Use of language appropriate to a given situation shows this competency.

• A. Pragmatic
• B. Sociolinguistic
• C. Grammar
• D. Phonology

Answer: (B)

Adjusting language to fit social context is about sociolinguistic competence—the ability to choose language that matches the situation, audience, and social norms. This includes selecting the right register, formality level, and terms of address, as well as deciding when slang or more formal vocabulary is appropriate. In practice, a teacher might speak more formally and use clearer, more precise language when addressing parents or administrators, while using a warmer, simpler tone with students during class activities. This sensitivity to how language is received in different settings is what sociolinguistics focuses on. Pragmatics deals with how we intend and interpret meanings in interaction, grammar covers sentence structure, and phonology concerns sounds; the emphasis on matching language to social context fits best with sociolinguistic competence.