Problem of Pace

Lesson 4

Speech Skill: Pace

The Speech Problem

Speaking too quickly is one of the most common speech problems – perhaps because almost all of us tend to speed up our speech when we’re stressed or excited. And when are we not stressed when we’re working? Making a cold call, meeting a new contact, working on a project with a deadline – all of these situations are stressful and cause all kinds of physiological responses, including speeding up our speech.
Learn How to make Stress Work for You.
Some people, however, are genuine “motor-mouths” – people who always speak rapidly.
Speaking too slowly is much less common, but believe it or not, there are people who tend to speak naturally with a rate of speed that leaves gaps between words and drawls out syllables to extremes.
The trick to speaking at an appropriate pace is remembering that you need to speak at a rate that allows your listener to understand what you’re saying. Listening is not a one-step process; we have to physically hear what is said and then translate language into meaning. If we speak too quickly, this vital second step of the process is lost.
Like expression, the natural rate at which you speak is part of your speech signature. The problem with speaking at a pace that’s either too fast or too slow is that it interferes with communication.
When you speak too quickly, you literally “blow away” your listener.

He can’t mentally keep up with you and will quickly stop trying. While a small part of your message may get through, most won’t. When you speak too slowly, your listener has too much time for processing, and the mind either locks on how irritatingly slowly you’re speaking or wanders off to more interesting things.

If you hear phrases such as “Could you repeat that?” often, or often encounter glazed looks, you’re probably a person who usually speaks too quickly or too slowly.

Slowing Your Speech Down

Focusing on our enunciation when we speak is one good way to slow down our speech. When we focus on enunciating clearly, (as you did in Speech Lesson 1), we force ourselves to stop slurring and eliding syllables when we speak.
Another way to slow down our speech is to concentrate on phrasing. Oral speech, just like written speech, is composed of phrases and sentences. In fact, the punctuation of written speech is simply a set of sign posts to tell us how the written information should be phrased. For instance, when I wrote:
“If you hear phrases such as “Could you repeat that?” often, or often encounter glazed looks, you’re probably a person who usually speaks too quickly or too slowly,” the punctuation dictates that when you read or say this sentence, you are going to pause briefly after the question mark, pause again after the word ‘often’ because of the comma, and again after ‘looks’.

The sentence should be read the same way, whether you read it silently or read it out loud.

But people who speak too quickly tend to ignore phrasing entirely. They don’t pause for commas, hyphens, question marks or even periods, jamming all the phrases together. Therefore, concentrating on the phrasing can really help slow down speedy speakers.

Speech Exercise: Practicing Phrasing

Go back to the start of this speech lesson and read it out loud, using the punctuation to guide your phrasing. Think of a period or semi-colon as a pause twice as long as a comma.
Speech Exercise: How-Tos
The Benefits of Improving Your Speech Pace
When you speak at an appropriate pace, your listeners will:

• Be more interested in what you’re saying and more attentive;
• Be more likely to comprehend the message you’re communicating.

Speech Lesson 4 Homework Assignment

Set aside a minimum of 15 minutes a day this week to work on your voice pace.
Once you’ve worked through the exercises on and linked to this page, I want you to continue your oral reading program throughout the week. Fiction or non-fiction will work, as long as the piece is properly punctuated. As you read out loud, concentrate on your enunciation and following the phrasing as directed by the punctuation. Those of you who enjoy a challenge will benefit from dipping into some literary classics, such as novels by Austen, Hardy, Dickens and Thackeray. The sentence structure will provide a great phrasing workout.
The next step is much harder, but I want you to start working on it right away, too. Start visualizing the punctuation before you speak. Whether you’re on the phone or talking to someone in person, before you say what you’re going to say, “see” the sentences, complete with their periods and commas, and then say it. If you can master this, the pace at which you speak will slow down considerably – even if you’re stressed.
And once again, tell your speech monitor what speech skill you’re working on this week, and get him or her to warn you when you’re speaking too quickly or too slowly.
In the next speech lesson, you’ll be taking a look at buzzwords and slang and how they can destroy communication.

Pep Up Your Voice

Lesson 3

Speech Skill: Expression
The Speech Problem

Speaking in a monotonous voice is a real communication killer. When the variety of your voice’s pitch doesn’t vary, it’s impossible for your listener to maintain any interest in what you’re saying. He tunes out – quickly. Once again, your message falls by the wayside.

But even if he did hear it, he probably wouldn’t believe it.

People who speak in a monotone or with inappropriate expression in their voices are perceived as untrustworthy, boring, or even shifty. As a business, sales or professional person, you can see why you’d want to fix this sloppy speech problem right away!

Other Speech Problems of Expression

Now, you may be saying to yourself (with a sigh of relief), “I certainly don’t speak in a monotone!” That’s excellent news, but unfortunately, the obvious monotone, where there is no variety of pitch in the voice, is only one sloppy speech habit related to expression. A far more common problem is a lack of appropriate vocal variety, or, as I call it, tired voice.

If you have tired voice, your speech just doesn’t convey the appropriate emotional shadings and vitality that make people’s voices interesting and pleasant to hear. Think of it this way; your voice is as much a part of your signature style as the colour of your eyes or the way you walk.

People can identify you by these signature traits. And in some cases, people have developed “signature” voices that are grating, braying, booming or otherwise just downright unpleasant for other people to listen to – because their voices are not suitably expressive.

The good news is that having a monotonous or tired voice is not a life sentence.

Everyone can change their signature voice (to some degree, barring physical complications) – just as we can change the way we walk or even the colour of our eyes.

Speech Exercise: Emotion Sentences

The purpose of this exercise is to practice getting more vocal variety into your speech, so you are going to be saying these sentences in different ways.

First, say the sentence out loud as you would if you were ecstatically happy.

Then say the same sentence out loud as you would if you were extremely sad.

1. I just got a call saying that I won a vacation in Las Vegas.
2. I’m going to have to change that light bulb.
3. Our town now has a new recycling program.
4. My next door neighbour is moving out next week.
5. I’ll be able to retire in only two more years.

Speech Exercise: Belief Sentences

The purpose of this exercise is to practice conveying meaning through expression in your speech, so once again, you are going to be saying these sentences in different ways.

First, say the sentence out loud as you would if you truly believed the statement.

Then say the same sentence out loud as you would if you didn’t believe what you were saying and wanted to convey your disbelief to your listener.

1. You’ll never regret buying one of these.
2. This extended warranty is a great deal.
3. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
4. What I’m doing now is the best thing I’ve ever done.
5. I am the best at what I do.

Speech Exercise: Drama Queens and Kings

The Benefits of Improving Your Speech Expression

As your voice expression increases, your listeners will:

• Be more interested in what you’re saying and more attentive;
• Be more likely to be receptive to you and the message you’re communicating.

Speech Lesson 3 Homework Assignment

Set aside a minimum of 15 minutes a day this week to work on your voice expression.

Start by working through the exercises on and linked to this page. You will want to go through each of these speech exercises at least three times.

In addition, you’ll want to start working with other passages. As I suggest at the end of the Drama Queens and Kings exercise, published plays in any book are an excellent source of material for improving your expression speech skill. Reading poetry out loud is another excellent practice.

Perhaps the best source of speech exercise material is children’s books. When we read one of these aloud to a child, we tend to try out a variety of different voices and exaggerate the expression in our voices in response to the child’s response as we read.

If you have no children’s books (or children) on hand, remember that any fiction will work. Reading Shakespeare aloud, for instance, is wonderful practice. Use your fifteen minutes a day to read out loud. It’s best if you read to an audience, as having an audience will help you focus on using expression to interest (and perhaps enthral) your listeners.

Over time, as you consistently practice this speech skill, you’ll find your “signature” voice change - becoming both more expressive and more pleasing.

A speech lesson, especially for those who speak too quickly or too slowly, is up next.