A patient uses words solely based on sound, not meaning.

• A. Clanging
• B. Echolalia
• C. Incoherence
• D. Blocking

Answer: (A)

Clanging is a thought and speech pattern in which word choice is guided by sound rather than meaning. The person links words because of rhymes, similar sounds, or auditory associations, so phrases may be fluent but nonsensical because the content isn’t tied to what the words actually convey. This exactly fits the description of using words solely based on sound.

Echolalia would involve repeating someone else’s words, not creating new phrases based on phonetic connections. Incoherence means the speech is so disorganized or fragmented that it’s incomprehensible, but not specifically driven by sound-based links. Blocking is a sudden interruption in speech or thought, not about choosing words by sound.