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CTET 8 Feb 2026 Paper 1 English, Question 118

Topic: Language and thought

Q118

Cognitive theory of language development, supports that language is :

  1. (1) learnt through reward and punishment.
  2. (2) learnt through interaction with in the society.
  3. (3) dependent on child’s understanding of the concept before verbalizing it.Correct answer
  4. (4) innate capacity of an individual.

Solution.

CBSE answer: (3)

Answer: (3) dependent on child's understanding of the concept before verbalizing it.

  1. The cognitive view, linked to Piaget, says thought comes first and language follows.
  2. A child first understands a concept, then finds words for it.
  3. Reward and punishment is the behaviourist view, interaction in society is the social view, and innate capacity is Chomsky's view.

Trap: (4) is the nativist theory, not the cognitive one.