Exercises for expressive (Broca’s) aphasia

When someone understands well but struggles to get words out, practice should focus on finding words and putting them together. Here are six exercises families can do at home.

By Frederick F. Weiner, Ph.D., speech-language pathologist. Former Professor in Charge of Speech Pathology, The Pennsylvania State University. Last reviewed November 5, 2026.

What expressive aphasia looks like

In expressive aphasia, often called Broca’s aphasia, understanding is relatively preserved but speaking is slow and effortful. A person may speak in short phrases, such as “Go store… milk,” leaving out small words like “the” and “is.” They usually know exactly what they want to say and notice their own errors, which makes it frustrating. Writing is often affected in a similar way.

Labels are a starting point, not a box. Many people do not fit neatly into one type, and the pattern can change as they recover. A speech-language pathologist determines the type of aphasia; the exercises below help anyone whose main difficulty is speaking.

Six exercises to do at home

  1. 1. Naming with cues

    Show a picture or a real object and ask for its name. If the word does not come, give help in steps, starting with the least: a description ("You use it to cut bread"), then a sentence to finish ("You cut bread with a…"), then the first sound ("k…"). Give less help over time.

    Tip: Note which cue works. That is useful information for the speech-language pathologist.

  2. 2. Finish the sentence

    Say the start of a familiar sentence and let the person finish it: "Bacon and…", "Turn off the…", "Happy…". Familiar phrases are often easier than single words, which makes this a good warm-up and a confidence builder.

    Tip: Move from very predictable endings to sentences with several possible answers.

  3. 3. Practice verbs, not only nouns

    People with expressive aphasia often find verbs harder than nouns, and sentences are built around verbs. Act out or show actions (walking, cooking, writing) and ask "What am I doing?" Then expand: "He is cooking," "He is cooking dinner."

    Tip: The free Action Verbs lesson below is a ready-made version of this exercise.

  4. 4. Build phrases into sentences

    Start from what the person can say and add one piece at a time: "Coffee" → "Want coffee" → "I want coffee" → "I want coffee with milk." Repeat each step a few times before adding the next.

    Tip: Write the sentence down so the person can see the words while saying them.

  5. 5. Practice a few personal scripts

    Choose three to five things the person really needs to say, such as their name and address, ordering at a favorite restaurant, or "I had a stroke, please be patient." Practice them daily until they come out smoothly.

    Tip: Short, personal, often-used phrases are worth far more than long ones.

  6. 6. Use rhythm and melody

    Some people can sing words they cannot say. Tapping a hand gently on each syllable, or saying a short phrase in a sing-song way, can help it come out. This is the idea behind melodic intonation therapy.

    Tip: Best introduced with guidance from a speech-language pathologist.

Wait several seconds before helping, and stop before frustration sets in. For more on cueing, see word-finding exercises. To move from words to real talking, see conversation practice for aphasia.

When apraxia of speech is also present

Apraxia of speech, a difficulty planning the mouth movements for speech, often occurs alongside expressive aphasia. Aphasia affects finding and organizing words; apraxia affects saying them. Signs include groping for the position of the lips and tongue, and the same word coming out differently on each try. If that sounds familiar, see apraxia of speech exercises for adults.

Parrot Software programs for expressive aphasia

Parrot Software has 94 programs. These are the ones most relevant to expressive aphasia. Many of them listen to the spoken answer and give instant feedback.

  • Finding words: Visual Confrontation Naming, Picture Naming with Speed, Word Finding Using Semantic Feature Cues, Recall a Word Given the First Letter
  • Finishing and building sentences: Sentence Completion, Say a Sentence, Scrambled Sentences, Using Prepositions, Using Propositional Speech
  • Verbs: Action Verbs, Saying Present Progressive Verbs
  • Rhythm and personal scripts: Melodic Intonation, Mastering Personal Information

Three Action Verbs lessons are free online, with no account and nothing to download. The full program is free for the first week, with no credit card.

Try the free lesson

Common questions

What is expressive (Broca's) aphasia?
It is a type of aphasia in which understanding is relatively preserved but speaking is slow, effortful and halting. People often speak in short phrases of mostly nouns and verbs, leaving out small words like "the" and "is." They usually know what they want to say and are aware of their errors, which can make it very frustrating.
How do I know whether someone has expressive aphasia?
A speech-language pathologist determines the type of aphasia through an assessment. Many people do not fit neatly into one category, and the pattern can change during recovery. The exercises on this page are useful for anyone whose main difficulty is getting words and sentences out, whatever the label.
Can singing help with expressive aphasia?
Some people with expressive aphasia can sing words they cannot say. Melodic intonation therapy uses that by putting short phrases to a simple melody and rhythm, then gradually fading the melody toward normal speech. It is best started with a speech-language pathologist, who can judge whether it suits the person.
Why does apraxia of speech matter here?
Apraxia of speech, a problem planning the movements for speech, often occurs alongside expressive aphasia. Aphasia affects finding and organizing words; apraxia affects saying them. When both are present, slower, more repetitive practice of sound sequences is often needed in addition to word-finding work.
How much should we practice?
Short sessions on most days work better than occasional long ones. Ten to twenty minutes once or twice a day is a reasonable start, at a level where the person gets most items right but not all of them.