It is a common observation that some non-native speakers of English often speak so fast that listeners can hardly understand the words they utter.
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ToggleAttempting to speak English quickly or too fast, without the need to take time to think, won’t make you sound like a native English speaker. Before speaking, you need to take time to think.
Instead, s
To Speak in English slowly and take time to think before you speak has two benefits:
- It gives you even more time to think of what to say next.
If you think, “I speak too fast, and the listener can hardly understand what I say.” So, no worry because with time and practice, your spoken English will catch its average speed naturally.
You may get worried that the individual you’re speaking with is quite impatient, and they may want you to say what you want as quickly as possible.
First of all, it might not be true-people often prefer a well-balanced response to a hurried one.
So relax.
Let’s try to understand from the below example how “To take time to think can be beneficial” for you:
Why is there a lot of violence on TV?
That’s quite a good question. Let me take some time to think about why it happens; this is the first time I have thought about this. Well, I guess…
Right here, the speaker gains considerable time to mirror just by repeating the concern and including a few sentences. If you do the same, you’ll appear much more fluent and not feel the pressure of needing to say something before you’re ready.
Note: Want to improve your spoken English? Read Breaking the Language Barrier: Techniques for Improving Your Spoken English.
Fixed or Set phrases.
Taken care of or Set phrases are expressions whose words are usually repaired in a specific order.
They can be verb patterns, idioms, junctions- anything we constantly state in one particular method.
For example,
Throughout the day
In the meantime
It’s been a long time, given that
Sorry to bother/trouble you, but…
Could you please?
Oh, come on!
I’m just joking!
For what it deserves, …
To be right/wrong about something
How to learn speak slowly?
Whenever you are asked something, you can use the above phrases before your answer to sound more natural.
As you have read the above common phrases that can be used in various situations, let’s quickly learn how to speak slowly to add value to your conversation.
1. Practice and take time to think before execution:
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This is the most common word you keep hearing whenever you want to learn something. But here, practice means something a refreshing exercise that you can do at your home, garden, or any other of your favorite location.
What you have to do is just set aside yourself from the crowd for 2-3 minutes. First, take time to think about the topic you will be speaking about.
Then start speaking English in your style and then gradually decrease your speed. You will feel the difference it makes.
You will feel more confident, your conversation will be more entertaining, and you will start expressing yourself better.
2. Have a conversation with someone:
Once you get bold enough on your practice, then conversate with someone. This will be more helpful in achieving clarity in conversation. At first, you might hesitate but do it!
And it is much appreciated to ask for feedback to improve yourself further.
As you start the conversation slowly, your listener will enjoy your company, and you will feel better compared to your previous version.
These steps might feel familiar, but practice will make the difference.
Therefore, try these steps and improve your confidence, fluency, and engagement in daily conversation.