Communication Skills
Communication skills are important for communicating effectively with people and customers in daily life, education and work.
✍️ Read • Revise • RecallMeaning of Communication
The word communication comes from the Latin word commūnicāre, meaning “to share”.
Communication is one of the most important life skills. It helps us exchange information, ideas, thoughts and feelings with others.
Communication has three important parts:
- Transmitting — The sender transmits the message through a medium.
- Listening — The receiver listens to or understands the message.
- Feedback — The receiver conveys their understanding to the sender.
Communication Process
The communication process starts with a sender who sends a message through a channel. The receiver receives and understands the message and provides feedback.
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sender | The person beginning the communication. |
| Message | The information that the sender wants to convey. |
| Channel | The means through which the information is sent. |
| Receiver | The person to whom the message is sent. |
| Feedback | The receiver's acknowledgement and response to the message. |
Sender → Message → Channel → Receiver → Feedback
Common Methods of Communication
| Method | Important Point |
|---|---|
| Face-to-face informal communication | Helps the message to be understood clearly and quickly. Body language can also be seen. |
| Can communicate quickly with one or many people at different locations. It offers flexibility, convenience and low cost. | |
| Notices / Posters | Useful when the same message has to be communicated to a large group. |
| Business Meetings | Communication addressed to a group regarding business, management and organisational decisions. |
| Other Methods | Social networks, messages, phone calls, newsletters, blogs, etc. |
Choosing the Right Method
The choice of communication method depends on:
- Target audience
- Costs
- Kind / type of information
- Urgency / priority
The method of communication selected can affect relationships with peers, supervisors and customers.
Meaning
Verbal communication means communicating through spoken or written words.
Types of Verbal Communication
| Type | Meaning / Examples |
|---|---|
| Interpersonal Communication |
Communication between two people. Examples: telephone conversation, interview. |
| Small Group Communication |
Communication involving more than two people where participants
can interact with one another. Examples: press conferences, board meetings, team meetings. |
| Public Communication |
One individual addresses a large gathering. Examples: election campaigns, public speeches. |
Advantages of Verbal Communication
- Easy mode of communication.
- Ideas can be exchanged by saying what you want.
- Quick response can be obtained.
- Interaction can be changed according to the other person's response.
Disadvantages
- Meaning may become confusing if the right words are not used.
- Spoken or written words may sometimes be difficult to understand.
Mastering Verbal Communication
| Point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Think Before You Speak | Think about the topic and the best way to make listeners understand. Note down important points before speaking. |
| Concise and Clear | Speak clearly, loudly and at moderate speed. Stay to the point. Avoid unnecessary repetition. |
| Confidence and Body Language | Be confident, maintain eye contact, stand straight, be attentive and friendly. |
Think → Speak Clearly → Be Confident
Meaning
Non-verbal communication is communication through body movements, facial expressions, gestures, postures, eye contact, touch, space and paralanguage.
According to the textbook, approximately 93% of communication is non-verbal: 55% through body movements, face, arms etc., 38% through voice, tone and pauses, and 7% through words.
Types of Non-verbal Communication
| Type | Meaning | Effective Use |
|---|---|---|
| Facial Expressions | Show feelings such as happiness, sadness, anger, surprise and fear. | Smile when meeting someone, keep face relaxed and match expressions with words. |
| Posture | Shows confidence and feelings. Straight posture shows confidence; slumped posture may show weakness. | Keep shoulders straight and body relaxed. Sit straight. |
| Gestures / Body Language | Body movements that express an idea or meaning. | Keep hands open, avoid pointing at people and tilt head slightly to show attentiveness. |
| Touch | Touch can communicate confidence or encouragement. | A firm handshake can display confidence. Avoid unnecessary touch during formal communication. |
| Space | Physical distance between two people. | Maintain suitable space according to the relationship and situation. |
| Eye Contact | Shows attention towards the speaker. | Look directly at the speaker, avoid staring and take intermittent breaks. |
| Paralanguage | How we speak, including tone, speed and volume. | Use suitable tone and volume and maintain moderate speaking speed. |
Visual Communication
Visual communication means exchanging information through images or pictures. It can be understood without knowing a particular language and can remain consistent across different places.
Under construction • No pets allowed • No parking • No entry • Danger warning • Radiation / biohazard warning • CCTV surveillance • No mobile phone
- Yawning while listening
- Biting nails
- Looking away when someone is speaking
- Intense staring
- Clenching jaws
- Laughing during formal communication
Meaning of Feedback
Feedback is the response given by the receiver to the sender. It completes the communication cycle.
Types of Feedback
| Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Positive Feedback | Appreciates good work and may also suggest further improvement. |
| Negative Feedback | Points out a problem or area that needs improvement. |
| No Feedback | Absence of response can itself indicate disagreement with ideas. |
Qualities of Good Feedback
- Specific — avoid general comments; give examples.
- Timely — feedback should be given promptly.
- Polite — language should not offend the recipient.
- Continuing support — feedback should be a continuous process.
A good feedback should be specific, helpful and kind.
Importance of Feedback
- Validates effective listening.
- Motivates people.
- Helps maintain better work relationships.
- Boosts learning.
- Helps remain focused on goals.
- Improves performance and decision-making.
Feedback is the final component and one of the most important factors in the communication process.
7 Cs of Effective Communication
Effective communication follows the basic principles known as the 7 Cs.
| 7 C | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Clear | Message should be easy to understand. |
| Concise | Message should be brief and to the point. |
| Concrete | Message should contain clear and definite information. |
| Correct | Information should be accurate. |
| Coherent | Ideas should be logically connected. |
| Complete | All necessary information should be included. |
| Courteous | Communication should be polite and respectful. |
Clear • Concise • Concrete • Correct • Coherent • Complete • Courteous
Types of Communication Barriers
| Barrier | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| Physical | Environmental or natural conditions that affect communication. Example: not being able to see gestures or body language. |
| Linguistic | Difficulty caused by language differences, slang, professional jargon or regional colloquialisms. |
| Interpersonal | Occurs when the receiver understands the message differently from what the sender intended. Stage fear, lack of willingness and personal differences can contribute. |
| Organisational | Formal hierarchy, rules, procedures and superior-subordinate relationships may restrict free flow of communication. |
| Cultural | Differences in customs and cultural background can cause misunderstanding and stereotypical assumptions. |
Ways to Overcome Communication Barriers
- Use simple language.
- Do not form assumptions about culture, religion or geography.
- Communicate in person whenever possible.
- Use visuals.
- Take help of a translator for language differences.
- Respect other people's opinions.
If a question asks for the common barriers, remember:
Physical + Linguistic + Interpersonal + Organisational + Cultural
Capitalisation
The textbook gives the mnemonic TINS to remember important capitalisation rules.
| TINS | Rule |
|---|---|
| T — Titles |
Capitalise the first letter in titles used before people's names.
Example: Dr Malik, Mr Pandey |
| I — I | The pronoun I is always written in capital form. |
| N — Names | Capitalise names of people, places, days and months. |
| S — Starting sentence | Capitalise the first letter of every sentence. |
Punctuation Marks
| Mark | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| . Full stop | End of a sentence; also used with some short forms. | Omar is a professor. |
| , Comma | Indicates a pause or separates items in a list. | Apples, bananas and mangoes. |
| ? Question mark | Used at the end of a question. | Where is your book? |
| ! Exclamation mark | Shows strong feeling or emotion. | What a beautiful dress! |
| ' Apostrophe | Shows possession or a shortened form of words in informal speech. | Shobha's cat. / Let's go. |
Basic Parts of Speech
| Part of Speech | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Naming word for a person, place, thing or idea. | Tiger, India, Raj, Truth |
| Pronoun | Word used in place of a noun. | I, You, They, Us, She, He |
| Adjective | Word that describes another word. | Large, Red, Naughty, Weak |
| Verb | Word that shows an action. | Run, Eat, Think, Sit |
| Adverb | Adds meaning to verbs by answering how, how often, when or where. | Easily, Always, Before, Fast, Carefully |
Supporting Parts of Speech
| Type | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Articles | Generally used before nouns. | a, an, the |
| Conjunctions | Join nouns, phrases or sentences. | and, but, because |
| Prepositions | Connect one word with another and usually answer where, when or how. | on, over, in, under |
| Interjections | Express strong emotions. | Wow!, Help!, Oh no! |
Noun = Name | Pronoun = Replaces noun | Adjective = Describes | Verb = Action | Adverb = Adds meaning to verb
Parts of a Sentence
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Subject | Person or thing that performs an action. |
| Verb | Describes the action. |
| Object | Person or thing that receives the action. |
Direct and Indirect Objects
A sentence may have two types of objects: Direct Object and Indirect Object.
Direct Object: directly receives the action of the verb.
Indirect Object: answers questions such as “to whom?” or “for whom?”.
Example: She bought a bicycle for her son.
- Verb = bought
- Direct Object = bicycle
- Indirect Object = her son
Active and Passive Voice
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| Radha is reading a book. | A book is being read by Radha. |
| Ali changed the flat tire. | The flat tire was changed by Ali. |
| Ravi painted the entire house. | The entire house was painted by Ravi. |
Active Voice: Subject does the action.
Passive Voice: Subject receives the action.
Types of Sentences
| Type | Purpose | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declarative / Statement | Provides information or states a fact. | . | Blue is my favourite colour. |
| Interrogative / Question | Asks a question. | ? | Have you had lunch? |
| Exclamatory | Expresses strong emotion. | ! | This is the best day of my life! |
| Imperative / Order | Shows order, command, request or advice. | . or ! | Please lower your voice. |
Paragraph
A group of sentences forms a paragraph. However, all sentences within a paragraph should have a common idea or theme.
Statement → gives information
Interrogative → asks a question
Exclamatory → expresses strong emotion
Imperative → order / command / request / advice
⚡ UNIT 1 — LAST MINUTE REVISION
- Communication = sharing information, ideas, thoughts or feelings.
- Communication cycle: Sender → Message → Channel → Receiver → Feedback.
- Four factors for choosing a communication method: target audience, cost, type of information, urgency/priority.
- Verbal communication uses spoken or written words.
- Important non-verbal forms: facial expressions, posture, gestures, touch, space, eye contact and paralanguage.
- Visual communication uses images or pictures.
- Good feedback should be specific, timely, polite and offer continuing support.
- 7 Cs: Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, Courteous.
- Five major barriers: Physical, Linguistic, Interpersonal, Organisational, Cultural.
- TINS = Titles, I, Names, Starting sentences.
- Basic parts of speech: Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb.
- Supporting parts: Articles, Conjunctions, Prepositions, Interjections.
- Subject performs the action; verb describes the action; object receives the action.
- Active voice → subject does the action. Passive voice → subject receives the action.
- Sentence types: Declarative, Interrogative, Exclamatory, Imperative.
- A paragraph contains sentences based on a common idea or theme.