TYPES OF

COMMUNICATIVE
STRATEGIES
Since engaging in conversation is also bound by
implicit rules,Cohen (1990) states that strategies
must be used to start and maintain a
conversation.Knowing and applying grammar
appropriately is one of the most basic strategies to
maintain a conversation.The following are some
strategies that people use when communicating.
1.NOMINATION
A speaker carries out nomination to collaboratively and
productively establish a topic.Basically,when you employ
this strategy,you try to open a topic to people you are
talking to.When beginning a topic in a
conversation,especially if it does not arise from a previous
topic,you may start off with news inquiries and news
announcement as they promise extended talk.Most
importantly,keep the conversational environment open
for opinions until the prior topic shuts down easily and
initiates a smooth end.
Example :
“Do you have anything to say?”
“Have you heard the news about the most pretty
girl in school?”
“Now,its your turn to ask questions.”
“Does that make sense to you?”
2. RESTRICTION
Restriction in communication refers to any
limitation you may have as a speaker. When
communicating in the classroom,in the
meeting,or while hanging out with your
friends,you are typically given specific
instruction that you must follow.This
instructionconfine you as a speaker and
limit what you can say.
EXAMPLE
• In your class,you might be asked by your
teacher to brainstorm on peer pressure.
• When you were asked to deliver a speech
in a specific language.
 3. TURN-TAKING
• Sometimes people are given unequal opportunities to
talk because others take much time during the
conversation.Turn-taking pertains to the process by
which people decide who takes the conversational floor.
There is a code of behavior behind establishing and
sustaining a productive conversation,but the primary
idea is to give all communicators a chance to speak.
• Remember to keep your words relevant and reasonably
short enough to express your views or feelings.
EXAMPLE
• Can we all listen to the one who talk in front of
us
• “Go on with your ideas.I’ll let you finish first
before I say something.”
4. TOPIC CONTROL

• Topic control covers how procedural formality or

informality affect the development of the topic in
conversations.For example ,in the meeting,you may
only have a turn to speak after the chairperson directs
you to do so.Contrast this with a casual conversation
with friends over lunch or coffee where you may take
the conversational floor anytime.
• Remember that regardless of the formality of the
context,topic controlis achieved cooperatively.
EXAMPLE
“One of the essential lesson I gained from the
discussion is the importance of sports and
wellness to a healthy lifestyle.”
 5. TOPIC SHIFTING
• Topic shifting,as the name suggest,involves moving
from one topic to another.In other words,it is where
one part of a conversation ends and where another
begins.
• When shifting from one topic to another,you have to
be very .Make sure that the previous topic was
nurtured enough to generate adequate views.You may
also use effective conversational transition to indicate a
shift like “By the way”,”In addition to what you
said”,”Which reminds me of”, and the like.
–EXAMPLE:
• “By the way there’s a new shop opening at
the mall”

• “In the addition to what you said about

the beautiful girl is that she is smart
 6. REPAIR

• Repair refers to how speaker address the problems in

speaking,listening,and comprehending that they may
encounter in a conversation.For example,if every body in
the conversation seems to talk at the same time,give way
and appreciate other’s initiative to set the conversation
back to its topic.
• Repair is the self-righting mechanism in any social
interaction (Scheloff al, 1977).If there is a problem in
understanding the conversation ,speaker will always try to
address and correct it.
EXAMPLE
• “Excuse me,but there are 5 Fuctions
of Communication not 4.”
• I’m sorry, the word should be
pronounced as Pretty not priti.”
 7. TERMINATION

• Termination refers to the conversation participant’s close-

initiating expression that end a topic in a
conversation.Most of the time,the topic initiator takes
responsibility to signalthe end of the discussion as well.
• Although not all topics may have clear ends,try to signal
the end of the topic through concluding cues.You can do
this by sharing what you learned from the
conversation.Aside from this soliciting agreement from the
other participants usually completes the discussion of the
topic.