An easy way to remember the difference between encoding and decoding within the communication process is to think of encoding as the message the sender intends to say, whereas decoding can be thought of as what the receiver actually ______.

• A. Hears
• B. Understands
• C. Says
• D. Interprets

Answer: (A)

In communication, encoding is turning the sender’s ideas into a message, while decoding is how the receiver interprets that message. The blank is best filled with “hears” because decoding begins with the listener actually perceiving the message. If the receiver doesn’t hear it clearly—due to noise, distance, or distraction—the rest of decoding (interpreting and understanding) can diverge from what was intended. Hearing is the first step that makes decoding possible, and it explains why the received message often differs from the sender’s original intent.