Which statement describes the 'Speaks clearly' indicator?

• A. Is understood by most people; may mispronounce new, long, or unusual words
• B. Tells simple stories about objects not present
• C. Engages in conversations of at least three exchanges
• D. Uses complete four to six word sentences

Answer: (A)

Speaks clearly is all about intelligibility—how easily others can understand what the speaker is saying in everyday conversation. The best description is that the person is understood by most people, even if they occasionally mispronounce unfamiliar or long words; overall clarity remains high. The other statements describe different language skills: telling simple stories about objects not present points to narrative expressive language, engaging in conversations of multiple exchanges relates to conversational turn-taking, and using complete four to six word sentences reflects syntactic development. So, the option about being understood by most people captures the essence of speaking clearly.