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Quizzes > Friendship, Family & Social Roles

Interpersonal Communication Skills Test: How Well Do You Connect?

Quick, free communication skills quiz to improve your conversations. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Josh FosterUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art figures sharing speech bubbles beside quiz text on sky blue background.

This interpersonal communication skills test helps you spot strengths and blind spots in listening, speaking, and nonverbal cues. Want a wider view? Try our effective communication quiz or explore your preferences with a communication style quiz. For focused practice, check out an interpersonal communication test that looks at people skills at work.

What is active listening?
Paying attention with your full cognitive focus, understanding the speaker's message
Mentally preparing your next point while the other person is speaking
Nodding occasionally while thinking about your response
Responding with judgments to show engagement
Active listening involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and remembering what is said, rather than just hearing the words. It requires giving full attention, avoiding distractions, and providing feedback that shows you understand the message. By focusing entirely on the speaker, active listening promotes trust and effective communication. For more detail see .
Which of the following is an example of nonverbal communication?
Asking open-ended questions
Tone of voice
Using descriptive words
Body posture
Nonverbal communication includes body posture, facial expressions, gestures, and eye contact rather than spoken words. These cues often convey emotions and attitudes that complement or contradict verbal messages. Recognizing nonverbal signals enhances your understanding of the speaker. For more, see .
What is the purpose of paraphrasing in communication?
To restate the speaker's ideas in your own words to ensure understanding
To interrupt and correct factual errors
To ask unrelated follow-up questions
To critique the speaker's message
Paraphrasing means restating another person's message in your own words, which helps confirm you've understood correctly. It shows the speaker you're engaged and allows them to clarify any misunderstandings. This technique strengthens communication and rapport. Learn more at .
Which barrier to communication is caused by external sounds?
Physical barrier
Emotional barrier
Semantic barrier
Psychological barrier
A physical barrier refers to any external noise or environmental factor that disrupts communication, such as traffic sounds, loud machinery, or poor acoustics. Recognizing and mitigating these distractions can improve message clarity. This emphasizes the need for an environment conducive to focused listening. See .
What is an open-ended question?
A multiple-choice question
A question requiring only yes or no answer
A question that invites elaboration and detailed responses
A question that leads the respondent to a specific answer
Open-ended questions encourage detailed answers by inviting the speaker to explain thoughts or feelings. They typically begin with words like "how," "what," or "why." Using them fosters deeper understanding and engagement in conversations. For guidance, visit .
Which statement demonstrates empathy?
"You should just get over it."
"I can see how upset you are and I'm here to help."
"That's not a big deal to me."
"Calm down, everything will be fine."
Empathy involves acknowledging and validating another person's feelings without judgment. Saying "I can see how upset you are" shows understanding and support. This builds rapport and trust in communication. More on empathy at .
Which of the following describes effective feedback?
General comments about performance
Personal attacks in private
Delayed and vague impressions
Timely, specific, and focused on behavior
Effective feedback is given promptly, targets specific behaviors, and offers constructive suggestions for improvement. It should be objective rather than personal, helping recipients understand exactly what actions to continue or change. This approach supports growth and performance. Learn more at .
Which listening style focuses on understanding the speaker's feelings?
Empathic listening
Analytical listening
Content listening
Critical listening
Empathic listening is aimed at understanding the speaker's emotions and viewpoints without judgment. It involves staying open, providing supportive responses, and validating feelings. This style fosters deeper connection and trust. For more, see .
What is mirroring in interpersonal communication?
Criticizing someone's gestures
Paraphrasing the speaker's words
Imitating another person's body language to build rapport
Summarizing the main ideas
Mirroring involves subtly matching another person's nonverbal cues - like posture, gestures, or facial expressions - to build rapport and empathy. It signals engagement and fosters a sense of connection. Used appropriately, it enhances mutual understanding. Read more at .
What does the "feedback sandwich" technique involve?
Providing two criticisms followed by praise
Starting with criticism and ending with criticism
Offering praise only after the meeting ends
Delivering criticism between two layers of praise
The feedback sandwich places constructive criticism between positive comments to cushion the impact and keep the recipient receptive. This structure helps maintain morale while still addressing areas for improvement. When used correctly, it balances honesty with support. More detail at .
Which communication style uses "I" statements?
Aggressive
Assertive
Passive
Avoidant
Assertive communication involves expressing thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully using "I" statements, such as "I feel" or "I need." This approach reduces blame, fosters understanding, and builds healthier relationships. Learn more at .
What distinguishes hearing from listening?
They are identical processes
Listening is passive; hearing requires focus
Hearing involves understanding; listening is only sound detection
Hearing is physiological, listening is cognitive and active
Hearing is the involuntary physiological process of perceiving sound, while listening is an active process that involves interpreting and understanding those sounds. Effective listening requires attention, processing, and response. Distinguishing the two improves communication skills. See .
In a high-context culture, communication is typically:
Reliant on nonverbal cues and shared context
Directly confrontational
Focused on facts and data only
Explicit with detailed verbal messages
High-context cultures rely heavily on nonverbal signals, shared experiences, and implicit understanding rather than explicit verbal messages. Relationships and situational context carry much of the meaning. This contrasts with low-context cultures that emphasize clear, direct language. For insight, visit .
What is selective listening?
Reading body language without listening
Focusing only on parts of the conversation that interest you
Listening to every detail impartially
Listening in multiple languages
Selective listening occurs when someone hears only parts of a message that interest or confirm their own beliefs, ignoring the rest. This creates misunderstandings and undermines effective communication. Awareness and practice can mitigate this barrier. More at .
According to social penetration theory, self-disclosure is likened to:
An onion with layers
A doorbell
A puzzle
A marathon race
Social penetration theory describes self-disclosure as peeling back layers of an onion, moving from superficial to intimate information over time. Deeper layers represent more personal and vulnerable sharing. This metaphor highlights gradual relationship development. Learn more at .
What is the primary difference between paraphrasing and summarizing?
Paraphrasing uses direct quotes; summarizing does not
Summarizing restates line-by-line; paraphrasing condenses
Paraphrasing restates in detail while summarizing condenses main ideas
They are the same process
Paraphrasing involves restating the speaker's message in detail using different words, while summarizing condenses the main points into a brief overview. Paraphrasing checks understanding, and summarizing highlights key ideas. Both support effective communication. See .
How should you respond to a defensively reacting speaker?
Criticize their defensiveness to correct it
Ignore their emotional state and press your point
Acknowledge their feelings and clarify your intent calmly
Escalate with your own defensive remarks
When someone becomes defensive, acknowledging their feelings and calmly clarifying your intentions can reduce tension and open a constructive dialogue. This approach validates their experience and fosters mutual understanding. Reacting defensively in return often escalates conflict. For strategies, see .
What is an example of an open neutral question?
"Shouldn't you be more careful?"
"You didn't finish your work, did you?"
"Can you describe what happened?"
"Why did you do that?"
Open neutral questions avoid judgment or leading language and encourage the speaker to elaborate freely. Asking "Can you describe what happened?" invites detail without bias. This fosters open communication and deeper insight. For more on questioning, visit .
How can silence be used effectively in conversation?
To encourage the speaker to fill the space and elaborate
To make the other person feel uncomfortable
To show disinterest in the topic
To change the subject abruptly
Strategic silence gives the speaker space to think and often encourages them to elaborate on their thoughts or feelings. It demonstrates patience and can deepen understanding. Used appropriately, silence can be as communicative as words. For tips, see .
Which nonverbal cue refers to the study of personal space?
Paralanguage
Chronemics
Proxemics
Haptics
Proxemics is the study of how people use personal and interpersonal space in communication. It examines distance, territory, and physical comfort levels. Awareness of proxemic norms improves cross-cultural and interpersonal interactions. For more, see .
Which best describes assertive communication?
Speaking only when prompted
Expressing needs aggressively without regard for others
Respectfully expressing one's thoughts while considering others
Withholding opinions to avoid conflict
Assertive communication balances self-expression with respect for others, using clear, honest statements. It involves standing up for personal rights without violating the rights of others. This style enhances mutual respect and effective dialogue. Learn more at .
What does distortion in listening barriers refer to?
Misinterpreting or twisting the speaker's message
Physical noise blocking hearing
Forgetting what was said
Being distracted by internal thoughts
Distortion occurs when the listener misinterprets, alters, or twists the speaker's intended message, often due to biases or assumptions. This barrier leads to misunderstandings and conflict. Recognizing personal filters can reduce distortion. See .
Which component of emotional intelligence involves recognizing your own emotions?
Social skills
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Empathy
Self-awareness is the ability to identify and understand one's own emotions, triggers, and their effects on behavior. It is the foundational component of emotional intelligence, enabling better self-management and interpersonal interactions. For deeper insight, see .
In cross-cultural communication, monochronic time orientation views time as:
Sequential and quantifiable
A shared group resource
Flexible and fluid
Unimportant for scheduling
Monochronic cultures perceive time as linear and segmented, valuing punctuality, schedules, and completing one task at a time. This contrasts with polychronic cultures that view time more fluidly and juggle multiple activities. Understanding these orientations improves cross-cultural interactions. Learn more at .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Assess Active Listening Proficiency -

    Use the effective listening quiz component to gauge your ability to fully attend to speakers and provide meaningful responses.

  2. Evaluate Feedback Techniques -

    Analyze your approach to giving and receiving feedback through the feedback techniques quiz, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.

  3. Practice Paraphrasing Accuracy -

    Apply strategies from the paraphrasing skills test to restate messages clearly and confirm understanding in real-world interactions.

  4. Identify Communication Barriers -

    Pinpoint common obstacles in interpersonal conversations and learn which factors most affect your performance on the communication skills test.

  5. Apply Conversation Enhancement Strategies -

    Discover actionable tips to strengthen your dialogue skills and elevate everyday exchanges at work, school, or social settings.

  6. Reflect on Overall Interpersonal Strengths -

    Interpret your results from the interpersonal communication quiz to highlight your conversational strengths and create a personalized growth plan.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Active Listening with the SOLER Mnemonic -

    Active listening is vital for any interpersonal communication quiz and involves posture, eye contact, and verbal acknowledgments as outlined by the SOLER mnemonic (Squarely face, Open posture, Lean in, Eye contact, Relax). Research from the University of Queensland shows that using SOLER can boost perceived empathy by up to 25%. Try silently counting "1, 2, 3" between your responses to avoid interrupting.

  2. Feedback Using the SBI Model -

    The Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) framework from the Center for Creative Leadership helps you give clear, nonjudgmental feedback: describe the Situation, the observed Behavior, and its Impact. Studies in the Harvard Business Review indicate SBI increases acceptance of feedback by 40%. Practice by writing a one-sentence SBI statement after observing a short team interaction.

  3. Paraphrasing for Understanding -

    Paraphrasing means restating another person's message in your own words to confirm accuracy, a technique endorsed by the American Psychological Association for conflict resolution. A handy mnemonic is "RAP": Restate, Ask for confirmation, Proceed. Use RAP in study groups - after someone speaks, say "So what you're saying is…?" to sharpen this skill.

  4. Nonverbal Cue Awareness -

    Nonverbal signals account for roughly 65% of communicated meaning according to Albert Mehrabian's research on verbal vs. nonverbal communication. Pay attention to facial expressions, tone, and gestures by practicing mirroring exercises with a partner to improve rapport. Remember the 60-30-10 rule: 60% body language, 30% tone, 10% words.

  5. Effective Questioning Techniques -

    Strong communicators use open-ended questions (who, what, how, why) to encourage detailed responses, a tactic recommended by Harvard's Project Zero for deeper learning. Contrast with closed questions ("yes/no") when you need quick facts. Drill yourself by transforming three closed questions into open ones before your next conversation.

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