Why is T-unit analysis particularly used for older children with LI?

• A. Because they produce more frequent run-on sentences linked by conjunctions
• B. Because they have smaller vocabulary
• C. Because it is faster
• D. Because it uses fewer morphemes

Answer: (A)

T-unit analysis is useful here because older kids with language impairment often produce longer, run-on utterances that string together several main ideas with conjunctions. A T-unit breaks speech into units that each contain one main clause, plus any subordinate material attached to it. This lets you measure how many independent clauses a child can form in a single utterance and how they link those clauses, which is a direct window into syntactic complexity.

When a child uses run-on sentences connected by conjunctions, simply counting words or total utterances can be misleading. T-unit analysis counts the clauses themselves, so you can see whether the child is expanding by adding more clauses (more T-units) and by using subordination, rather than just padding an utterance with more words. This makes it a more sensitive and appropriate method for assessing the language structure of older children with LI.

The other options don’t capture this diagnostic angle. Vocabulary size, speed, or the sheer number of morphemes aren’t what T-unit analysis fundamentally assesses; it’s the organization and complexity of clauses within spoken language.