Which language acquisition stage focuses on building a receptive vocabulary through listening comprehension?

The Pre-Production Stage is the correct answer because it is characterized by a significant emphasis on building a receptive vocabulary primarily through listening and understanding rather than speaking. During this stage, learners are often in a silent period where they absorb language but may not yet feel confident enough to produce it verbally. They listen to conversations and language inputs, which allows them to recognize words and phrases, leading to comprehension without forced speech.

In this phase, students engage with the language passively, which is crucial for laying a strong foundation for later stages of language development. They may respond to prompts non-verbally or through simple gestures, but their focus is on comprehension. This stage is essential for fostering the learners' foundational understanding of the language before they begin to actively use it.