Stage 6 · Lesson 2 of 7

Slow down and pause

Nervous speakers, and many second-language speakers, talk fast to get it over with or to sound fluent. Fast speech with an accent is much harder to follow than slow speech with the same accent. Slow down by about a third when it matters, and pause between ideas, after a number, after a name and before your main point.

Pauses also give you time to find the next word, which makes you sound more confident, not less. Practise reading a paragraph aloud with a pause at every full stop.

Common trapthinking fluency means speed. Clear, steady speech with pauses sounds more fluent than a fast rush of words.

A question to check yourself come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it

Resources for this stage

Start with

PlatformFree
BBC Learning English
BBC
Free short lessons on pronunciation, stress and everyday English, with transcripts

Practise

Toastmasters InternationalPaid
Supportive clubs, many with members who speak English as a second language
Claude
Practise phrases and role-plays by text or voice when no partner is around

Keep handy

Grammarly
Checks the written follow-ups that back up what you say in English

Struggling right now? If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact local emergency services or a crisis line: Find a helpline (any country), Umang (Pakistan), Tele-MANAS, 14416 (India).