Which statement about BICS and CALP is true?

• A. BICS develops after CALP.
• B. BICS and CALP develop at the same pace.
• C. BICS develops before CALP.
• D. CALP develops before BICS.

Answer: (C)

BICS (everyday social language) tends to develop first, while CALP (academic language) builds later. Children absorb social language through daily interactions, play, and informal conversations, which happen in familiar contexts with lots of cues and supports. This makes BICS usable relatively quickly, often within a couple of years. In contrast, CALP requires understanding abstract concepts, subject-specific vocabulary, and decontextualized language used in school tasks, which develops more slowly through instruction and extended practice—usually over several years. So the statement that BICS develops before CALP reflects how everyday communication emerges earlier and more naturally than academic language.