Well, we’ve been talking about why writing is better than speaking as a mode of communication. That was from the writer’s end or productive end. On the other hand, when you look at it from the receptive end, it is again more convenient to read something and understand than to listen to a speech. Let’s see why…

When you read you can…

Read anytime (You can read anytime of the day you prefer. You are free to choose when you read; at night, in the morning or evening; whenever you are most comfortable and you can concentrate well on what you are reading.)

Read anywhere (You can decide on a comfortable location to read. Some people prefer to read in bed. Others like to go down to the garden and sit under a tree and read. I have seen many people read in buses, trains or airplanes.)

Read at your own pace. (If you are a slow reader, like when you are learning a new language or your eyesight is giving you trouble, you can read at a comfortable pace, with frequent pauses if necessary, whereas when listening you have to go at the speaker’s pace. You can’t pause unless it is a recording you are listening to.)

Re-read till you fully grasp the meaning. (If you find it difficult to understand the meaning of a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph or the whole text, you can read again till you fully grasp the meaning. You can read several times if the text is particularly difficult to understand.)

Use your dictionary. (If and when you come across a new word or a phrase you can pause your reading and check it in the dictionary so that you are able to understand your reading material completely and accurately.)

Read later. (If you feel tired, if you can’t concentrate on what you are reading for some reason or if you have to attend to some other emergency, you can read later. If you suddenly hear the doorbell or the telephone ringing, you can put down what you have been reading and go answer it.)

Keep records (It is very useful when you need to keep the communication for future reference or as proof. That is why we file away important letters and memos carefully.)

If you think hard, you’ll come up with a dozen more reasons as to why reading is better. That does not mean we can do away with speaking and listening altogether. Speech is still a very strong mode of communication whereas written communication is strong and essential in certain areas… Next we’ll see what those areas are…