The active listening technique of effective pauses uses what to encourage callers to continue speaking?

• A. Repetition
• B. Silence
• C. Questions
• D. Nodding

Answer: (B)

Effective pauses rely on silence as a prompt. When you give a brief moment of quiet after the caller finishes a thought, it signals that you’re listening and invites them to continue, often drawing out more detail or clarification. The silence reduces pressure to fill the moment and encourages the speaker to elaborate. Repeating what was said can be redundant, asking a question can derail their train of thought, and nodding, while supportive, may not elicit additional verbal information. A well-timed, short pause invites more conversation without interrupting the flow.