Question

When a speaker corrects their own grammatical error or rephrases a statement to be clearer during a conversation, they are demonstrating which speaking subskill?

• A. Fluency
• B. Communication strategies
• C. Pronunciation
• D. Cohesion

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Communication strategies

Understanding Communication Strategies in Speaking

• Communication strategies are techniques or devices used by speakers to overcome difficulties and maintain communication when they face linguistic or pragmatic problems.
• When a speaker corrects their own grammatical error or rephrases a statement for clarity, they are actively engaging in self-repair, which is a key component of communication strategies.
• These strategies help speakers manage the flow of conversation and ensure their message is understood, even when their linguistic resources are limited or they make a mistake.
• Examples of Communication Strategies:
  1. Self-correction/Self-repair: Correcting one's own errors (grammatical, lexical, factual).
  2. Rephrasing/Paraphrasing: Saying something in a different way to ensure understanding.
  3. Approximation/Generalization: Using a related word or a more general term when the exact word is unknown (e.g., 'animal' for 'deer').
  4. Circumlocution: Describing the characteristics or functions of an object or concept when the specific word is forgotten (e.g., 'the thing you use to open bottles' for 'bottle opener').
  5. Code-switching: Shifting between two or more languages or dialects within a single conversation.
  6. Message abandonment: Deciding not to express a difficult concept and changing the topic.
  7. Appeal for help: Directly asking for assistance or clarification (e.g., 'What's the word for...?').
  8. Non-verbal strategies: Using gestures, facial expressions, or mime to convey meaning.
• In competitive exams related to English Language Teaching (ELT) or Applied Linguistics, understanding communication strategies is crucial as they are often assessed as part of a speaker's overall communicative competence.
• While fluency refers to speaking smoothly and continuously, accuracy to grammatical correctness, and pronunciation to the production of sounds, communication strategies are about the dynamic processes speakers use to keep communication going despite challenges.
• These strategies are particularly important for second language learners, but native speakers also employ them regularly for clarity and effective interaction.