How does connecting with people over a video call compare with seeing them face to face? What gets lost, and what's gained?

A natural way to answer

Video calls are convenient and save a lot of travel, which is a real advantage. However, I think you lose some of the natural flow of a real conversation. Small signals, like body language, are harder to pick up on a screen.

Key phrases to use

• bridging the distance — connecting people who are physically far apart“A weekly call helps us bridge the distance.”
• talking over each other — speaking at the same time, interrupting one another“On laggy calls we keep talking over each other.”
• speak volumes — to communicate a great deal without words“Her silence spoke volumes.”
• hold a candle to — to be nearly as good as someone or something (usually in the negative)“No copy can hold a candle to the original.”