Abstract: Language sample analysis (LSA) is a wide-used and effective method to assess the development of expressive language ability of children, this paper introduces and summarizes the development of LSA abroad, including the basic procedure of LSA; the eliciting method and measuring indices of language sample. Besides, also refers to some domestic effort related with LSA. Further study in chinese could take advandage of macro-analysis techniques in foreign researches, but should product the indicators of micro-analysis for Chinese children based on the characteristic of Chinese.

Key words: expressive language ability, language sample analysis, mean length of utterance, index of productive syntax