The UVic Writer's Guide


Oral / Verbal


Oral refers to the mouth ("My friend is an oral surgeon") while verbal refers to words ("Verbal communication is more sophisticated than fighting").

Do not, however, say that you are making a verbal presentation; most presentations use words, but "oral presentation" specifies the physical act of speaking.


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Copyright, The Department of English, University of Victoria, 1995
This page updated April 19, 1995