spoken
spoken — verb
1. the form of 'speak' used with 'have', 'has', or 'had' for completed actions, or
the form of 'speak' used with 'have', 'has', or 'had' for completed actions, or with 'be' in passive sentences.
Hamza has spoken with every department head, so the plan is ready to go.
present perfect with 'has' + 'spoken to [someone]'
The elderly woman had not spoken a single word since the accident.
Spanish has been spoken in Santiago's home for three generations.
The defendant's name had been spoken aloud before the lawyer could stop the witness.
Benjamin has never spoken about his childhood in public.
文法句型
have/has/had + spoken
be + spoken
用法筆記
As a past participle, 'spoken' only appears in compound verb forms (perfect tenses, passive voice). It never stands alone as a main verb.
常見錯誤
2. used to describe a language or type of communication that people produce with th
used to describe a language or type of communication that people produce with their voice, rather than through writing or music.
Putri finds spoken Italian much easier to understand than written Italian.
collocation: 'spoken [language] vs written [language]'
The exam tests both spoken and written English skills equally.
paired with 'written' in formal contexts
Mizuki's spoken Japanese is fluent, but she still struggles with kanji.
Many learners find spoken English harder to understand than written English.
Christopher's spoken French improved quickly after he moved to Lyon.
- written
the opposite medium of communication
用法筆記
Commonly contrasted with 'written' in the same sentence. The noun following 'spoken' is usually a language name ('spoken English') or a communication noun ('spoken language', 'spoken word').
常見錯誤
spoken — adjective
1. relating to or carried out through the act of talking, as opposed to being done
relating to or carried out through the act of talking, as opposed to being done in writing — for example, a spoken promise or a spoken warning.
The couple made a spoken agreement to share all household costs.
collocation: 'spoken agreement' — not written down
A spoken apology from the mayor helped calm the angry crowd.
The old folk tales were passed down through spoken tradition for centuries.
A spoken warning from the coach was enough to change the team's behaviour.
A spoken promise between friends was all they needed to seal the deal.
文法句型
spoken + noun
be + spoken
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with 'oral', but 'spoken' is more common in everyday contexts ('spoken apology'), while 'oral' is preferred in formal or clinical settings ('oral exam', 'oral tradition'). Distinguish from sense 1 of verb — verb sense 1 is the grammatical past-participle form, while this adjective sense modifies a noun directly.
2. having a clear, educated, and polished way of speaking that makes a positive imp
having a clear, educated, and polished way of speaking that makes a positive impression on listeners.
The committee chose a well-spoken candidate to represent the group.
attributive: 'a well-spoken candidate'
Antonia is well-spoken and handles press conferences with confidence.
Quinn's well-spoken manner made a strong impression on the interviewers.
The tour guide was so well-spoken that tourists often complimented him.
The receptionist was well-spoken and handled every phone call with patience.
- articulate
suggests the ability to express ideas clearly; slightly more formal than 'well-spoken'
- eloquent
implies persuasive and emotionally powerful speech; higher register
- polished
focuses on smooth, refined delivery
- inarticulate
describes difficulty expressing ideas clearly
- rough-spoken
implies a blunt or unpolished manner of talking
文法句型
be + well-spoken
a well-spoken + noun
常見錯誤
spoken — suffix
1. used at the end of a word, after an adverb, to create an adjective describing a
used at the end of a word, after an adverb, to create an adjective describing a particular style or quality of talking — for example, soft-spoken meaning 'talking in a gentle, quiet way'.
The soft-spoken librarian surprised everyone with her confident speech.
compound: 'soft-spoken' — quiet, gentle manner
Folake is a plain-spoken woman who never hides her true opinion.
compound: 'plain-spoken' — direct, honest
Sivan is too soft-spoken to be heard at the back of the lecture hall.
The plain-spoken politician won voters over with his honest answers.
The rough-spoken farmer had a kind heart hidden beneath his blunt words.
文法句型
adverb + -spoken
用法筆記
This suffix is productive but limited to established compounds. Common ones include 'soft-spoken', 'plain-spoken', and 'smooth-spoken'. New coinages (e.g., 'gentle-spoken') are possible but less frequent. Distinguish from adjective sense 2 ('well-spoken'), which is a single fixed adjective rather than a productive pattern.