In constraint-induced language therapy, the blanks are filled with which trio of words: progressively, shaped, approximations.

• A. Progressively, Shaped, Approximations
• B. Gradually, Formed, Increments
• C. Quickly, Molded, Variations
• D. Steadily, Designed, Adjustments

Answer: (A)

Constraint-induced language therapy builds language through a progression of practice that is guided by shaping. The best-fit phrasing, “progressively shaped approximations,” captures how this approach works: you start with simple verbal attempts that are close to the target, reinforce responses that move closer to the goal, and gradually increase the linguistic demand as the learner improves. This combination—increasing difficulty (progressively), guiding the responses toward the target through gradual refinements (shaped), and using near-target attempts (approximations)—is the standard way clinicians describe the method. Other wordings don’t align with this established process, since they replace shaping, approximations, or the sense of a staged progression with terms that don’t convey the same meaning.