Quick answer
Aural relates to the ear and hearing. Oral relates to the mouth, and to things that are spoken. Memory hook: aural goes with the ear, and oral goes with the mouth.
The core difference
Aural is about hearing and the ear, while oral is about the mouth and spoken language.
- aural — relating to the ear, sound or hearing: The test measured her aural comprehension of the recording.
- oral — relating to the mouth, or spoken rather than written: Students must pass both a written and an oral exam.
How to tell them apart
The two words sound alike in many accents, so it helps to link each to a body part. Aural goes with the ear, and it comes from the Latin word for ear. Oral goes with the mouth, from the Latin word for mouth.
The confusion shows up in language teaching and testing. An aural skill is what you do when you listen, and an oral skill is what you do when you speak. A listening test is aural, and a speaking test is oral.
Frequently asked questions
Is an oral exam a speaking or listening test?
An oral exam is spoken rather than written, so the candidate answers by speaking. It is not the same as an aural test, which focuses on listening.
What does aural mean?
Aural means relating to the ear, or to sound and hearing.
Why are aural and oral confused?
They sound very similar in many accents. Remember that aural links to the ear and oral links to the mouth.
