AMERICAN ACCENT LESSONS-How to Pronounce English Words
  • Home
  • Shop Now
  • Success Stories
  • American Accent Software
  • 1 on 1 Live Training
  • Languages
    • Indian
    • Slavic
    • Chinese
    • Spanish
  • Blog
  • Services
    • Eliminating Speech Conditions
  • International Training
  • Careers/ Medical/ Education
    • All Careers
    • Medical Professions
    • Education
  • Free Learning Tools
    • Speech Screening-3
    • Special Offer
    • Pass USMLE Step 2 CS-
    • 7 tips to pass the TOEFL
  • Meet Ela
  • Contact Us
  • American Accent Training for IT Professionals

American Accent Posts

Do You Speak Too Fast?

4/8/2018

 
By Ela Britchkow, Speech Therapist, American Accent Specialist
"Time is the scarcest resource and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed."
-Demakis, Joseph
The best way to determine your speaking rate is to time yourself giving a speech in front of a real audience. Using a video of your speech will help because you can count your words.
​Do you speak at the rate of a speeding train?
​Speech rate is the term given to the speech at which you speak. Slow speech is usually regarded as less than 110 words per minute. Conversational speech generally falls between 120 wpm at the slow end to 160-200 wpm in the fast range. People who read books for radio podcasts are often asked to speak at 150-160 wpm. The best way to determine your speaking rate is to..... ​
time yourself giving a speech in front of a real audience. Using a video of your speech will help because you can count your words. If you are anywhere close to the range of speakers analyzed above (133-138 words/minute) then you’re fine. Non-native American speakers who are Japanese and Spanish have the fastest speech rate. The slowest language is Mandarin followed closely by German.

WHY should I slow down my speech?
Generally people are not conscious of their habitual speaking speed if they are understood by those listening to them, then there is little reason to change. However, someone with naturally fast speech who takes a job requiring presentations to colleagues or customers, will find themselves having to slow down in order to communicate effectively.

If people frequently ask you to repeat what you said, it may be because you said it too quickly and they missed what you are trying to express. If the people around you speak at a rapid rate, then this can become habitual. Sometimes people speak quickly because they’re afraid they’re going to forget what they wanted to say or they want to get it over with. If you speak too fast, your listeners have to put in an extra effort to understand what you are saying.  If they have to work too hard to understand you, they will eventually lose interest and tune you out.

I know very few people who speak considerably too slow, but many who speak too fast. Because of the common tendency to put too much content into our presentations, we tend to speak at a blazing speed to get through it all. So, in general, slow down!
​

HOW can I slow down?
  1. Pause and take a breath. When you are reading, each time you see a period or a comma, stop and take a breath. This will automatically slow you down. When you are speaking, stop at the end of a thought group, about every 5-6 words and take a breath. By contrast, that is consistently fast can exhaust the audience. When you slow down your speech, they can digest the new information more effectively.
  2. Stretch out your vowels. Stretch out the vowel in a word and your speech will slow down and flow smoothly.  For example: “I wiiill nooow giiiive a seeeeven miiiiinute speeeeech”.
  3. Vary your speech rate. When you speak, use faster speech in some areas and slower speech in other parts depending on the point you’re trying to make.
  4. Use vocal variety. When you are speaking say some words with more stress (a little louder) depending on what you want to express. This will make your presentation not only more informative, but also entertaining.
Practice the above techniques in front of a mirror. You can also video record yourself and judge how you did. If you have a friend with whom you feel comfortable, practice your new speech rate with him/her. 
If you need to give a presentation, interview for a new job, introduce yourself at a networking event, you may feel nervous. When people feel nervous they tend to rush through what they are trying to say.  This is the time to remember the techniques above and use them.

When speaking rapidly is a habit, you will also need additional techniques to help you remember to slow down.
​
For expert training to help slow down your speech rate, gain confidence and become an effective communicator, consider the individual lessons and American accent software we offer. 
Thanks for reading my post about slowing down your speech rate to be better understood..  If you have any questions let me know.
Send a voice message via SpeakPipe
We would love to hear from you. 
Contact@ClearEnglishSpeech.com
215-322-6781
Are you repeatedly asked, “What?” or “Can you say that again?”
  • Quickly reduce infuriating requests, by pronouncing correctly one key misleading English sound.​
Receive FREE mini-lesson to master this sound and be confidently understood. 
 
By Ela Britchkow, Speech and Language Pathologist
©2018 Ela Britchkow​​

Comments are closed.

    Author      

    ​Ela Britchkow, Speech and Language Pathologist, American English Pronunciation Specialist

    Archives

    December 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017

    Categories

    All
    Accent Reduction Benefits
    American And English Accents
    American Slang
    Challenges Speaking English
    Clinical Speech Conditions
    Employer Reimbursemnet
    English Subtitles
    English Vowels
    Holidays
    Idiomatic Expressions
    Influence Of First Language
    Inspirational Sayings
    Number Of Lessons Needed
    Pop Culture
    Practice Advice
    Pronunciation And Age
    Schwa Sound
    Slavic Speakers
    Speech Rate
    Syllable Stress
    Uptalk

    RSS Feed

Contact Us

Contact@ClearEnglishSpeech.com
215-322-6781

    We welcome your questions and comments.

    We would love to hear from you. If you are an organization, with two or more employees that needs American Accent training, please provide us with a few details.

    So that we may contact you with a specific proposal for  our affordable, customized programs.

Submit

Connect 

Have questions? We would love to hear from you.

Translate Site to Improve Your American English Pronunciation

Full refund provided if not satisfied. Please refer to Terms of Service.
100 % Satisfaction Guarantee offered for people who purchase Clear English Speech interactive software lessons for American English pronunciation
Southampton, Pennsylvania 18966
​United States

We offer one-on-one Skype Sessions!
click Skype Chat symbol below

American English Pronunciation
Certificate of Achievement

Acknowledges Your
Successful Completion of Training

Pronunciation Posts:
​American Slang Words and Phrases: What Are They Talking About?
​
Can Idiomatic Expressions Be Political?
​


Ask About Company/Group DiscountsAsk About Company/Group Discounts
​English is rapidly becoming the world's main language. In almost every country, better education and employment opportunities depend more and more on a person's ability to speak English clearly and be understood. Internationally, the American accent is best understood among other English speakers.
Ela Britchkow© 2017 Speech and Language Services PC
  • Home
  • Shop Now
  • Success Stories
  • American Accent Software
  • 1 on 1 Live Training
  • Languages
    • Indian
    • Slavic
    • Chinese
    • Spanish
  • Blog
  • Services
    • Eliminating Speech Conditions
  • International Training
  • Careers/ Medical/ Education
    • All Careers
    • Medical Professions
    • Education
  • Free Learning Tools
    • Speech Screening-3
    • Special Offer
    • Pass USMLE Step 2 CS-
    • 7 tips to pass the TOEFL
  • Meet Ela
  • Contact Us
  • American Accent Training for IT Professionals