Methods of communication

Mass communication sends information through a medium to a large and generally scattered audience at the same time. A television news broadcast is designed to reach many viewers, so it is mass communication. A diary is private, while a whisper and a private phone call involve only a few people. Therefore, option D is correct.

Formal communication follows an official purpose, recognized authority, and usually an organized or documented channel. A notice issued by the principal communicates an institutional message to the school community, so it is formal. Joking with friends and casual home talk are informal, while waving hello is a non-verbal greeting rather than an official notice. Option A is correct.

Ordinary spoken communication normally disappears after it is heard unless someone deliberately records or writes it down. A written letter, email, and printed notice create a form that can usually be stored, checked, or referred to later. The word “usually” allows for recordings, but the ordinary form without recording is oral conversation. Therefore, option C is correct.

A written message should be reviewed before it is sent because spelling, grammar, word choice, and meaning affect clarity. Checking helps the sender correct errors and prevents the receiver from misunderstanding the intended information. Sending without reading can preserve mistakes; removing words or using only pictures may omit essential details. Hence, option D is correct.

Written communication is especially suitable when information must remain accurate, verifiable, and available for later reference. An official message that needs to be preserved can be issued as a letter, notice, or email, creating a record for the sender and receiver. Immediate facial expressions call for direct interaction, joking is usually informal, and no-record situations do not require writing. Option D is correct.

Choosing a communication method requires matching the medium to the purpose, the receiver, and the situation. For example, an urgent matter may need a call, a formal record may need writing, and a broad announcement may need a public channel. Thus option D gives the complete principle. Message colour, sender age, or paper size alone cannot determine whether communication will be effective.

Urgency means the receiver should get the message with minimal delay and ideally respond quickly. A phone call transmits spoken information immediately and allows the sender to receive clarification or feedback, so option A is correct. Ordinary post, a wall picture, and a long report may be useful in other contexts, but they usually take longer or do not provide immediate two-way interaction.

Effective communication depends on three connected conditions: the message should be clear, the medium should suit the purpose and receiver, and feedback should confirm understanding. Option B includes all three. An unclear message can cause confusion, loudness does not guarantee meaning, and written words alone may fail when the situation needs discussion or confirmation. Therefore B is the complete and most suitable combination.

The central purpose of communication is to convey and share information, ideas, feelings, or instructions so that meaning can be understood by another person or group. Therefore option A is correct. Writing is only one possible method, while listening is one part of the communication process rather than its complete purpose. Communication is not intended to waste time; it supports understanding and coordinated action.

The governing concept is that communication is classified by the channel used to convey a message. A letter uses written words, sentences, and symbols rather than spoken sound, gestures, or pictures alone; therefore it is written communication. Verbal communication usually refers to spoken or written language, but in this question the specific form is written. Hence option C is the most precise answer.

In an email, the sender types a message and sends it to the recipient through the internet, so it is mainly written communication. Spoken interaction in a video call is verbal communication, whereas an email also provides a written record of the message. Exam tip: A medium in which words are typed or written is generally classified as written communication.

In a face-to-face conversation, the message is mainly conveyed by speaking and understood by listening; therefore, it is verbal communication. Gestures and facial expressions may support the message, but they do not make it only visual communication. One-way communication does not normally allow feedback, whereas a conversation is generally two-way. Exam tip: When speaking and listening are involved, first consider verbal communication.

In a telephone conversation, messages are spoken and heard using words, so it is verbal communication. Facial expressions and body gestures are not the main medium as they are in face-to-face interaction; therefore, non-verbal communication is not the correct option. Exam tip: If a message is mainly conveyed through spoken words and listening, identify it as verbal communication.

A newspaper communicates information through printed text, headlines, photographs, and other arranged content. Its principal form in this question is written and printed communication, while its wide distribution also makes it a mass-communication medium. It is not spoken, purely non-verbal, or restricted to one personal conversation. Thus option B gives the most accurate answer.

The communication channel used by radio is audio: programmes reach listeners through speech, music, sound effects, and other audible signals. A listener does not normally receive the radio message as printed text, gestures, or pictures. Radio can therefore be described as an audio medium and, when it reaches a large audience, a mass-communication medium. Hence option D is correct.

A video call combines multiple communication channels at the same time. Participants can hear spoken words, so it includes verbal or audio communication; they can also see faces, gestures, and surroundings, so it includes visual communication. Text or signs may sometimes be added, but they are not the only forms. Therefore option A is the complete answer.

A message typed on a mobile phone is written in words and transmitted through an electronic medium, so it is digital written communication. Verbal communication involves spoken words, while face-to-face communication occurs when people interact in person. Exam tip: SMS, chats, and emails are usually examples of written digital communication.

Nodding conveys agreement through a body movement and gesture without using spoken or written words. Therefore, it is non-verbal communication. Verbal communication requires spoken words, which are not used while nodding. Exam tip: gestures, facial expressions, and body posture are common examples of non-verbal communication.

A notice on a notice board conveys its message through written words, so it is written communication. Although it is seen visually, the main medium is text. In visual communication, pictures, signs, or symbols are usually the primary means. Exam tip: If a message is recorded in words rather than spoken, identify it as written communication.

Television communicates messages through both sound and visuals, so it is an audio-visual medium. A verbal-only medium does not use pictures, while a printed medium does not provide sound or moving visuals. Exam tip: If a medium uses both audio and images, identify it as audio-visual.

Interpersonal communication occurs when two people exchange messages directly, as in a conversation between friends. The interaction can include spoken words, tone, facial expressions, and gestures, but its defining feature here is the person-to-person relationship and direct exchange. It is not mass communication, a written-only exchange, or a public announcement. Therefore option A is correct.

The governing concept is the location of the communication process. When a person thinks, reflects, plans, or talks silently to himself or herself, both the sender and receiver are within the same individual. Therefore, this internal exchange is called intrapersonal communication, making option B correct. Mass, group, and public communication involve messages shared with other people.

In a group discussion, more than one student shares ideas, listens to others, and responds. Therefore, it is group communication. In one-way communication, the sender usually speaks without feedback, whereas group discussion involves participation by members. Exam tip: Identify group communication when several people exchange views.

When one speaker addresses a large number of people, it is called public communication. Speeches, addresses at rallies, and public announcements are examples. Interpersonal communication usually takes place between two people or within a small group, so option C is not suitable. Exam tip: If the audience is large and the message is meant for the public, identify it as public communication.

The governing concept is the medium used to transmit a message. A social media post is created, published, and received through internet-connected digital technology, so it is an example of digital communication and option A is correct. It may contain written words, images, audio, or video, so it is not limited to face-to-face, verbal, or private conversation.