Words that go together

Communication word pairs

36 pairs native speakers say together about communication. Each one is easy to understand; the trick is saying the two words as one. Hear them, then test yourself.

36 pairs5 situationsListen & quiz

Conversations

12

answer a question

B1

She raised her hand to answer a question during the lesson.

admit mistake

B1

After breaking the vase, she finally admitted her mistake.

direct contact

B1

Many people prefer direct contact when discussing important matters.

follow advice

B1

If you follow your doctor's advice, you'll recover more quickly.

full name

B1

Please write your full name at the top of the form.

keep quiet

B1

Please keep quiet during the movie so everyone can enjoy it.

private conversation

B1

They stepped outside to have a private conversation.

quick response

B1

Thank you for your quick response to my email.

serious discussion

B1

We need to have a serious discussion about our plans for next year.

simple question

B1

Let me start with a simple question: What is your name?

valid reason

B1

She had a valid reason for missing the meeting—her son was sick.

open question

B1

The teacher asked an open question to encourage everyone to share their ideas.

Ideas and key points

8

a recurring theme

C1

A recurring theme in her novels is the struggle for personal freedom.

general idea

B1

I have a general idea of how the new software works, but I still need some training.

have an idea

B1

I have an idea for our group project that could save us a lot of time.

key point

B1

The key point of her presentation was that everyone should have equal access to education.

main idea

B1

The main idea of the article is that exercise is important for good health.

main point

B1

The main point of her presentation was that everyone should have equal access to education.

main purpose

B1

The main purpose of this meeting is to discuss our new project.

main topic

B1

The main topic of today's meeting is how to improve customer service.

Sharing information

7

confirm details

B1

Before booking the hotel, I called to confirm the details of my reservation.

daily news

B1

I like to read the daily news every morning before work.

deliver a message

B1

Could you deliver a message to Sarah and let her know the meeting is at 3 p.m.?

present an idea

B1

During the meeting, Sarah was the first to present an idea for the new project.

reliable source

B1

If you want to check the facts, make sure you use a reliable source.

share information

B1

At the meeting, everyone was encouraged to share information about their projects.

useful advice

B1

My teacher gave me some useful advice before the exam.

Speaking style

6

language barrier

B1

When I first moved to Germany, the language barrier made it difficult to make friends.

lasting impression

B2

Her kindness made a lasting impression on everyone she met.

public speaking

B1

Public speaking can be challenging, but it gets easier with practice.

quiet voice

B1

She spoke in a quiet voice so she wouldn’t wake the baby.

strong accent

B1

Even after living here for years, Maria still has a strong accent when she speaks English.

verbal communication

B1

Good verbal communication is important when working in a team.

Getting the message

3

a lasting impression

C1

Her kindness and honesty left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

fully aware

B2

She was fully aware of the risks before making her decision.

fully understand

B1

I fully understand the instructions, so I can start the project right away.

Fill the gap

Which pair fits?

Read the sentence, then pick the communication word pair that belongs in the gap.

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