Spoken English

In distinguishing between written and spoken English, spoken English attempts to record accurately exactly what people say. In a passage for example, someone could say, ‘defendin’ instead of defending or ‘s’ for it’s. Omissions like this when quoted from the passage are accurate records of what people say. In spoken English people can say, ‘James and me’ instead of ‘James and I’


Other characters of spoken English include a mixture of tenses. For example a mixture of past and present tense in narrating one story. Such a change of tense is not usually in formal written English but tenses change when people are talking.
The story is also sometimes interrupted by exclamations like; Hey you, hey home boy/girl, oh gosh, Ooooops, which contributes nothing to the story itself.
Some of the statements that sound sensible when spoken can be seen as in logical in print or in writing.


The constructed form of spoken English makes it clearly different from written English e.g. you’re, he’s, gays, etc. constructed verbs are very common in spoken English and read in single words.
The other characteristic is the use of statement form for a question. In written English it will usually be, “Have you seen him? Instead of spoken English, it’s you’ve seen him. Want me to take you out? Where the auxiliary verb do and the subject you, have been omitted.


Another characteristic that appears throughout passages is the use of slangy words and colloquialisms such as guy, smash up job for the holiday or the entertainment was so slap. Hook up or hooked up.
Colloquialisms are words used in spoken English while slangy are the expected use of words with a meaning different from their formal dictionary meaning. Slangy in general is regarded has substandard and out of place for written English.


Signal words, may come anywhere in a sentence in spoken English. They often indicate a change of tone for emphasis. They may indicate that the speaker is not certain of what he is explaining or his uncertain that his explaining himself fully or clearly. Eg. As it were, after all, in fact you understand, you get the point. Spoken English is always released and conservational.

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