LESSON 2: WRITTEN AND SPOKEN COMMUNICATION

INTRODUCTION
“Although we live in an information technology age, we often find ourselves in failure to communicate
situation. “

- Johny Tan -
I N T E N D E D L E A R N I N G O U T C OM E S
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. Define and discuss written and oral communication;
2. Differentiate the different forms of written and oral communication; and
3. Create an email.
REFERENCE
Singh M. K. (2015). Business Communication. Anmol Publication PVT. LTD.
Prabavathi, R., & Nagasubramani, P. C. (2018). Effective oral and written
communication. Journal of Applied and Advanced Research, 3(1), 29-32.
L E T’ S D I S C O V E R T H I S!
Directions: Write each sentence. Circle the adverb and underline the word it modifies.
1. Ramon rapidly set the table.
2. Jacinta expertly prepared a salad.
3. Mr. Medellin quickly grilled hamburgers.
4. Suddenly Mrs. Medellin entered the kitchen.
5. She quite broadly grinned at their efforts.

DISCUSSION

Oral communication

Oral communication is transfer of information from sender to receiver by means of verbal and visual
aid. Examples of oral communication include presentations, speeches, discussions, etc.
Though the message is conveyed through words, most of the times oral communication is effectively
carried out with the help of non-verbal communication like body language and tone modulations. Oral
communication is also at times mixed with visual aid to help establish the conveyed message in a clear
manner.
Examples include usage of presentations in a seminar or meeting to put across the message in a clear
manner. Oral communication can also be mixed with written communication methods to ensure that
maximum effectiveness is achieved.
There are many benefits of oral communication. This form of communication is a quick and direct
method of communication. Be it a criticism or praise or information, it helps to convey the message
immediately to the receiver. This method of communication enables in obtaining immediate feedback
and hence is a form in which two-way communication can be enabled.
The other main advantage of this communication method is that it helps in conveying the message
with the desired pitch and tone that is needed for the message. It also saves on time in a huge way and
saves enormously on effort that is spent.
There are many ways to create an effective oral communication. It is important to ensure that the words
are framed properly and are delivered in the right pitch and tone. Clarity, brevity and precision are
mandatory features of an effective oral communication system. It is advisable to avoid complicated
sentences and jargons so as to make sure that the message is conveyed across properly. Though it has
many advantages, oral communication has its set of limitations also. This form of communication can
be misinterpreted or misunderstood very easily. Communicating effectively through oral forms require
high skills and is not something that everyone can master.
When oral communication is more effective?
Oral communication is more effective when communication needs a human touch, establishing a direct
relationship, maintaining secrets, reaching mutual understanding and avoiding complexities with oral consent.
1. Instant communication. Oral communication is more effective when it is needed to communicate with
someone instantly.
2. Detailed Explanation of Policies. If any direction of managers and policy or procedure of the company
requires explanation, oral communication is the best way to communicate.
3. Developing direct relationship. If it is important to establish a direct relationship between sender and
receiver, or between workers and management, they should communicate orally

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 LESSON 2: WRITTEN AND SPOKEN COMMUNICATION
4. Maintaining secrecy. Oral communication is best suited when information is to be kept secret. Written
communication leaks secrecy as the message passes from hand to hand.
5. Instant response. Where instant reply from the receiver is required, oral communication is the best suited
there.
6. Reaching to mutual understanding. Sometimes the open discussion is needed for reaching a consensus.
Such discussion is possible only through oral communication.
7. Illiterate receivers. When the receivers are illiterate, written communication is meaningless to them. Oral
communication is only the way to communicate with them.
8. Avoiding bureaucratic complexities. Bureaucratic complexity delays the communication. In order to avoid
any delay caused by bureaucracy or redtapism, oral communication should be used instead of written
communication.
Causes of failure of oral communication
1. Absence of planning. If the message of the oral communication is not properly planned, it cannot draw the
attention of the audiences. Therefore, before delivering oral message, the speaker should prepare necessary
plan. 2. Over confidence. In case of oral communication, communicator should have self- confidence.
Though self-confidence is essential in oral communication, over confidence may collapse the communication.
3. Over busyness. In most of cases, oral communication occurs in a busy situation. This may cause distortion
of message. As a result, communication becomes ineffective.
4. Quick transmission. When the communicator transmits a message or information very quickly, the
audience may not understand a part or whole of it. In such case, if the message is not repeated, communication
will fail.
5. Poor and defective presentation. Presentation is an important prerequisite of oral communication.
Sometimes communication becomes ineffective due to poor and defective presentation of the speaker.
6. Inattention. Inattention is greatly responsible for failure of oral communication. Both the parties must pay
due attention towards the communication message. If either of the party is inattentive, communication
between them becomes ineffective.
7. Presence of emotion. Emotions of both parties may influence the effectiveness of communication.
Sometimes in oral communication, parties may not control their emotions. Their emotional behavior may lead
the communication in vain.
8. Status difference. Status difference of the speaker and listener greatly affect the success of oral
communication. If either of the party boasts of his position and ignores the other party, then communication
between them will be blocked.
9. Lack of evaluation. In oral communication, there is little opportunity for both speaker and listener to
evaluate the message. This also causes failure in oral communication.
10. Linguistic barrier. Improper language is another cause of failure of oral communication. Linguistic
barrier arises from using unknown words, technical words, jargon’s, accent difference etc.
11. Disregard to receiver. When superiors communicate orally with subordinates, sometimes they may show
disrespect to the subordinates. Due to such disrespect, subordinates may show less interest towards the
message. 12. Difference in personality. In case of oral communication, listener pays attention to the
personality of the speaker. If the speaker holds less personality, the listener will not pay attention to the
speaker’s message.
13. Receiver’s interpretation. Receiver’s interpretation of the message severely affects the effectiveness of
oral communication. Generally, listeners try to understand the speech of the speaker from their own emotional
behavior. In such a situation, listeners may interpret the message wrongly.
Strategies for Speaking
Persuade your audience to agree with your opinions. Make sure your opinions are logical.
 Show confidence and enthusiasm about the topic
 Hold the attention of your audience by making eye contact
 Write your main ideas on note cards.
 Project your voice as far as the back of the room.
 Emphasize opinions with gestures and facial expressions.
Strategies for Rehearsing
The more you practice, the more comfortable you will be during your presentation.
 Ask a partner to listen and offer suggestions.
 Practice in front of a mirror.
 Rehearse with a group of friends.
Suggestions for Visuals
Your speech can be more persuasive with visuals such as:
 Photographs and drawings
 Map or diagram for a certain location
 Chart or graph for comparisons, remember to focus your attention on the audience , not on the visual.

Business Communication
 LESSON 2: WRITTEN AND SPOKEN COMMUNICATION

Written communication
Next to oral communication, written communication is the oldest known form of communication. Any
form of communication which is written and documented from the sender to the receiver is known as
written communication. Examples of written communication include letters, memos, research papers,
reports, etc.
It is a very concrete form of documentary evidence and can also be used for future reference purposes. As
the information is written, it can be easily distributed to many people thus making it a bulk
communication method. As the information does not change from person to person, the accuracy of the
information conveyed is same across the entire audience.
To ensure an effective written communication form, it is a must to follow completeness, clarity and
correctness in your writing. As there is no immediate feedback that can be received, it is important that
written communication is detailed and accurate to ensure that the write message is communicated.
Also remember to keep the communication simple and without any errors. Written communication also
has its limitations like lack of feedback, absence of modulations to convey message effectively, etc. These
can be overcome effectively by mixing oral communication with written so as to combine the advantages
of both along with eliminating the disadvantages.
When Written Communication is More Effective
Conveying Complex Information: When the sender wants to convey complex information, written
communication serves better than oral communication. Having the written document, the receiver can
read it repeatedly until he/she understands the entire message.
Need for Permanent Record: Written communication is preferable when a permanent record is needed for
future reference.
Communicating with Large Audience: When the audiences are large in number and geographically
dispersed, written communication is fruitful there. The sender can communicate repeatedly with the same
written document or information sheet.
Less Need for Interaction with Audience: Written communication is also suitable when immediate
interaction with the audience is either unimportant or undesirable.
Maintaining Uniformity of Application: When any message is to be applied uniformly at different places,
the sender should prefer written communication instead of oral communication.
Tips to improve written communication
1. Use Short and Familiar words.
2. Use Short Sentence and Paragraphs.
3. Use Technical Words with Caution.
4. Use Active Voice.
5. Give Examples and Charts.
6. Express Thoughts Logically.
7. Avoid Unnecessary Words.
8. Avoid Discriminatory Words
Basic forms of Communicating
1. Face to Face. Face – to- face communication helps to establish a personal connection and will help sell
the product or services to the customer. These interactions can portray a whole different message than
written communication as tone, pitch and body language is observed. Information is easy to access and
delivered immediately with these interactions rather waiting for an email or phone call.
2. Email. When using email to communicate in the business world, it is important to be careful how things
are worded. Miscommunication is very frequent as the reader doesn’t know what non-verbal cues one is
giving off, such as pitch , tone, or expressions. Before beginning an email, make sure the email address
one is using is appropriate and professional as well as the message one is going to send. Again, make sure
the information is clear and the point so the recipient isn’t confused. Make sure one includes their
signature, title, and other contact information at the end.
3. Telephone. When making business call, make it clear who is on the line and where one is from as well as
one’s message when on the phone. Smile and have a positive attitude as the recipient will be able to read
the caller and that will affect how they react. When leaving a message, make sure one is clear and brief.
One should state their name and who they are and why they are calling them as well as contact
information.
Guidelines when using E-mail for business Communication
1. Write with the recipient/reader in mind.
2. Keep your message short and direct to the point.
3. Limit each e-mail message to one subject only.
4. Cover the most important point in the first paragraph.
5. Your message should convey a constructive tone.
6. For emails you can omit formal closings, at the end add contact information like phone number, etc.

Business Communication
 LESSON 2: WRITTEN AND SPOKEN COMMUNICATION

Write your answers in a short bond paper with the same format below.

NAME: _________________________ COURSE: __________________

Direction: Answer the following questions

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________.
2. Define written communication. (20 points)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

3. Provide your active email/gmail account bearing your name.

4. Create an example of e - mail. You can copy actual e - mails from your own account.

------End of Lesson 2 -----

Expected outputs: Let’s Discover It (10 points), Assessments 1 and 2 (20 points each) ,
assessment 3 (20 points), assessment 4 ( 20 points).  
Business Communication