What percentage of communication is based on what you say?

The correct answer highlights that a significant portion of communication is conveyed through the actual words spoken. Understanding that approximately 90% of communication is perceived to rely on the spoken content emphasizes the importance of language and message clarity in effective communication. This high percentage underscores how crucial the choice of words is in conveying intentions, emotions, and information during interactions.

This statistic also serves as a reminder for instructors and communicators to focus on their verbal messages while preparing materials or engaging with their audience, ensuring that the words chosen are clear and impactful. It's important to recognize that nonverbal signals, tone, and body language also factor into overall communication, but when strictly isolating the function of words, this figure conveys the paramount influence language has in conveying meaning.