| Many non-Native English speakers have a habit of | | | | long clear vowel sounds combined with unstressed |
| speaking English very quickly. This makes it | | | | syllables with the reduced schwa vowel sound will |
| difficult to understand what they are saying! | | | | create a rhythm that will naturally slow down |
| Sometimes they speak quickly because they feel | | | | your speech. |
| nervous. Sometimes their fast speech is simply a | | | | Lengthen vowel sounds in stressed syllables and |
| carryover from the way they speak their native | | | | before voiced consonants |
| language. | | | | Native English speakers do not pronounce all |
| If you speak English too quickly, your listeners | | | | vowel sounds with the same length. The vowel |
| have to work harder to understand you. | | | | sounds in stressed syllables and the the vowel |
| Pronunciation errors are more likely to occur | | | | sounds that occur before voiced consonants are |
| when you speak fast because you are not taking | | | | longer in duration that other vowels. If you |
| enough time to articulate the correct sounds and | | | | employ the rules for vowel lengthening in your |
| patterns. Here are a couple of things you can do | | | | speech it will help you slow down your pace. |
| to slow down your rate of speech so that people | | | | Find a speech model |
| will understand you more easily. | | | | Find a family member, friend or trusted |
| Use thought groups | | | | co-worker who speaks at a speed that is easy to |
| When native English speakers are talking they | | | | understand. Then try to match your speaking |
| divide long sentences into smaller sections called | | | | rate with theirs during conversations. Pace |
| thought groups. At the end of each thought group | | | | yourself against them. You may feel like you are |
| there is a brief pause. This pause gives listeners a | | | | speaking too slowly but chances are you are not! |
| bit of time to process what was just said. Using | | | | Changing your speed will feel strange in the |
| thought groups creates a rhythm of stressed | | | | beginning, but speaking more slowly will help |
| words, unstressed words and pauses that forces | | | | listeners to process and understand what you are |
| you to slows down your speech. Using the | | | | saying. Keep practicing your speed by employing |
| rhythm of thought groups will help American | | | | thought groups, syllable stress and vowel |
| listeners to understand you more easily. | | | | lengthening. Find a speech model to measure |
| Use syllable stress | | | | yourself against. With daily practice your new |
| Using syllable stress correctly will also slow down | | | | speaking rate will begin to feel comfortable, |
| your speed. That's because when you use syllable | | | | especially when you notice that people are |
| stress you control your pitch and the length of | | | | comprehending your message! |
| your syllables. Pronouncing stressed syllables with | | | | |