Expressive aphasia is characterized by what difficulty?

Expressive aphasia, often associated with damage to Broca's area in the brain, primarily affects an individual's ability to communicate thoughts verbally. This condition hinders the production of speech, leading to difficulty in forming complete sentences and articulating ideas effectively. Individuals with expressive aphasia typically know what they want to say but struggle to express those thoughts, which can result in non-fluent or broken speech patterns.

The correct answer highlights that the core issue in expressive aphasia is the challenge of expressing or sending out thoughts, distinguishing it from other forms of language impairment where understanding or processing language may be affected instead. Understanding the nuances of expressive versus receptive language functions is key to grasping the full scope of aphasia types and their specific impacts on communication abilities.