By Robby
If you are new here please read this first.
I’m sure you know that it’s quite hard to change bad habits, don’t you? Once something has become your second nature, it’s more difficult to change it than making sure you’re getting it right from the get-go!
Learning new English vocabulary is no different.
Imagine yourself sitting in a classroom and writing down new English vocabulary words into your copybook. I had to do it at school, and I’m sure such practice is pretty much alive even in this day and age.
Now, your first encounter with those new words is purely VISUAL. You’re looking at them, re-writing them into your copybook and with every additional exposure those new words get imprinted into your VISUAL MEMORY.
No wonder you often visualize English words and sentences in front of your eyes when speaking which results in hesitant and interrupted speech!
What’s even worse, while re-writing them into your notes, you may involuntarily read those new English words in your mind with incorrect pronunciation! As a result, wrong mental association is formed linking a particular English word with the corresponding wrong pronunciation.
Furthermore, such visual and wrong pronunciation related associations are quite hard to eradicate considering that they’ve been created upon your first encounter with this or that particular new English word.
First impressions are lasting impressions, and if you’ve built your English vocabulary the old-school way by writing and memorizing,…
… you may have created thousands of visual and wrong associations in your mind which hamper your ability to speak fluent and natural English!
Now, considering that traditional English studies are centered around reading and writing, it’s not hard to imagine that this issue of wrong mental imagery floating around your mind as you’re trying to speak is prevalent among foreign English speakers who are trying to achieve English fluency or improve their pronunciation!
The typical approach towards new vocabulary acquisition at school has always been re-writing new words in a copybook or memorizing individual word lists in a workbook…
… provided that you’re learning English as a FOREIGN LANGUAGE!
Native English speakers, on the other hand, arrive at school with their heads stuffed full with English vocabulary acquired without any reading and re-writing, have you ever thought about that? Yes, they will be guided through pretty much the same educational system and they’ll also be required to write down hundreds and thousands of English words AND learn their spelling.
The fact that they’ve already acquired thousands of words large English vocabularies PURELY BY SPEAKING, however, makes a world of difference!
If you learn new English vocabulary purely by speaking, you don’t form a visual association in your mind. You don’t keep seeing that word in front of your eyes, and there’s nothing to inhibit your ability to use that word in a fluent conversation!
When that proper association is created, you can write all those new English vocabulary words into your copybook all you want, just like native English speakers studying English at school, and it’s not going to damage your ability to use that vocabulary as part of a real-life conversation.
If, on the other hand, you’ve acquired most of your English vocabulary purely by reading the new words, writing them down and then memorizing them, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll never get rid of the habit of preparing your speech in your head prior to speaking because you’ll keep seeing all that content in front of your eyes due to the strong VISUAL association!
Moment of Truth: Look at How Children Acquire Languages
There’s a very popular misconception in the English teaching industry about natural language acquisition at the early stage of a child’s life: children don’t just start speaking a language – they listen first and only THEN speak; therefore it makes sense to engage in a lot of listening first!
Why it’s wrong?
Simple enough – we, adults, are CAPABLE of speaking so we don’t need to spend a lot of time engaged in listening ONLY! You’re not going to become fluent just by listening, and unlike toddlers living in native English speaking families who are quite naturally forced to listen all the time before they’re developed enough to start speaking, we are perfectly able to listen AND mimic all we hear IMMEDIATELY.
What the industry seems to have overlooked, however, is the fact that when those native English speaking children start speaking, there’s NO WRITING INVOLVED WHATSOEVER!
They build their vocabularies purely by speaking, and their vocabulary associations are being created at an abstract level ONLY.
No visual clues, no writing-based associations that will make them visualize the actual words in front of their eyes when they speak.
I’m Not Talking About Images Linked With Certain Concepts!
In case you’re saying – “Hold on Robby, I can definitely think of mental imagery associated with a lot of my native vocabulary! When I say ‘an elephant’, for instance, I do imagine an elephant; same goes with pretty much any other word!” – here’s my explanation.
Of course we have mental imagery associated with the respective vocabulary, no doubt about that.
What I’m talking about in this article is a bit different.
I’m talking about the actual IMAGE OF THE WRITTEN WORD in front of your eyes; that’s the only wrong association inhibiting your fluency!
When you learn new English vocabulary purely by speaking, your mind will still conjure up images and store them, and that’s totally natural. You will not, however, keep seeing that word as it’s written in your copybook or on a whiteboard in front of your classroom, and that’s what I’m talking about here!
Over the years you may have even developed a bad habit of “writing” new English words in your mind’s eye as you learn them even if it happens in a natural setting where there’s no real writing involved, and it’s definitely not beneficial to your fluency.
As I’ve said previously in this article, such a habit results in a speech preparation in your head before you’ve even said anything aloud, and that’s what you should avoid by all means possible!
Pronunciation Also Has to Be Learnt by Speaking FIRST!
Here’s the real kicker – most of the new vocabulary English students write down in their copybooks isn’t even required to be SPOKEN OUT LOUD!
I find it shocking, but nonetheless it’s true! 😡
It’s wrong, it’s unnatural, and it definitely doesn’t facilitate students’ fluency – let alone proper pronunciation habits.
Just think about this:
- You write down a word in your copybook (or read a new English word while doing home reading).
- While doing so, you involuntarily pronounce the word in your head.
- Sometimes that pronunciation is right, sometimes it’s not.
- Wrong pronunciation sticks with you if there’s no-one to correct you and demand you repeat that word a good few times with proper pronunciation.
- There’s a very good chance no-one will ever ask you to do that! 😡
Because of this very problem, I personally still have a lot of English vocabulary that I pronounce the wrong way. It’s a habit formed at the early stages of language acquisition, and such habits are quite hard to break. Now that I engage in a lot of spoken English practice, I try to fix my imperfections picked up over all those years of reading and writing based English studies, but why does it have to be that way for you?
It doesn’t, if you adhere to these few basic English vocabulary learning tips:
Tip #1: When Learning New English Vocabulary, Speak Out Loud!
If you already do that – great!
If you don’t – start doing it!
It’s of the utmost importance, my friends, that you pronounce any new words, and of course – learn them CONTEXTUALLY.
If you repeat a phrase or a word combination containing the new English word by speaking it out loud, you’re imprinting that word into your mind AND your speech producing organs.
It means that every time you open your mouth to say that word, you’ll just say it instead of ‘reading it from your visual memory’!
Tip #2: Break the Habit of Visualizing Words!
I know it’s easier said than done, but you’ve just got to get rid of those English words popping up in front of your eyes before you speak them out loud.
Yes, it’s hard.
Years long traditional English studies have contributed to that, and now it’s up to you to develop your ability to just say things without ‘writing’ them in your mind’s eye first.
How it’s done best?
A lot of spoken English practice whereby you force yourself to speak quite fast without giving yourself enough time to ‘write’ all those English words in your mind!
Yes, you may start making a lot of mistakes when speaking in that fashion, but you don’t have to do it all the time. And you may also find that after a while you suddenly stop making all those mistakes for the simple reason that you won’t have enough time TO THINK and ANALYZE your own speech!
Basically it’s reverse psychology, and please read this article where I’m describing how this stuff works ❗
Tip #3: Engage in Loud Reading Sessions!
This one is of a particular importance to you if you’re into reading English fiction – just like me!
Basically what you have to do is read aloud from time to time, and you’ll definitely realize you’re forced to look up certain words to see how they’re actually pronounced.
Personally I achieved complete English reading fluency while not being a particularly good English speaker which means that much of my English vocabulary hasn’t been acquired through speaking.
Because of that, I still have moments when I might say certain English words with the wrong pronunciation, and engaging in loud reading sessions is a very handy way of spotting your imperfections in terms of pronunciation and it gives you an opportunity to eradicate them.
And even if you’re not into reading English fiction, you still should read aloud every now and then when reading online news or reading my blog, for instance!
Such reading practice will also help you overcome the problem of visualizing English words in your mind’s eye as you speak, and over time you’ll emerge a much more fluent foreign English speaker than you ever were!
Thanks for reading my blog, and you’re welcome to leave a comment below if you’ve got something to say in connection with what I wrote in this article or simply to say hi to everyone! 😉
Chat soon,
Robby
P.S. Would you like to find out why I’m highlighting some of the text in red? Read this article and you’ll learn why it’s so important to learn idiomatic expressions and how it will help you to improve your spoken English!
P.S.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out my English Harmony System HERE!
P.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out the English Harmony System HERE!
I can understand English, but I have a hard time with English speaking. What should I do?
Today we move from understanding English to speaking it. I will show you, with the permission of one of our German listeners, what moving to speaking English sounds like. And just to be fair, I will show you how I sound speaking German, as I move from understanding German to speaking it. If you’re at this stage of learning to speak English, it’s definitely worth listening to the end of today’s podcast.
If you have listened to my podcasts, you will know I’m also learning to speak other languages, just like you are. I’m currently working on my French language, and today I have a real treat for you as I got the chance to speak in German.
Every English language learner will get a stage where you have learned to understand basic English, but you can’t seem to speak it. It can be a really frustrating time, where you can understand native English speakers but not be able to speak English yourself. You feel you’ve hit a wall and that there’s nothing other than practice to help you get over the hump. You’re in luck. We have covered this topic before. Today you get more advice and you can listen to some real-world examples of how this transition sounds.
This podcast is all about showing you that transitioning from understanding to speaking English is possible. You are not alone. Every language learner goes through this stage at some point. Finally, the podcast will give you some suggestions on how to make the move from understanding English to actually being able to speak it.
Most Unusual Words:
Freeze
Frustrating
Anticipate
Inhibition
Genuine
Preparation
Spontaneity
Most common 2 word phrases:
| Phrase | Count |
|---|---|
| You Can | 3 |
| To Speak | 3 |
| To Get | 3 |
| Try To | 3 |
| French Or | 2 |
| Want To | 2 |
| That Step | 2 |
| You Get | 2 |
| In English | 2 |
| Get Stuck | 2 |
| Speaking English | 2 |
| Understand English | 2 |
Listen To The Audio Lesson Now
The mp3 audio and pdf transcript for this lesson is now part of the Adept English back catalogue . You can still download and listen to this lesson as part of one of our podcast bundles.
Transcript: English Speaking-How To Go From Understanding English To Speaking It
Let’s talk today about the problems that many of you have with starting to speak in English. It’s quite common to get stuck being able to understand English quite well, but you just can’t speak it! Is that where you are? You can understand English, but you can’t speak? If so, today’s podcast gives you some ideas, some advice for how to move forward with your English speaking.
Hello, I’m Hilary, and you’re listening to Adept English. We will help you to speak English fluently. All you have to do is listen. So start listening now and find out how it works.
So one of the things that happens when you listen to spoken English — like the Adept English podcast — you get much, much better at understanding English. You get well beyond that stage of having to translate — into the stage where you can easily understand much of what’s being said. You can just let the English flow over you and you understand most of it.
There may the be odd word you don’t understand — and in podcasts I try to see, I try to anticipate which words might be difficult and give you a spelling and an explanation for these. Like ‘anticipate’, ANTICIPATE — and if you ‘anticipate’ something, you expect it, you look for it. But the point is that when you’re doing all of this, your brain stays thinking in English.
So understanding is increased massively just by listening. And if you’ve been listening to the Adept English podcast for a while, you’ll know this for yourself. You’ll know that your understanding of English improves dramatically through listening. And this listening prepares the ground for speaking English too. But there’s that step to speaking that takes a little bit more work — and not having made that step? Well, that’s why people get stuck at this stage.
We’ve all had that moment where we freeze and can’t remember any of the right words!
So let’s talk about how you do that. All of us as language learners have had that horrible experience of being in a ‘live situation’, with someone who speaks English or French or Mandarin or whatever language it is you’re trying to learn. And we try to speak — and our brain freezes — we just can’t find the words in time. And we all remember this as a bad experience. And this perhaps interferes, stops our want to speak English. It’s awkward, it’s embarrassing if this happens — we feel we don’t want to ‘have a go’ at speaking English.
Video
We need to get past our inhibition
Well, this is the discomfort, this is the difficulty that you must find ways to get past. In the early days, when my sister had first moved to France, I hadn’t worked at all on my French — it came from my school days and it was unpractised. But she used to say to me that I was ‘much better at speaking French when I’d had a couple of drinks!’ — meaning when I’d had alcohol, I got over my embarrassment and had a go at speaking French anyway.
Of course, I wasn’t speaking perfect French, or necessarily even mediocre French — but I was at last speaking some French, instead of just staying silent. So that being prepared to ‘have a go’ is critical, very very important. How are you ever going to learn speaking, if you avoid doing it?! Now the reason why I was ‘better at French’ when I’d had a couple of drinks — alcohol removes what we call ‘inhibition’ — that’s INHIBITION. And our ‘inhibition’ is those feelings which stop us, which prevent us from doing something, in case we feel embarrassed or awkward.
Now I’m not suggesting for a minute that the achieving fluency has to involve alcohol! The point is more that the alcohol had the benefit of lessening my inhibition. And we language learners must find other ways to lessen our inhibitions, so that we can practise speaking English — or French or German or Mandarin!
A recording to inspire you to speak English
So I wanted to share with you today a voice recording that we at Adept English received just before Christmas. It comes from a lady in Germany called Melanie — and we loved receiving this recording because it shows someone having a go and it made us smile because it’s so genuine.
You send us lots of emails, giving us your appreciation for the podcasts and the courses, telling us about your English language learning journey. And your emails are lovely! But it was really nice to actually hear one of our students speaking English. So I asked Melanie for her permission to use her voice note recording in our podcast, so that you can listen to it too.
Here it is.
Dear Hilary
I like your podcast very much. I’m very pleased that I discovered it eight months ago. And thankyou so much, it’s very helpful. And I’ve tried to speak English during the day, but it’s very…um… wait a minute! But it’s very difficult for me because..um…I don’t know so much typical words in our house for example. If I want to speak about the bathroom….the basket for the waste, then I don’t know the right word. And so….wait….and I would be happy about themes about the daily routines and …. about things in our houses and so on. And perhaps you can record some podcasts around your daily life and what you are doing the whole day in your house, perhaps.
Thankyou very much.
Why not ‘have a go’ yourself?
Now in the spirit of ‘having a go’, I thought that this voice recording deserved a reply. I can speak a bit of German, again from way back when I was in school, so I recorded a reply. My German is rusty — that means I haven’t used it for a long time, so I did need to look up a couple of words — but this recording now is me ‘having a go’ in German. My German doesn’t flow like this without a little bit of preparation, but I remember enough to make myself understood — I think! If you speak German, you can judge for yourself!
Here it is.
Hallo Melanie, danke für Ihre Sprachnotiz — wir haben es geliebt Sie zu hören und Sie haben uns zum Lächeln gebracht. Es gibt diese Momente, in denen Adept English sehr lohnend ist! Das ist auch eine gute Idee für einen Podcast. Es gibt viele Möglichkeiten — ich könnte durch mein Haus gehen und die Wörter für Alltagsgegenstände verwenden! Das war ein neues Wort für mich! Alltagsgegenstände!
Es war schön, Sie Englisch sprechen zu hören — schön Englisch auch! Und jetzt versuche ich, mit Ihnen Deutsch zu sprechen. Ich habe viele Schwerigkeiten….mit daβ, aber versuchen ist gut!Alles Gute für jetzt!
Have a go and start speaking now!
So I’m sharing these recordings with you — to show that it’s not important for you to speak perfect English — it is fine if you pause, if you make mistakes, if you mispronounce. Melanie says ‘Wait….’ quite a few times in her recording — and that’s great, because she’s giving herself time, she’s waiting for the words to arrive. And it’s just a bit slower because she’s speaking English — and that’s not her native language.
I’m sure it doesn’t happen when she’s speaking German, of course. But everybody listening can understand why she says that, can understand the process. We can identify with Melanie.
So be enthused by hearing other people having a go! If you hear people who speak really good English as a second language — they too had to pass through this stage. They once were like you at speaking English. The difference is that they ‘had a go’ and they carried on ‘having a go’. They made themselves continue to speak English.
They got over the feelings of awkwardness and embarrassment and they practised. And little by little, all those hours and hours of listening to spoken English began to be available to the speaking part of their brain. And they became more and more fluent. Exactly where you want to be! And if you’ve done the preparation of lots and lots of listening and your understanding of the language is good — then the step towards speaking is much shorter.
Listening stores up the words, and is preparation for starting to speak!
My childminder — that’s the lady who looked after my children when I was working and they were too young to go to school — she used to talk about how her son didn’t speak English when he was 2 years old. They were worried about him — he clearly understood the words, but hardly said anything at all.
Then when he was 3 years old, he suddenly started to speak in full sentences and they stopped having to worry. He was just unusual in how he learned to speak, but maybe he was doing what you’re doing. He was listening and listening and listening and storing up all kinds of words and vocabulary. And then once he decided he was ready to speak, he got going really quickly — no waiting around for him. Straight to full sentences. It was just waiting for him to make that decision to start to speak.
Your turn to have a go at speaking English!
So maybe it’s time for you to make that decision to start to speak? Your speaking won’t be perfect, you’ll make mistakes, you’ll pause and speak slowly, you’ll have to pause for the words to come. And sometimes you’ll forget the right words. But what was so charming and lovely and what touched us about Melanie’s recording — she didn’t wait until she could speak English perfectly before getting in touch. She didn’t practise or do big preparations so that her recording was perfect. She made a recording which reflected her ability to speak English as it was — and she allowed herself to take the time and to wait for the words to come.
Download The Podcast Audio & Transcript
In English, when something is genuine and spontaneous like this, we call it ‘off the cuff’. So thankyou Melanie for that. We like your genuineness and spontaneity and we thought allowing other people to hear you speak would be an inspiration to them.
Help yourself with a podcast bundle
Don’t forget — if you really want to get busy and do a lot of English language listening, you can go to our website to download hundreds of our podcasts — and make a really massive improvement to your English language learning. Go to our website at adeptenglish.com, click on our Courses page — and ‘Build your own Megabundle’.
Boost Your Learning With Adept English
That means a big, big bundle or selection of podcasts. And you can choose which ones you want to download. Every language learner needs a bundle of Adept English podcasts on their mobile phone, so that you can just keep on getting better and better at English with all that listening!
Goodbye
And hopefully this podcast will inspire you to get speaking too!
Enough for now. Have a lovely day. Speak to you again soon. Goodbye.
Thank you so much for listening. Please help me tell others about this podcast by reviewing or rating it. And, please share it on social media. You can find more listening lessons and a free English course at adeptenglish.com
Links
- More interesting English lessons on Speaking English
- Another English lesson helping you move from understanding to speaking English
- Find us on Spotify
- Read along on YouTube
- Apple Podcasts
- English language courses
- Listen & Learn
- Podcast Bundles
Whether you’re chatting with coworkers at lunch, having an important conversation with your boss, or giving a big presentation, speaking with confidence and charisma can transform your daily life.
Research shows that communication skills are strong predictors of your success in the workplace and relationships. Yet, so many people still struggle with verbally expressing themselves. Excellent speakers benefit from:
- Improved communication
- Getting their ideas heard
- Earning more respect
- Being interrupted less
- Having more loyal and deep connections
- Not being underestimated or overlooked
If you are hesitating or flustered when it’s your turn to talk, here are 14 actionable tips for improving your speaking skills.
How to Improve Speaking Skills at Work and Beyond: 14 Action-Packed Tips
Most kids learn to talk around 1 to 2 years old, but learning to express yourself verbally is a lifelong learning experience. You can excel in your career and get what you want by mastering the art of talking.
Many tools are available to improve your speech, whether you’re a native speaker or an English learner. Here are the top 14 science-backed ways to speak better:
#1 Stay in your zone of genius (only talk about what you know)
You may notice that the most professional-sounding people tend to stay in their zone of genius when speaking publicly. You won’t hear Oprah pretending she’s an expert in electric cars. Nor will you hear Elon Musk advising about spirituality and personal development.
They both stay in their realms of expertise, which naturally makes them sound confident when they speak. They’re not faking it— they know what they’re talking about!
If you struggle to speak with conviction, you may inadvertently talk about topics you don’t know much about. Instead, focus on your zone of genius.
Your zone of genius is the mental space where your skills and interests converge.
It includes the subjects, facts, and stories you know the most about. These things are easy for you to talk about with others because you’re knowledgeable and passionate about them.
Avoid talking off the cuff about topics you’re not familiar with. Not only does this make you sound uninformed or untrustworthy, but it can send off the message that you are a “know-it-all.”
Masterful conversationalists are usually not afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Similarly, a public speaker won’t add random facts or opinions that they can’t back up with authentic knowledge on the topic.
Pro tip: Not a master in your subject? No worries! Most people have limited knowledge in a particular field. Try learning from the Three Book Rule, which states that if you read 3 books on a specific topic (for example, tennis), you’ll be more knowledgeable than 99% of the population.
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#2 Read books or articles out loud
Reading is one of the most underrated tools for becoming a great speaker. It can make you sound more articulate and smooth in your speech. Plus, you learn new vocabulary and better comprehend the book in the process.
Unlike conversations or spoken speeches, written text tends to have a better structure for learning, as authors and editors have worked together to keep the text free of grammatical errors or awkward sentences. Reading books aloud helps you learn to speak more smoothly in day-to-day conversations.
Repeat this exercise at least once per week (or every night before bed if you’re determined):
- Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
- Choose a book you enjoy, flip to a random page, or continue reading where you left off.
- Read the page out loud from start to end.
- Take note of words you had trouble pronouncing or sentences that sounded awkward out loud. Notice how fast or slow you read and the tone of your voice. Depending on the character’s speaking, you can also practice changing your voice if you’re reading fiction. This can help you practice vocal variety.
- Look up the pronunciation of specific words if needed.
- Now read the page or passage out loud again. Change your performance based on what you noticed in the first round. Emphasize important points with a shift in volume or inflection (highness or lowness of your voice)
- Optionally, use voice memos on your phone to record yourself reading.
- Listen back to your recordings and find places where your inflection, cadence (the rhythm of speech), and volume change. Do these align with the overall message of the piece?
If you feel unsure about reading aloud, try listening to audiobook samples to hear how different speakers recite written words. You can also use a free resource like Librivox to listen to free audiobooks or volunteer to read yourself and practice becoming a better speaker.
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#3 Use tongue twisters to practice enunciation
Mumbling speech can make it challenging to understand what you’re saying. When people mumble, it sends the message that they don’t want to be heard or feel embarrassed by their speech. On the other hand, people who enunciate their words are seen as more intelligent.
Eloquent speaking is undoubtedly an art, but it starts with the simple act of training your mouth to move in a certain way. Those silly tongue twisters from your childhood can be surprisingly useful. Repeating related sounds can improve your English speaking skills and articulation of specific words.
Repeat these 10 times each or until you can say them over and over without fumbling:
- Red leather, yellow leather, red leather, yellow leather.
- Sally sells shells by the seashore.
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
- You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.
- I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.
Use tongue twisters regularly and as a vocal warm-up before you do a lot of talking.
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Bonus Tip: Learn the Art of Stage Presence
Did you know that public speaking is actually a skill? Many people struggle with stage anxiety because they feel they ‘missed the memo’ on public speaking or they are lacking because they do not have a natural stage presence. Not true!
Stage presence and public speaking are skills you need to be taught—very few people have them naturally.
Here are all the aspects of public speaking you can master.
- How to make a first impression with an audience
- How to have stage presence
- Powerful body language
- How to speak with a commanding voice
- What to do with your hands while speaking
For every speaking skill you add to your toolbox, the less speaking anxiety you will feel.
If you want help really diving into your presentation skills, be sure to sign-up for our course…
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Master Your People Skills
- Create a Memorable Presence
- Communicate with Confidence
- Achieve Your Goals
Have a question about the presentation or People School? Email Science of People support.
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#4 Talk to yourself
One of the easiest ways to step into your power as a speaker is to start talking to yourself. People often dismiss those who talk to themselves as crazy when, in reality, talking to yourself is entirely normal.
Scientists have found that talking to yourself is beneficial for enhancing your performance in sports, finding things you lost, and solving problems. A practice called mirror meditation combines neuroscience and self-reflection to overcome insecurities like physical appearance and public speaking.
You can use self-talk with or without a mirror to achieve two primary goals:
- Build your confidence: Psychologists say that talking to yourself in a mirror can help externalize your inner dialogue and sort through your thoughts. Speaking positive things to your reflection is a form of positive affirmation. For example, you can calm your nerves before talking to someone important by telling your reflection, “You’ve got this! You are well-spoken, eloquent, and powerful with your words. You’re going to rock this conversation. I love you.” You don’t necessarily have to say these things out loud, but you want to signal to your mind that you are your number one fan (and you should be!).
- Rehearse before big moments (and sort through your thoughts): For example, you can rehearse what you’ll say to your boss while you’re driving in the car on your way to work. Don’t worry about acting looking weird—nobody will be able to hear you. Use verbal recitation to gather your thoughts, so you can repeat the key points you want to discuss in the meeting. Similarly, before a big speech, you may want to walk around your room and go over a speech script in your head or out loud.
Both methods can work synergistically to improve your speaking skills drastically. But the most important thing to remember about self-talk is: Avoid talking to yourself negatively whenever possible, especially before a critical communication event like a meeting, presentation, or important lunch.
Listen to your internal voice and avoid internal statements like:
- “You sound stupid.”
- “I am horrible at public speaking.”
- “Your voice sounds embarrassing.”
- “You idiot, get it out already.”
Replacing negative self-talk takes practice. Replace critical self-talk with positive affirmations (here are 120 great ones) and learn more about silencing your inner critic so you can feel more confident in your speech.
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#5 Learn from the best (& mimic them)
Humans are psychologically programmed to mimic each other. Mirror neurons are primal “monkey see, monkey do” parts of our brain that imitate the actions we see in other people. They explain why babies naturally smile when you smile or why you can learn to swim by watching others move in the water.
Recent research has also revealed how these neurons are critical for learning language and communicating with others. You can even “hack” your mirror neurons to help you become a better speaker. Think about the best speakers you know and try a few of these simple practices to pick up on their best qualities:
- Watch a video of your favorite speaker three times in a row. Notice their tone of voice, stature, and vocal quirks. Learn a few sentences from the speech and try to re-enact them in a mirror. For example, if you want to mimic the conversational yet profound tone of Denzel Washington, watch this video of his speech at a graduation:
- Pretend you’re an actor and recite lines from a movie character you like. You can find specific scenes from movies on YouTube. Analyze how the script structure impacts your feelings about that character’s confidence and self-expression.
- Listen to a podcast of someone you admire and repeat things they say out loud. Podcasters are great speakers because they only have their voice to capture your attention. For example, Rob Dial of The Mindset Mentor is authentic, empowering, and energizing podcaster who speaks directly to the audience’s needs.
Pro Tip: Speech mimicry helps you learn to speak more confidently in public or on stage, but remember to stay true to your unique qualities. You don’t want to copy other people’s words, or you will be inauthentic. Instead, take note of the specific qualities you want to adopt—such as a deeper voice, a slower pace of speaking, or a particular type of vocabulary—and integrate these into your existing communication style.
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#6 Always remember your MVP
An MVP isn’t just the star of a sports team. It’s the Most Valuable Point you need to make in any communication setting. If everything else you say was forgotten, what is one sentence that gets your point across?
Before you go into a meeting with your team, give a speech, or check in with your boss, think about your MVP. For example,
- I’m going into this check-in with my boss to ask for a raise of X dollars.
- I want to sit down with my significant other tonight and resolve our miscommunication about X.
- My main goal for today’s work lunch is to get to know 3 new things about each of my colleagues.
- The key purpose of this article is to help people improve their speaking skills in various settings.
Regardless of the communication setting, an MVP gives purpose to your words.
Bonus: If you want to sound really convincing, practice turning your MVP into a specific sentence or two. Something like:
- “My performance in the past 6 months has doubled the company’s revenue, and, as a result, I believe I deserve a higher raise.”
- “There was a miscommunication earlier, but after some deep thinking, I realize it was my fault, and I am truly sorry.”
Having a concrete sentence or two memorized can help deliver your speech powerfully and convincingly.
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#7 Sound more confident by speaking louder and lower
Speaking isn’t only about what you say but how you say it. A 2017 Yale study found that the sound of your voice is what makes people:
- Trust you
- Like you
- Believe what you’re saying
- Feel certain emotions
Think about it: How do you feel when you hear someone using filler words like “um” or “like” in every sentence? What about someone who talks softly? Or someone who raises their voice at the end of a statement to make it sound like a question?
You probably won’t perceive them as confident in what they’re saying. You may even be less likely to do business with them, believe their story, or give them what they’re asking for.
There are three keys to sounding more confident when you talk:
- Speak louder (but don’t yell): When you feel nervous, you may naturally talk more softly. But this can create a negative feedback loop that makes you sound (and feel) less confident. Instead, make your voice sound stronger by speaking at a moderate volume that you adjust based on the room and audience size.
- Speak lower: Research shows that people who speak louder and lower are perceived as more dominant and authoritative. This is particularly important for women who talk in soft, high tones. You don’t need to change your natural voice completely; instead, practice speaking in the lower end of your range.
- Talk at a moderately fast pace: If you speak too slowly, you could sound boring. People who drone on in a monotone don’t tend to keep our attention for long. On the other hand, if you speak too fast, you could sound annoying or difficult to understand. Studies have found that people who talk at a moderately fast pace (about 195 words per minute) seem more intelligent, persuasive, and attractive. Measure your voice with a Metronome app for Android or iOS and try to land in the 110-160 word per minute range.
Remember that your optimal vocal volume and pitch may change depending on your audience. Learn more tips about How to Speak with Confidence and Sound Better.
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#8 Prepare your voice
Have you noticed your voice sounds groggy in the morning or strained after singing too loud on the drive to work? It’s not the best vocal state for negotiating a business deal or asking for a raise.
Vocal care isn’t just for singers or public speakers. Proper preparation ensures your voice doesn’t crack when it comes time to speak up in a meeting. To sound better when talking, remember to:
- Use deep breathing: Shallow chest breathing can make you sound more jittery or nervous when talking. Deep belly breathing exercises can help improve your oxygen levels while simultaneously calming your body.
- Exhale first: When it comes time to speak, most people breathe and start their sentences with an inhale. Instead, remember to exhale first. Blow out a strong breath just before you start talking.
- Stay hydrated: Your voice is directly affected by your level of hydration. Research even finds that hydrated voices sound better. If you are about to speak for an extended period in a speech or meeting, drink plenty of water in the hours leading up to the event.
- Use our 5 vocal warm-ups:
5 Vocal Warm-Ups Before Meetings, Speeches and Presentations
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#9 Start and end with the best points
The serial-position effect explains why people remember the first and last things you say the most clearly. Whether talking to your coworkers about a project or giving a big pitch to a client, you should emphasize the best points at the beginning and the end.
This is particularly important for presentations, but you can apply it to daily conversations. When preparing to speak, the first thing to do is brainstorm all your key points and ideas. It helps to jot them down on flashcards or digital slides. Arrange them so that the juiciest or most essential points come first. Then, reiterate them at the end as well.
For example, if you’re selling your marketing services to a client, the very first lines of the presentation may emphasize why your agency’s package is the best one available. This is sort of like a thesis. You might start with: “Top Level Agency is a one-stop shop for your marketing needs because we do all web design and digital production in-house (no freelancers or contractors!), offer 24-hour emergency technical support, and monthly payment plans.”
Then, you can introduce yourself, explain the package offerings, and dig into more details. At the end of the presentation, repeat the key benefits they’ll get from working with your company.
People remember the beginning and the end! Avoiding burying your important points in the middle! Many people tell stories chronologically and accidentally bore their audience with background stories and foundational info that leaves a bad first impression.
Pro Tip: Practice your opening and closing line the most. If you have these, you know you will start and end on a high.
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#10 Master the art of presentations with 4 quick tips
From job interviews to congratulatory speeches to workplace meeting presentations, speaking in front of a group of people is a life skill that we all must practice at some point. It’s how you sell yourself, your ideas, or your products and services. Yet over 30% of Americans list public speaking (glossophobia) as one of their biggest fears. Fortunately, overcoming glossophobia can be as simple as preparation and practice.
Here are four quick tips to transform your presentation skills:
- Start with a hook: First impressions are everything! A sparkling one-liner, a fascinating story, or an intriguing question are the easiest ways to capture your audience’s attention before you dig into the details. Notice how Vanessa Van Edwards’ Tedx Talk starts with a funny phrase about her awkwardness:
- Cut out excess info: A short presentation packed with information is far better than a long, boring drone full of fluff. Cut down your speech to the basics so that everything supports your main point. Avoid irrelevant facts or boring anecdotes.
- Don’t just talk: The most captivating presentations use multiple modalities. Instead of just standing and talking, an engaging presenter will layer on the graphics, charts, videos, and visual demonstrations.
- Pretend you’re a performer: In his book, Steal the Show, actor, and coach Michael Port says the quickest way to boost your confidence is to simply act like you’re giving a performance and you don’t have any stage fright. Transform your negative inner talk to something positive by tricking your mind into thinking you’re capable and confident in your speaking skills.
Pro Tip: If you are planning for a big presentation and fear losing the audience’s attention, consider making your presentation more interactive by inviting the audience to participate. You can use non-awkward icebreakers, “raise your hand” questions or a social media poll on a related topic.
Some presenters even invite an audience member to the stage for role-playing or a mini-case study. For example, in a meeting presentation about how you plan to improve upselling techniques in your stores, you may invite a coworker to act out a customer-salesperson scenario.
Want more tips? Take your presentations to the next level with these 10 Presentation Ideas That Will Radically Improve Your Presentation Skills.
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#11 Use meaningful hand gestures
People who “talk with their hands” are naturally more magnetic. Studies show that gestures increase the value of spoken words by up to 60%! But you don’t just want to flail your hands around without purpose. Our analysis of the top TED Talks of all time found that there are specific movements that portray confidence.
These 7 powerful hand gestures include:
- Show the number: Any time you mention a number, use your fingers to add a visual element of that amount.
- Increase or decrease: Spread your hands closer or farther away to demonstrate the intensity of a conversation point. For example, if you say, “this is a small problem,” you may close your hands together to show a small space.
- Feel it in the heart: When discussing something emotional, gesture toward your heart or chest region. You may naturally put your hand over your heart when you say, “this means so much to me.”
- Guide your explanations: Use your hands to give a visual guide to a complex explanation. For example, suppose you’re discussing two opposing viewpoints. In that case, you might gesture to the right for Point 1 and to the left for Point 2.
- Bring things together: When you discuss the convergence of points or groups, bring your palms together in the center to demonstrate these two things merging.
- Emblems: Cultural hand motions like thumbs up, A-OK, or pointing with an open hand can be used to highlight specific talking points.
- You-me-we: Bring people into what you’re saying by gesturing towards them, yourself, and then between you.
Watch this video with Vanessa Van Edwards to see how each gesture works:
Here are another 60 Hand Gestures You Should Be Using and Their Meaning.
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#12 Learn to decode body language (and use it to your advantage)
Have you ever wished you could tell what people are thinking? Decoding body language is an underrated social superpower. If you understand how to tell if your boss is being confrontational or your colleague is withholding information from you, you can have a major communication advantage.
You’ve probably heard the statistic that 65 to 90% of communication is nonverbal. Unspoken cues often give us more insights into people than what they say out loud. Some of the most notable body language cues to look for include:
- Lip pursing: People may be subconsciously holding something back. If you accidentally purse your lips during a speech, it may make you seem to withhold something from the audience.
- Raised eyebrows: When someone is guilty, they might subtly raise their eyebrows to show fear. On the other hand, eyebrow raises can also indicate amusement or surprise. Take notice of your eyebrows while talking in the mirror and use them to emphasize your points.
- Touch: A light touch on the arm can be a thoughtful way to get someone’s attention or help. Combined with speaking in a soft or friendly tone, this can help you appear more kind and more compassionate.
- Firm handshake: A nice firm handshake can portray you as confident but not domineering. Deliver your handshakes with a well-rehearsed introduction like “I’m Joe. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
- Laughing: In awkward situations, subordinates might laugh to appease the person in power, while superiors may refrain from laughing to uphold their status. As you speak, notice when you awkwardly laugh out of nervousness versus when you laugh because something is actually funny.
- Sitting versus standing: A sitting person is physically lower than a standing person, making them potentially seem inferior or easier to reprimand. You almost always want to be standing when you are giving a speech or a presentation. On the other hand, sitting while having a tough conversation with your significant other can help create a level playing field for open-hearted discussion.
Note how you use body language as you talk to others daily. There are so many ways you can combine speaking skills with a specific position or nonverbal cue to portray more confidence, kindness, or influence. Learn more about understanding Body Language In the Workplace: 15 Cues You Must Know.
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#13 Work on pronunciation with this app
Whether you are a native English speaker or learning the English language, countless words in the dictionary aren’t pronounced the way they are spelled. But proper pronunciation can make you sound more knowledgeable and well-spoken.
The most commonly mispronounced words include:
- Etcetera
- Epitome
- Niche
- Library
- LIable
- Espresso
- Sandwich
- Meme
- Desert vs. Dessert
- Comfortable
Do you think you’re guilty of mispronunciations? Use the free app, Say It (Android) (iOS) to check your speech. Oxford University Press developed it to help practice sounds, words, and sentence pronunciation.
Pro Tip: If you accidentally mispronounce a word in conversation or a presentation, don’t be afraid to correct yourself. It happens to everybody, and there is no shame in saying “excuse me” and repeating it. If you have an accent, embrace it! As long as people understand your words, pronunciation shouldn’t be an argument of tomAYto versus tomAHto.
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#14 Improve your listening skills
Paradoxically, the best speakers tend to be the best listeners. After all, communication is a two-way street. Listening is one of the most valuable social skills because it helps you:
- Understand other people
- Make deeper connections
- Demonstrate that you’re interested in what others have to say
- Avoid dominating a conversation
- Learn how to speak better
Listening is particularly important if you feel shy or socially awkward. Next time you’re having a conversation, practice active listening with:
- Loud listening: When someone else is speaking, strategically use sounds like “oh,” “ah,” or “wow” to show you are engaged.
- Eye contact: Avoid using your phone or diverting eye contact when someone is talking. Instead, casually hold their gaze for 3-5 seconds to show that you care. But don’t be overbearing with eye contact, or you might appear weird.
- Asking questions: Show that you were paying attention to another person’s story or presentation by asking questions about what was said. Just be sure you don’t interrupt them or cut anyone off while inquiring.
- Wait for your turn to talk: A great conversationalist’s most obvious skill is knowing when to talk. Your decision to speak while someone else is still talking could send the message that you think your opinion is more important than theirs. Politely wait your turn and even leave a few seconds of pause after someone else finishes their thoughts.
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Stuttering and Language Processing Resources:
Do you struggle with stuttering or other language processing issues? You definitely can get help! Here are some great resources to check out:
- The Stuttering Foundation
- Find a Speech Therapist
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Key Takeaways: Speak Better with Planning and Practicing
Nobody is born a masterful speaker, but the most charismatic people have cracked some communication code. Fortunately, the secrets to their verbal success are accessible to everyone. Start speaking better with these simple practices:
- Talk louder, lower, and at a moderate pace: If you find yourself speaking soft and slow, it can help to increase the volume, lower the tone, and speed up the rate of your words. This will help you sound and feel more confident while talking.
- Mimic speakers you admire: Find people you want to sound like and listen to them regularly. Identify the characteristics you want to mimic, like their cheeriness, articulation, or authority. Learn lines from their videos and recite them as you watch.
- Read out loud: Written words tend to be more edited than spoken ones. Practice reading your favorite books out loud so you can
- Master pronunciation and enunciation: Avoid mispronunciations and mumbling. Instead, use the internet to learn how to pronounce words you’re unsure about and train your mouth to enunciate specific words with tongue twister exercises.
- Use hand gestures: Your hands are among the most underrated tools for speaking. Use them to your advantage by emphasizing essential points.
Whether you’re talking to an audience of 2 or 2,000, public speaking can catapult you to higher levels of self-development and professional success. To take your speaking skills to the next level, learn these 15 Science-Based Public Speaking Tips to Be a Master Speaker.
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function words from the box and complete the sentences.
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I’ll speak ________ the director about a pay rise for you.
Uncle Philip never argued, never spoke ________ ________ himself.
I’m quite deaf, you’ll have to speak ________.
This fact spoke ________ itself.
You must choose one person to speak ________ the whole group.
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Today’s guest post is by Avery White. Avery writes short stories and spoken word, and is currently working on his first novel for middle grade readers. He runs thirdpersoncreative.com, a site dedicated to weaponizing stories against injustice, prejudice, and passivity in the world around us.
“Respect the poet!” the crowd shouts at a couple at the bar oblivious to what’s going on.
Silence.
Slowly, alliterative spoken word sends chills across my neck, down my arm, and into my chest.
I’m feeling words as my eyes stare rapt at the stage.
Literary devices fly with syllables punctuated by inflection. Poetry one line, prose the next. The performer pauses. It’s 2008, and I’m hooked.
I was first introduced to spoken word while taking a creative writing class in college. I then got involved with a local spoken word community in Bryan, Texas called Mic Check, where the scene above happens weekly.
And today, I’m showing you how to craft your own powerful spoken word piece.
How to Speak Spit Spoken Word
What!?
You mean you weren’t born with an innate ability to write poetry, combine it with performing arts techniques, and rhythmically deliver a piece with clever intonation?
Performance poets weren’t either. Even if their names are Sarah Kay or Madi Mae.
Do you have feelings?
Do you wish you could let them go out, terrorize the neighborhood for a bit, and then come home to you without doing any damage (the kind that costs you money)?
Got a pen?
Let’s do this. Here are four steps to writing spoken word:
1. Tell a Story
If you’ve never written spoken word before, you might feel overwhelmed, unsure where to start. But this type of writing isn’t as foreign as you might think. It can follow the same pattern as a conventional story: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
First, pick a theme you’re passionate about. Putting something down on paper knowing that you’re going to read it out loud later is terrifying, but having passion from the start will help carry you through. And if you’re a writer, you need practice putting fear down anyways!
While there are as many ways to begin writing as there are poets, a way that I have found particularly effective is to start with a “gateway line,” a single line that captures your theme. For example:
- “Do not keep the silence golden.”
- “Looking past Earth.”
- “Life is not ajar.”
To demonstrate this, I’ll write a (short) piece around the following line:
“Practice is failing on purpose.”
Now that I have my gateway line, I’m ready to revisit my dramatic structure: what can I surround my line with? At this point I might make a list of a few plot options:
- A little boy learning to ride a bike
- A guy practicing how he’s going to start a conversation with the girl of his dreams
- A girl exploring the definition of true beauty
I fully intend to reveal something about practice that applies to craft development, but I’m going to do it by juxtaposing it with something wildly different. This will show the audience something about practicing their craft, as well as the subject of the plot.
Spoken word lets you do that. How cool is that!?
2. Flesh It Out
Now that you’ve chosen your plot, it’s time to flesh it out into a story illustrating your theme. This is where you, as the writer, get to shine! How compact can you make it?
At this point you might be thinking that this is remarkably similar to writing anything else. You’re exactly right — it is. That’s why I’m writing this out, to show you that you can do it!
I’ve decided to write a piece about an eight-year-old boy who decides to try to ride his bike sans training wheels. Now, I ask questions to flesh that concept out:
What does he look like? Where is this? How long as he been trying to do this? Why is this important?
Most importantly, why should my audience care about him?
First draft:
Age eight with skinned knees bleeding from the last attempt he pushes two blue wheels uphill.
This time.
Salt touches his tongue as he tilts his face towards the summit. This was his Everest.
He was done training. The two wheels sat lifeless in the garage watching him from a distance.
He believed that with enough speed he could roll forever. The extra weight only slowed him down.
He fought to push the past crashes from his mind as he trudged up Mount Failure.
This was his practice.
3. Read It Out Loud
Once you have something down, read it out loud to evaluate how it sounds. Do you like what you hear?
Spoken word fills the gap between predictable patterns found in traditional forms of poetry and the art of prose. Every literary device, every poetic device, and anything clever you can think of to do while you’re on stage is all fair game. For now, let’s revisit the first draft, tighten the diction, and spice things up with a bit of poetry.
Second draft:
Age eight, and skinned knees pleading he pushes two blue wheels uphill.
This time.
Salt touches tongue as dirt-faced determination drives him to the summit. His Everest.
Two training wheels cry abandoned. Concrete floors and walls lined with tools can get so lonely.
He believed that with enough speed he could roll forever.
Long enough to run the errands that his mother couldn’t.
He fought to push past crashes and knee slashes from his mind as he scaled Mount Failure.
This was his practice.
4. Perform
Now that you like what you’re hearing, start asking performance related questions. This could include questions related to theatre, music, or even dance.
Do you want a part of it to read faster to give it more of a hip-hop sound? Or slower to make it more dramatic? Either way, it’s up to you to figure out how you’re going to read it.
And there you have it — four steps to writing your first spoken word.
Do you write spoken word poetry? What do you find most challenging about it? Let me know in the comments.
PRACTICE
Take fifteen minutes to create a gateway line and draft your own short spoken word. Your gateway line doesn’t necessarily have to appear verbatim in the piece.
Post your gateway line and your spoken word in the comments! And if you share, remember to leave feedback for your fellow writers.
