The less you _______, the more people will _________.

• A. Talk, Listen
• B. Listen, Talk
• C. Argue, Ignore
• D. Explain, Understand

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that limiting your own talking increases the chance that others pay attention to what you say. When you talk less, you create space for others to contribute and you speak with more purpose, so your messages land more clearly and are taken more seriously. This encourages people to listen rather than tune you out, because concise, thoughtful remarks stand out in a conversation and show you value others’ input.

That’s why completing the sentence with Talk first and Listen second fits best: The less you talk, the more people will listen. The other options don’t capture this dynamic—they either flip the relationship, suggest a less productive pattern, or shift the idea away from concise, respectful communication.