Unit-II COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH

There are 4 skills that can help one improve their English,
they are –
 Reading
 Listening
 Reading
 Writing

LISTENING
Communication is not about just speaking and writing, it is
also about listening. If one has to communicate properly with
other then one has to learn active listening.
Listening has immense effect on communication. It can be
divided into 2 parts-
 Passive listening
 Active listening.
Passive listening
When someone listens or watches something without
responding with verbal or non-verbal cues it is called passive
listening.
E.g.- listening to songs, watching a movie and sometimes
even a lecture.
In the above-mentioned activities, the person listens but
does not respond. This type of listening can be found in day-
to-day activities but when a person is in a meeting,
interviews, presentations passive listening is not the best way
to communicate. If we listen passively in meetings,
presentations, discussion the people will think that the
person is bored or disinterested. Passive listening is only one
way communication.

Active listening
When a person is listening actively the person uses verbal
and non-verbal expressions to show the speaker that they
are listening as well as understanding what they are saying.
E.g. when a teacher gives a lecture, the students will nod
their head to show agreement that they understanding the
lecture. In active listening it shows that the person is
interested in listening.
1. Verbal active listening responses
 Using short phrases or sound like yes or ok to
encourage the speaker to continue.
 Asking a question when the speaker ask for any
clarification.
 Summarizing what the speaker has just said.

2. Non-verbal active listening response

 Giving a gentle smile with a nod to show the
speaker that you agree with they are saying.
 Making proper eye contact with the speaker
instead of looking at the phone or outside or
someone.
  While listening lean towards the speaker or tilt
your head to show that you are concentrating.
 Try to limit distractions such as getting distracted
by incoming messages or calls.

SPEAKING
One might need to speak in front of an audience in
college or professional life but speaking in public
requires planning and preparation. Certain basic
speaking skills include –
Knowing your audience
Before opening a speech, it is imp to know who is the
audience, as this will help in making the speech have a
greater impact. Certain things that should be kept in
mind about the audience include-
 What does my audience do?
 What does my audience already know about the
topic?
 What are their interests etc.
It is important to note that the role of the audience is
significant to make the presentation effective. It is important
to begin the presentation in such a manner so as to grab the
audience’s attention. Some of the ways to do so are as
follows –
 Using a powerful quote said by a famous person or from
a book that is connected to the topic.
  One can also begin the presentation by asking a
question that creates a curiosity in the mind of the
audience.
 One can also use (speaker) certain allusions from their
personal life.
 One can also present statistics or facts which is really
shocking.
 Showing pictures or visual aids can also grab attention of
the audience.
Body language & facial expressions
It is important to note that when someone is making a
presentation body language plays a very influential role.
When one is making a presentation, the speaker uses facial
expressions and hand movements to deliver the message and
make the audience understand. Some examples of good
body language include –
o Making eye contact with all the people in the audience
and not with only one or two people.
o Proper hand movement, the speaker must always put
their hands in front of them and should not cross them.
The speaker must use hands to emphasis views. The
speaker must never point at someone
o Speaker must maintain a good posture because a bad
posture will communicate a negative message to the
audience. One should stand tall and confident.
o The speaker must always begin with a smile as the
audience will receive the message better.
 o The speaker must always face the audience. Even while
using visual aids, one should not turn their back on the
audience. Rather one should stand at an angle so that
the audience can see the speaker as well as the visual
aid.
Clarity of voice
The way the speaker speaks is also a factor in making the
presentation effective as the audience must understand you
clearly. Certain things that the speaker must keep in mind
while delivering a speech are
o Speak slowly
The speaker must speak a little more slowly than normal so
that everyone in the audience is able to understand.
o Speak loudly
The speaker must speak loudly so that every one in the
audience is able to hear the presentation. The speaker should
not shout.
o Use intonation
The ride and fall in voice while speaking is called intonation. if
the speaker does not use any intonation, then the audience
might become bored and might even stop listening to the
speaker.
READING AND WRITING
Every one reads with a purpose. Some read for pleasure,
some read for specific information, some read for academic
purposes while some read for job prospects. Some
techniques that are used while reading is –
 Scanning
When someone reads a text quickly to search for a
particular piece of information is Called scanning. E.g. –
looking through chat messages to find a particular piece
of information or going through a menu to find a dish.
While scanning one does not read every single word
move their eyes quickly through the text.

 Skimming
When you read through something quickly to get an overall
idea is called skimming. E.g. – going through emails or
reading from a notice board.
While skimming there is no need to read every word or
sentence. Skimming is a good way to increase reading speed.
Literal and metaphorical meaning
o Literal – it’s a language that means exactly what it says.
There is no deeper meaning attached to it. This type of
language is found in instruction manuals, business reports,
encyclopaedia, etc.
o Figurative – it’s a kind of a language that has a deeper
meaning and cannot be understood by just looking at the
meaning of the words the reader has to guess the meaning.
Certain basic figurative language include. -
 Simile- when there is a comparison between two
things connected with the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. Using
 a simile means that the two things are similar. E.g.
as brave as a line, as busy as a bee.
 Metaphor- a metaphor is a comparison between
two things but without the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. E.g.
– ‘she has a heart of gold’ which means she is a
very good person. ‘life is a bumpy ride’ which
means life is difficult with a lots of problems.
 Hyperbole – when someone exaggerates while
making a description, taking tit to the extreme is
called hyperbole. Hyperboles are used to make
people understand the degree of the emotion or
idea one is trying to express. E.g. – “I will be there
in 2 secs” which means I will be there soon.
Idioms
A group of words that have a fixed meaning is called idioms.
Eg – “under the weather” means unwell, “butterflies in the
stomach” which means nervous.
Identifying a writer’s tone
Admiring- showing affection and respect
Sympathetic – making an effort to understand how someone
feels.
Indecisive - unsure
Ironical – it means the opposite of what is said.
Joyful- happy.
Optimistic –
Cohesive and coherent
Cohesive refers to the structure of a piece of writing. The
structure can refer to the structure of the paragraph or the
overall structure of the writing for e.g. - an essay.

Coherent refers to the inter linking of ideas and how well

they have connected with each other with the use of linking
and reference words.
A paragraph if it has to be well organised it has to be both
cohesive and coherent. There are three important elements
in a paragraph –
 Main idea – the main idea is the most important part in
a paragraph. An important point to note is that one
paragraph should have one main idea.
 Topic sentence – the topic sentence is a sentence which
explains the main idea of the paragraph. It is usually found in
the first sentence or in the second sentence in the paragraph.
Sometimes the topic sentence can be found in the middle or
at the end of the paragraph.
 Supporting details – supporting details are the reasons
and the examples that support the main idea.
A good paragraph begins by introducing the main idea to the
reader. As the paragraph continues explain the main idea
with the help of examples and reasons. Examples and
reasons are the supporting details of the paragraph. It is
generally considered a good practice to create an outline of
the paragraph before beginning to write.