Is 'voice' only about speaking and singing?

No. While its core meaning is physical sound, it's widely used metaphorically for expression, representation, and style, and technically in grammar and computing.

What's the difference between 'say' and 'voice' (as a verb)?

'Say' is general and neutral. 'Voice' (verb) is more formal and specifically means to express feelings, opinions, or concerns, often in a public or deliberate way.

Is 'voicemail' one word or two?

In modern standard English, it's almost always written as one word: 'voicemail'.

Can 'voice' be used in a political context?

Yes, very commonly. Phrases like 'having a voice in government', 'the voice of the people', or 'giving voice to the marginalised' are standard political discourse.

vo language

UK/vɔɪs/US/vɔɪs/

Neutral to formal

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

The sound produced in a person's larynx and uttered through the mouth, as speech or song.

The ability to express thoughts, opinions, or feelings; the distinctive style or tone of a writer or artist; the right to express a preference or opinion; the grammatical category of verbs indicating the relation of the subject to the action (active/passive voice).

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The word spans concrete (physical sound) and abstract (expression, representation) meanings. In grammar, it's a technical term.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Minimal. 'Voicemail' is standard in both, though 'answerphone' is a dated, chiefly British alternative. In telephony contexts, 'to voice a call' is more common in US technical jargon.

Connotations

Similar. 'To give voice to' is equally metaphorical in both. 'Voiceover' is the standard spelling in both, but UK style guides may hyphenate more often (voice-over).

Frequency

Equally high-frequency in both varieties. The passive construction 'to be voiced' (as in concerns were voiced) is slightly more frequent in UK news writing.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

raise your voicelose your voicevoice concernvoice opinionsinging voice

medium

powerful voiceinner voicetone of voicefind your voicevoice mail

weak

soft voicevoice recognitionvoice actorgive voice tovoice vote

Grammar

Valency Patterns

to voice + NOUN (concern, opinion, objection)to have/lose/find + a + ADJECTIVE + voicein a + ADJECTIVE + voice

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

sayexpressarticulatestateverbalise

Neutral

utterancespeechexpressionvocalisation

Weak

toneinstrumentmouthpiecerepresentation

Vocabulary

Antonyms

silencevoicelessnessmutenessinarticulateness

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“A voice in the wilderness”
“At the top of one's voice”
“Like talking to a brick wall (implying one's voice is ignored)”
“To have a voice (in something)”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Stakeholder voice, customer voice, employee voice programmes, voicing shareholder concerns.

Academic

Authorial voice, narrative voice, the passive voice in scientific writing, giving voice to marginalised groups.

Everyday

She has a lovely voice. I've lost my voice. Can I leave a message on your voice mail?

Technical

Voice recognition software, Voice over IP (VoIP), active/passive voice in grammar, voice leading in music.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

The committee voiced strong objections to the proposal.
Many residents have voiced worries about the new development.

American English

The senator voiced her support for the bill.
Shareholders voiced their concerns during the call.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I know her voice on the phone.
Please don't shout, use a quiet voice.
He has a deep voice.

She lost her voice after the concert.
The teacher asked us to voice our ideas.
I left a message on your voicemail.

The documentary gave a voice to the local community.
He voiced his reservations about the plan in the meeting.
The author's unique voice is evident in her latest novel.

The passive voice is often overused in academic writing.
Amid the criticism, one dissenting voice argued for a different approach.
The new software uses advanced voice recognition algorithms.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of your CHOICE to use your VOICE. Both words rhyme and are connected (you choose what to say).

Conceptual Metaphor

VOICE IS POWER / AGENCY (e.g., 'giving voice to the voiceless', 'having a say').

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid translating 'голос' as 'vote' in non-political contexts (use 'voice').
The phrase 'in a ... voice' (e.g., 'in a soft voice') is structured differently: 'тихим голосом' -> 'in a quiet voice', not 'with a quiet voice'.
'Passive voice' in grammar is 'страдательный залог', not 'пассивный голос'.

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'voice' (sound) with 'noise' (unwanted sound).
Using 'say' or 'tell' where 'voice' (as a verb) is more formal: 'He said his concerns' (ok) vs 'He voiced his concerns' (more formal/idiomatic).
Misspelling 'voicemail' as two words.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

After the heated debate, she finally managed to her personal opinion on the matter.

Multiple Choice

In which context is 'voice' used as a technical grammatical term?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No. While its core meaning is physical sound, it's widely used metaphorically for expression, representation, and style, and technically in grammar and computing.
: 'Say' is general and neutral. 'Voice' (verb) is more formal and specifically means to express feelings, opinions, or concerns, often in a public or deliberate way.
: In modern standard English, it's almost always written as one word: 'voicemail'.
: Yes, very commonly. Phrases like 'having a voice in government', 'the voice of the people', or 'giving voice to the marginalised' are standard political discourse.