SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST EXAM-PRACTICE –QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
2025/2026 Q&A |INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Which of the following is the primary cranial nerve responsible for motor control of the
tongue?
A. Trigeminal (CN V)
B. Facial (CN VII)
C. Hypoglossal (CN XII) *
D. Vagus (CN X)
Rationale: The hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) controls most tongue movement; damage can result
in tongue deviation and articulation difficulties.
2. A child presents with difficulty producing /s/ and /z/ sounds. This is most likely an
example of:
A. Phonological disorder
B. Articulation disorder *
C. Fluency disorder
D. Language disorder
Rationale: Errors limited to specific speech sounds (like /s/, /z/) are characteristic of articulation
disorders, not broader phonological or language impairments.
3. Broca’s aphasia is characterized by:
A. Fluent, nonsensical speech
B. Nonfluent, effortful speech *
C. Severe comprehension deficits
D. Echolalia
,Rationale: Broca’s aphasia results from left frontal lobe damage, producing slow, effortful
speech with relatively preserved comprehension.
4. Which standardized test assesses phonological awareness in children?
A. CELF
B. GFTA
C. CTOPP *
D. PPVT
Rationale: The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) measures
phonological awareness, memory, and rapid naming.
5. Which swallowing phase involves movement of the bolus from the mouth into the
pharynx?
A. Oral preparatory
B. Oral transit *
C. Pharyngeal
D. Esophageal
Rationale: Oral transit phase moves the bolus posteriorly toward the pharynx via the tongue;
pharyngeal phase begins after swallow reflex initiation.
6. A patient demonstrates flat affect, poor turn-taking, and difficulty with humor. These
symptoms suggest:
A. Left hemisphere stroke
B. Right hemisphere damage *
C. Broca’s aphasia
D. Childhood apraxia of speech
Rationale: Pragmatic deficits (humor, prosody, turn-taking) are common with right hemisphere
damage.
, 7. Which of the following is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
system?
A. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) *
B. Wechsler Intelligence Scale
C. Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation
D. Rossetti Infant-Toddler Scale
Rationale: PECS is an AAC system using pictures to facilitate communication in individuals with
limited speech.
8. The primary function of the velum during speech is to:
A. Vibrate during voiced sounds
B. Direct airflow between oral and nasal cavities *
C. Control tongue elevation
D. Strengthen vocal folds
Rationale: Velum elevation closes off the nasal cavity during oral sounds; inadequate closure
results in hypernasality.
9. Which therapy approach uses successive approximations to shape speech sounds?
A. Cycles approach
B. Phonological contrast therapy
C. Shaping *
D. Milieu teaching
Rationale: Shaping uses reinforcement of successive approximations toward correct speech
sound production.
AND CORRECT ANSWERS(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES
2025/2026 Q&A |INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Which of the following is the primary cranial nerve responsible for motor control of the
tongue?
A. Trigeminal (CN V)
B. Facial (CN VII)
C. Hypoglossal (CN XII) *
D. Vagus (CN X)
Rationale: The hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) controls most tongue movement; damage can result
in tongue deviation and articulation difficulties.
2. A child presents with difficulty producing /s/ and /z/ sounds. This is most likely an
example of:
A. Phonological disorder
B. Articulation disorder *
C. Fluency disorder
D. Language disorder
Rationale: Errors limited to specific speech sounds (like /s/, /z/) are characteristic of articulation
disorders, not broader phonological or language impairments.
3. Broca’s aphasia is characterized by:
A. Fluent, nonsensical speech
B. Nonfluent, effortful speech *
C. Severe comprehension deficits
D. Echolalia
,Rationale: Broca’s aphasia results from left frontal lobe damage, producing slow, effortful
speech with relatively preserved comprehension.
4. Which standardized test assesses phonological awareness in children?
A. CELF
B. GFTA
C. CTOPP *
D. PPVT
Rationale: The Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP) measures
phonological awareness, memory, and rapid naming.
5. Which swallowing phase involves movement of the bolus from the mouth into the
pharynx?
A. Oral preparatory
B. Oral transit *
C. Pharyngeal
D. Esophageal
Rationale: Oral transit phase moves the bolus posteriorly toward the pharynx via the tongue;
pharyngeal phase begins after swallow reflex initiation.
6. A patient demonstrates flat affect, poor turn-taking, and difficulty with humor. These
symptoms suggest:
A. Left hemisphere stroke
B. Right hemisphere damage *
C. Broca’s aphasia
D. Childhood apraxia of speech
Rationale: Pragmatic deficits (humor, prosody, turn-taking) are common with right hemisphere
damage.
, 7. Which of the following is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
system?
A. Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) *
B. Wechsler Intelligence Scale
C. Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation
D. Rossetti Infant-Toddler Scale
Rationale: PECS is an AAC system using pictures to facilitate communication in individuals with
limited speech.
8. The primary function of the velum during speech is to:
A. Vibrate during voiced sounds
B. Direct airflow between oral and nasal cavities *
C. Control tongue elevation
D. Strengthen vocal folds
Rationale: Velum elevation closes off the nasal cavity during oral sounds; inadequate closure
results in hypernasality.
9. Which therapy approach uses successive approximations to shape speech sounds?
A. Cycles approach
B. Phonological contrast therapy
C. Shaping *
D. Milieu teaching
Rationale: Shaping uses reinforcement of successive approximations toward correct speech
sound production.
