When children have metalinguistic awareness, they are able to think about language and talk about it. This requires them to have a metalanguage, or a set of words to refer to the way language is used. Metalinguistic awareness also helps us to be aware of how language is used around us and to describe this. It enables us to adjust our own language to fit into a group or to exclude ourselves. It enables us to respond to a particular situation with the correct language and non-verbal behaviour (body language, etc).

As a child progresses through school, he develops an interest in language and learns how to use language to analyse and understand language itself. Metalinguistic awareness allows children to deal with the ambiguity present in language and can be seen in their ability to play on words, to ask for meaning, or to imitate someone else's talk.

Metalinguistic awareness enables a speaker to be aware of different audiences and how they affect the use of language, such as:

• a different choice of words (e.g., with teachers and principals);
• a different choice of tone (e.g., with the police or other public figures, with visitors to your home or school);
• a different choice of speed or loudness (e.g., with grandparents or older people).

Metalinguistic awareness enables a speaker to be aware of social situations and how they affect the use of language, such as:

• what happens in assembly - who speaks and who doesn't (e.g., the principal and selected students);
• what happens in class - when to speak and when not to (e.g., when it's you turn, when the teacher or others are not also speaking);
• what happens at home - when to speak and when not to (e.g., when everyone is watching the news, when there are visitors);
• what happens at a grandparent's house - when to speak and when not to (e.g., when others are/are not speaking);
• what happens at the movies - when to speak and when not to (e.g., not during the film).

Metalinguistic awareness requires the speaker to be aware of social conventions and how they affect the use of language, such as:

• the language to thank someone;
• the language to greet someone;
• the language to introduce someone;
• the language to ask for help;
• the language to help someone else;
• the language to be polite.

Metalinguistic awareness requires the speaker to be aware of appropriate language behaviour (body language, eye contact, non-verbal communication), such as the language behaviour to show that you are interested and that you are listening (e.g., looking at the speaker, nodding, or saying "Mmm" and "Yes").