Which description best characterizes Broca aphasia?

• A. Fluent speech with impaired comprehension
• B. Nonfluent speech with preserved comprehension
• C. Nonfluent speech with impaired comprehension
• D. Fluent speech with preserved comprehension

Answer: (B)

Broca aphasia is about a disruption in language production due to damage in the speech‑motor area of the dominant hemisphere. The defining feature is nonfluent, effortful, often telegraphic speech, with relatively preserved understanding of spoken language. People can often follow simple sentences and grasp meaning, even though their speech output is slow and grammatically simplified. Repetition is usually impaired because the underlying language network that links comprehension with production is disrupted.

In contrast, fluent speech with impaired comprehension describes a different pattern (Wernicke aphasia), where flow of speech is preserved but understanding is poor. If both production and comprehension are severely affected across modalities, that would suggest a broader, global deficit. Therefore, the description that best fits Broca aphasia is nonfluent speech with preserved comprehension.