The list of characteristics indicates that an English learner is performing at which of the following stages of second-language acquisition?

During the preproduction stage, learners typically exhibit minimal verbal output, often communicating through gestures or single-word responses. They may understand a significant amount of spoken language but are not yet ready to form sentences. This stage is characterized by silence, as learners are absorbing the language rather than actively using it.

In the early production stage, learners start to produce short phrases and simple sentences, but their speech is often limited to memorized structures and vocabulary. While they can express basic ideas, their output is still constrained, and they may struggle with grammatical accuracy. This stage is a step forward from preproduction but does not yet reflect the fluency seen in the speech emergence stage.

Intermediate fluency represents a more advanced stage where learners can engage in more complex conversations and express detailed thoughts. They demonstrate greater control over language structures and vocabulary, making them capable of discussing a wide range of topics. However, this level of proficiency surpasses the characteristics associated with speech emergence.