Linguistic Input Hypothesis

The Input Hypothesis, proposed by linguist Stephen Krashen, suggests that language learners develop their skills primarily through understanding meaningful, comprehensible input—language that is somewhat beyond their current proficiency but still understandable with context. Essentially, exposure to rich, real-life language helps learners naturally acquire new vocabulary and grammar. The key is that learners should be exposed to language that they can mostly understand, which gradually helps them improve without pressure or explicit grammar instruction. This process supports natural language acquisition, similar to how children learn their first language.