Answer: There is great variation in vocabulary development before 24 months. Many children who have almost no words at 20 months are speaking well by 24 months. A large vocabulary on the LDS from 18-23 months indicates that a child is making good progress, but a small vocabulary in that period does not necessarily indicate a significant delay. However, by 24 months, most toddlers say at least 50 words and produce some word combinations. A child who fails either of these milestones may therefore have a significant language delay.