Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse writers. I have found the following to be among them:
ORAL / VERBAL
In relation to language, the adjective oral has to do with the spoken word while verbal has to do with words in general, regardless of whether they are spoken or written.
While in high school, I scored higher on the verbal SAT than on the math. Thank goodness there was no oral exam; I am much better at writing than I am at speaking.
INCORRECT: I prefer verbal presentations to written ones. You can learn much from the speaker’s tone of voice and facial expressions.
CORRECT: I prefer oral presentations to written ones. You can learn much from the speaker’s tone of voice and facial expressions.
UNCLEAR: Many South Pacific cultures had strong verbal traditions but no written language until western missionaries took it upon themselves to make up a written alphabet in order to further spread their own religious beliefs.
BETTER: Many South Pacific cultures had strong oral traditions but no written language until western missionaries took it upon themselves to make up a written alphabet in order to further spread their own religious beliefs.
Remember that the adjective oral can also describe things related to the mouth, such as oral surgery. Something that is oral relates to speech or to the mouth from which speech comes. The word verbal contains the word verb, and verbs may be either spoken or written.
© 2017 Ann Henry, all rights reserved.