Methods of communication

The governing concept is the form in which a message is encoded and preserved. A written communication uses words or symbols recorded on paper, allowing the receiver to read it later and refer back to the original message. Therefore, option B is correct. Spoken communication depends on sound, gestures depend on bodily movement, and visual signals are not necessarily written records on paper.

The governing concept is two-way communication and feedback. In a face-to-face conversation, the receiver can respond immediately through words, questions, facial expressions, or gestures, and the sender can clarify the message at once. Thus option C is correct. A newspaper, poster, or notice board mainly presents information without guaranteeing an immediate response from the audience.

The governing concept is the sensory channel through which a signal is received. A ringing bell produces vibrations that travel through the air and are detected by the ears, so it is an audio or auditory signal. Therefore, option D is correct. A written signal is read, a visual signal is seen, and a touch signal is detected through physical contact rather than hearing.

The governing concept is formal written communication. An official application normally states the request, relevant details, date, and signature in writing, creating a clear record that can be read, checked, forwarded, and stored. Therefore, option B is correct. An oral request may be forgotten or misunderstood, while gestures and pictures alone usually cannot express the complete formal information required in an application.

In a school assembly, the principal delivers a spoken message to many students and teachers at the same time. Therefore, it is public verbal communication. Intrapersonal communication means communication within oneself, while private communication is limited to a few people. Exam tip: When a spoken message is addressed to a large audience, identify it as public verbal communication.

A pictogram conveys information or a message through a picture, sign, or symbol, so option D is correct. Sound and spoken conversation are forms of auditory or verbal communication, whereas a pictogram is an example of visual communication. Exam tip: Remember pictograms on signboards as examples of visual communication.

The governing concept is how a message is represented and delivered. A handwritten note uses written words or symbols placed on paper, so the reader receives the message by reading it. Therefore, option A is correct and it is a basic example of written communication. It is not primarily oral, gestural, or audio communication, because no spoken sound or bodily movement is required to understand the recorded message.

A siren communicates a warning, emergency, or other information by producing a loud sound. Therefore, it is an example of communication through a sound signal. Written and pictorial messages are seen, while gestures are understood through body movement; a siren is understood by hearing it. Exam tip: A message received through the ears is an audio or sound-based mode of communication.

The governing concept is the communication method used to carry a message. A book mainly presents information through printed written words, although it may also contain illustrations. Readers receive the message by seeing and reading the text, not by listening to a live speaker or interpreting body language. Therefore, option A is correct. Options B, C, and D describe only spoken, bodily, or sound-based communication and do not represent the principal method of a book.

When someone points to show a direction, no spoken or written words are used; the message is conveyed through a hand movement, finger, or body gesture. Therefore, it is non-verbal communication. Verbal communication uses spoken words, while written and printed communication use written text. Exam tip: gestures, facial expressions, and signs are generally examples of non-verbal communication.

The governing concept is the channel through which information is delivered. A website publishes text, pictures, audio, or video using computers and the internet, so the information is communicated digitally. Option D is correct because it identifies the overall medium without wrongly limiting the content to speech, direct contact, or body language. A website can reach users who are far away and can combine several forms of content.

The governing concept is the combination of two sensory channels in communication. An audio-visual medium presents sound that can be heard and images or moving pictures that can be seen at the same time. Therefore, option A is correct; a video lesson and television programme are familiar examples. Printed and written media are normally read visually, while an audio-only medium supplies sound without visible images.

The governing concept is the size and nature of the audience. Television news is produced for and transmitted to a large, widely distributed audience at the same time, so it is mass communication. Option C is correct. Intrapersonal communication occurs within one person, private communication is directed to a limited individual or small group, and a group discussion requires interactive participation rather than a broadcast reaching many viewers.

The governing concept is whether the receiver can provide immediate feedback. A recorded radio message is prepared in advance and broadcast to listeners; the listener cannot respond to the recording during its transmission. Therefore, option D is the one-way example. Conversations, group discussions, and video meetings normally allow participants to answer, ask questions, or react, so they involve two-way communication rather than a single direction.

The governing concept is selecting a communication channel according to purpose and audience. Before choosing speech, writing, images, or digital media, the communicator should consider what the message must convey and what the receiver can understand or access. Therefore, option A is correct. Paper colour, the speaker’s clothing, and room size may sometimes affect presentation, but they do not determine the most suitable method as directly as the message and receiver’s needs.

The governing concept is clarity in effective communication. A message succeeds when the receiver can understand its meaning without unnecessary confusion, difficult wording, or ambiguity. Therefore, option B is correct because a clear and understandable message supports accurate interpretation and an appropriate response. A difficult message, unnecessarily long words, or blocking feedback can create barriers rather than improve communication.

The governing concept is audio or sound-based communication. An audio message carries information through sound waves, so the receiver mainly uses the sense of hearing to perceive spoken words, music, or other sounds. Option B is correct. Sight is primarily used for visual information, touch for tactile information, and taste for flavours; none of these is the main sense required to receive an ordinary audio message.

The governing concept is timely digital communication across distance. A mobile message or email can transmit school information to many parents quickly, provided they have access to the service. Option D is correct because it is faster and more direct than leaving a note in a book, speaking quietly to a class, or drawing on a wall. Those alternatives may not reach the intended parents promptly or reliably.

The governing concept is written communication, where a message is recorded using written language so it can be read by the receiver. Option C is correct because a letter expresses information through sentences, words, and symbols on a page or digital document. Oral communication depends mainly on speaking, visual communication emphasizes images or what is seen, and non-verbal communication conveys meaning without ordinary written or spoken words.

The governing concept is oral communication, in which people exchange meaning mainly through spoken language and listening. In a face-to-face conversation, one person speaks, the other listens, and both can respond immediately; gestures may support the exchange but do not change its primary method. Option A is correct. Written, pictorial, and printed communication rely mainly on recorded words or images rather than direct spoken conversation.

The governing concept is written digital communication. An email normally conveys its main message through typed words, sentences, and sometimes attached documents or images. Option B is correct because the receiver reads the content rather than relying mainly on spoken sound or physical contact. Email can include visual elements, but that does not make it only non-verbal; its central message is usually written and digitally transmitted.

The governing concept is the sensory channel used to receive information. Radio news reaches the audience through transmitted sound, and the listener understands it by hearing the announcer’s voice. Hence, option C, audio medium, is correct. A print medium requires reading printed text, a visual medium depends on seeing images or video, and a sign medium uses visible signs or gestures; these are not the primary channel of radio news.

Television conveys messages through sound (audio) as well as pictures or video (visual), so it is audio-visual communication. Oral communication alone does not include pictures, and written communication mainly uses written words. Exam tip: If a medium uses both sound and visuals, choose audio-visual communication.

The governing concept is the combination of sensory channels in communication. A video call transmits the participant’s spoken sound and moving or live images at the same time, so the receiver listens and watches to understand the message. Therefore, option C is correct. It is not only written, only visual, or printed communication because those choices ignore the live audio component and the electronic video-call format.

The governing concept is written communication, in which information is represented through readable words or symbols rather than being spoken. Words on paper and words displayed on a digital screen both preserve the message in written form, so option D is correct. Oral communication is heard as speech, musical communication mainly uses melody or rhythm, and physical communication relies on actions or bodily contact instead of written words.