ORAL SKILLS
1. Functions of greetings in a conversation:
• Establish rapport / sense of familiarity.
• Set the mood for talk/ conversation/presentation.
2. Role of voice manipulation:
• Voice projection –To be heard; for audibility.
• Tone/ voice variation - To create different meanings, break monotony and create interest.
3. Body languages:
• Nodding
• Smiling
• Sitting posture (upright or leaning forward).
• Dancing
• Clapping/ applauding
• Laughing
• Frowning
• Waving
• Stamping feet.
4. Verbal skills/ devices/ cues:
• Voice projection for audibility / to be loud enough to be heard by the audience.
• Tonal variation; change in pitch/voice to create some meaning. It can break monotony & also
create interest. Tonal variations
• have meanings attached to them. Tone expresses the speaker’s feelings/attitude/emotions
towards what the say/think.
• Choice of words determines the tone to be used to express a certain contextual message.
• Solemn tone indicates/signals/shows a sense of sincerity.
• Stress; to emphasize on a certain issue. Content words are stressed. Meanings attached to them
must be given.
, • Intonation; falling or rising of voice – fluctuations of voice as one speaks. It enables one to
express different feelings/ moods and
• meanings.
• Proper articulation (pronunciation); it will be understood as per the speaker’s intention.
• Pregnant pauses; significant/ meaningful pauses (breaks) - to achieve certain effects such as
suspense, etc . NB: Voice variation
• houses all aspects of voice manipulation: stress, intonation, tempo, pace etc
Pacing/speeding up one’s presentation/recitation denotes urgency.
Slow presentation signals patience.
Voice – What you hear when someone talks.
Tone – Nature of voice that expresses what one feels/thinks about what they are saying.
• Mimicry; imitation of certain sounds certain animals or beings during narration.
5. Non-verbal cues/ devices/ paralinguistic; extra-linguistic features:
• Use of gestures; stretching hands, waving, swinging hands, pointing at something/somebody
using index finger, clapping, thumbing, raising hand, spreading hands, shaking hands, nodding
one’s head, shaking one’s head etc. Gestures have specific meanings attached to them.
• Facial expression; frowning, putting up a delighted face, blinking, widening eyes, eye contact,
winking etc
• Body movement; bending, stretching one’s body, enlarging stomach, curtsying ,bowing, shaking
one’s body etc
• Dramatization/ Dramatic aspects; acting out scenes like jumping etc
• Mimicry; imitation of sounds certain mannerism/ behaviour of animals or beings during
narration.
NB: Both verbal and non-verbal cue: mimicry – imitation of sound and mannerism.
Some of these cues tend to overlap. Clear-cut differences should be noted for apt explanation in exam
situation.
6. Oral devices: These are devices (signals that support the verbal communication) cues used during an
oral presentation/ performance to achieve meaningful and effective presentation: NOTE: One must
mention the exact cues like pointing, putting up a grimaced face etc and how they are applied
contextually. Relevant details ought to be provided.
Technical terms like ‘gestures’ are optional. You can simply say; I would point at ….to show……
NB: Both cues (verbal and non-verbal aspects) are expected if the question asks: How would
1. Functions of greetings in a conversation:
• Establish rapport / sense of familiarity.
• Set the mood for talk/ conversation/presentation.
2. Role of voice manipulation:
• Voice projection –To be heard; for audibility.
• Tone/ voice variation - To create different meanings, break monotony and create interest.
3. Body languages:
• Nodding
• Smiling
• Sitting posture (upright or leaning forward).
• Dancing
• Clapping/ applauding
• Laughing
• Frowning
• Waving
• Stamping feet.
4. Verbal skills/ devices/ cues:
• Voice projection for audibility / to be loud enough to be heard by the audience.
• Tonal variation; change in pitch/voice to create some meaning. It can break monotony & also
create interest. Tonal variations
• have meanings attached to them. Tone expresses the speaker’s feelings/attitude/emotions
towards what the say/think.
• Choice of words determines the tone to be used to express a certain contextual message.
• Solemn tone indicates/signals/shows a sense of sincerity.
• Stress; to emphasize on a certain issue. Content words are stressed. Meanings attached to them
must be given.
, • Intonation; falling or rising of voice – fluctuations of voice as one speaks. It enables one to
express different feelings/ moods and
• meanings.
• Proper articulation (pronunciation); it will be understood as per the speaker’s intention.
• Pregnant pauses; significant/ meaningful pauses (breaks) - to achieve certain effects such as
suspense, etc . NB: Voice variation
• houses all aspects of voice manipulation: stress, intonation, tempo, pace etc
Pacing/speeding up one’s presentation/recitation denotes urgency.
Slow presentation signals patience.
Voice – What you hear when someone talks.
Tone – Nature of voice that expresses what one feels/thinks about what they are saying.
• Mimicry; imitation of certain sounds certain animals or beings during narration.
5. Non-verbal cues/ devices/ paralinguistic; extra-linguistic features:
• Use of gestures; stretching hands, waving, swinging hands, pointing at something/somebody
using index finger, clapping, thumbing, raising hand, spreading hands, shaking hands, nodding
one’s head, shaking one’s head etc. Gestures have specific meanings attached to them.
• Facial expression; frowning, putting up a delighted face, blinking, widening eyes, eye contact,
winking etc
• Body movement; bending, stretching one’s body, enlarging stomach, curtsying ,bowing, shaking
one’s body etc
• Dramatization/ Dramatic aspects; acting out scenes like jumping etc
• Mimicry; imitation of sounds certain mannerism/ behaviour of animals or beings during
narration.
NB: Both verbal and non-verbal cue: mimicry – imitation of sound and mannerism.
Some of these cues tend to overlap. Clear-cut differences should be noted for apt explanation in exam
situation.
6. Oral devices: These are devices (signals that support the verbal communication) cues used during an
oral presentation/ performance to achieve meaningful and effective presentation: NOTE: One must
mention the exact cues like pointing, putting up a grimaced face etc and how they are applied
contextually. Relevant details ought to be provided.
Technical terms like ‘gestures’ are optional. You can simply say; I would point at ….to show……
NB: Both cues (verbal and non-verbal aspects) are expected if the question asks: How would
