verbal replies

USAGE SUMMARY

'verbal replies' is correct and is often used in written English.
You might use it when you want to refer to spoken answers that were given to a question. For example, "The teacher asked the students for their opinion and they gave their verbal replies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"We need to understand how our brains generate verbal replies instantly using nearly a hundred muscles if we are to design new treatments for the many Americans for whom this process has failed, often because of diseases such as autism or traumatic events, like stroke," he added.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Here in Micronesia, one says "yes" to a question not with a verbal reply but a raise of the eyebrows.

The Guardian

isn't answerable with a typical verbal reply.

Huffington Post

For the assessment battery shown below (Usui et al. 2003), responses were rated as errors when subjects made either no response (arrest), delay in response (slowing), or an incorrect verbal reply (error) during stimulation (Table 2).

Cerebral Cortex

When asked the same question, another student replied: Student 7 verbal response: "If I had to guess, I would probably say between the evolutionary stages of two animals…the fossil that came in between them".

CBE Life Sciences Education

The dialogue often felt so personal that they would often trigger a verbal response from young viewers, a "byplay," in which they "may respond vocally to a question and Rogers, anticipating the reply, may follow through to his next point".

Huffington Post

Low risk included 1/100 and 1/1000 values for numeric measure and "very low, low" replies for verbal measure, while all others included in "high risk".

BMC Women's Health

I sometimes find myself prefacing questions with "Sorry to bother you …" just for the verbal TLC of them replying: "Oh, please!

The Guardian - Opinion

Using communication analysis we outlined and quantified verbal behaviors (e.g., questions, replies), content categories (e.g., patient status, medications), situation awareness communications, sequential diagrams of communications (frequencies of communication sequences between team members), and mapping all of the above as a function of the event timeline.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

Mr. Carrizzo, 46, a director at a bank, said he recently complained to a cabby that the taxi's meter was surely broken, getting in reply only a verbal shrug.

The New York Times

Although the administration of the ISA demands rigid time intervals (e.g. 5 min) between measurements, these fluctuate slightly depending upon the availability of the participant to reply to the verbal prompt, and the ability of the experimenter to administer timely cues.

Journal of Shipping and Trade

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the nature of communication in formal settings, use "verbal replies" to denote spoken responses, especially when distinguishing them from written ones. For instance, you might say, "The committee requested both written and verbal replies to the proposal".

Common error

Avoid using "oral" or "vocal" interchangeably with "verbal" in all contexts. While related, "verbal" specifically refers to the use of words, whereas "oral" refers to the mouth, and "vocal" to sound production. Use "verbal replies" when the focus is on the content of the spoken words, not just the act of speaking or making noise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "verbal replies" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where the adjective "verbal" modifies the noun "replies". This noun phrase typically acts as the subject or object of a sentence, describing the nature of the replies being discussed. As per Ludwig, this is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "verbal replies" is a grammatically sound and accepted phrase used to specify that responses are communicated through spoken words. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and can be effectively used in various contexts, particularly in news, science, and professional settings. While not exceedingly common, it offers a precise way to distinguish spoken answers from other forms of communication. When using the phrase, ensure that the context focuses on the content of the spoken words rather than just the act of speaking or making noise, and consider alternatives like "spoken responses" or "oral answers" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

verbal answers

A more direct synonym, keeping the core meaning intact.

oral replies

Another direct synonym, interchanging "verbal" with "oral".

spoken responses

Replaces "verbal" with a more common synonym, emphasizing the act of speaking.

oral answers

Uses "oral" instead of "verbal", highlighting the spoken nature of the replies.

spoken answers

Uses "spoken" instead of "verbal", highlighting the spoken nature of the replies.

vocal responses

Substitutes "verbal" with "vocal", focusing on the sound produced in response.

oral retorts

Replaces "replies" with "retorts", implying a sharper or more defensive response.

spoken feedback

Uses "feedback" instead of "replies", framing the response as information provided.

verbal acknowledgements

Replaces "replies" with "acknowledgements", suggesting recognition or confirmation.

stated responses

Uses "stated" to emphasize that the replies were formally articulated.

FAQs

How can I use "verbal replies" in a sentence?

"Verbal replies" are suitable in contexts where spoken answers or responses are being discussed. For example: "The survey allowed for both written and "verbal replies" to gauge participant sentiment."

What is a good alternative to "verbal replies"?

Depending on the context, you can use "spoken responses", "oral answers", or "vocal responses" as alternatives to "verbal replies".

What's the difference between "verbal replies" and "written replies"?

"Verbal replies" refer to spoken answers or responses, while "written replies" are answers provided in written form. The key difference lies in the mode of communication – spoken versus written.

Is it redundant to say "oral verbal replies"?

Yes, using "oral verbal replies" is redundant. The term "verbal" already implies the use of words, which are typically spoken or written. "Oral" also means spoken, so using both is unnecessary and awkward. Just use "verbal replies".