4.4 Communication

English home language

Grade 5

That sinking feeling

Module 24

Communication

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Communication can be described as an exchange of ideas and feelings, and also as the successful giving and receiving of information.

The choice of words and their arrangement in sentences is very important if one wants to convey the message correctly.

DISCUSSION

What frustrates you about giving or receiving a verbal message?

How many times are you misunderstood?

Do these misunderstandings cause ... confusion? … chaos?

Maybe even anger between you and someone else?

Look at this interesting sentence:

“Hastily summoning an ambulance, the corpse was taken to the morgue.”

1. Who called for the ambulance ___ the corpse?

2. How should this sentence have been written?

If you wish to communicate effectively and successfully, you will need to be clear in that which you say and write.

Exercise 1

How should the following sentences be written so that they communicate the intended meaning in each case?

1. This is a quiet, happy neighbourhood with dogs and children riding bicycles.
2. An umbrella was lost by a young lady with silver ribs.
3. The young man had his arm tattooed in the Army, but now that he is getting married he’d like it taken off.
4. The students observed the aeroplanes flying in formation through the window.
5. If the milk does not agree with the baby, boil it.

(All work on this page selected from an unknown source.)

Exercise 2

1. The salesgirl unpacked the stockings from their boxes and threw them in the bin.
2. All meat in this window is from local farmers killed on the premises. (Sign in a shop window).
3. For a delicious baked custard – in a bowl, mix 3 eggs, a quarter of a cup of sugar and warm milk. cook standing in boiling water.
4. Be sure to try Sanderson’s Savoury Sausages. You’ll never get better.

Exercise 3

Words that are confusing. Select the correct word from the brackets:

1. He is determined to (precede/proceed) with his coaching.
2. (Whose/Who’s) taken my lunch?
3. Her writing was so untidy that it was almost (eligible/illegible).
4. (Your/You’re ) not leaving the country.
5. The (personal/personnel) manager was responsible for helping the staff.

Exercise 4

Correct the faults in the following sentences:

1. She performed real good .
2. Neither Mark or John are going to the cinema.
3. She couldn’t find her brother nowhere .
4. We must learn to behave himself.
5. There are less people here today than there was yesterday.
6. They swam faster than him.

[LO 3.6; 4.4.1; 5.1.5]

Exercise 5

Rewrite each of these sentences, omitting unnecessary words.

1. In my opinion, I think you will win the race.
2. In his report, the pilot reported that the plane’s radio was faulty.
3. The lifeboat was the necessary essential.
4. He hurried into the room in great haste.
5. I will repeat again the instructions I gave you yesterday.

[LO 5.1.1]

MAGIC MEMORIES

Exercise 1

Find the blocks in which there are words missing capital letters. Rewrite the words correctly:

Exercise 2

Correct these sentences, filling in the capitals where they have been omitted: