The way we use language depends on factors such as the situ...

The way we use language depends on factors such as the situation we are in (at a friend’s house, in a job interview, in a tutorial); who we are talking to (friends, potential employer, tutor); and our means of communication (conversation face to face, telephone, email, report). Our decisions about the way we use language are to a great extent unconscious ones: we instinctively know how to adapt our language to the situation. For example, there are a number of differences between spoken and written language. This being so, we can characterize spoken language as quite informal, colloquial and presumably unstructured (since it is often spontaneous). Furthermore, spoken language mostly takes place in the form of a dialogue with another speaker. Written language, on the other hand, is generally more structured, formal, impersonal and wordy. Also, written language is considered more formal and should follow the rules of the English language. Spoken language is generally less formal, and the rules are less important. Slang, an informal language understood only by certain groups, is acceptable in spoken language but not in written language. That said, read the statements that follow, then check ( T ) for TRUE and ( F ) for FALSE while indicating the correct answer (by also checking it).

( )Written English is more complex grammatically than spoken English, with longer and more complex sentences, fewer contractions, and more subordinate clauses.

( ) Spoken English is more likely to be face-to-face communication, while written English is more likely to be communication through the written word.

( ) Spoken English is more fixed and stable than written English, which is more fleeting.

( ) Spoken English is usually more organized and carefully formulated than written English.

( ) Written English is typically more structured and forms a monologue rather than a dialogue, while spoken English is more likely to be a dialogue.

( ) Written English communicates across time and space for as long as the medium exists and the language is understood. Spoken English is more immediate.

( ) Spoken English normally uses a generally acceptable standard variety of the language, whereas written English may sometimes be in a regional or other limited-context dialect.

( ) In Spoken English, the content is presented much more densely. In written English, the information is “diluted” and conveyed through many more words: there are a lot of repetitions, glosses, “fillers”, producing a text is noticeably longer and with more redundant passages.