What is the most appropriate assessment task for a patient with verbal apraxia of speech?

Repeating words of increasing length is an appropriate assessment task for a patient with verbal apraxia of speech because it targets the specific difficulty these individuals have with planning and coordinating the movements needed for speech production. This condition often manifests as inconsistent errors in speech, difficulty articulating sounds, and challenges with forming complete words—especially as the complexity of the task increases. When patients are asked to repeat longer words or phrases, clinicians can better observe the patient's ability to sequence speech movements and identify specific difficulties they encounter as the length and complexity of speech increases.

While options such as recalling three common items may assess memory or expressive language abilities, they do not specifically evaluate motor planning and speech production, which are central difficulties in verbal apraxia. Performing voluntary oral movements might provide some insight into the patient's motor capabilities but doesn't directly assess their speech production skills in the context of verbal apraxia. Following two-step commands relates more to comprehension and may not adequately pinpoint the speech planning challenges faced by someone with verbal apraxia. Thus, repeating words of increasing length directly addresses the core issues linked to this diagnosis and provides valuable information for assessment and subsequent treatment planning.