communicative
communicative — adjective
1. describes someone who willingly talks to others and shares information, thoughts
describes someone who willingly talks to others and shares information, thoughts, or feelings without holding back.
During the bus ride, Leila was communicative and told everyone about her trip to Japan.
communicative + during [event] + shares information
Aiko rarely speaks in class; she is not a communicative person by nature.
negative pattern: not communicative
The more comfortable Uncle Theo feels, the more communicative he becomes around new people.
During the team meeting, Tomás was very communicative, explaining his ideas clearly and answering every question.
Not every manager needs to be highly communicative, but it certainly helps in team settings.
- talkative
more informal; focuses on talking a lot rather than sharing meaningful information
- open
suggests willingness to share personal or private thoughts
- forthcoming
more formal; cooperative about giving information when asked
- expressive
emphasises showing feelings or thoughts through words, face, or body language
- uncommunicative
direct opposite; unwilling to talk or share information
- reserved
more about personality type; keeps to oneself by nature
- silent
extreme; says nothing at all
用法筆記
Unlike talkative (which focuses on the quantity of speech), communicative emphasises a willingness to give real information. A person who talks a lot but says nothing personal or useful is talkative but not communicative.
常見錯誤
2. relating to the exchange of information, ideas, or feelings between people, ofte
relating to the exchange of information, ideas, or feelings between people, often describing skills, tools, or processes used for sharing messages.
Good communicative skills are essential for anyone working in customer service.
collocation: communicative skills
The workshop focused on non-verbal communicative signals such as eye contact and gestures.
non-verbal communicative signals — body language examples
Rashida's report examined how communicative technologies have changed workplace collaboration.
The app supports communicative development in children by using pictures and spoken prompts.
- informational
more focused on the factual content being exchanged rather than the process
- interactional
emphasises two-way exchange rather than one-way transmission of information
用法筆記
This sense is nearly always used attributively (before a noun). It is common in academic, professional, and technical writing but less frequent in everyday conversation, where communication (e.g. 'communication skills') is often preferred.
3. relating to a method of language teaching where real conversation and pair-work
relating to a method of language teaching where real conversation and pair-work interaction are the main tools for learning, rather than grammar rules or memorisation.
The language school adopted a communicative approach, so students practise real conversations from day one.
collocation: communicative approach — teaching method
In communicative classrooms, learners spend most of the time talking in pairs or small groups.
communicative classrooms — students interact rather than listen
Professor Kim's communicative teaching method helped her students speak Spanish with confidence within months.
Many modern textbooks are built around communicative tasks rather than traditional grammar drills.
The communicative approach worked well for Diego, who needed to speak Portuguese at his new job every day.
- interactive
broader term used outside education; any learning that involves back-and-forth activity
- conversational
focuses on everyday spoken dialogue rather than all forms of interaction
- grammar-based
a method that prioritises rules and written exercises over real communication
- teacher-centred
a classroom where the teacher lectures and students listen passively
用法筆記
Nearly always used attributively before nouns such as 'approach', 'method', 'classroom', or 'task'. When referring to the specific teaching philosophy, it is often capitalised: Communicative Language Teaching (CLT).