Communication skills · lesson 3 of 24 · free

Verbal and non-verbal communication — Communication skills for students

Verbal communication is spoken words: “Well done!”, a joke, reading aloud. Non-verbal communication is everything else you send without words: a pat on the back, raised eyebrows, hands on hips, a hug. Body language often shows how someone really feels — yawning and checking the clock usually mean bored; biting nails and a shaky voice usually mean nervous. When someone says “I’m fine” with tears in their eyes, the words and the body do not match, and people usually believe the body.

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Communication tip

Words and body together — “what you say and what you show should match”

  1. Verbal = spoken words (“Well done!”, “Can I help?”, telling a joke, whispering a secret). Non-verbal = no words (a pat on the back, a high five, tapping your watch, pointing at the door, a wink).
  2. Body clues: a big smile, clapping → happy; yawning, checking the clock → bored; biting nails, a shaky voice → nervous; clenched fists, glaring eyes → angry.
  3. Words and body should match. “I’m fine” with tears in the eyes = they differ — gently ask again.

Use it for: Reading how friends feel, greeting elders, class discussions and checking your own face and hands when you talk.

Worked example: 🎭 Do the words and the body match? “I’m fine,” he says, with tears in his eyes. → words and body differ

  1. He SAYS he is fine, but tears SHOW he is sad.
  2. Here the words and body differ.

Check: Try it: watch a family talk for two minutes and note three non-verbal signals — what feeling did each one show? ✓

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🖨️ Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Worksheet

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