UNIT-1 COMMUNICATION SKILLS

1 What is Communication

Topics Covered
> Introduction > Methods of Communication > Verbal Cormnunication

> Non-verbal Communication Visual Communication

Introduction
ideas or feelings. In other words, the process
Communication is the exchange of information,
from one person/organisation toanother is known
of sharing ideas, opinions, facts, values, etc.
from one person to another. Effective
helps in understanding of ideas
as communication. It
but als0 properly understanding what is

communication is not only 'transmitting information'

communication involves at least one sender, one message and one recipient.
being said. Every
information and express your ideas in a clear,
Good communication skills help you absorb
way to others. The first cry of a child way of communicatingwith
is its
concise and meaningful
The first communication a
others and as the child grows older, so do the communication skills.
child has is with its parents, siblings and later on, with society at large. Lack of communication
can help you avoid these
leads to many misunderstandings, and a sound communication
relationships in life. People with good communication
misunderstandings and develop strong
perform much better in their
can interact without any fear or shyness and such people
skills

personal and professional life.

DEFINITION
is exchanged between individuals
Communication is a process by which information
common system of symbols, signs, or behaviour.
through a

place in the following methods.

We have already studied incommunicationtakes
class IX that

Let's have an overview of these methods.

METHODS OF COMMUNICATION
Visual
Verbal
Non Verbal

Speaking • Facial Expression Images

Oral4 Listening
Gestures • Pictures

Body Language Graphs

Writing • Touch Magazines
Written
Reading Personal Appearance
Eye contact
Eg. Print media, books, emails
 VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Verbal communication is any communication wherein the message is transnitted through words. The

term verbal communication often evokes the idea of spoken communication, but written
communication is also a part of verbal communication.

DEFINITION
Verbal communication refers to the production of spoken and written language to send
an intentional message to the receiver.

Types of Verbal Communication

1.Oral Communication
Oral Communication consists of speaking and listening. In oral communication, listening is as
important as speaking. This is often neglected but in order to communicate effectively both speaking
and listening shouldbe in tandem.

Types of Oral Communication

Oral communication is classified into four types.

Oral Communication

Small Group
Intrapersonal Interpersonal Public Communication
Communication

The silent • Takes place More than two Individual

Conversation we between two people are addresses a large

have with individuals: One involved. number of people.
ourselves. sender and the
other receiver.
.Small group, Eg. Election

where each campaign

• Here, we juggle
roles between participant gets

)
LTD.
sender and
receiver.

Processingour
thoughts and
actions within
involved.

Eg. Press

conference, board
meetings,
meetings,etc.
team

PVT. ourselves.

2.Written Communication
PUBLISHERS
Any communication that takes place through the written word is called written communication.It
may be in the form of letters, reports, text messages, circulars, notices or manuals. It is the primary
mode ofcommunication in any organisation.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Verbal Communication
Advantges of Verbal Communication Disadvantages of Verbal Communication
Reliable method of communication. • Linguistic differences can be a hiccup.
It saves time and money. People with hearing and speaking
disabilities wont understand.

Obtaining feedbackis quick. No legal validity in case of oral

communication.

Clearing doubts and Messages can be taken out of contert

misunderstandings is quick and easy. Sometimes.
Acts as a powerful means of Different people might interpret
persuasion. a message in different ways.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
when you interact with others, you continuously send and
Consciously
receive signals.
or sub-consciously,
your non-verbal actions
All of -
your gestures, posture, the tone of your voice,
the amount of eye contact youmake- send strong messages.They can either put people at
ease, build trust, and draw others towards you; or they can offend, confuse, and undermine
what yo're trying to convey.

Non-verbal communication has been recognised for centuries as a critical aspect

of communication. For instance, in "The Advancement of Learning" (1605), Francis Bacon
observed that "the lineaments of the body do disclose the disposition and inclination of the
mind in general, but the motions of the countenance and parts do not only do so, but further
disclose the present humour and state of themind and will.

DEFINITION

Non-verbalcommunication includes facial expressions, gestures, body language, personal

appearance,postures, presuppositions, paralinguistics, etc.

Types of Non-verbal Communication

Judee Burgoon (1994), professor of Communication, University of Arizona, has identiñed seven
different non-verbal dimensions.

Type What it Means

1. Facial The movement that our face makes to express emotions while
Expressions someone. For example, smiling when happy, frowning
conversing with
when confused, crying when sad, etc.

2. Space The physical distance we maintain while talking to someone; it denotes

the kind of intimacywe have with the other person. The closer you are
to someone, the lesser will be the distance between you two.

3. Posture It is the reflection of our confidence.For example, straight shoulders

and back are a sign of confidence,and a slumped posture shows lack
of confidence.
 4
Paralanguage
How we speak. For example, speaking slowly when we're upset,
loudly when we're angry, fast when we're excited, etc.

5. Gestures
The movements our body makes to express thoughts or ideas. For
example, waving hands to greet someone, fidgeting when nervous,
clapping to appreciate someone, etc.

6. Touch
Used to express our feelings towards someone. For example, a firm
handshake in a formal meeting to show trust, a pat on the back to
encourage someone, hugging someone to show affection, etc.

7
Eye Contact Exudes interest/lack of interest. Look into someone's eyes while
they're talking, but make sure that you don't stare at them.

Verbal vs. Non-verbal Communication

Verbal Non-verbal

Modes Modes

In-person Phone Texting Letters Gesture Touch Eye

Calls
Expression Contact

Benefits Benefits
It is used to accent Well
Done!
It is time saving. a verbal message.
1H*

)
It is a cheaper mode It is used to express
of communication. emotions.

It is flexible and It is beneficial for

lexible &
effective for all.
people with speaking
LTD.
and hearing disabilities.

PVT.
Downsides Downsides
can be confusing
It

Lingual ifferences attimes.

act as a barrier.
PUBLISHERS
PM
Messages are not Long conversations
always secure. are not possible.
Common Body Language Mistakes
The rules of communication state that about 58% of your success depends on b0dy language.
So, you have to be very careful with gestures especially when you're at a formal setting.
Here are some mistakes you can avoid to appear more confident and uplift your image while
communicating with someone:
1. Leaning back: It can be interpreted as a sign of being careless or disinterested. Always sit

up straight or lean in when you're having a one-on-one conversation with someone.

2. Eye contact: It can be tricky. Not making enough eye contact shows disinterest and
dishonesty whereas too much eye contact can seem aggressive. So, balance it out. Hold
their gaze for a couple of seconds at a time, pause and repeat.

3. Hands in pockets: While most people do it unconsciously, it is usually taken as a sign of

being rude and disrespectful. The best way is to hold your arms parallel to your body to
suggest that you are open for conversation.

4. Touching your face: It is a sign of deception or resistance. Try to keep your hands off of
your nose and mouth,especially while listening, to show attentiveness.

5.Fidgeting: When you play with your hair or bounce your legs, you'll seem like you're bored
with the conversation. So, sit or stand still when you're communicating with someone.

6. Slouching: It is usually seen as being lazy or unhappy. To appear confident and bold,
broaden your shoulders and straighten your back.
7. Glancing at your phone/watch: This makes you look like you're not interested in the
conversation and cannot wait for it to be over. Therefore, only look at your watch when
you are getting late to be somewhere and look at your phone only if you're awaiting an
urgent message or a call.

8. Invading someone's personalspace:Always make people feel comfortablewhile conversing

with them. As soon as you see that you're doing something that's making them uneasy,
back off immediately. Give them their space - emotionally and physically.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Non-verbal Communication

Advantages of Non-verbal Communication Disadvantages of Non-verbal Communication

• It complements verbal messages with • It can be vague and imprecise.

added meaning.

•
Retaining

It is

handicapped
information

helpful for illiterate

people.
is easy.

and
•

•
It

It is
can be confusing.

not universal. (
• It makes presentations attractive. Putting up neon signs, making
presentations, etc. can be costly.

• communication.
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It is quicker than verbal Distortion of information is possible.
SKILLS
VISUAL COMMUNICATION 10)
Visual communication comprises of all the visual elements that are used to convey a message.
Some common examples are charts, maps, images, graphs, road signs, etc. They are used to
convey a message more clearly and catchthe eye of the receiver. They are time saving, very

direct and are universally understood.

Humans have memory and hence, it is easier for us to remember graphics and
a visual
infographics rather than words. Therefore, visual communication is widely used in areas where
the attention span of the receiver is relatively less. For example, we see huge billboards on
highways which convey their message graphicallv rather than
using a lot of text. Another
example is using images and charts for presentations. so that all the data
is graphiícally
represented and doesn't need a lot of explanation.
Pictures affect emotions and attitudes.
Graphics engage our imagination and heighten our
creative thinking by stimulating areas of our brain (which in
turn leads to a more profound and
accurate understanding of the presented material).

A commissioned by 3M Corporation, suggests that you can be 43% more effective

study
when
as a presenter. Similarly, unless words, concepts, ideas are linked to an
using visual aids
image
they "go in one ear, and out the other". The
reason is because words are processed by Our
short-term memory where we can only remember about
seven pieces of information. Images
however,go directly into our long-term memory where
they are permanently etched.

Uses ofVisual Communication

Following aresome uses of visualcommunication:
Shapesand lines are used to outline processes, flows
and relationships between people or things.
Symbolsand icons are used to make information more memorable.
• Visuals are used to tell stories.

Colours are used to indicate importance

and draw attention.

Road Signs and their Importance

Road signs are the most widely used type of
visual communication.
They are used
on the roads andarevery for giving directions
importantfor road safety.

Here are Some Common Road Signs and their Meanings

STOP

Stop Roundabout
Mandatory One Way No Entry

Road Signs
Ríght TTurn Left TuIn
Prohibited Prohibited U-turn Hospital
Prohibited
Ahead

OverI Take
Prohibited
Horns
Prohibited
E5
Kmh

Speed
A
School
Limit
Ahead

Compulsory Zebra
Ahead Only Crossing Compulsory
Ahead/Left
Compulsory
Ahead/Right
Only
Only

--fo
 Communication Cycle and
2 Feedback
Topics Covered
> Introduction > Stages of a CommunicationCycle Feedback

Descriptive Feedback > Specific and Non-specific Feedback

Introduction
Being social animals, communication is inevitable for human beings. It is a part of our life

and is vital for performing everyday tasks. Communication, essentially, is a process

of various
consisting stages. When these stages or steps are put together, they form the
communication cycle.

MESSAGE

Encodes Decodes

SENDER Channels RECEIVER

Decodes Encodes

FEEDBACK

STAGES OF A COMMUNICATION CYCLE

(
Sender: This is the first stage of the communication process. The sender initiates
by generating a message which will be passed onto the receiver.

Message: The information,ideas, feelings, etc. that the sender wants to share are known
as messages.

Encoding: The message that the sender wants to share needs to be encoded in order
tobe sent through and understood by the receiver.

Channel: The means through which the message is being sent to the receiver is known
as the channel.
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Noise: Noise is anything that isturbs the effectiveness
difficult for the receiver to understand the message.
of a communication cycle and makes
-
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it

Decoding: After the message is sent, it needs to be decoded by the receiver in order 10
to understand what is being conveyed during the process.
15
Receiver: Anyone whom the message shared with is called
is a receiver. Receivers can either
be singular or plural depending on the type of communication taking place.
 Feedback: After the receiver has successfully decoded the message and understood it, they
share their feedback with the sender to complete the cycle
and to
continue
the conmmunication if required.

A Classroom is a good example of a communication cycle. Here, the teacher is the sender and

the students are the receivers. The message is the knowledge that the teacher is imparting to
the students and the method used here is oral communication.The teacher encodes the
message through the language in which they are teaching English, Hindi, etc. The students -
decode the message in a language that they understand and then share their feedback with the
teacher in the form of answers,queries,
etc.

In this chapter, we will focus on feedbackand why it is important in the communication cycle,.

FEEDBACK
Feedback is the response to the sender's message. It helps us improve our communication
immensely.It is very powerful as it assists and guides us to know how others view our efforts. A

good feedback guides us as to how we can enrich our knowledge and avoid pitfalls. It is an

effective tool at workplacesas it motivates us to enhance our performance.

Features of a Good Feedback

A good feedback has the following features:

Specific: A feedback must be related to the topic on which the conversation is going
on. It broadens our knowledge.
Timely: A feedback must be as close to the event as possible or just after
receiving
a message. It helps us build better personal and professional relationships.
Meaningful:While your feedbackcould be either positive or
negative, it needs
to be actionable and guide the other person to do
better.
Candid: A feedback should be truthful and straight forward to avoid conflicts and
distress.

Importance of Feedback
Feedback is crucial to the communication cycle.
helps the sender know
It
that the receiver has
successfully understood their message. Following are the reasons why it is important:

)
LTD.
It

It

It

It
encourages us

completes the cyle

to improve our

validates effective listening.

broadens our knowledge.

of
decision-making

communication.
skills and performance.

PVT.
It helps us build better personal and professional relationships.

Types of Feedback and their Examples

In the process ofcommunicating with someone, you might or might not
receive a feedback. On
the basis of the tone and purpose of a feedback,it can generally be
PUBLISHERS
categorised in the following
PM groups:

Positive Feedback
A feedback that is constructive, works on bullding a person's
strength and has positive
undertones, is known as a positive feedback.It is very
important to keep students/employee
motivated.
 Some examples are as follows:

• Well done on the presentation!

• Iappreciate all the efforts you've put in the project.
• The staff here is very courteous and cooperative.

Negative Feedback
A feedback that on
intends out what someone's doing
pointing
poorly, helping them
work on it and improving in is known as a negative feedback.
the future, Negative feedback
is important as it helps people overcome their shortcomings. It need not always be rude
or harsh. Some examples are as follows:

You never meet your deadlines, please work

on your timelines.

Please be polite when you talk to customers.

You have to dress appropriately in school or else

we'll have to take strict actions.

No Feedback
This is as simple as
it sounds -
when you don't receive any feedback at all. What you need to
remember no feedback is also a feedback. It indicates that maybe the receiver hasn't
is that
decodedyour message or was unable tO understand it. In such cases, you must figure out what
the barrier is and work on fixing it.

Difference between Positive and Negative Feedback

Positive Feedback Negative Feedback
Works on building strengths Works toward overcoming
Has positive undertones shortcomings
Helps in boosting motivation Has negative undertones
Helps in improving performance

DESCRIPTIVE FEEDBACK
Descriptive feedback helps one in improving their actions by providing them with specifñc

details, either in written or oral form. It consists of the answers to the following three questions:
Where am I now?
Where am I going?
. How can close the gap?
I
A good example of a descriptive feedback is,

The food is good, but it could've been better if you added a little more salt to it.

Here, the food isgood answers Where am I now?, it could've been better answers 'Where am
I going?,and if you added a little more salt to it answers How can I close the gap?'
 Benefits of Descriptive Feedback
Following are the benefits of giving someone a descriptive feedback:

Supportslearning by providing elaborate suggestions.

Aids self-assessment and setting of goals accordingly

• Fills the gap between the current achievements and future goals.

SPECIFIC AND NON-SPECIFIC FEEDBACK

feedback provides detailed information on what someone did well or p0orly.
Specific
It gives the
receiversomething substantial to think about and work on the areas which need improvermere
Some examples are:
It was heart warming, what you said about your teachers the other day.

The pasta is missing some spice to it.

• Ilike the ending. It was different than what l'd expected.

A non-specific feedback is vague and generic, and doesn't provide any details pertaínine
really

to the sender's message. It gives the impression that the sender has not given a thoughtfu
response. Some examples are:
Good job!
Please make changes to your speech.
• 'mnot happy with this.

In a Nutshell
A communication cycle consists of eight stages: Sender,Message, Encoding, Channel, Noise,
Decoding, Receiver and Feedback.
Feedback is the receiver's response to the sender'smessage
after successfully decoding it
• A good feedback is specific, timely, meaningful and candid.
•A communication cycle remains incomplete without feedback. It is essential for effective
communication.
Feedback is of three types -positive feedback, negative feedback and no feedback at all.
• A feedback that is constructive, works on building a person's strength and has posibve
undertones,is known as positive feedback.
LTD.

LTD.
A feedback intends on pointing out what someone's
that
doing poorly, and helping them
PVT, towork on it and improving in the future, is known as
negative feedback.
PVT.
No feedback indicates that maybe the receiver hasn't
decoded your message or was unable
to understand it.

Descriptive feedback answers three questions: Where am now? Where am going?

l How
PUBLISHERS
can I close the gap?
PUBLISHERS
PM
Specific feedback provides detailed information on what someone did well or poorly.
.A non-specific feedback is vague and generic and doesn't really provide any deta
pertaining to the sender's message.
 3 Barriers to Effective
Commnunication
Topics Covered
Introduction > Principles of Effective Communication Barriers to
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication
Effective
Communication

Introduction
Effective communication is one
that takes place
between two or more persons wíth
purpose of delivering, receiving, the
and understanding the message successfully. It is the
process of information sharing in a
way that keeps in mind what you want to
actually say, and what your say, what you
receiver interprets. It is more about
shared than it is about the the way the information is
information itself. In life, you might
have come across certain
situations when either you
miscomunicated or misinterpreted. This
of effective communication. happens due to the lack
Conveying a message effectively is an art as
well as a skill
developed with continuous practise and
experience. Let's know about the principles
of effective communication.

PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

You have an idea in your mind and you're very clear about what
that idea is. Now, for someone
to see the idea as you see it, you will have to
convey it with as much detail and clarity as
possible. This is where the principles of communication come
into action.
To make sure that you communicate the most
in effective and the clearest way possible, follow
the 7C's of communication:

clarity

Consideration Conciseness

7C'sof
:Communication
Courtsey Concreteness
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:
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10

Completeness Correctness
 and should be able to convey your ideas
message should
be cear
I. Clarity: Your
receiver effortlessly.
words possíble
using the least amount of without
detying
2. Conciseness: Try to communicate and precise.
to-the-point
Keep your message
the other C's of communication.
to support your arguments and strengthen
3 Concreteness: Use facts and figures
if necessary

Concreteness also increases your confidence.

your credibility.
Use a language that
4 Avoid errors while communicating.
grammatical
Correctness: the same.
Comfortable with and
make sure the receiver also understands
No importantinformatíon should
5. Completeness: Your messageshould be complete.
by the receiver(s).
out as it helps in better decision-making
and imnl
communicating sends out a positive message
6.
Courtesy: Being courteous while message.
the receiver(s) as much they care about
the
that the sender cares about

" towards the receiver(s). Take

Consideration: Being considerate means being empathetic
7.

'you' approach rather than an approach. Modify your words as per your audience's need
and requirements.

The absence of even one of the 7C's can lead to miscommunication, creating barriers in tha

process. Let us study aboutthese barriers in detail.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Barriers, noise or distractions during communication are inevitable. They distort your message

and the chances of correct interpretation (or decoding) of the message by the receiverls

decreases.These could be anything from poor signal to bad handwriting to psychologial

reasons.The job of the sender is to ensure that these barriers cause minimal to zero noise n

the communication process. Barriers can be of the following types:

Barriers to Effective Communication

Internal Barriers External Barriers

Message Formation Barriers

Interpersonal Barriers Physical Barriers

Linguistic Issues

Psychological Issues Organisational

LTD.) Issues InconsistentTone
PVT. Cultural lgnorance and Gesture
Distractions

Complicated Messages
Prejudice

Different Viewpoints
PUBLISHERS
PM
i Internal Barriers

22 Barriers in communication caused due to underlying,

inherent factors related to the
communicators such as a specific, situationalframe mind or of

long-term mentality, in
general
are known as internal barriers.
They are further divided into:

1. Interpersonal Barriers: These occur when the sender's message is misinterpreted by

the receiver. It is also extremely difficult to converse with someone who isn't willing to

express themselves. Personal differences can also act as interpersonal barriers.

2 Psychological Issues: Barriers caused by someone's state of mind are known as

psychological barriers. For example, certain disabilities do not allow the brain to
comprehend any sort of communication or the receiver is not in the right frame of

mind to follow through with the communication at the given time, etc.

3. Cultural lgnorance: When people from different cultures come together, they might
not be acquainted with each other's traditions, customs, etc. which could lead to
and inconvenience in communication. Sometimes, people also have
difficulties

preconceived notions about others based on their social backgrounds which also
become barriers during communication.
4. Prejudice:Miscommunication might be caused because of the bias held by
communicators against each other due to many social factors related to class status,
the difference in cultures, literacy, ethnicity, etc.

5. DifferentViewpoints:Major distinction in the belief system and ideologies can cause a

severe communication gap.

External Barriers
Barriers that can not be controlled and directed by the communicators are external barriers.

There is no scope for intrapersonal alteration as far as external barriers are concerned.
They are further divided into:

1. Physical Barriers: Factors related to the environment that become the cause of

miscommunicationare known as physical barriers. The three types of physical barriers are:

(a) Physical & issues: They refer to miscommunication caused due to

technological
technical and distance. For example, the unmanageable hearing distance
errors
between two communicatorsstanding on two sides of the same building, the Internet
not working which would disable the communicatorsfrom sending texts and messages,

and the missing phone signal which makes them unable to converse.

(b) Physical disabilities: They refer to issues related to physical health and wellbeing
which come in the way of effective communication,such as hearing problems, speech
difficulties and disorders like stuttering, slurring, lisping and stammering.

(c) Physical Barriers in non-verbal communication:Non-verbal communication heavily

depends on physical proximity, or physical visibility. For example, non-verbal

communicationbecomes difficult when two communicatorsare talking through text or
on the phone and cannotseeone another.

2. Organisational Issues: Every organisation has a hierarchical structure that follows rules,
EMPLOABIUTY
procedures, protocols etc. which restricts the free flow of communication in the
organisation. This structure can act as a barrier and known as an organisatinal
SKILLS
is

barrier since it hinders the formal relationship amongst peers.

3 Distractions: Noise, interruptions and being placed into situations where one has to
focus on more one conversation simultaneously,
than can lead to several instances of

miscommunication due to a part of the conversation being missed, connotations not

being discerned, or mixing up of twodifferent conversations, etc.
 Message Formation Barriers
Message formation barriers exist due to issues related to the composition of
the
itself.
messags

Types of message formation barriers are further divided into:

1,
Linguisticlssues: When one understood
single language is not thepeople
by

in a participating
communication process, it is known as a linguistic barrier. It is importantfor
the sender
and receiver to find a common ground and build the communicationon it.
2.
Inconsistent Tone & Gestures: The message being encoded might have an
mismatched tone, in verbal communication and incorrect
inappropriate gestures, in the c
of non-verbal communication, which confuses the receiver about what is h

conveyed.
3.
Complicated Messages: The encoding of the message might be too difficult due t
complicated vocabulary, intricate intonations and syntactic structures, which could ha
the reason the communicatorsare unable to understand each other.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION
It is essential to deal and cope up with these
and communication barriers so as to ensure smooth
effective communication.
Here are some of the ways to eliminate different
types of issues that cause
miscommunication:
Overcoming Internal Barriers
1. Be Unassuming: Avoid forming prior baseless
misconceptions and preconceived
about the person you are
notions
communicating with to avoid
minded smoothen the misunderstandings. Being open
process of communication.
2..
ExerciseEmpathy: Conscious efforts towards
being more empathetic
others and their situation from your and understandingo
own side can be effective in closing
communication gap. the internal

3. Enhance Listening Skills: Be more

attentive to what others are trying to
you when they speak, listen communicate to
carefully to the words that are being said and what
left unsaid. is beins
4. Fair & Unbiased
Approach: Eliminate any type
of biased judgment
communicator, and act fairly towards against the othe
them to make them feel at ease
and communicate
LTD.)
effectively with them.
PVT.
5. Respect Other Cultures & Opinions:
Be respectful and act with
and customs of others. Learn
religion sensitivity towards tne
about them if you have the
into account their opportunity and tak
opinions when you
communicate with them to put
6. Regulate Your Emotions: them at ease.
Keep a tab on how and what you
PUBUSHERS
feel and the way vou
react t
your emotions, depending on the situation
PM you are in
communicating with is very signiticant and the person you are
regardless of your role as a
sender or the recelvel.
7. Mutual Trust Building: Trust
between two communicators
eliminates issues relate
to reception and conveying of a message.
 Overcoming External Barriers
1, Appropriate Channels of Communication: Use the correct tools for communicatíon
appropriately convey your message in the right manner. For writing, a pen with good
to
ink would be appropriate, just like a speakerwould be required to
convey the message to
every receiver in a stadium.

2. Using Visual Aids: In many cases, written communication lacks visual signals which can
assist the receiver in grasping the tone and meaning of the message. In these cases,
emojis, pictures, etc. can help in setting the appropriate tone.
3. Seeking Feedback:Actively seeking the feedback for the message encoded and transmítted
by the communicator can be significant in deciding if their message, with its apt meaning,
has been understood by the receiver or not.
4. Alternative Communication Tools: In certain cases, commonly used methods of
communicating might not be useful. Communicators should have enough sensitivity to
alter and change the tool of communication being utilised. Common sign language, writing
your messages down, etc. can be used in cases of physical disabilities. Translating
applications can be used in case the communicators do not speak the same language.

Overcoming Message Formation Barriers

1. Use Simple Language: Keep your messages precise. Avoid complicated terms and
expressions, reconstruct your message according to the level of understanding of the
receiver if needed.

2. Use Correct Language: Pay attention to the structure of the sentence, vo cabulary and
connotations so that your message can be decoded easily.

3. Use Correct Body-language: Expressing self appropriately through body language,

depending on the relationship the sender has with the receiver, is highly significant for the

communication to go smoothly. For example, smile when you are being humorous, to not
have your words taken in the wrong context.
4. Communicate In-person: In-person communication is the easiest way to avoid kinds of
barriers and have the most effective communication possible. It minimises the chances of

any misunderstanding.
5. Take Someone's Help: If you're having trouble communicating with someone who speaks a
different language or something similar, you can always ask for a middleman's help to get
your message across.

In a Nutshell
Communication between two or more persons with the intent of delivering, receiving, and
understanding a message successfully is known as effective communication.

• The 7C's of communication are clarity, conciseness, concreteness, correctness, completeness,

EMPLOYABILITY
courtesy, and consideration. They help in making communicationeffective.

. message formation, -
SKILLS
There are three types of barriers to effective communication. Barriers related to
internal barriers and external barriers.

. Internal barrlers to effectíve

cultural ignorance, prejudice,
communication inlude
and different viewpoints.
interpersonal barriers,

External barriers to effective

psychological issues,
communication
10

25
include physical barriers, organisational issues, and distractions.

. Working on your interpersonal skills is the first way towards improving your communicationabilities.
 4 Writing Skills

Topics Covered
> Introduction > Capitalisation > Punctuation > Parts of Speech

Sentence > Active and Passive Voice > Paragraph

Introduction
Basic knowledge of grammar is essential communicate with others in any language.
to
and
Grammar also helps us understand what makes sentences and paragraphs clear
of English grammar
interesting. In this chapter, you will study about some basic features
English.
to enhance your communication skills in

CAPITALISATION
or with an initial capital.
Capitalisation the action of writing or printing in capital
is
letters

through TINS.
The best way to understand the capitalisation is

Alphabet T

Titles word '' Names Starting letter

of every
What it shows sentence

Rule The first

titles
letter
used
of " when
used as a
The first letter of
names of people,
The first

of every
letter

before people's word places, days and sentence

names, i.e. Mr, months
Mrs, Dr, etc.

PUNCTUATION
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The marks, such as full stop, comma, question mark, etc. used in writing toseparatesentences
and their elements to clarify meaning are known as punctuation marks. Some common
-
SKILLS
punctuation marks are as follows:
10)
Full stop (.), also known as period, is used for the following:

To mark the end of a declarative or imperative sentence

In abbreviations
 Comma )
In a
is

list.
used for the
Eg. Rohan
following:

speaks Hindi,English and Marathi.

To emphasise contrast. Eg. She is very active, despite sleeping late last night.
In a direct address. Eg. How are youdoing, Sonal?
Before or after direct speech. Eg. The driver said, to drive
"It's better in the morning"
In places or address. Eg. Barcelona, Spain, is a beautiful city.

Semi-colon (;) is used for comma. used

a longer pause than a It is generally to join
two cdosey
related independentclauses.
Eg., Aarav went to a grocery shop:he bought groceries for one month.
Question mark (?) is used at the end of a question.
Eg., Have you finished the work?
Exclamation mark (!) is used at the end of exclamatory
sentences that express strong emotions
Eg., How beautiful the flower is!

PARTS OF SPEECH
For effective verbal communication,it is very importantto know the parts of speech. Parts
all
ofspeech are the classification of words categorised by their roles and functions in a sentence
Once you understand the basic
structure of any language, it becomes easier to express your
ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc. in the said language.
There are eight parts of speech
in English: noun,
pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb,
preposition
conjunction, and
interjection. Each part of speech indicates
how the word functions in
meaning as well as grammatically within the
sentence. An individual word can
more than one part of speech when used in different function

as
circumstances.
Read the chart below to
understand these words and their
relevant examples.

Parts of
Definition
Speech Examples
Noun Wordsthat refer to a person, place,
thing,idea, Ram, boy, Aditi, Mumbai,April,
etc.
gold, honesty, etc.
Pronoun Wordsthat are used in place of a noun I, she, they, his, you, us, etc
Adjective Wordsthat are used to describea noun
or Cold, beautiful,
a pronoun pink, small,dark,
LTD.) soft, etc.
Verb Wordsthat show action
PVT. Talk, run, eat, dance, study, etc.
Adverb Words that describe a verb, an
adjective or
another adverb Slowly, always, fast, after, often,

quite,etc.
Preposition Words that indicate the
relationship between a
noun and the other words of a In, on,
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at, under, to, etc.
sentence
PM
Conjunction Words that connect words, phrases,
clausesor
sentences together And, but, because, yet, although.

etc.

Interjection
Wordsthat express strong emotions
such as
surprise, anger,joy,
Wow! hurrayl alas! bravo! oh!
etc.

--fo
Articles
Words that define a noun as specific or non-specific are called articles. 'The is used before
specific nouns, and 'a and ´an' are used before non-specific nouns. That's why the is called
definite article, and 'a' and 'an are called indefinite articles.

Note: a' is used before nouns that begin with a consonant sound and 'anis used
before
nouns that begin with a vowel sound. Both are used before singular nouns.
Let us understand this with some examples.

I want a cup of coffee.

Here, we're talking about a cup of coffee and nothing particular

in is being pointed out
Therefore, a has been used before cup.

An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.

We use an here as apple starts with a vowel sound. Note that, the sound of the first letter
is taken into consideration and not the letter itself.

For example,

She is an honest woman.

Since the h' is silent in the word "honest', we use an here and not a.

Now read the following sentence:

The man at the store said that cotton trousers were out of stock.

Here, we are referring to one particular man who works at a particular store. Therefore. we
use the in this sentence. The' is used before both singular or plural nouns, known to the
speaker and the listener.

The' is also used in the following cases:

Before the names of mountain ranges, seas, gulfs, oceans, rivers, etc. Eg. the Himalayas
the Ganga, the Indian Ocean.

Before the names of newspapers, holy books, etc. Eg. The Hindu, the Gita.

Before the names of some countries such as USA, 'UK' and UAE. These countries
consist of different provinces.

Before the names of monuments. Eg. The Taj Mahal, the Red fort.

Before the names of celestial bodies. Eg. The Sun,the Earth.

Before the names of races or communities.Eg. The Hindus, the Mongols

Before a singular noun when it refers to a particular class/group. Eg. The poor, the rich.

SENTENCE
A group of words that makes sense is called a sentence.

Parts of a Sentence
(EMPLOYABILITY
Every sentence contains two parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject is what (or whom)
the sentence is about, while the predicate contains the verb and the object and states
SKILLS-
sormething about the subject.
For exarnple, 10

The Sun rises in the east.

Here, The Sun' is the subject and 'rises in the east' is the predicate.
Note: A sentenceis incompletewithout o verb.
 Objects and their Types
An object is a person or thing that receives the subject's action. For example,
am riding my
l
bike.

Here, T is the subject and 'bike' is the object.

Objects are of two types direct and indirect.

Direct Objects: Direct objects answer the question "What?'or Who?

Indirect Objects: Indirect objects answer the question To/For whomn?
For example,

They sent him a postcard.

Here, 'postcard' is the direct object and 'him is the indirect object.
Some sentences have only a direct object, while others may have both direct and indirect
objects.

Types of Sentences
Sentences can be divided into four types
depending on the purpose of the statement.
are: These

Declarative sentence: A
sentencethat states a fact or someone's
sentence. opinion is called a declarative

Examples:

My bag is new.
She is 5-years-old.

He will get his driving license next week.

Declarative sentences are of
a positive meaning and
two types affirmative and -
negative. Affirmative
negative sentences have a sentences have
house' is a positive sentence negative meaning. For example, 'She left the
and Riya did not meet
her friends' is a
negative sentence.
Interrogative sentence: A
sentencethat asks a question,
where, when or how and and generally begins

) ends with a question mark with who, what,

(?) is called an
Examples: interrogative sentence.

Where is your phone?

What time does the train leave?
LTD.

Note: In terrogative
sentences can also begin
PVT. with auxiliary verbs
Do you want togo (am, is, are, do, can,
grocery may, etcl
shopping?
Exclamatory sentence:A
sentencethat expresses
sentence.It ends with anexclamation strong emotions
mark (!).
is known as an exclamator
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Examples:
PM
Hurray! We won the game!

What a nice person he is

How beautiful the flowers arel

imperative sentence: A senitence that is used to issue a command instruction, o gve
directions, make a request or offer advice is known as an inperative senternce
Examples:
Please, get ne a glass of water. (Request)

Take the nert left turn. (Direction)

Go to your room. (Command)

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

When the subject acts upon its verb, the sentence is said to be in active voice. Sentences in
active Voice exnibit a strong, direct and clear tone.

Subject+ verb + object

.
Examples:

Sam
The mad
baked a cake
cleaned
last night.

the wíndows.
She watched the movíe wíth her friends.
passive voice, the subject ís acted upon by the verb. The passive voice is aways
constructed with a conjugated form of to be' plus the verb's past participle.

Object + to be + verb's past particíple +by + subject

.A
Eremoles:

cke was baked by Sam last níght.

The windows were cleaned bythe maid.

• The novie was watched by her with her friends.

The Rule Chart of Active to Passive Voice

Gven belowarethe rules to convert active voice into passive voice.

Tense Subject Verb Object

Active Kavita eats fruits.

Sirnple Present
Passive Fruits are eaten by Kavita.

Active Kavita ate fruits

Simple Past
Passive Fruits were eaten by Kavita.

Active Kavita will eat fruits

Sinple Future
Passive Fruits will be eaten by Kavita.

Present Active Kavita is eating fruits

Continuous Passive Fruits are being eaten by Kavita.

Past Continuous
Active Kavita was eating fruits.

Passive Fruits were being eaten by Kavita

(EMPLOYABILUTY
Active Kavita has eaten fruits
Present Perfect
have eaten by
SKILLS
Passive Fruits beeen Kavita

Active had eaten fruits 10)

Kavita
Past Perfect by
Passive Fruits had been eaten Kavita

Actve Kavita Fruits

Future Perlect have eaten
Passive Fruits have been eaten by Kavita
 Voice:
be changed to Passive
The following tenses can't
* All perfect continuous tenses
. Future continuous tense

Sentences having intransitive verbs

•
PARAGRAPH It contains
a topic,
which s
of related sentences on a given topic
form a paragraph,
A group the writer's idea
the toplc,
specific details or facts supporting
the main thought dealt with: sentence that reminds
the concluding
of the topic: and finally
and interpretation/analysis
once again of the main idea of the paragraph.

Characteristics of a Good Paragraph

data, discussion, analysis should be
Unity: The entire focus should be on the topic only. All
1.

related to the topic. There should be no digression.

developed that one idea leads to another. The

2. Coherence of ldeas: The paragraph should be so
should be related to the main idea
and the subsequent sentences should support.
first sentence
thoughts should be analysed
and not given
explain those ideas only. Even the contrasting
abruptly. There should be fluency In the paragraph. Examples or events that have no bearing on
the topic should be avoided.
important sentence is the
3. Emphasis:Each sentence should be given due emphasis butthe most
first sentence. It should hold the interest
of the readers and the subsequent arguments should be

developedon this opening sentence,

4. Varlety: All sentencesshould not be of the same structure.

Let's understand it more clearlywith specific examples:

1. My First Attempt at Making a Cup of Tea

Last Sunday, my mother was not feeling well so she asked me to make a cup of tea

for her. felt very excited because before this, Ihad never prepared tea by myself. 1
I
was not allowed to work alone in the kitchen. On entering the kitchen, I was sure

that I would make a good cup of tea for my mother. thought it to be an easy
I
exercise. took half a cup of water, added tea leaves with
I a cup of milk and
half kept

it on the lit gas stove, After the tea had boiled wel, took it off the stove but burned
I
my fingers in the process. was horrified to find that the tea was only half a cup and
I
was very dark also. Tearfully, I took it to my mother and when she took the first sip,
remembered that I had not added sugar to it. The tea must be bitter but my mother
LTD.
simply smiled and thanked me for my effort.
PVT.
2. Pollution
The word 'pollution'
Latin derivative is a
meaning dirty'. Pollution causes an
imbalance in the environment by adding harmful elements
to soil, water, air, etc. Ths
maybe a cause of worry as itIs very harmful and may sometimes even be
fatal. In
2012, a survey was made n which t was found that out of a
PUBLISHERS
total of 132 countries
PM Indiaranks 125 on the environmentalIndex, Industrlal
development, green revolution,
discharging wasteinto our rlvers, single use plastics, and loud of the noises are some
for Duue to
overuse, abuse and
pollution.
mismanagement of resources, man
reasons
has created a living hell for himselt. But it isstill not too
late, With a conscious effort
on everyone'spart, we can still keep it under control,