S, sentences dedepends on the attainment of a certain level of operational thought, although further research is required.