Use the list of characteristics to answer the question. The characteristics are: Has a receptive and expressive vocabulary of approximately 1,000 words, Speaks in one- or two-word phrases, Uses short, memorized phrases to communicate, although not always correctly, and Typically uses present-tense verbs. 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 have a very limited vocabulary, often not exceeding 500 words. They primarily listen and may not speak at all, instead relying on gestures or non-verbal communication. The characteristics listed exceed the capabilities typical of the preproduction stage, as learners in this phase do not yet engage in meaningful speech.

Learners in the speech emergence stage can typically form sentences and engage in simple conversations, often using more complex structures and a significantly larger vocabulary than 1,000 words. They are generally more proficient in their usage of English, which exceeds the capabilities described in the question.

At the intermediate fluency stage, learners can communicate more effectively and with greater complexity, using varied vocabulary and grammatical structures. They have typically surpassed the limitations of the early production stage and can express themselves in more than just short phrases, making this choice incorrect.