Words / A2

ORR-uh-l/ˈɔːrəl/

Oral means spoken, not written: an oral exam, oral practice, oral questions. Spoken is the everyday cousin. Written is the contrast. Oral can also mean of the mouth (oral medicine) — extra. Do not write oral when you mean aural (listening — later), or moral.

Meaning

Spoken, not written; also connected with the mouth.

Examples

• “The oral exam is a five-minute conversation.”
• “The oral test is tomorrow morning in room 12.”
• “We did ten minutes of oral practice in pairs.”

Good to know

an oral exam / practice. Everyday: spoken. Contrast: written. Mix-up: aural, moral.

Near in meaning

spoken

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