Which statement accurately defines verbal communication?

• A. Nonverbal Communication Refers to Body Language Alone
• B. Verbal Communication Refers to Tone of Voice
• C. Verbal Communication Refers to Literal Spoken Words
• D. Verbal Communication Refers to Written Notes

Answer: (C)

Verbal communication centers on the words we use to convey messages. It focuses on the actual content spoken or written—the literal words themselves—rather than how they’re delivered or what’s conveyed without words. Nonverbal cues like body language and tone of voice shape meaning but aren’t the words themselves, so they fall outside verbal communication. Saying verbal communication refers to literal spoken words captures the intended definition because it emphasizes the message carried by the spoken words rather than by nonverbal signals. Written notes are a form of language too, but this item mainly contrasts spoken words with nonverbal elements, so identifying verbal as the literal spoken words aligns with the standard distinction used in practice and exams.