Which of the following stages indicates a developing ability to speak more fluently?

The stage that indicates a developing ability to speak more fluently is the stage characterized by beginning oral fluency. This stage typically involves children starting to combine words into simple sentences and demonstrating a growing understanding of grammar and syntax, which is essential for effective communication. During this phase, children are better able to express their thoughts and feelings, leading to increased fluidity in their speech compared to earlier stages like cooing and babbling, where sounds are more limited and repetitive.

In contrast, cooing refers to the early stage of vocalization where infants produce soft vowel sounds, and babbling involves the repetitive consonant-vowel combinations that precede meaningful speech. The one-word stage, while important for language development, is characterized by utterances of single words that convey meanings, but does not yet reflect the fluency seen in combining multiple words into coherent speech. Therefore, beginning oral fluency represents a crucial advancement in a child's communication skills.