What speech process is demonstrated when a child has mastered aspects like -ing and possessive 's'?

The mastery of aspects like the -ing ending and possessive 's' signifies development in morphology. Morphology is the branch of linguistics that studies the structure of words and the formation of grammatical units, including roots, prefixes, suffixes, and inflections that convey meaning.

In this context, -ing is an example of a morphological marker that indicates tense or action ongoing in the present, while the possessive 's' indicates ownership. When a child successfully uses these features, it reflects their growing understanding of how words are constructed and modified to express different grammatical relationships.

Understanding morphology is crucial for language development, as it allows children to expand their vocabulary and create more complex sentences. Mastering these markers indicates a significant step in their linguistic ability, helping them communicate more effectively in both spoken and written forms.