how to make your speech clear

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Expert-Backed Ways to Improve Your Speech Clarity

Last Updated: May 29, 2024 Fact Checked

Improving Your Enunciation

Speaking more slowly, building your speaking muscles, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,196,836 times.

Do you find that you mumble a lot? Are people constantly telling you to speak up or that they can't understand you? Improving your clarity of speech can help. Whether you speak in public on a regular basis or just want to be better understood by the people around you, we've got some techniques that can help. We talked to improvisation coach Dan Klein and public speaking coach Lynn Kirkham to find out what you can do to improve your clarity of speech so you're better understood.

Improving Your Speech Clarity & Diction

Use tongue-twister warmups like "red leather, yellow leather" to help you articulate the words that you say more clearly. When you say them repeatedly and quickly, you strengthen your tongue and make its movements more precise. Slow down and control your breathing to help you speak more clearly.

• You know New York, you need New York, you know you need you unique New York
• Red leather, yellow leather
• While we were walking, we were watching window washers wash Washington's windows with warm washing water

• Take note of the sounds, and combinations of sounds, that seem to be tripping you up the most. Then, you might find tongue twisters that feature those sounds to strengthen your ability to pronounce them.
• If you're someone who cringes when you hear a recording of your voice, this will also help you become more comfortable with how your voice sounds.

• This exercise can tire your jaw, so stop when it starts to feel sore.
• You may also want to have a napkin with you as you produce a lot of saliva with this exercise.
• For example, if you're giving a speech that is supposed to excite people, they might not understand that if you're speaking in a monotone or disinterested tone.
• Often, when a particular word or sound is tripping you up, it's just because you don't say it very often. This is especially true if you're saying words that aren't in your native language.

• Continually monitor your speech as you talk. If you feel like you're starting to speed up, pause and take a deep breath. Say, "I'm sorry, I feel like I'm going a mile a minute. Let me slow down." Then, pick up where you left off.
• Kirkham notes that this is especially important "if you're not speaking your native language, then [people] might not be able to understand you so you've got to make sure that you're pacing it so that they can understand you."
• If you have trouble slowing down, try reading poetry aloud! It can really help you get a handle on reading at a slower, more rhythmic pace. [7] X Research source

• Dan Klein agrees that if you're trying to practice clear and confident speech, "a lot of things... have to do with breath."
• Kirkham notes that if you "forget to breathe or start panicking inside," you can easily "end up speaking way too fast."
• If breathing this way doesn't feel natural to you, give it some practice. Breathing higher up from your chest will only increase your heart rate and make you more anxious, which likely won't help your speech clarity. [9] X Research source

• Clarity isn't just about pronouncing words properly, it's also about getting your message or point of view out as precisely as possible. If you know what you want to say, you don't have to backtrack or use fillers such as "um," "like," or "uh," while you try to think of what to say.
• While you're paused, take a moment to swallow any excess saliva left in your mouth, which can result in mumbling and distortion of your speech, especially around consonants such as "s" or "k."

• This may seem slow and arduous and first, but it will help you slow down and enunciate clearly. This exercise can also help you find the internal rhythm of the speech, which will definitely help you communicate more clearly.

• If you find yourself clenching your jaw while you speak, practice some vocal warmups, then take a deep breath. As you exhale, let the air puff your cheeks out, then release the air slowly, as though you're letting the air out of a balloon. This will help you naturally relax your jaw.

• Kirkham notes that "not standing strong, not having strong body posture" is something that can be really irritating to people you're talking to, causing them to lose focus on what you're saying.
• Pay attention to body language as well. Klein notes that "sometimes gestures can override the words themselves. If your gestures are not aligned with the words that you're saying, then the audience will sense that."

Stephanie Jeret

Use a mirror to check mouth positioning and help articulate sounds clearly. Using a mirror during speech therapy lets you check your mouth's positioning, which can help with articulation disorders. For lisps, you can see if your tongue is in the right spot. For "b" sounds, you can check your lips are closed. Seeing yourself helps make sure you're accurately saying sounds, improving clarity.

• Say the vowel sounds combined with any consonant. You could also repeat all of the vowel sounds with every consonant letter for a complete warm-up. Just focus on keeping the vowel sound exactly the same regardless of which consonant sound you're making in front of it.

• Vocal chords are like a machine that needs to stay well lubricated. Gargle some lukewarm water with a pinch of salt before you speak to keep them limber and help relieve tension in the throat.
• Hum and pat your chest as well. This can help knock out any phlegm you might have.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/diction-exercise-tips-for-actors-72659/
• ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/how-to-enunciate-better-76619/
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201911/do-you-talk-too-fast-how-to-slow-down
• ↑ https://www.scienceofpeople.com/how-to-talk-slower/
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2019/09/how-to-rehearse-for-an-important-presentation
• ↑ https://www.ensembleschools.com/grace-music/diction-exercises-singers/

About This Article

To improve your clarity of speech, start by taking your time when you’re speaking. Focus on controlling your breath, and start a sentence when you have completely breathed in. If you tend to speak quickly, focus on talking slowly and deliberately so that others can hear what you have to say. If you sometimes mumble or are misheard, try swallowing your saliva before you start talking. To improve your diction, try saying tongue twisters and reading aloud to yourself. For more tips, like how to exercise your mouth muscles to improve clarity, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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22 Tips to Be More Articulate and Speak More Clearly

Boost your communication skills with these 22 practical tips. Learn to speak clearly, articulate your thoughts effectively, and command any conversation.

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Have you ever tried to make a compelling point in an argument but couldn’t quite express the thoughts in your head? Or had an opportunity to speak to a group but felt like your words were jumbled and mumbly? 

The ability to express ourselves clearly and effectively is fundamental in today’s fast-paced, communication-driven world. And in this guide, we’ll help you become more articulate and clear in your speech.

What Does It Mean to Be Articulate?

To be articulate means that you can clearly, effectively, and coherently express your thoughts and feelings.

The two main components of articulateness are:

• Clarity refers to the ability to express thoughts and ideas concisely and clearly-structured while picking just the right words. When you speak clearly, you are able to translate your inner world to another person in a way they fully understand. They can straightforwardly grasp what you are trying to say without ambiguity or confusion. The opposite here might be a word salad.
• Delivery refers to how clear and comprehensible a person’s voice and body language is. This is when you enunciate your words with punchy clarity and when you use your hands, posture, and the emotional tone of your voice to support what you are sharing. As an example to avoid, think of mumble rap.

Becoming more articulate is a fantastic goal, and if you want to improve your goal-setting skills for other domains of your life, check out this free goodie.

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Benefits of Being More Articulate

When you start to develop your articulateness, you don’t just talk or write—you connect, influence, and inspire. 

Imagine being able to clearly voice your ideas during a critical work meeting or confidently tell a captivating story at a social gathering. Maybe even persuade your friends to join you on that adventurous hiking trip. Developing articulate speaking patterns is a game-changer for your social connections.

Here are some of the specific benefits of improving your articulation skills.

• Increased understanding: being articulate allows you to express your thoughts and ideas clearly, reducing misunderstandings and promoting effective communication.
• Improved confidence: when you can express yourself effectively, it boosts your self-confidence, helping you feel more comfortable in a variety of situations.
• Improved professional success: in the professional world, being articulate can help you present ideas convincingly, leading to recognition, respect, and potential career advancement.
• Stronger relationships: clear communication, a product of being articulate, enables more meaningful and authentic conversations, which can ultimately strengthen your relationships
• Influence and leadership : articulate individuals are often perceived as leaders because they can convey their vision and ideas convincingly, influencing others and driving change.

Whether you’re gearing up for a big presentation, striving to make a difference in your community, or simply seeking deeper conversations over coffee, becoming more articulate will open new opportunities.

22 Tips to Be More Articulate

Improve your vocabulary.

A robust vocabulary gives you a rich palette of words to precisely express thoughts, emotions, and ideas. The more words you know, the more colors you have to paint with. 

A strong vocabulary allows you to convey complex concepts succinctly and convincingly while improving your credibility.

Remember though, a good vocabulary isn’t just about knowing many words; it’s about using the right word in the right situation. Try some of these tips to develop your vocabulary:

• Read with a dictionary in hand. Whenever you read a book or blog post, try reading with a physical dictionary. Look up every word you don’t know. You’ll quickly notice just how many words you don’t know (there are about 300,000 words in the English language, after all!), and over time, new words will start to sink in.
• Watch a video in Latin. So much of the English language comes from Latin. If you brush up on Latin—even just a video or two—you’ll quickly notice how often Latin roots appear in words. When you encounter a new word, you might spot a Latin root that you can connect to the word instead of a random sound to memorize. For example, the word licentious means “morally unrestrained” and actually derives from the Latin root licentia, meaning “freedom, liberty.” This root also appears in “license,” which is something you obtain that gives you the permission or freedom to do something (e.g., drive a car)—knowing that makes the word much easier to grasp.

3. Use a word of the day. The New York Times is one great resource for your dose of daily diction. When you learn a new word, use it at least five times daily to let it sink in. Word-of-the-day apps can be notoriously hard to stick to. So it might be most effective to commit to learning a word a day for a set amount of time, whether that’s one day or seven days in a row.

Present your ideas clearly

If every time you talk, it comes out like a jumbled ball of spaghetti; it can make it challenging for others to understand what you’re trying to convey.

One way to increase your speaking cogency is to practice writing.

While journaling is an effective practice to open your creative spigot and examine yourself, writing an actual essay (or blog post) forces you to think carefully about which words you choose, the order of your arguments, and how to convey complex thoughts.

Try out this activity.

4. Write a 150-word essay. Try creating a short but compelling argument for any of the following topics:

a) What is the best meal of the day, and why?

b) Who is the most talented musician, and why?

c) If you could re-write the rules of society, what would be the three most important social norms you’d implement and why?

It should take about 10 minutes to write 150 words. But if you want to practice your articulation skills more deeply, try a 500-word essay.

Ditch the filler words

We all rely on filler words and sounds when speaking. Usually, if we’re searching for something to say, we’ll fill the silence with “ums” or “likes.”

And even though it’s commonplace to use these filler words, they can make you come off as unsure or nervous.

It’s tough to stop using filler words, but here’s one way to practice.

5. Record yourself for 3 minutes. Try reflecting on the prompt, “What was 2017 like for you?” Once you finish, listen back to the recording, and notice every time you said “um,” “uh,” “like,” or something similar. 

Do as many reps as you’d like to try to improve!

Enunciate crisply

To speak articulately, it helps to pronounce each word with sharp clarity. And it helps to say each word as its own, not bleeding into the next one.

Here’s one great practice for enunciation borrowed from the freestyle rap community.

6. Read backward. Pick up a book and read a paragraph backward. Try it at different paces. This activity is helpful because you won’t habitually slur one word into the next when the word order doesn’t make sense.

Speak at the right pace

If you talk too fast, people might lose track of what you’re saying, or your words may blend together. When you slow down your pace, you can focus on saying each word clearly. It’s a difficult habit to build, but a slower speaking pace will also ensure that your conversational partner will absorb all of what you are saying. Here are a few tips.

7. 50% Speed with a partner. Grab a friend for this practice. Simply set a three-minute timer, and tell your friend how your day is going. But try to talk at 50% of your normal pace when you’re sharing.

Here are a few more tips to help fast-talkers slow down.

But don’t go too slow! Researchers at The University of Michigan 1 https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/530278 found that the most persuasive speaking pace to convince people to participate in phone studies is 3.5 words per second or 210 words per minute.

If you’re a slow talker and want to speed up, then try the inverse of the activity above.

8. 2x Speed with a partner. Grab a friend for this practice. Simply set a three-minute timer, and tell your friend how your day is going. But when you’re sharing, try to talk at two times your normal pace.

And to either slow down or speed up your pace, you can try this:

9. Read a page. Pick up a book and read a page as clearly as possible—either slower or faster than your normal pace, depending on what you are practicing.

Watch our video below to learn the 6 most commonly mispronounced words:

Barack Obama is known for giving some epic pauses in his speeches. He’ll leave an audience hanging on his every word. Silence creates tension and anticipation. 

Pausing can make you more articulate by giving you time to gather your thoughts and share clearly, while also adding an extra oomph of emphasis to your message.

As a bonus, pausing also communicates confidence. If you’re feeling insecure, you might avoid pausing because you’re afraid that if you pause, someone in the group will lose interest and steal the microphone from you. 

Practicing pausing is a way to practice conversational confidence. Pausing is like wearing a leather jacket—a leather jacket is a bold outfit choice, so donning one forces your confidence to meet the garment. And if you try pausing in your speech, it might similarly bring forth your confidence.

Let’s take a page out of Barack’s book.

10. Practice pausing in a voice memo. Try texting a voice memo to a friend—either about a relevant topic or just that you’re thinking of them. But when you record this voice memo, see if you can insert at least one two-second pause. If you’re not used to it, pausing might feel scary. But just remember that if it works for Obama, it can work for you too.

Find the right pitch

Pitch is the tone of your voice. It can be high, medium, or low. Studies suggest that when your pitch is lower 2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3350713/ , people will see you as more of a leader.

That said, some research finds that females with higher-pitched voices 3 https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2010/jul/16/women-high-pitched-voices-men tend to seem more attractive.

What you do with your voice pitch is up to you, but if you choose to go higher or lower, you can bring intention to it.

11. Find your maximum resonance point. We all have a natural range of pitches that our voice can hit, and when we speak in a certain part of our range, it comes off as most comfortable. Check out this article to learn how to find your maximum resonance point.

12. Deepen your range with neck stretches. If you do want to deepen your voice, there are ways to do so. According to the vocal training center My Voice Exercises, neck exercises can deepen the voice by “reducing tensions that are placed on your vocal cords.” Here’s one stretch they advise:

• Slowly rotate your head to the left. Attempt to position your chin above your shoulder.
• Hold for 10 seconds. 
• You can deepen the stretch if you put your left hand on the right side of your jaw and offer gentle pressure
• Relax and repeat the stretch on the right side.

Bolster your speech with your hands

If you want to get your point across clearly, using your body language 4 https://cognitiveresearchjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41235-016-0004-9 can help people understand you.

The best body language will match what you’re saying and will communicate subconsciously to the other person so that they more easily understand your point. Here are a few body language gestures to try:

13. Emphasize big points. If you’re saying something important and you want to emphasize its significance, try this tip from Columbia University 5 https://sps.columbia.edu/news/five-ways-improve-your-body-language-during-speech#:~:text=Speakers%20should%20avoid%20sweeping%20the,be%20locked%20onto%20someone%20else’s.&text=Plant%20your%20feet%20shoulder%20width,shifting%20from%20side%20to%20side. . Put your hands in front of your face as if you’re holding a large ball, and gesture symmetrically.

14. Speak from the heart. If you want to convey anything emotional or sentimental, simply put your hand over or near your chest.

15. Use your hands to track. If you are comparing two categories, you can use each hand to represent each category. This helps the other person keep track of the associations you’ll build about each category.

Here’s a great video resource below for even more tips about how you can use your hands.

Do a vocal warmup

Warming up your speaking muscles is a great way to get your throat, tongue, and mouth lose and ready for talking.

Acting classes typically teach vocal warmups 6 https://www.masterclass.com/articles/7-acting-warmups-games-and-techniques-for-actors . And it makes sense—athletes warm up before competing, and actors warm up before speaking. If you have an important meeting or conversation where you want to bring your full articulateness, try a warmup exercise. 

16. Untwist that tongue. Tongue twisters are classic vocal warmups. They train your mouth 7 https://www.masterclass.com/articles/11-articulation-exercises-for-actors#3rdaEWwElDqb2rJ4rSkyiR to ensure it clearly spits out the correct sounds. Here are three to try offered by Masterclass . Recite each phrase enough times until you can say it flawlessly.

• Friday’s Five Fresh Fish Specials
• High roller, low roller, lower roller
• I need a box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer.

If you want to go deeper into vocal warmups, check out this video.

Keep refining

The best way to practice is to record yourself speaking in different contexts.

You might take on different speech patterns when you’re speaking into your voice memos app versus when you’re with your boss or in front of a crowd. One of the best ways to improve at anything is through good feedback.

17. Record yourself in different contexts. Whether on Zoom calls, phone calls, presentations, or whatever. If you want to become more articulate, it’s invaluable to hear your speaking patterns—pace, pitch, filler words—so that you can make adjustments. When you listen to a recording, note how you could improve, and then practice that next time.

How To Overcome Nervousness

When you’re nervous, you might forget what you want to say, talk too fast, fidget, take shallow breaths, or generally jumble up whatever you’re trying to say.

Besides writing, I also help make YouTube videos. I was on a call recently with my manager Ben and was feeling quite nervous. And as we closed the call, I said, “Alright! Bee you later, Sen!” 

We both took it in stride, but I was nervous, and it was not my most articulate moment!

The best way to overcome the hurdle of nervousness is through the most classic technique in the book. Breathing.

​​Lucille Schutmaat-Rubin, Ph.D., is a voice and speech coach who offers a powerful step-by-step process 8 https://voicefoundation.org/articles/breathe-and-speak-with-ease/ to calm yourself for speaking. Her process is as follows:

18. Breathing technique to calm nerves before speaking

• Breathe in through your mouth
• Relax the back of your tongue while inhaling to create silent breaths
• Follow the breath into your belly
• Put your hands above and below your navel to feel your breath in your belly
• Vocalize an “AH” on the next few exhales
• Keep up smooth exhaling “AHs” until your throat and belly start to relax
• On your exhale, speak the number 1. Then 1 2. Then 1 2 3. Up to 10. Add one number at a time
• Let your breath’s pace dictate your pace of speech

Places to Practice Your Speaking

As with any skill, you can practice by yourself, but it’s tremendously helpful to practice with a group. 

Here are a few resources you can explore to take your articulateness to the next level.

19. Toastmasters . Toastmasters is an international organization that helps people train in public speaking. There are tons of clubs in every major city. Each club has its own culture, but essentially you’ll meet with a group of people for an hour or two and have a chance to practice both written and spontaneous speeches in front of a group. People will give you feedback on everything from your filler words to your pacing to help you improve.

20. Standup comedy. Another place to practice the art of speaking is standup. Lots of cities have standup classes you can take, where over several weeks, you’ll write bits and perform them in front of your classmates, eventually building up to a performance in front of strangers.

21. Coursera. If you’d like to jump into a deep dive, the University of Washington offers courses on public speaking for free on Coursera . The course promises to help you “diminish your public speaking anxiety” and “leverage rehearsal methods to develop a robust, engaging speaking voice.” 

22. Virtual reality . There are VR programs that give you the experience of talking to a boardroom. If you want to practice your speech in a deliberate format while sparking any public-speech butterflies, try the program Ovation . Can you feel your palms get sweaty just by looking at the image below?

Source  

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Be More Articulate

To train yourself to be more articulate, the best thing you can do is practice with feedback. That might mean recording yourself or going to a group like Toastmasters. When you listen to recordings of yourself, look for areas where you speak too fast, mumble, or say “like” a lot.

You might not be able to articulate what you want to say if it’s a complex idea that you don’t quite understand fully yourself. Often something makes sense in our head, but when we try to explain it, it comes out like gobbledygook. In this case, it can be effective to turn to writing. Try to get your thoughts out on paper in a way that feels complete and makes sense. Then you’ll be able to explain these ideas more readily in conversation. 

You might struggle to articulate your feelings because you lack the proper emotional vocabulary. Gaining emotional clarity of your inner landscape is a notoriously long and challenging journey. To better articulate your feelings, it can help to have more nuanced language for everything you feel. Check out this article, which goes over the feelings wheel, to learn to describe your feelings more accurately.

Three ways to improve your vocabulary are to read with a dictionary in hand so that you can build your word knowledge as you read, to study some basic Latin so that you can more recognize and pick up new words based on their roots, and to practice a word of the day so that you can proactively add more words to your knowledge base.

Takeaways On Becoming Articulate

With all of these tips, you should be on your way to becoming a more articulate speaker. The most important thing is that you practice! If you want to improve your speaking skills, then doing so will take time and effort–and it won’t happen overnight. Just try any of the following:

• Improve your vocabulary. Read with a dictionary, study basic Latin, or try a word of the day to expand your verbal knowledge.
• Present your ideas clearly. Try writing a short essay to improve your clarity on how you present ideas. What’s the best meal of the day and why?
• Ditch filler words. Record yourself giving a speech and find all those “likes” and “ums.”
• Enunciate crisply by reading a paragraph backward.
• Speak at the right pace. If you’re a fast talker, ask a friend to listen to you for three minutes while you talk slowly. Slow talkers do the reverse.
• Hit pause. In your next conversation, try increasing your use of pauses…more than you’re used to.
• Find the right pitch. Record your highest and lowest pitches, and stay in the second to the bottom quarter of your pitch variation.
• Use your hands. Consciously try to match your hand gestures with your talking points.
• Do a vocal warmup —Friday’s Five Fresh Fish Specials.
• Keep refining. Record yourself in as many different speaking contexts as possible, and learn your habits in each situation.
• Overcome nerves before speaking by taking deep breaths, relaxing your throat, and making sounds on your exhale.
• Practice with a group at Toastmasters, a standup comedy class, or a public speaking course.

If you want to go even deeper into mastering your speech, check this article out to learn to speak more confidently.

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8 Articulation Exercises for Sounding Clearer and Smarter

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking

In the realm of effective communication, the power of clear and articulate speech cannot be underestimated. Whether you’re aiming to excel in professional presentations, impress in social interactions, or simply enhance your overall communication skills, mastering the art of articulation exercises is the key to success. So, prepare to dive into the world of Articulation Exercises – a pathway to sounding not only clearer but undeniably smarter!

What Is Articulation?

What are the six manners of articulation, what are the 4 types of articulation errors, articulate speaking exercises:, how can i improve my articulation to sound smarter, how can i improve my articulation at home, how do actors speak so clearly.

Articulation refers to the clarity and precision with which speech sounds are produced by an individual. It involves the way we pronounce and enunciate words, making them distinct and easily understood. Effective articulation encompasses the proper formation of consonant and vowel sounds, the rhythm and flow of speech, and the ability to avoid slurring, mumbling, or other speech impediments.

Accurate articulation is crucial in effective communication, as it ensures that your message is conveyed clearly and comprehensively. Poor articulation can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunication, and reduced confidence in your speech. Articulation exercises are a valuable tool for improving this aspect of speech and can significantly enhance your ability to convey your thoughts and ideas with precision and clarity.

Clear articulation and effective communication are vital skills for professional success as well. Studies have shown that employees who can express their ideas clearly tend to advance more quickly in their careers.

Let’s dive deeper into the six manners of articulation, which are crucial for understanding the production of speech sounds in human language.

1. Plosives (Stops):

Plosives , also known as stops, are sounds produced by a complete blockage of the airflow in the vocal tract, followed by a sudden release. This results in an explosive sound. The main plosive sounds in English are /p/ (as in “pat”), /b/ (as in “bat”), /t/ (as in “tag”), /d/ (as in “dog”), /k/ (as in “cat”), and /g/ (as in “go”).

2. Fricatives:

  Fricatives are created by narrowing the airflow in the vocal tract, causing friction as the air passes through this narrow opening. This friction produces a continuous, hissing or buzzing sound. Common English fricatives include /f/ (as in “fan”), /v/ (as in “van”), /s/ (as in “sit”), /z/ (as in “zip”), /sh/ (as in “shoe”), and /h/ (as in “hat”).

3. Affricates:

  Affricates are a combination of plosive and fricative elements. They begin with a complete closure in the vocal tract and are released into a fricative sound. The English affricates are /ch/ (as in “chat”) and /j/ (as in “judge”).

Nasal sounds occur when the airflow is directed through the nasal passages while the mouth remains closed. This results in a distinctive nasal quality to the sound. English nasals include /m/ (as in “man”), /n/ (as in “no”), and /ng/ (as in “sing”).

5. Liquids:

  Liquids are produced with a partial closure in the vocal tract that allows the airflow to move smoothly. The two main liquid sounds in English are /l/ (as in “love”), which is produced by touching the alveolar ridge with the tip of the tongue, and /r/ (as in “red”), which involves a more complex tongue movement.

6. Glides (Semivowels):

Glides, also known as semivowels, are sounds produced with a minimal constriction of the vocal tract. They are often characterized by a smooth transition from one sound to another. In English, common glide sounds are /w/ (as in “we”) and /y/ (as in “yes”).

Understanding these manners of articulation is essential for phonetics, phonology, and language learning, as it enables individuals to recognize and produce the full range of speech sounds found in different languages. It’s a fundamental aspect of linguistics and contributes to effective pronunciation and communication.

Ineffective communication can lead to misunderstandings, costing companies an estimated $37 billion annually, according to a survey by the Holmes Report.

Articulation errors which are one of the main reasons behind ineffective communication refer to the mispronunciation or incorrect production of speech sounds, and they can be classified into four main types:

1. Substitution Errors:

    Substitution errors occur when a speech sound is replaced by another sound. For example, substituting the /th/ sound with /f/ or /v, as in saying “fing” instead of “thing,” is a common substitution error. Substitutions can also involve replacing one sound with a completely different sound, such as using /t/ instead of /k/, as in saying “tup” instead of “cup.”

2. Omission Errors:

   Omission errors involve leaving out a speech sound from a word. This can result in words being pronounced incompletely or unclearly. For instance, omitting the final sound in “cat” to say “ca” or omitting the middle sound in “button” to say “buton” are examples of omission errors.

3. Distortion Errors:

    Distortion errors occur when a speech sound is produced but is not articulated correctly. This often results in a distorted or altered sound. For instance, the /s/ sound may be produced with a lisp, making it sound more like /th/. Distortion errors can make speech sound unclear or different from the intended pronunciation.

4. Addition Errors:

Addition errors involve inserting extra speech sounds into words. This can lead to speech that sounds cluttered or less intelligible. For example, adding an extra vowel sound, “puh-lay” instead of “play” is an addition error.

Articulation errors can be common in children as they develop their speech and language skills, and they may persist into adulthood if not addressed. 

Articulation difficulties, if left unaddressed, can lead to a lack of self-confidence, social isolation, and challenges in educational and professional settings, particularly for individuals with speech disorders.

Speech therapy and targeted articulation exercises are often used to correct these errors and improve speech clarity. We will take a look at these in the next section.

Let’s delve deeper into each articulation exercise along with their examples for better application:

1. Sibilant Sounds Exercise

This exercise is designed to improve the clear pronunciation of sibilant sounds, such as /s/ and /z/.

How to Do It- Practice tongue placement and airflow by repeating words and phrases containing sibilant sounds. Examples include: “She sells seashells by the seashore,” “Zoe’s zeppelin zigzagged through the sky,” or “Sam sees seven silly snakes.”

2. Minimal Pairs Practice

  Minimal pairs exercises help you distinguish between similar sounds, improving articulation and speech clarity.

 How to Do It-  Work on word pairs that differ by one sound, like “ship/sheep,” “thick/sick,” “pat/bat,” “hat/hot,” or “pen/pan.” Pronounce each word pair distinctly, focusing on the unique sound difference.

3. Vowel Articulation Exercise

This exercise concentrates on vowel sounds to enhance overall speech clarity.

How to Do It-  Practice articulating vowel sounds with precision. Stretch your lips and tongue to pronounce “ee” as in “see,” and exaggerate the articulation of “ah” as in “father.” Try similar exercises for all vowel sounds.

4. Articulation Bingo

  Articulation bingo is an engaging game to reinforce speech sound articulation.

How to Do It- Create bingo cards filled with words that contain the target speech sound. For example, if you’re working on the /r/ sound, include words like “rabbit,” “red,” “rain,” and “run.” Call out the words, and players mark the corresponding words on their bingo cards.

5. Consonant Cluster Exercise: 

This exercise aids in pronouncing challenging consonant clusters with clarity.

How to Do It-  Practice words with consonant clusters, such as “splendid,” “crisp,” “strength,” “twelve,” or “sprint.” Pay close attention to articulating each consonant sound distinctly in the cluster.

6. Voice Recording and Analysis

Recording and analyzing your speech helps identify and correct articulation errors.

How to Do It-  Record yourself reading passages, tongue twisters, or practicing specific speech sounds. Listen to the recordings and analyze your articulation. Focus on areas where you may slur or mispronounce sounds, and work on improving them.

7. Singing and Vocal Warm-Ups

Singing and vocal warm-ups can improve overall speech clarity, resonance, and breath control.

How to Do It- Engage in vocal warm-ups and singing exercises used by professional singers. For example, practice scales, vocal exercises like lip trills, and sing songs with clear and precise articulation. This helps improve control and precision in your speech.

Consistency is key when working on articulation. Regularly practicing these exercises will help you achieve greater clarity and precision in your speech, making it easier for others to understand you. Additionally, if you have specific articulation challenges, a speech therapist can provide tailored exercises and guidance to address your unique needs.

8. Blowing Excercise From Speech Therapy

The Blowing Exercise is a useful exercise to enhance breath control, vocal strength, and articulation. It is particularly beneficial for individuals with speech disorders, as well as those who wish to improve their overall speech quality. This exercise focuses on controlled exhalation and can help develop strong breath support for clear and sustained speech. Here’s how to perform the Blowing Exercise:

How to Do It- 

1. Take a Deep Breath

Begin by taking a deep breath through your nose, filling your lungs as completely as possible. Focus on diaphragmatic breathing, allowing your diaphragm to expand as you inhale.

2. Choose Your Sound

Select a sound to produce during exhalation. Common choices include the “sh” sound, as in “shh,” or the “f” sound, as in “fff.”

3. Exhale Slowly

Exhale the air slowly and steadily while producing the chosen sound. It’s important to make this a prolonged and controlled exhalation.

4. Use a Straw (Optional)

For an added challenge and more precise control, you can use a straw. Exhale through the straw while making the chosen sound.

Perform the exercise multiple times, focusing on maintaining steady airflow and control during exhalation. Ensure that you don’t run out of breath before you complete the sound.

6. Increase Difficulty

As you become more comfortable with this exercise, you can increase the difficulty by extending the duration of your exhalation and maintaining a clear, steady sound.

Variations- 

Pitch Variation

 You can vary the pitch of the sound during exhalation. Start with a low pitch and gradually increase to a higher pitch, then return to a lower pitch. This variation helps with vocal control and range.

Loudness Variation

Experiment with the loudness of the sound. Begin with a soft sound and gradually increase the volume while maintaining clarity. This variation enhances control over vocal intensity.

This exercise strengthens the respiratory and speech muscles, helping you maintain better breath support during speaking. It enhances vocal control, making it easier to sustain speech over longer sentences and phrases. The exercise helps improve overall speech quality by promoting controlled and clear exhalation.

Consistency is key to reaping the full benefits of the Blowing Exercise. Incorporate it into your daily practice routine, and you’ll find that your breath control, vocal strength, and articulation improve, contributing to clearer and more effective communication.

Improving your articulation to sound smarter is not just about using big words or sounding pretentious; it’s about conveying your thoughts clearly and effectively. 

1. Improving your Vocabulary 

Surface Lexicon : This includes the everyday words and expressions that you use for casual conversation. A robust surface lexicon allows you to communicate effectively in various situations, making your speech clear and accessible.

Deeper Lexicon : Your deeper lexicon consists of more specialized, nuanced vocabulary. It includes words that are particularly apt for expressing complex ideas, emotions, or specific concepts. Expanding your deeper lexicon adds depth and precision to your speech, making you sound more intelligent.

For example, while you might use simple words like “happy” or “sad” from your surface lexicon, your deeper lexicon could include words like “ecstatic,” “melancholic,” or “elated,” which convey a richer range of emotions.

2. Take More Time Before You Speak

Taking a brief pause before responding has multiple benefits. It allows you to gather your thoughts, organize your ideas, and choose your words more carefully.

This thoughtful approach to speech shows that you value the conversation and the person you are communicating with. It also indicates that you’re confident in your ability to express yourself clearly.

3. Pruning the Filler Words

Eliminating filler words is an important step in improving articulation. Filler words often creep into our speech unconsciously and can detract from our message.

By consciously working to reduce or eliminate fillers, you train yourself to express your thoughts with greater clarity and confidence. This, in turn, enhances the impression of intelligence in your speech.

4. Your Input Creates Your Output – Intake Quality Language So You Can Speak Better:

 High-quality input, such as reading well-written books, and articles, and listening to articulate speakers, helps you absorb the rhythm and nuances of effective communication.

Exposure to well-articulated language enriches your vocabulary and allows you to model your own speech after excellent examples.

5. Your Words Have a Melody to Them – Your Voice Is Supposed to Be Modeled to Sound Articulate:

Beyond the words themselves, the way you deliver your speech matters. The tone, pitch, and intonation of your voice contribute to the overall impression you make.

Pay attention to your voice’s melody. Avoid monotone speech by adding variation in pitch to emphasize important points and maintain listener engagement.

Remember, improving articulation and sounding smarter is a gradual process. It requires mindfulness and consistent practice. By honing your vocabulary, adopting thoughtful pauses, eliminating filler words, exposing yourself to high-quality language, and refining your vocal delivery, you can enhance your articulation and leave a lasting impression of intelligence and eloquence in your interactions.

Certainly, let’s elaborate on each of these important and effective ways to improve your articulation at home:

1. Practice Pronunciation

When practicing pronunciation , focus on articulating each sound in a word distinctly. Pay attention to how your tongue, lips, and vocal cords should be positioned for each sound.

Start by pronouncing common words and phrases clearly and slowly. Gradually increase the complexity of the words as you become more proficient.

You can also use pronunciation guides, dictionaries, or online resources to learn the correct pronunciation of words you find challenging.

2. Slow Down

Speaking at a moderate pace allows you to be more deliberate in your articulation. Rushing through speech can lead to unclear pronunciation.

Take your time to ensure that you are pronouncing each sound accurately. Slower speech also allows you to think ahead and plan your articulation.

3. Articulation Exercises

Tongue twisters are a fantastic tool for improving articulation. Repeat them slowly and accurately to challenge your speech muscles and refine your pronunciation.

Articulation drills involve repeating specific sounds or words to target problem areas. For example, if you have trouble with the “th” sound, practice words like “this” and “that.” You can use all the articulation exercises provided above as well.

4. Read Aloud

Reading aloud regularly helps you practice articulating words and sentences clearly. Choose a variety of materials, such as books, articles, or poems.

While reading, focus on articulating the beginning, middle, and ending sounds of words. This exercise builds your awareness of sound placement.

5. Visualize

Visualization is a technique where you mentally picture the proper tongue and lip positions needed to pronounce sounds accurately.

This can be particularly helpful for challenging sounds. By visualizing the correct tongue and lip placement, you can reinforce proper articulation.

6. Practice Regularly

Consistency is key to improving articulation. Set aside a specific time each day for your articulation practice.

Over time, regular practice will strengthen your speech muscles and improve your ability to articulate clearly.

It was very well said in this quote “ Communication works for those who work at it.” – John Powell

Remember, the key to success in improving articulation is practice and repetition. As you practice these techniques, you’ll become more conscious of your speech patterns and gradually develop greater clarity in your pronunciation. If you encounter persistent difficulties or have specific speech concerns, seeking guidance from a speech therapist may also be beneficial.

Actors are known for their exceptional ability to speak clearly, projecting their voices and enunciating words with precision. Achieving this level of clarity in speech involves a combination of training, techniques, and practice. Here’s how actors speak so clearly:

1. Voice Training

   Actors often undergo voice training to develop their vocal range, resonance, and control. Voice coaches help actors understand the mechanics of their vocal apparatus and how to use it effectively. This training includes exercises to strengthen vocal cords and control pitch, volume, and tone.

2. Breath Control

   Proper breath control is essential for clear and sustained speech. Actors learn diaphragmatic breathing, which allows them to take deep breaths and control the flow of air as they speak. This ensures that they have enough breath to sustain long lines and project their voices.

   Actors engage in a variety of articulation exercises to improve their diction and pronunciation. These exercises include tongue twisters, vocal warm-ups, and drills that target specific speech sounds. The goal is to develop precise articulation and the ability to pronounce words.

4. Enunciation and Clarity

   Enunciation is the clear and distinct pronunciation of words. Actors practice articulating each sound in a word to ensure it is easily understood by the audience. They also focus on clarity in vowel and consonant sounds, as well as proper stress and intonation patterns.

5. Phonetic Transcription

   Some actors use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to understand and learn the correct pronunciation of words. This system provides a standardized way to represent speech sounds, helping actors accurately reproduce the sounds of various languages or dialects.

6. Vocal Warm-Ups

   Before performances, actors engage in vocal warm-up routines to prepare their voices for the demands of speaking and singing. These exercises can include humming, sirening, and lip trills to relax and energize the vocal apparatus.

7. Text Analysis

   Actors analyze the scripts they are working with to understand the context, meaning, and emotions associated with their lines. This deep understanding of the material helps them convey it with clarity and authenticity.

8. Projection

   Projection involves the ability to make your voice carry throughout a performance space. Actors are trained to project their voices to reach every corner of a theater, even without microphones. This requires breath support, vocal resonance, and controlled volume.

9. Acting Techniques

   Beyond vocal techniques, actors use acting methods to enhance their clarity. Techniques like the Meisner technique or Stanislavski system help actors connect emotionally to their characters, which can lead to a more authentic and clear delivery of lines.

10. Rehearsal and Repetition

    Actors spend countless hours rehearsing their lines and performances. The more they practice, the more comfortable they become with the text and the better they can articulate it clearly.

In summary, actors speak clearly through a combination of vocal training, articulation exercises, breath control, and the use of acting techniques. Their ability to convey their characters and the story effectively while maintaining clarity is a testament to their dedication and rigorous training.

In conclusion, articulation exercises play a vital role in improving speech clarity and precision. The exercises we discussed, such as the Sibilant Sounds Exercise and the Blowing Exercise from Speech Therapy, offer valuable tools for honing articulation skills. Whether you aim to master specific sounds, enhance overall speech quality, or address speech disorders, consistent practice is the key to success.

By dedicating time to these exercises, you can develop stronger breath control, improve muscle coordination, and articulate sounds with greater clarity. As you progress, you’ll find that your communication becomes more effective and intelligible, opening doors to better professional and social interactions.

Remember that working on your articulation is a continuous journey, and the effort you invest will yield significant improvements in your ability to convey your thoughts and ideas with clarity and precision. So, practice regularly, stay patient, and enjoy the benefits of articulate and confident speech.

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Tap into the power to persuade by using these 6 techniques of clear and compelling speech

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Politicians and other public figures deploy particular rhetorical devices to communicate their ideas and to convince people, and it’s time that we all learned how to use them, says speechwriter Simon Lancaster.

This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.

There is a secret language of leadership — and it’s one that anyone can learn, says UK speechwriter Simon Lancaster in a TEDxVerona talk . He has made a career out of crafting addresses, remarks and talks for top politicians and CEOs of international corporations such as Nestle and Unilever, and continues to do so . Refreshingly, rather than clinging Gollum-like to what he’s learned and knows, he believes everyone should have access to the same tools that he and his colleagues use.

By tools, he’s not talking about special software or databases — he’s referring to rhetoric. Rhetoric has its roots in ancient Greece ( think: Aristotle ) as clear, convincing speech was seen as an essential component of communication and participation in a democracy. Instruction in rhetoric remained part of the curriculum in many secondary schools in Europe and the US until the 19th century.

“The reason we all used to learn rhetoric at school was because it was seen as a basic entry point to society,” explains Lancaster, who is based in London. “How could society be fair, unless everyone had equal ability to articulate and express themselves? Without it, your legal systems, your political systems, your financial systems are not fair.”

Yes, the power to persuade is just that — power.

Lancaster states there is only one school in England that still teaches rhetoric: Eton, the alma mater of 20 Prime Ministers (including current officeholder, Boris Johnson). He adds, “It should be of intense concern to all of us that education in this has been narrowed to a very small … elite.”

While Lancaster can’t send the world to Eton, he can share the 6 rhetorical building blocks needed to speak persuasively. Here they are:

Building block #1: Breathless sentences or phrases

Barack Obama gave an acceptance speech for the ages in 2008 after he was first elected president of the US. He spoke vividly of the challenges that lay ahead for the country: “Even as we celebrate tonight, we know that the challenges tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: Two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.”

Lancaster wants us to pay special attention to the last part of that sentence, the “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century” part. Yes, it’s a stressful mouthful — not just because of the content but because of how it’s delivered. Short, staccato phrases like these mimic how we speak when we’re anxious and in a hurry. This technique helps communicate urgency to an audience.

Building block #2: Speaking in 3s

What’s the other rhetorical trick underlying “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century”? The rule of 3.

Humans are accustomed to things coming in 3s: whether it’s judges on American Idol , bowls of porridge in a fairy tale , or sides in a triangle. Our minds and ears have been trained by speeches (Abraham Lincoln’s “government of the people, for the people, by the people”); slogans (reduce, reuse, recycle); and book titles ( Elizabeth Gilbert ‘s memoir Eat, Pray, Love ). “You put your argument in 3s, it makes it sound more compelling, more convincing, more credible. Just like that,” says Lancaster.

Recall British PM Winston Churchill’s stirring triplet from the speech he delivered to Parliament on June 4, 1940 : “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight on the fields and in the streets.” Besides the rule of 3, he gave the line additional rhetorical firepower by repeating the opening clause.

Lancaster explains, “When we are emotional about things, our perspective distorts, and this then manifests in our speech. So this is the authentic sound of passion.” Doing this can catch an audience in the speaker’s enthusiasm.

Building block #3: Balanced statements

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” It’s a line from president John F Kennedy’s inspiring 1961 inaugural address , and one that’s stood the test of time. Why? Its balanced construction, says Lancaster. “If the sentence sounds as if it’s balanced, we imagine that the underlying thinking is balanced and our brain is tuned to like things that are balanced.”

Grouping balanced statements in 3s further amplifies the effect:

“We’re looking to the future, not the past.

We’re working together, not against one another.

We’re thinking about what we can do, not what we can’t.”

Building block #4: Metaphor

According to Lancaster, people use a metaphor once every 16 words on average ( side question: Where do statistics like this even come from? ). He declares, “Metaphor is probably the most powerful piece of political communication.”

Metaphors are rich in imagery and awake immediate feelings in people, so it follows that politicians love them and sprinkle them like birdseed (“like birdseed” is a simile, not a metaphor , and similes are other strong rhetorical tools to have in your kit). At times, they can employ them to point us to an ideal or aspiration. For example, in his farewell address , president Ronald Reagan movingly invoked America, h/t to John Winthrop, as a “shining city upon the hill.”

Too often, however, metaphors are used to manipulate, incite and denigrate. Politicians and talking heads could have called the 2015-16 refugee encampment in Calais, France, a “refugee camp” or “refugee settlement.” Instead, they deployed this loaded word: “jungle.” Lancaster says,“It’s planting in your mind the idea that migrants are like wild animals to be afraid of, that they are dangerous, that they represent a threat to you. This is a very dangerous metaphor because this is the language of genocide; it’s the language of hate.” Unfortunately, media outlets picked up “Calais jungle” and used it as their shorthand identifier of the camp, extending the metaphor’s reach.

Building block #5: Exaggeration

In the same way that we get breathless when they’re speaking with passion, our speech distorts in another significant way. We exaggerate. So when we’re sitting down to a meal after having eaten little that day, we tell our family and friends: “I love this pizza.” But when we say things like this to each other, we also realize it’s a bit of distortion: We do not love the pizza in the same way that we love our children or parents or the planet, and everyone present knows that.

Similarly, politicians and leaders might say things like “I’ve waited my whole life to say these words” or “I will work to achieve this with all my heart and soul.” These utterances are indeed over the top, but because they’re acceptable and even welcome since they echo how we speak.

Building block #6: Rhyming

Starting from childhood, many of us are taught concepts through rhymes — such as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “i before e except after c.” With their musicality, they’re a pleasing informational snack that sticks in memories like a musical earworm .

Rhymes can seem corny, but sprinkled in at the right time, they can be incredibly potent. We all  remember the pithy “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” from defense attorney Johnnie Cochran during O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial.

Rhyming’s appeal comes “down to what linguists talk about as the processing fluency of language — how easy is language to swallow?” says Lancaster. “If you speak using long words and long sentences, it’s like giving someone a steak and asking them to swallow it. Whereas if you give them something pithy, like a rhyme, it’s like asking them to just sip on some Prosecco.”

These six tricks can help us speak directly to people’s instinctive, emotional and logical brains, and they are extremely effective, says Lancaster. There’s no need for us to be in the public eye to use them in order to sway others or make our words stay in people’s minds. Even if we never employ them in our own lives, it’s equally important for us to recognize them. Politicians, con artists and advertisers utilize them to win votes, spread opinions, or sell products people don’t need. By being alert to these rhetorical devices, we can be better citizens and consumers.

To learn more about rhetoric, watch this:

Watch Simon Lancaster’s TEDxVerona talk here:

About the author

Daryl Chen is the Ideas Editor at TED.

• how to be a better human
• public speaking
• simon lancaster

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How to speak clearly: 26 tips to improve & exercises

by Steve Anthony | Advice , Conversation , Small Talk

Last updated on September 23rd, 2023 at 01:12 pm

It’s very important to learn how to speak clearly in different parts of your life. And, the reasons are obvious. If you’re like many people, you want to speak clearly to improve your social life, professional life, and more. However, you may be shy about how you sound and not sure when to articulate certain words because of an accent or because you’re just shy.

Also, maybe you’ve been told you mumble which can make you feel insecure. Or, you may simply want to make a good impression when you’re speaking in front of others and feel confident.

Whatever the reason, there are things you can do to find the right sounds for your words and understand how to speak clearly. Just see below!

Next, in this post, we’ll give you some tips and exercises to improve speech to be more clear. In addition, we’ll explain why some people have trouble speaking clearly and some suggestions you can use to find help for improve speech challenges.

Why speaking clearly is important

Now, keep in mind the most sought-after skills are soft skills (interacting easily with people) among employers according to a Linkedin survey . Below are the skills that topped the list. It shows you’ll need to be able to communicate clearly to be effective in the workplace. 

To highlight, when we learn how to speak clearly, we are better understood by others and can more effectively communicate our thoughts and ideas. Again, this will make you a more effective communicator in general. Additionally, clear speech can help us project a more professional image and can improve our overall confidence level. Speaking clearly can be a challenge for some people, however, there are many ways to improve just by practicing. Now, let’s dive into the 25 tips on how to speak clearly!

A Quick Video on How to Speak Clearly

The 25 best ways to start speaking clearly every day, 1. see your doctor to rule out medical causes.

First, some medical issues can occur when the muscles you use for speech are weak or you have difficulty controlling them. Also, slurred or slow speech can be difficult to understand. Next, there may be speech impairments causing an adult to have difficulty with vocal communication.

Examples include: slurred, slowed, hoarse, stuttered, rapid

Lastly, common causes include nervous system disorders and conditions that cause facial paralysis or tongue or throat muscle weakness. Learn more here.

2. Work with a speech therapist improving accent 

To highlight, the main goal of speech therapy or working with a speech coach is to improve how you communicate in general. For example, some of the goals of speech therapy might include: improving the coordination of speech muscles through strengthening and coordination exercises, sound repetition, and imitation. Working with a therapist or coach can help you:

• Find these flaws (the earlier, the better)
• Identify the root cause of the problem
• Weed out the problem
• Strengthen the way your express language

Remember, a speech therapist or coach can help you achieve goals by improving presentation abilities, overcoming fear, and attaining better focus. It can be a life-changing action. 

3. Speak clearly by using proper breath control

Now, when you speak, practice speaking slowly and enunciate your words. Being able to focus on breathing deeply and evenly can help project your voice more clearly and confidently. 

According to Harvard Business Review , speak “on the breath.” Once you take in that full breath, you might not know what to do with it. Instead of holding it in, use that breath to support your words, letting it out steadily while you are speaking.

4. Enunciate your words to sound clear

Always, when wanting to practice, stand in front of a mirror when working on your enunciation. When you’re enunciating properly, your mouth, tongue, lips, and jaw movements.

Next, stand in front of a mirror and say, “I’m going to have to rethink that bid”. See how your lips purse and retract when you say “go-ing”? See how your lips jut out to pronounce the “b” in “bid”? Obviously, this one sentence will really work out your face. Learn more about your enunciation at Grammar.com

5. Exaggerate mouth movement when speaking

When we’re in a conversational mood, speakers often get lazy and lose the crispness of articulation. People may drop the “g” at the end of an “ing” or “t” off a word like “difficult.”

As you speak, you’ll need to move your mouth and face in an exaggerated fashion so people can easily understand you. One f acial exercise is by making the following sounds “Ooooh, eeeeee, ahhh” while stretching your lips and mouth.

6. Slow down speech to avoid mumbling

Next, always try to pause every 6-8 words to replenish your breath. You’ll feel relaxed, sound deliberate, and strong. Relaxing your jaw and opening your mouth will naturally slow down your speech. If you’re a fast talker you can’t open your mouth very far.

7. Focus on the keywords to speak clearly

Without a doubt, above-average speakers can communicate passionately and effectively to the people they’re talking to. They are able to sell an idea, product, or vision using words that get the message across in an impactful way. 

In addition, they know how to choose words that have the most influence on their listeners. Here are 10 words for every speaker.

8. Consistent practice will show drastic improvement 

Now, find a friend to help you identify areas you may need to work on to speaking clearly. Even consider using a video to watch how you speak. Lastly, read a book out loud to practice pronunciation. 

Equally important is, the only way to learn something new is to practice. In his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell suggests that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at something . However, no one is expecting you to be an “expert”, but J osh Kaufman, author of The Personal MBA, writes that to go from “knowing nothing to being pretty good” actually takes about 20 hours of practice – that’s 45 minutes every day for a month. You got this!

9. Talk slower with pauses, to understand

If you speak too quickly, your words may run together and become difficult to understand. Remember to slow down. This one is tricky because it is hard to gauge how fast you are speaking. A good rule of thumb is to speak at about 75% of your normal rate.

Keep in mind, to articulate each sound in a word and avoid mumbling. This allows people to better understand what you’re talking about.  Try to keep your mouth moist by taking small sips of water throughout your conversation.

10. Tongue placement produces clear sounds 

For example, if you have trouble with the “s” sound, find tongue twisters or other drills that help you practice forming that sound .

Next, use proper mouth and tongue placement when producing speech sounds. The tongue should be positioned behind the teeth when producing sounds such as /t/, /d/, /n/, and /l/. When producing sounds such as /s/, /z/, /sh/, and /ch/, the tongue should be positioned in the front of the mouth. 

11. Pronounce each word and speak steadily

It must be remembered, to pronounce each word steadily means over-articulating or saying each sound in the word more clearly than usual. For example, saying “ssssuper” instead of “super.”

Now, try a “buzz” or “hum” speech exercise. Put your lips together and make a buzzing sound.

12. Take some time to practice tongue twisters

You can look for specific exercises to help you practice those sounds. For example, tongue twisters can be a great way to practice difficult sounds. Or, if you’re having trouble with a particular word, try repeating it several times in a row. In fact, even if you practice for a few minutes a day, you’ll be speaking more clearly in no time.

Here are some tongue twisters to learn how to speak clearly:

Denise sees the fleece, Denise sees the fleas. At least Denise could sneeze and feed and freeze the fleas.

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?

13. Warm up your voice before every social interaction

This improves the quality of the sound you make and helps the tone flow more naturally. Learn more here to warm up your voice.   Always remember, make sure you’re taking deep breaths from your diaphragm and not shallow breaths from your chest. This will help you speak more clearly and with less effort.

14. Stop over-explaining and keep speaking simple

It takes a bit of practice but you don’t need to repeat things. So, try editing the things you say and see how the conversation goes.

Try  speaking in chunks. Think of delivering your message in a bullet format and g et to the point. Because people stop listening after 60 seconds. If you’re not concise people end up interrupting or not paying attention to you. Learn more about the traffic light rule.

15. Use your Hands more, they’re an underrated tool

Now, it can be a good idea to use your hands to emphasize essential points. It’s been said in studies that gestures increase the value of spoken words by up to 60%! Researchers found talking with your hands “lightens the cognitive load” of speaking. Especially when you’re talking about something abstract or strategic, using your hands makes it easier for you to navigate complex ideas in your brain. 

Another study published in the Leadership & Organization Development Journal says: If you don’t use your hands when presenting, or if you use awkward hand movements, your audience will label you as cold and aloof.

16. Find great speakers and use their best qualities

Importantly, 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. 

17. Pay attention to the volume of your mouth

When speaking to people in general or before a large audience you need to constantly focus on speaking loudly or at least adjust your volume based on where you are.

Speakers should exaggerate their normal conversational volume so that the amplified tone is commanding and not tinny.

18. Attending social activities to practice speech

Truly, getting out and interacting with others is a great way to practice your speaking and your social skills. You don’t have to be the life of the party but you can arrange a small activity such as meeting with a friend for coffee.

Most people feel more comfortable in small groups over large groups. So, if you’re working on your speaking skills or social skills we suggest starting small with maybe one person then once that feels ok, see if you can feel comfortable in a social event with three people, then four… and so on.

19 . Writing thoughts improves speaking confidence

Journaling after social events or speaking moments can be very helpful in developing self-self-reflection skills. How did the conversation go? Did you pronounce some words correctly? Were you mumbling? Were you asked to repeat? If yes, which sentence was it that wasn’t clear? 

By thinking about what you said and how you said it, you can hone in on specific communication behaviors that need work.  Also, no one is perfect. So, if you make a mistake that’s ok. it’s a part of learning.

20. Acknowledge the challenge you may have

Be honest about the difficulty of learning something new, especially when you’re taking on something different and scary. Expect mistakes, and celebrate effort, and risk-taking, rather than expertise and skill level. It’s very common.

Now, this is important to remember, reward yourself for trying new things and building new skills, even when your attempts are less-than-perfect. You got this! 

21. Learn how speaking works

More time investigating how something works such as the rules and strategies of a game, the mechanics of a  car, or the science of speech and accents, is very important. Spacing out time to explore pays off in better performance and becoming more skilled. You can do this by reading about how language works, working with a speech therapist, or doing in-depth research. 

22. Emphasize words when you talk

You can emphasize words in the sentences that you want people to hear. It helps you get your message across by stressing the words that carry the main meaning.

23. If you speak with an accent, don’t focus on it so much

Some people with accents want to reduce their accents or make their accents go away. They might feel insecure or that they can’t get a job because of how they talk. Whatever the case, in reality, it might not matter.

Now, if you’re able to speak another language such as English with ease and people can clearly understand you, then you’re fine. It’s very unlikely you’ll completely reduce your accent. Do you need to speak more clearly or speak without an accent? Remember to identify the real problem. 

24. Leave space for your listeners to react

The quality of being heard or understood is how you feed your thoughts to the listener, not about the particular way you pronounce sounds. 

Remember, make an effort to express ideas accurately and deliberately. This is a great way on how to speak more clearly with just listening.

25. Focus on your audience and being understood

Keep asking yourself if you speaking clearly is an unrealistic standard or whether your speech is actually good and people are understanding you. If people are listening then you are doing just fine. And, anything can be a distraction. Your shirt, your eyes, the drink in your hand. Also, some people might really like how you talk. 

Lastly, focus on your audience. Be aware of their reactions to be sure they understand your ideas.

26. Be brief and use fewer details

People who are long-winded will quickly lose their listeners. So, get into the habit of making your point quickly and concisely. Trimming away excess detail is an easy way to self-edit. According to Joe McCormack, author of Brief, people can only hear about 750 words a minute.

But there’s a simple way to make sure you’re truly heard in any conversation, by using the “Traffic Light Rule.”

30 seconds the light is green: The listener is probably paying attention. 60 second mark, the light is yellow: Your listener is starting to get distracted. 1 minute mark, the light is red: Your listener is bored or politely pretending to listen. 

The more brief your response is, the more people will hear you and, most importantly, like you.

If people seem to be squirming, looking somewhere else, or trying to walk away, then you’re talking too much. Bring people back to the conversation by asking a personal question. 

Continuing to Learn How to Speak Clearly

Now, viewing the image below represents a guideline for the most effective learning techniques the human brain is able to acquire and store information.

The most effective way to learn is to teach others and use it in our own lives.

If you want to start speaking clearly and improving your overall communication, use this guide to become better. Take time to discuss it with others, teach your friends, and dive into videos and books. This method can spring you forward, giving you a head start.

How You Can Speak Confidently in Your Social Life?

Improve your social skills in addition to speaking clearly, here are easy tips you can use today.

First , it’s important to be prepared:

Before speaking or having conversations with people. Especially, if you’re new at meeting new people. This means knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it. Be prepared and practice.

By taking the time to prepare, you will be more likely to feel confident when speaking with others. Have you ever not been prepared for a test or a call with a customer? It will show and you don’t want to have any awkward moments.  

Next, try to relax:

When we’re nervous, we tend to speak quickly, but this makes it harder for others to understand us. If you can slow down and enunciate your words, people will be more likely to catch what you’re saying.

Furthermore, try to project your voice:

This doesn’t mean you have to shout, but speaking in a clear, assertive voice will help ensure that people can hear and understand you.

Finally, make eye contact:

When we make eye contact with someone, it shows that we’re confident and interested in what they have to say. This will help to show that you are engaged in the conversation .

If you think you’re ready to take your conversations and speaking to the next level check out the links to posts that can help below. 

• How to get better at socializing  
• The best conversation openers
• How to start a conversation: 15 strategies
• How to have a good conversation

In addition, we created an infographic below showing simple steps to improve your social life today.

Practice speaking clearly and socialize more … 

Learning how to speak clearly is important for many reasons. It can help you be successful in school and at work, and it can make socializing easier. Some people have trouble speaking clearly because of issues like a speech impediment, hearing loss, or a learning disability.

If you have trouble speaking clearly, there are many resources available to help you, including speech therapy and books on the subject.

Remember, it is very important to practice regularly. Make a commitment to doing these exercises regularly, and keep track of your progress. Set realistic goals, and celebrate each milestone reached. Then, you will have learned how to speak clearly.

The more you talk to people, the more confident and clear you’ll be able to speak.

Do you feel anxious when speaking to people? 

You may feel overly anxious and it could be a social anxiety disorder. Find out more by taking a quiz.  

Social anxiety is a disorder that can make someone feel very self-conscious and nervous in social situations. It is common to have some level of social anxiety, but it becomes a problem when the symptoms are severe. If the symptoms are not addressed, they can lead to other mental health problems like depression.

Click below to find out more about how therapy can help you.

What else can you do now?

Download our Tool Kit for free   (mini-course, social blueprint, and more) Prepare more when you go out to socialize. We think if you join our community or read a few more blog posts, you won’t be saying, “how to speak clearly!”

To sum up, you’ll feel more confident, and prepared and you’ll know what to do next, especially, when it comes to speaking clearly and socializing.

More Resources: 

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10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills

Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.

Marjorie North

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking — routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears — can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series,  Mastering the Basics of Communication , I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace , I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. nervousness is normal. practice and prepare.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice — a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

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2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head — in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

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About the Author

North is a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, and runs a private practice specializing in public speaking, and executive communication skills. Previously, she was the clinical director in the department of speech and language pathology and audiology at Northeastern University.

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What this handout is about

This handout will help you create an effective speech by establishing the purpose of your speech and making it easily understandable. It will also help you to analyze your audience and keep the audience interested.

What’s different about a speech?

Writing for public speaking isn’t so different from other types of writing. You want to engage your audience’s attention, convey your ideas in a logical manner and use reliable evidence to support your point. But the conditions for public speaking favor some writing qualities over others. When you write a speech, your audience is made up of listeners. They have only one chance to comprehend the information as you read it, so your speech must be well-organized and easily understood. In addition, the content of the speech and your delivery must fit the audience.

What’s your purpose?

People have gathered to hear you speak on a specific issue, and they expect to get something out of it immediately. And you, the speaker, hope to have an immediate effect on your audience. The purpose of your speech is to get the response you want. Most speeches invite audiences to react in one of three ways: feeling, thinking, or acting. For example, eulogies encourage emotional response from the audience; college lectures stimulate listeners to think about a topic from a different perspective; protest speeches in the Pit recommend actions the audience can take.

As you establish your purpose, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you want the audience to learn or do?
• If you are making an argument, why do you want them to agree with you?
• If they already agree with you, why are you giving the speech?
• How can your audience benefit from what you have to say?

Audience analysis

If your purpose is to get a certain response from your audience, you must consider who they are (or who you’re pretending they are). If you can identify ways to connect with your listeners, you can make your speech interesting and useful.

As you think of ways to appeal to your audience, ask yourself:

• What do they have in common? Age? Interests? Ethnicity? Gender?
• Do they know as much about your topic as you, or will you be introducing them to new ideas?
• Why are these people listening to you? What are they looking for?
• What level of detail will be effective for them?
• What tone will be most effective in conveying your message?
• What might offend or alienate them?

For more help, see our handout on audience .

Creating an effective introduction

Get their attention, otherwise known as “the hook”.

Think about how you can relate to these listeners and get them to relate to you or your topic. Appealing to your audience on a personal level captures their attention and concern, increasing the chances of a successful speech. Speakers often begin with anecdotes to hook their audience’s attention. Other methods include presenting shocking statistics, asking direct questions of the audience, or enlisting audience participation.

Establish context and/or motive

Explain why your topic is important. Consider your purpose and how you came to speak to this audience. You may also want to connect the material to related or larger issues as well, especially those that may be important to your audience.

Get to the point

Tell your listeners your thesis right away and explain how you will support it. Don’t spend as much time developing your introductory paragraph and leading up to the thesis statement as you would in a research paper for a course. Moving from the intro into the body of the speech quickly will help keep your audience interested. You may be tempted to create suspense by keeping the audience guessing about your thesis until the end, then springing the implications of your discussion on them. But if you do so, they will most likely become bored or confused.

For more help, see our handout on introductions .

Making your speech easy to understand

Repeat crucial points and buzzwords.

Especially in longer speeches, it’s a good idea to keep reminding your audience of the main points you’ve made. For example, you could link an earlier main point or key term as you transition into or wrap up a new point. You could also address the relationship between earlier points and new points through discussion within a body paragraph. Using buzzwords or key terms throughout your paper is also a good idea. If your thesis says you’re going to expose unethical behavior of medical insurance companies, make sure the use of “ethics” recurs instead of switching to “immoral” or simply “wrong.” Repetition of key terms makes it easier for your audience to take in and connect information.

Incorporate previews and summaries into the speech

For example:

“I’m here today to talk to you about three issues that threaten our educational system: First, … Second, … Third,”

“I’ve talked to you today about such and such.”

These kinds of verbal cues permit the people in the audience to put together the pieces of your speech without thinking too hard, so they can spend more time paying attention to its content.

Use especially strong transitions

This will help your listeners see how new information relates to what they’ve heard so far. If you set up a counterargument in one paragraph so you can demolish it in the next, begin the demolition by saying something like,

“But this argument makes no sense when you consider that . . . .”

If you’re providing additional information to support your main point, you could say,

“Another fact that supports my main point is . . . .”

Helping your audience listen

Rely on shorter, simpler sentence structures.

Don’t get too complicated when you’re asking an audience to remember everything you say. Avoid using too many subordinate clauses, and place subjects and verbs close together.

Too complicated:

The product, which was invented in 1908 by Orville Z. McGillicuddy in Des Moines, Iowa, and which was on store shelves approximately one year later, still sells well.

Easier to understand:

Orville Z. McGillicuddy invented the product in 1908 and introduced it into stores shortly afterward. Almost a century later, the product still sells well.

Limit pronoun use

Listeners may have a hard time remembering or figuring out what “it,” “they,” or “this” refers to. Be specific by using a key noun instead of unclear pronouns.

Pronoun problem:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This cannot continue.

Why the last sentence is unclear: “This” what? The government’s failure? Reality TV? Human nature?

More specific:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This failure cannot continue.

Keeping audience interest

Incorporate the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos.

When arguing a point, using ethos, pathos, and logos can help convince your audience to believe you and make your argument stronger. Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience’s emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies.

Use statistics and quotations sparingly

Include only the most striking factual material to support your perspective, things that would likely stick in the listeners’ minds long after you’ve finished speaking. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming your listeners with too much information.

Watch your tone

Be careful not to talk over the heads of your audience. On the other hand, don’t be condescending either. And as for grabbing their attention, yelling, cursing, using inappropriate humor, or brandishing a potentially offensive prop (say, autopsy photos) will only make the audience tune you out.

Creating an effective conclusion

Restate your main points, but don’t repeat them.

“I asked earlier why we should care about the rain forest. Now I hope it’s clear that . . .” “Remember how Mrs. Smith couldn’t afford her prescriptions? Under our plan, . . .”

Call to action

Speeches often close with an appeal to the audience to take action based on their new knowledge or understanding. If you do this, be sure the action you recommend is specific and realistic. For example, although your audience may not be able to affect foreign policy directly, they can vote or work for candidates whose foreign policy views they support. Relating the purpose of your speech to their lives not only creates a connection with your audience, but also reiterates the importance of your topic to them in particular or “the bigger picture.”

Practicing for effective presentation

Once you’ve completed a draft, read your speech to a friend or in front of a mirror. When you’ve finished reading, ask the following questions:

• Which pieces of information are clearest?
• Where did I connect with the audience?
• Where might listeners lose the thread of my argument or description?
• Where might listeners become bored?
• Where did I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically?
• Did I stay within my time limit?

Other resources

• Toastmasters International is a nonprofit group that provides communication and leadership training.
• Allyn & Bacon Publishing’s Essence of Public Speaking Series is an extensive treatment of speech writing and delivery, including books on using humor, motivating your audience, word choice and presentation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Boone, Louis E., David L. Kurtz, and Judy R. Block. 1997. Contemporary Business Communication . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ehrlich, Henry. 1994. Writing Effective Speeches . New York: Marlowe.

Lamb, Sandra E. 1998. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write . Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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8 Ways to Make Your Point With Precision & Clarity

By Paola Pascual on Mar 7, 2023 8:15:00 AM

How do you get to the point in a clear way? Being a good communicator is a part of being an effective manager, a productive employee, and a successful person. And speaking with clarity and precision is at the core of effective communication and fluency . 

Effective communication can only happen if the message you transmit is understood by the receiver –simple but not always easy. Getting “lost in translation” is not fun. It can happen both if you are a non-native speaker trying to express your ideas, but also if you are a native-English speaker talking to someone whose level of English is not so perfect yet. But, dear reader, fear not ! In this post, you will learn how to speak effectively and with clarity, whether you are a native-English speaker or not. Whether you want to explain a complex concept in an easy way, describe an idea when you don’t know a specific word , ask for vacation days, get your point across in an argument, influence others, or negotiate, these are all tips that will redesign the way you speak and help you achieve it. Learn how to explain things effectively –that is, learn how to speak so that people understand–, and become more persuasive. 

How do I speak so people understand me?

These speaking techniques are simple but effective. Follow these 8 tips and get to people on a much deeper, meaningful level.

1. Captivate your audience by giving them only what they need to know

2. avoid jargon to be more engaging.

• 3. Make your point clear with  ‘special’ repetition (and win any argument)

4. Classify your concepts and guide your listener

5. make connections with what your audience knows.

• 6. Use the art of storytelling to connect with your audience

7. Use images so people understand and remember

8. influence people by focusing on benefits and consequences, not features.

The more you understand your audience, the better they will understand you. 

Your expertise won’t be of any value to an audience that doesn’t get it. Like the anecdote of Einstein and a glass of milk , we sometimes pick features that aren’t really relevant to our audience. Explaining what milk is to a blind person by saying it’s a white fluid is not going to make things easier, especially when there are other properties much more valuable to that person.

Ask yourself - what is my audience's existing knowledge and frame of reference? Learn about their motivations and their background, and leverage that information.

For example, if you are explaining to your business team how they can use the new app you created, what do they want to know from you? Do they really need to know all the complications that arose throughout the creation process and technicalities, or do they only care about the result and how they can apply it in real life? Focus on this and people will understand you much better.

If you are asking for vacation days, what does your boss need? Pick the best time to talk to them give them some time to integrate your time off into the planning, anticipate some questions, and reassure them that the work will get done. 

" If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough ." (Yup, this is also by Einstein).

Jargon is the specialized terminology associated with a particular field or area of activity. It is normally used in a particular communicative context and may not be well understood outside that context. Let's look at some examples.

Did you A/B test the ad copy? It looks good overall, but we may need to optimize the CTA and use dynamic content so that each persona gets what they need and we max our ROI. You know that inbound marketing is only effective through lead nurturing. 

Unless you work in marketing, the fragment above will like include words you don't understand. Remember this when talking to other people! Also, even if they understand, i t turns out, jargon isn’t so engaging .

If your words are too complicated, or if your audience doesn’t understand the acronyms you are using, you are probably going to lose them. 

Keep your words simple and clear. Express your ideas using words that your listeners can relate to. But remember that there is a difference between using simple language (easy to understand), and simplistic (treating the problem as if it’s not complicated at all). Don’t think of it as “dumbing down”, just think of simple and light ways to explain your message and engage your audience.

3. Make your point clear with ‘special’ repetition (and win any argument)

If you want to make sure people understand you, repeat your ideas. Say the same thing in different words. Repetition is important to get to a person’s mind, but if you vary some elements, like using synonyms and changing the structure of the sentence, the chances to be understood and listened to are much higher.

That’s what makes the repetition ‘special’, the fact that you are saying the same thing in a completely different way. This is called paraphrasing ( What the heck is paraphrasing? ). Learn a good range of synonyms and related words (in this list of useful English resources you can find great dictionaries). 

Look at these examples:

• When you can’t find a specific word (e.g. goal ): My objective or aim this year is to learn English.
• When you’re talking to your colleague and they don’t understand what you mean: What are your resolutions for the New Year? (...) You know, your goals, objectives, or intentions?
• When your point wasn’t taken into account and you want to say it again: I believe that implementing this feature will reduce the costs . (...) Yes, but I still think that applying it would involve fewer expenses . (...) Right, but we could save a lot of money . (Notice how they all mean the same).

Define your terms. When we talk, people often need some guidance to fully understand us. Classifying your concepts with categories will give your listener a better understanding (is it an action? A place? An element?).

If we look at the earlier mentioned anecdote, Einstein also used categories to guide his blind friend: milk is a white liquid , and a swan is a bird with a crooked neck .

This way, if you are in a meeting, and you feel too insecure to speak up and express your idea, remember that you can always use this tip to help them understand.

Use examples and analogies that your audience already knows, and compare and contrast those with your idea. When you tie the concept to a previously learned or shared piece of information, people will connect your thoughts to what’s already on their minds, creating a new bond that will make them grasp your view better.

e.g. Telegram is an instant messaging App, similar to WhatsApp, but with some differences. For example, Telegram is cloud-based and group chats can host up to 75,000 members.

6. Use the art of storytelling

If you really want people to understand you on a deeper level, tell them an interesting story or use a practical example they can relate to. Stories and examples are a great way to express your ideas, have an impact on people, and create a bond with other humans.

Over 90% of all purchasing decisions are made subconsciously ; so evoking emotions in your audience might have a huge impact on their conscious minds.

If you need to explain something that is complex or highly technical to an audience that might not understand it, tell them a story based on something they can relate to, something they do understand. Once they understand and relate to it, there is a good chance they will listen to your advice. Learn more about storytelling here .

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so why not use images to support your explanations? If you get your audience to see what you are trying to explain, they will not only be able to understand it better, but they will also remember it. Illustrate your ideas with a picture, a drawing, a diagram, or a chart and help people understand you better.

The beauty of this tip is that it can be applied to a great many examples. If you are not a native speaker and you can’t remember a word, you can always look up an image in your own language and show it to the person you are talking to. If you want to show your team how well sales are going, show them a chart that visually illustrates that growth.

A feature is an inherent property of an object, it’s the kind of information that dictionaries tend to offer. A benefit is a way in which the feature helps a person. When we communicate information, we do it for a reason. Think of this reason and use it to point out the benefits of what you are trying to explain.

In the same way, try to focus on the benefits of technology rather than its features. This distinction becomes more significant the higher the level of the person you are talking to. The CMO probably has little need to know about the commands and steps involved in setting up a new analytics and tracking system. However, that person will want to know that this new system will help them track ROI for their online marketing.

If you want to persuade your audience, explain the consequences. What is the result of applying your concept? Think of the next example: you are in a meeting with your team, and there is a problem with a feature of the software. Most of them agree that it will all be done manually, not automatically, to avoid any complications. You have an idea; which one is more compelling?

• Why don’t we do half of the work manually, and half through the software?
• If we run the work through the software, it will save us a great amount of time. To make sure there are no errors, we will test it manually. This way, we will have most of the work done automatically, but the human factor will be there to make sure everything is correct.

Go back to all the tips. What is the one thing that all the headings have in common? Notice that all the headings include a benefit, a reason, and a consequence that will happen if you follow such advice:

• Captivate your audience by giving them only what they need to know
• Avoid jargon to be more engaging
• Make your point clear with  ‘special’ repetition (and win any argument)
• Classify your concepts and guide your listener
• Make connections with what your audience knows
• Use the art of storytelling to connect with your audience
• Use images so people understand and remember
• Influence people by focusing on benefits and consequences, not features

Make your “why” clear and people will understand you better, the way you want them to.

What's your favorite tip? Tell us on LinkedIn .

Keep Improving Your Communication Skills for the Workplace

If you are ready to take your professional English communication skills to the next level, get in touch with Talaera . Continue improving your communication skills for professional situations with our free resources .

For any additional information or questions, you can also reach out at [email protected] . Interested in getting the best offers and receiving free content on Business English communication?   Subscribe to our newsletter   and we will keep you in the loop with offers, free events, and development materials! 

If you enjoyed this article, keep reading:

• How To Start a Presentation: Follow These 4 Easy Steps
• 6 Tricks The Best Public Speakers Use To Captivate Their Audience
• 101 Must-Know Transition Phrases for Engaging Presentations Online
• 21 Helpful Tips For Remarkable and Outstanding Presentation Skills
• 8 Little Changes That'll Make A Big Difference With Your Presentations
• 14 Simple Rules That Will Make You A Better Communicator
• Tips on Effective Communication That Actually Work [Podcast]

[This post was originally published in August 2020.]

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How to write a speech that your audience remembers

Whether in a work meeting or at an investor panel, you might give a speech at some point. And no matter how excited you are about the opportunity, the experience can be nerve-wracking . 

But feeling butterflies doesn’t mean you can’t give a great speech. With the proper preparation and a clear outline, apprehensive public speakers and natural wordsmiths alike can write and present a compelling message. Here’s how to write a good speech you’ll be proud to deliver.

What is good speech writing?

Good speech writing is the art of crafting words and ideas into a compelling, coherent, and memorable message that resonates with the audience. Here are some key elements of great speech writing:

• It begins with clearly understanding the speech's purpose and the audience it seeks to engage. 
• A well-written speech clearly conveys its central message, ensuring that the audience understands and retains the key points. 
• It is structured thoughtfully, with a captivating opening, a well-organized body, and a conclusion that reinforces the main message. 
• Good speech writing embraces the power of engaging content, weaving in stories, examples, and relatable anecdotes to connect with the audience on both intellectual and emotional levels. 

Ultimately, it is the combination of these elements, along with the authenticity and delivery of the speaker , that transforms words on a page into a powerful and impactful spoken narrative.

What makes a good speech?

A great speech includes several key qualities, but three fundamental elements make a speech truly effective:

Clarity and purpose

Remembering the audience, cohesive structure.

While other important factors make a speech a home run, these three elements are essential for writing an effective speech.

The main elements of a good speech

The main elements of a speech typically include:

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your speech and grabs the audience's attention. It should include a hook or attention-grabbing opening, introduce the topic, and provide an overview of what will be covered.
• Opening/captivating statement: This is a strong statement that immediately engages the audience and creates curiosity about the speech topics.
• Thesis statement/central idea: The thesis statement or central idea is a concise statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your speech. It serves as a roadmap for the audience to understand what your speech is about.
• Body: The body of the speech is where you elaborate on your main points or arguments. Each point is typically supported by evidence, examples, statistics, or anecdotes. The body should be organized logically and coherently, with smooth transitions between the main points.
• Supporting evidence: This includes facts, data, research findings, expert opinions, or personal stories that support and strengthen your main points. Well-chosen and credible evidence enhances the persuasive power of your speech.
• Transitions: Transitions are phrases or statements that connect different parts of your speech, guiding the audience from one idea to the next. Effective transitions signal the shifts in topics or ideas and help maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.
• Counterarguments and rebuttals (if applicable): If your speech involves addressing opposing viewpoints or counterarguments, you should acknowledge and address them. Presenting counterarguments makes your speech more persuasive and demonstrates critical thinking.
• Conclusion: The conclusion is the final part of your speech and should bring your message to a satisfying close. Summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the audience with a memorable closing thought or call to action.
• Closing statement: This is the final statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the main message of your speech. It can be a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a memorable anecdote.
• Delivery and presentation: How you deliver your speech is also an essential element to consider. Pay attention to your tone, body language, eye contact , voice modulation, and timing. Practice and rehearse your speech, and try using the 7-38-55 rule to ensure confident and effective delivery.

While the order and emphasis of these elements may vary depending on the type of speech and audience, these elements provide a framework for organizing and delivering a successful speech.

How to structure a good speech

You know what message you want to transmit, who you’re delivering it to, and even how you want to say it. But you need to know how to start, develop, and close a speech before writing it. 

Think of a speech like an essay. It should have an introduction, conclusion, and body sections in between. This places ideas in a logical order that the audience can better understand and follow them. Learning how to make a speech with an outline gives your storytelling the scaffolding it needs to get its point across.

Here’s a general speech structure to guide your writing process:

• Explanation 1
• Explanation 2
• Explanation 3

How to write a compelling speech opener

Some research shows that engaged audiences pay attention for only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Other estimates are even lower, citing that people stop listening intently in fewer than 10 minutes . If you make a good first impression at the beginning of your speech, you have a better chance of interesting your audience through the middle when attention spans fade. 

Implementing the INTRO model can help grab and keep your audience’s attention as soon as you start speaking. This acronym stands for interest, need, timing, roadmap, and objectives, and it represents the key points you should hit in an opening. 

Here’s what to include for each of these points: 

• Interest : Introduce yourself or your topic concisely and speak with confidence . Write a compelling opening statement using relevant data or an anecdote that the audience can relate to.
• Needs : The audience is listening to you because they have something to learn. If you’re pitching a new app idea to a panel of investors, those potential partners want to discover more about your product and what they can earn from it. Read the room and gently remind them of the purpose of your speech. 
• Timing : When appropriate, let your audience know how long you’ll speak. This lets listeners set expectations and keep tabs on their own attention span. If a weary audience member knows you’ll talk for 40 minutes, they can better manage their energy as that time goes on. 
• Routemap : Give a brief overview of the three main points you’ll cover in your speech. If an audience member’s attention starts to drop off and they miss a few sentences, they can more easily get their bearings if they know the general outline of the presentation.
• Objectives : Tell the audience what you hope to achieve, encouraging them to listen to the end for the payout. 

Writing the middle of a speech

The body of your speech is the most information-dense section. Facts, visual aids, PowerPoints — all this information meets an audience with a waning attention span. Sticking to the speech structure gives your message focus and keeps you from going off track, making everything you say as useful as possible.

Limit the middle of your speech to three points, and support them with no more than three explanations. Following this model organizes your thoughts and prevents you from offering more information than the audience can retain. 

Using this section of the speech to make your presentation interactive can add interest and engage your audience. Try including a video or demonstration to break the monotony. A quick poll or survey also keeps the audience on their toes. 

Wrapping the speech up

To you, restating your points at the end can feel repetitive and dull. You’ve practiced countless times and heard it all before. But repetition aids memory and learning , helping your audience retain what you’ve told them. Use your speech’s conclusion to summarize the main points with a few short sentences.

Try to end on a memorable note, like posing a motivational quote or a thoughtful question the audience can contemplate once they leave. In proposal or pitch-style speeches, consider landing on a call to action (CTA) that invites your audience to take the next step.

How to write a good speech

If public speaking gives you the jitters, you’re not alone. Roughly 80% of the population feels nervous before giving a speech, and another 10% percent experiences intense anxiety and sometimes even panic. 

The fear of failure can cause procrastination and can cause you to put off your speechwriting process until the last minute. Finding the right words takes time and preparation, and if you’re already feeling nervous, starting from a blank page might seem even harder.

But putting in the effort despite your stress is worth it. Presenting a speech you worked hard on fosters authenticity and connects you to the subject matter, which can help your audience understand your points better. Human connection is all about honesty and vulnerability, and if you want to connect to the people you’re speaking to, they should see that in you.

1. Identify your objectives and target audience

Before diving into the writing process, find healthy coping strategies to help you stop worrying . Then you can define your speech’s purpose, think about your target audience, and start identifying your objectives. Here are some questions to ask yourself and ground your thinking : 

• What purpose do I want my speech to achieve? 
• What would it mean to me if I achieved the speech’s purpose?
• What audience am I writing for? 
• What do I know about my audience? 
• What values do I want to transmit? 
• If the audience remembers one take-home message, what should it be? 
• What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after I finish speaking? 
• What parts of my message could be confusing and require further explanation?

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your speech effectively. Consider the demographics of your audience, their interests, and their expectations. For instance, if you're addressing a group of healthcare professionals, you'll want to use medical terminology and data that resonate with them. Conversely, if your audience is a group of young students, you'd adjust your content to be more relatable to their experiences and interests. 

3. Choose a clear message

Your message should be the central idea that you want your audience to take away from your speech. Let's say you're giving a speech on climate change. Your clear message might be something like, "Individual actions can make a significant impact on mitigating climate change." Throughout your speech, all your points and examples should support this central message, reinforcing it for your audience.

4. Structure your speech

Organizing your speech properly keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your ideas. The introduction should grab your audience's attention and introduce the topic. For example, if you're discussing space exploration, you could start with a fascinating fact about a recent space mission. In the body, you'd present your main points logically, such as the history of space exploration, its scientific significance, and future prospects. Finally, in the conclusion, you'd summarize your key points and reiterate the importance of space exploration in advancing human knowledge.

5. Use engaging content for clarity

Engaging content includes stories, anecdotes, statistics, and examples that illustrate your main points. For instance, if you're giving a speech about the importance of reading, you might share a personal story about how a particular book changed your perspective. You could also include statistics on the benefits of reading, such as improved cognitive abilities and empathy.

6. Maintain clarity and simplicity

It's essential to communicate your ideas clearly. Avoid using overly technical jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience. For example, if you're discussing a medical breakthrough with a non-medical audience, explain complex terms in simple, understandable language.

7. Practice and rehearse

Practice is key to delivering a great speech. Rehearse multiple times to refine your delivery, timing, and tone. Consider using a mirror or recording yourself to observe your body language and gestures. For instance, if you're giving a motivational speech, practice your gestures and expressions to convey enthusiasm and confidence.

8. Consider nonverbal communication

Your body language, tone of voice, and gestures should align with your message . If you're delivering a speech on leadership, maintain strong eye contact to convey authority and connection with your audience. A steady pace and varied tone can also enhance your speech's impact.

9. Engage your audience

Engaging your audience keeps them interested and attentive. Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or sharing relatable anecdotes. If you're giving a speech on teamwork, ask the audience to recall a time when teamwork led to a successful outcome, fostering engagement and connection.

10. Prepare for Q&A

Anticipate potential questions or objections your audience might have and prepare concise, well-informed responses. If you're delivering a speech on a controversial topic, such as healthcare reform, be ready to address common concerns, like the impact on healthcare costs or access to services, during the Q&A session.

By following these steps and incorporating examples that align with your specific speech topic and purpose, you can craft and deliver a compelling and impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Tools for writing a great speech

There are several helpful tools available for speechwriting, both technological and communication-related. Here are a few examples:

• Word processing software: Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other word processors provide a user-friendly environment for writing and editing speeches. They offer features like spell-checking, grammar correction, formatting options, and easy revision tracking.
• Presentation software: Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides is useful when creating visual aids to accompany your speech. These tools allow you to create engaging slideshows with text, images, charts, and videos to enhance your presentation.
• Speechwriting Templates: Online platforms or software offer pre-designed templates specifically for speechwriting. These templates provide guidance on structuring your speech and may include prompts for different sections like introductions, main points, and conclusions.
• Rhetorical devices and figures of speech: Rhetorical tools such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and parallelism can add impact and persuasion to your speech. Resources like books, websites, or academic papers detailing various rhetorical devices can help you incorporate them effectively.
• Speechwriting apps: Mobile apps designed specifically for speechwriting can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, creating outlines, and composing a speech. These apps often provide features like voice recording, note-taking, and virtual prompts to keep you on track.
• Grammar and style checkers: Online tools or plugins like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help improve the clarity and readability of your speech by checking for grammar, spelling, and style errors. They provide suggestions for sentence structure, word choice, and overall tone.
• Thesaurus and dictionary: Online or offline resources such as thesauruses and dictionaries help expand your vocabulary and find alternative words or phrases to express your ideas more effectively. They can also clarify meanings or provide context for unfamiliar terms.
• Online speechwriting communities: Joining online forums or communities focused on speechwriting can be beneficial for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and learning from experienced speechwriters. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and improve your public speaking skills through collaboration.

Remember, while these tools can assist in the speechwriting process, it's essential to use them thoughtfully and adapt them to your specific needs and style. The most important aspect of speechwriting remains the creativity, authenticity, and connection with your audience that you bring to your speech.

5 tips for writing a speech

Behind every great speech is an excellent idea and a speaker who refined it. But a successful speech is about more than the initial words on the page, and there are a few more things you can do to help it land.

Here are five more tips for writing and practicing your speech:

1. Structure first, write second

If you start the writing process before organizing your thoughts, you may have to re-order, cut, and scrap the sentences you worked hard on. Save yourself some time by using a speech structure, like the one above, to order your talking points first. This can also help you identify unclear points or moments that disrupt your flow.

2. Do your homework

Data strengthens your argument with a scientific edge. Research your topic with an eye for attention-grabbing statistics, or look for findings you can use to support each point. If you’re pitching a product or service, pull information from company metrics that demonstrate past or potential successes. 

Audience members will likely have questions, so learn all talking points inside and out. If you tell investors that your product will provide 12% returns, for example, come prepared with projections that support that statement.

3. Sound like yourself

Memorable speakers have distinct voices. Think of Martin Luther King Jr’s urgent, inspiring timbre or Oprah’s empathetic, personal tone . Establish your voice — one that aligns with your personality and values — and stick with it. If you’re a motivational speaker, keep your tone upbeat to inspire your audience . If you’re the CEO of a startup, try sounding assured but approachable. 

4. Practice

As you practice a speech, you become more confident , gain a better handle on the material, and learn the outline so well that unexpected questions are less likely to trip you up. Practice in front of a colleague or friend for honest feedback about what you could change, and speak in front of the mirror to tweak your nonverbal communication and body language .

5. Remember to breathe

When you’re stressed, you breathe more rapidly . It can be challenging to talk normally when you can’t regulate your breath. Before your presentation, try some mindful breathing exercises so that when the day comes, you already have strategies that will calm you down and remain present . This can also help you control your voice and avoid speaking too quickly.

How to ghostwrite a great speech for someone else

Ghostwriting a speech requires a unique set of skills, as you're essentially writing a piece that will be delivered by someone else. Here are some tips on how to effectively ghostwrite a speech:

• Understand the speaker's voice and style : Begin by thoroughly understanding the speaker's personality, speaking style, and preferences. This includes their tone, humor, and any personal anecdotes they may want to include.
• Interview the speaker : Have a detailed conversation with the speaker to gather information about their speech's purpose, target audience, key messages, and any specific points they want to emphasize. Ask for personal stories or examples they may want to include.
• Research thoroughly : Research the topic to ensure you have a strong foundation of knowledge. This helps you craft a well-informed and credible speech.
• Create an outline : Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval.
• Write in the speaker's voice : While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. Use language and phrasing that feel natural to them. If they have a particular way of expressing ideas, incorporate that into the speech.
• Craft a captivating opening : Begin the speech with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question.
• Organize content logically : Ensure the speech flows logically, with each point building on the previous one. Use transitions to guide the audience from one idea to the next smoothly.
• Incorporate engaging stories and examples : Include anecdotes, stories, and real-life examples that illustrate key points and make the speech relatable and memorable.
• Edit and revise : Edit the speech carefully for clarity, grammar, and coherence. Ensure the speech is the right length and aligns with the speaker's time constraints.
• Seek feedback : Share drafts of the speech with the speaker for their feedback and revisions. They may have specific changes or additions they'd like to make.
• Practice delivery : If possible, work with the speaker on their delivery. Practice the speech together, allowing the speaker to become familiar with the content and your writing style.
• Maintain confidentiality : As a ghostwriter, it's essential to respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the work. Do not disclose that you wrote the speech unless you have the speaker's permission to do so.
• Be flexible : Be open to making changes and revisions as per the speaker's preferences. Your goal is to make them look good and effectively convey their message.
• Meet deadlines : Stick to agreed-upon deadlines for drafts and revisions. Punctuality and reliability are essential in ghostwriting.
• Provide support : Support the speaker during their preparation and rehearsal process. This can include helping with cue cards, speech notes, or any other materials they need.

Remember that successful ghostwriting is about capturing the essence of the speaker while delivering a well-structured and engaging speech. Collaboration, communication, and adaptability are key to achieving this.

Give your best speech yet

Learn how to make a speech that’ll hold an audience’s attention by structuring your thoughts and practicing frequently. Put the effort into writing and preparing your content, and aim to improve your breathing, eye contact , and body language as you practice. The more you work on your speech, the more confident you’ll become.

The energy you invest in writing an effective speech will help your audience remember and connect to every concept. Remember: some life-changing philosophies have come from good speeches, so give your words a chance to resonate with others. You might even change their thinking.

Boost your speech skills

Enhance your public speaking with personalized coaching tailored to your needs

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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How to Give a Speech: 10 Tips for Powerful Public Speaking

When we start preparing to give a speech, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. It’s completely normal—most of us feel a combination of excitement and nerves when we’re about to take the stage.

However, with some strategic planning and practical advice, you can make sure your speech is powerful and effective. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to give a speech that will leave your audience engaged and inspired.

We’ll examine 10 tips to help you build a powerful speech, from outlining your points methodically to crafting captivating introductions . Whether you’re a beginner or experienced public speaker, these nuggets of wisdom will help you take your next speech to the next level. Let’s get started!

Quick Review of Key Points

Preparing ahead of time is the key to giving an effective speech. Make sure to structure your speaking points, rehearse your delivery, and be aware of the needs of your audience for maximum impact.

How to Prepare for a Speech

Preparing for a speech is an essential step to public speaking success. It can help to build your confidence, create content that reaches the audience, and reduce performance anxiety.

Although it can be time-consuming in the beginning, preparation will ensure less stress and more comfort during delivery. Here are some tips to consider when preparing for a speech:

Practice : Before delivering a speech, practice it out loud several times. This will allow you to gain experience in speaking without an audience and increase your confidence when you do have one.

Practicing also helps to identify awkward moments in the speech or any difficult phrases which then can be changed or removed altogether. Additionally, it helps you determine where to pause for effect. Research : Depending on the topic of the speech , research should be done beforehand to gather information that is relevant and interesting for the audience. It is important to get acquainted with the language typically used by audiences to ensure a clear understanding of what is being said.

Additionally, relevant statistics and stories concerning the topic are a great way to draw in listeners and make the presentation more engaging .

Know Your Audience : When preparing your speech, be sure to consider who will be listening. For instance, if giving a presentation at work, include industry jargon that members would understand and include relevant topics from publications that might be familiar to the employees.

On the other hand, if consulting business professionals in their field then technical language may be easier for them to comprehend than laypeople or students.

By gathering valuable information about the topic and getting comfortable with a speech’s content and delivery through practice, speakers will gain more assurance during their talk as well as respect from their audience.

Preparing beforehand not only gives insight into how to engage listeners but also encourages more meaningful conversations after the event. Now that we have discussed how to prepare for a speech let us move on to creating an outline which will provide structure during delivery.

Create an Outline

After determining the audience and purpose of your speech, the next step to effective public speaking is to create an outline .

An outline serves as a roadmap to ensure that your speech has a logical flow and contains all important points. It also can help keep you on track during the speech itself, allowing you to stay focused and organized.

When constructing an outline, consider drawing up both a main point and sub-points for each portion of the speech. Both should be relevant to the goal of the presentation and backed up by facts and research.

Brainstorming can help in this process; try grouping your ideas together in clusters to make sure you cover all possible angles.

Furthermore, writing out exact quotations or figures can prove beneficial in forming a cohesive argument. At this stage, it is also wise to decide where transitions, humor, stories, or other engaging techniques will be included.

While there are differing opinions as to whether outlines should be memorized or simply used as a reference while speaking, many agree that they should serve their purpose – not only articulate the main thoughts of the speech but also assist the speaker with maintaining focus and preventing distractions.

The debate between those who advocate for memorization versus casual consulting touches upon issues such as rehearsal time, risk of errors in delivery, ease of practice versus actual performance and more.

Each side has valid arguments that should be weighed prior to deciding what type of approach best suits your needs.

Having a firmly constructed outline acts as a valuable tool when it comes time to deliver a powerful public speech. By actively utilizing this tactic, speakers may not only enhance their clarity and coherence, but also add structure and vibrance to their presentations.

Now that we have explored what goes into crafting an effective outline, let’s dive deeper into how we can best collect resources and research our topics for maximum impact.

Collect Sources and Research

Collecting sources and research is a crucial step for any public speaking engagement. It ensures that you have the necessary information to make strong points and back up your statements.

Before writing your speech, take time to research your topic to gain familiarity with different perspectives, facts, and counterpoints. This will help you to craft an argument that can stand up to scrutiny while also adding a breadth of knowledge to your speech.

Interviews can be a powerful source of evidence and anecdotes, so try to include one or two relevant interviews in your research process. Relying solely on secondary sources such as books and articles can lead to a narrow scope of understanding.

Interviews provide an opportunity to hear directly from an expert and create an interesting dynamic in your speech by adding personal experiences as well as commentary from a professional.

In research it is important to stay objective. Gather a variety of perspectives and be open-minded about their merits. Don’t forget to consider both sides of the argument when researching for your speech.

Doing this allows you to understand the opposing perspective and enables you to anticipate potential counter arguments from your audience.

By acknowledging them beforehand, you may increase the persuasive power of your speech by showing confidence in the points you make.

Once you have collected all sources, review them carefully and separate the most pertinent information from the less useful material.

Synthesising this information into concise yet impactful points is a critical part in delivering powerful talks without overloading your audience with too much data or going off track during your speech delivery.

Organizing Your Speech

Before you start putting your words together, it’s important to consider how the different parts of a speech fit together. By taking the time to organize the ideas in your speech , you’ll be able to deliver a presentation that is well-constructed and easy to understand.

One way to help with organizing your speech is to write an outline . An outline is like a map or plan that will provide you with a framework for each section of your speech.

Start by writing out your main points and then include additional details underneath each one. This will help keep your speech focused and provide direction for where you are going next.

Another approach for organizing your speech is known as the “inverted pyramid” method. This structure starts with your conclusion at the beginning of the speech, and then works backward by providing more explanation and detail as it moves toward the introduction.

This method can be helpful when speaking about topics that are unfamiliar to the audience since it doesn’t require them to wait until near the end of the presentation to learn what you’ve been talking about.

No matter which organization approach you choose, make sure to practice it before giving your speech so that you are comfortable with its flow. Lastly, remember that it’s ok to adjust things while you speak if they don’t seem or feel quite right.

Now let’s take a look at how we can use these organizing techniques to actually put our speeches together – starting with structuring our speech.

Structure Your Speech

Creating a strong structure for your speech will ensure that the audience stays engaged and understands your main points. As you are developing an outline, map out how you want to begin and end your speech.

Break up the information into smaller sections with either verbal or visual cues so that your audience can clearly see how you are transitioning between topics . Consider adding humor judiciously throughout your presentation as this could help engage the audience and lighten any tension.

The length of your presentation is also important. You will want to make sure that you include all of the necessary information without going over time.

Oftentimes less is more; if you can say it in five minutes why use ten? Make sure that you practice timed rehearsals so that you can gauge how long you’re actually speaking.

In contrast, avoid trying to pack too much content into one presentation as this could overwhelm both you and the audience. If needed, offer supplemental reading materials for those who may be interested in delving further into the subject matter.

Paragraphs can also be helpful when organizing large amounts of content within the body of your presentation. Utilizing paragraph breaks gives your audience a break and helps to highlight key ideas or summaries before moving onto a new topic area.

Finally, it is crucial to remember what your desired outcome is from the presentation; plan accordingly by ensuring that the beginning, middle, and end serve their respective purposes and adhere to that goal.

With careful deliberations, structuring a successful presentation can be achieved with relative ease.

Having established a solid structure for your speech, it’s important to focus on another key element: rehearsal. The next section will discuss the benefits of practicing before delivering a powerful public speaking performance.

Rehearse Your Speech

Rehearsing is integral to giving a successful speech. When you rehearse your presentation, you give your mind an opportunity to become familiar with the notes and concepts that you are presenting. It also increases your confidence and reduces anxiety or self-doubt.

In fact, studies have found that those who rehearsed their presentation had higher scores in public speaking performance and language proficiency evaluations.

When it comes to how much rehearsal is enough, opinions are divided. Some people believe that over-rehearsing can lead to a more robotic speech with less natural emotion and connection with the audience .

On the other hand, others argue that no matter how well-versed someone is on the topic, additional rehearsal time improves both the delivery of the speech and memorization of key points and facts.

Ultimately, it’s important to practice until you personally find the most comfortable level for yourself, as this will ultimately result in a more engaging delivery.

Finally, if at all possible, try to practice in front of a friend or colleague for honest feedback on any elements that need improvement before the big day. Rehearsal dedication may be tedious, but it results in big rewards on stage–enabling you to deliver your content with clarity, confidence, and poise.

With thoughtful preparation complete, it’s now time to step into the spotlight and give your speech!

Giving Your Speech

The key to success when giving a speech is to be well prepared and confident. Every individual’s preparation process will vary, but the basics should stay the same.

Start by studying your content, understanding the material and being able to repeat it in your own words. Clarify any potentially difficult points. Create visual aids like PowerPoint slides or handouts that supplement the key ideas in your speech.

Practice your public speaking skills with informal conversations with friends and family or rehearse it alone in front of a mirror. Use visualization; imagine yourself confidently delivering your speech. Consider addressing a practice audience if possible to become more accustomed to a live size group.

On the day of the event, arrive early and plan for any potential obstacles: What if my computer doesn’t work? What if I forget something? Allow sufficient time for setup and check-in.

When you are ready to give your speech, take some deep breaths, focus on the positives, and distract yourself from any anxious thoughts with positive affirmations. Remember you have prepared diligently for this moment, you are well prepared and you will succeed!

Start strong by engaging the audience immediately with an attention grabbing opening statement. Speak clearly and make sure that everyone can hear and understand your message.

Slow down and emphasize points as needed throughout your presentation. Be aware of pace, volume, and tone of voice: too fast/monotone can confuse/bore listeners while pauses add a dramatic effect that keeps their interest piqued.

Ultimately, giving a successful speech will depend on knowing your material well enough to speak confidently in front of your audience without hesitation or missteps.

When you do make a mistake (and they happen!) don’t panic – know that mistakes are inevitable but don’t be discouraged; get back on track as soon as possible and continue at the same energy level you had before the mistake occurred.

Having successfully given your speech, take a moment to reflect on what went well and what could be improved upon for next time before transitioning into the next step: mastering delivery.

Master Your Delivery

Mastering your delivery is the key to an effective speech. Without purposeful body language and careful emphasis on certain words , your speech may lack wow-factor and prevent listeners from tuning in. Following these simple tips can help you get started with delivering an engaging and memorable speech:

The most important part of delivery is practice. Rehearse and perfect your speech ahead of time – this allows for more natural flow and confidence during your presentation. It also helps to create pauses between sentences for clarity, emphasize key points, and not be too casual or stiff.

Practicing inflections and varying tones adds interest to your speech by keeping listeners’ attention.

Additionally, it’s important to project your voic e so everyone in the room can hear you; make sure you’re speaking loud enough but don’t feel pressure to shout or yell at any point unless that’s part of the atmosphere of the event.

It’s also crucial to maintain good posture while speaking – stand tall with both feet on the ground, keep your back straight, hold yourself up without gesturing too much or leaning against a podium if applicable.

To further engage listeners, use purposeful hand gestures as they help emphasize certain points and add visual interest – however, avoid overusing them as it can hinders communication.

Make meaningful eye contact with audience members throughout the presentation – otherwise you might come across as unenthusiastic or bored with what you’re saying which deters attention away from the content itself.

By mastering your delivery, you can boost the impact of your presentation considerably – providing a memorable experience for your audience that stands out from others’. As such, it’s worth investing time into practicing ahead of time until delivery feels comfortable and second nature.

Having said this, making use of visual aids such as PowerPoint slides can greatly improve the impact of a speech once delivery has been mastered – let’s look into that next.

Use Visual Aids

Using visual aids can help presenters express concepts more clearly and engage the audience.

Visuals are particularly useful when conveying complex information, such as data, trends, or statistics — they impart meaning at a glance. But some public speakers may wonder if visual aids can be distracting or unnecessary.

Even though visuals can attract attention away from a presenter’s verbal delivery, carefully designed visuals can actually support the speech and help provide clarity. If done well, visuals are effective for capturing an audience’s interest and helping them to better understand the content being presented.

For example, a graph or chart should relate to the points made in the speech and should be discussed in more detail during its appearance onscreen. The presentation can also include larger images that effectively reinforce the ideas conveyed in the speech.

Videos and sound clips are other powerful forms of multimedia that could be employed to make the speech more meaningful.

To ensure that visuals enhance the message of the presentation, key factors to consider include relevancy to topic, good graphic design or aesthetics, accurate size to prevent distortion or blurriness, and seamless integration into the keynote slides or printed handouts .

In this way, visuals offer an opportunity for presenters to demonstrate their creativity and keep their audiences interested in what is being said. Thus, used wisely and aptly, visuals can add tremendous value to speeches by presenting arguments more efficiently and driving home important points. Now let’s explore effective techniques for speech giving that will allow you to craft and deliver your speeches with confidence.

Effective Techniques for Speech Giving

There are a number of effective techniques for giving a speech that will help you deliver it with confidence and poise.

First, practice your delivery in advance. You should practice both in front of a mirror or recording device to check for any distracting habits such as talking too quickly or mispronouncing words.

Second, use simple, clear language and short, concise sentences. Avoid overly technical terms and jargon that may leave your audience confused.

Third, work to establish a connection with your audience by using appropriate facial expressions and hand gestures while speaking.

Fourth, utilize effective persuasive techniques such as presenting evidence, strong arguments supported by facts, personal anecdotes and vivid metaphors.

Finally, articulate an organized structure for your speech. Your speech should have an introduction, body and conclusion to clearly communicate the main point and provide the audience with the necessary context to understand it better.

While these techniques may sound intimidating at first, they can be learned over time with practice and will make all the difference in how successful your speech delivery is received by your audience.

To build on these skills further , the next section will provide tips on how to build confidence when giving a speech.

Building Confidence

Building confidence is key when giving a powerful speech, as it will enable you to deliver the speech in a more poised and credible manner.

To create this confidence , start by understanding that any hesitation or butterflies prior to your speech are completely normal and should not be feared. Instead, view them as natural states of anticipation for something exciting, knowing that you are about to give an amazing speech.

Next, understanding who your audience is and tailoring your speech to meet their expectations will help build your confidence.

Familiarizing yourself with their interests and knowledge on the subject matter ahead of time can equip you with the understanding needed to respond appropriately if questions arise or objections surface during the speech.

Further, practice is key when building confidence for a public speaking engagement . Rehearsing with friends or colleagues before hand will give you an opportunity to learn where problem areas are within the content of your speech, as well as help solidify your delivery by becoming more comfortable with each step.

Checking sound levels in the room you’re presenting in coupled with learning where exits/emergency locations are located within that space can also help alleviate stress levels and boost self-assurance while delivering the speech.

Finally, wearing comfortable clothing and dressing professionally adds an extra layer of confidence when speaking in public.

If possible, bring an additional outfit on hand during the presentation in case of spills or accidents that would require a quick change between sections of the talk. Having this back-up plan in place can aid in keeping peace of mind at ease throughout the speech.

In conclusion, building confidence prior to a public speaking event can mean the difference between a good and great delivery of your message.

By taking into account each of these tips you can ensure that this part of your preparation runs smoothly and sets you up for success when delivering powerful speeches.

With a well-crafted note card of talking points and strong sense of self-assurance, it’s time to start speaking with passion!

Speaking with Passion

As a public speaker, your audience expects you to engage not only with your words but also with your emotions. To share the most impactful message, it is important to speak passionately about your subject.

Doing so will make your speech more memorable and thereby more effective in convincing your audience of its legitimacy.

The power of speaking authentically with emotion lies in its relatability and connection. Showing feelings allows people to connect with you as a person rather than just a speaker. It opens the door to understanding through empathy and active listening .

Examples might include adding personal stories , telling jokes, or displaying your feelings openly during the delivery of your message.

However, not all topics lend themselves easily to expressing emotion. If the subject matter is overly complex or technical there may be less opportunity for emotional expression—but this doesn’t mean those conversations can’t incorporate emotion.

Even if faced with a difficult situation such as death or financial turmoil, emotions can still be conveyed in a respectful way that keeps audiences engaged.

Remember that how much emotion you show depends on the type of audience you’re sharing it with—using sensitivity when delivering passionate speeches helps avoid awkwardness or embarrassment for any attendees who may find opinionated language uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Striking the right balance between being straightforward and showing compassion takes practice, so take the time to develop a style that works best for you and improves upon each performance.

Finally, incorporating passion into a speech gives it life and makes it relatable and engaging—which are essential elements to speaking effectively.

Having passion means giving ourselves permission to take ownership over our stories, making them deeply personal in order to reach our goals and touch people’s hearts in meaningful ways. With that said, let’s move on to discussing how we should tackle dealing with challenges while giving a speech.

Dealing with Challenges

The process of delivering a speech can be challenging, but it is also rewarding. Difficulties can arise during the process that may threaten to derail your success. To ensure you are adequately prepared for these possible pitfalls it is important to consider strategies for proactively mitigating the risk of encountering these challenges. 1. Public Speaking Anxiety: Many people experience some form of anxiety when asked to speak in public. There are a number of techniques available to combat this fear and increase confidence, such as deep breathing exercises, mental rehearsal, positive self-talk and visualization of success.

Learning about the audience, creating an engaging presentation and using props or visual aids can also help reduce anxiety levels and create a better overall experience for both the speaker and the audience. 2. Unfamiliar Topics or Audiences: When presenting on unfamiliar topics or to an unknown audience it can be difficult to prepare effectively.

In this situation it is important to conduct research on the topic and familiarize yourself with the needs of your audience so that the content is tailored accordingly. It is also helpful to use humor or stories related to the topic in order to engage your audience and make them more receptive to your message. 3. Lack of Support: If you lack support from family, friends, colleagues or mentors, it can be difficult to push through difficult conversations or speeches without any additional motivation.

To overcome this challenge, seek out peer mentorship opportunities or find compatible online communities where people discuss similar topics or objectives. Here you can share ideas, provide feedback and learn from others who have experienced similar issues. 4. Time Constraints: One of the biggest challenges when giving a speech is managing your time effectively in order to deliver an effective message without going over allotted timeslots and boring your audience .

To successfully address this challenge try setting manageable goals for each section of your speech and practice regularly. Replicating real-time conditions as closely as possible will help you stay within time constraints when delivering your speech on the day itself. In conclusion, there are many potential challenges you may face when giving a speech or taking part in a public speaking event – but with proper preparation and practice they are easily managed if approached correctly.

With knowledge of techniques for dealing with such scenarios comes increased confidence when stepping up to the podium – further improving your chances of delivering an effective speech that resonates with your audience members.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

How should i end my speech to leave a lasting impression.

The best way to end your speech is by reinforcing your main point and summarizing the key takeaways. You should also encourage the audience to take action, whether it be to sign up for a newsletter, make a donation, or visit your website for more information. This final call to action will not only leave a lasting impression on the audience but will also help you achieve any goals you might have had when making your speech in the first place.

What techniques can I use to keep my audience engaged during my speech?

One of the best techniques for keeping an audience engaged during a speech is to keep it interactive . Ask questions throughout the presentation, as well as allowing for audience input and discussion. This can help to keep people’s attention and create a more engaging experience.

Another great tip is to use humor. Even if you don’t consider yourself a natural comedian, sprinkling in a few jokes here and there can break up the monotony of long speeches and keep people interested. Humor can also help to make points stick in people’s minds, making them easier to remember.

Finally, try to be enthusiastic about the content of your speech. If you show too much indifference or lethargic behavior, it will discourage your audience from paying attention and taking your message seriously.

Instead, be passionate about what you are saying so that the energy of your words carries into the room and engages your audience with excitement.

How can I use storytelling to make my speech more interesting?

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to make any speech more interesting. Telling stories in your speech will help engage the audience and make your message stick. Here are some tips for using storytelling in your speech:

1. Choose stories that are relevant to your message and audience. Think about stories that will best illustrate the point you are trying to convey, or evoke emotions in your listeners. 2. Use vivid descriptions and visuals when telling your story. Be sure to include details such as setting, character descriptions, dialogue and plot points. This will help to bring the story to life for your audience. 3. Make sure the story you are telling has a strong conclusion or moral at the end. This will help add emphasis to your message and make it memorable. 4. Practice telling stories out loud before delivering a speech with them. Rehearsing will help you deliver your story more effectively and with more confidence in front of an audience. By using these tips, storytelling can be an effective tool to make any speech more interesting, engaging, and persuasive!

How can I prepare for my speech effectively?

Preparing for a speech effectively is essential to delivering an impactful and memorable presentation. Here are some tips: 1. Have a clear goal in mind. Before starting to prepare, ask yourself what the purpose of giving the speech is: what message do you want to convey? Defining this will help to structure your content and focus your research. 2. Research thoroughly. Make sure you understand the subject matter well, so that your delivery sounds confident and inspiring. Using facts and data will strengthen your arguments and make your talk more convincing. 3. Outline your speech. Make a rough outline of how you want it to go – from beginning to end – well in advance of the actual presentation. This will give you a strong foundation upon which you can craft an engaging talk with an effective narrative arc that keeps audiences interested and engaged. 4. Practice regularly. Rehearsing your speech out loud several times is key to ensuring that you know it well enough to feel comfortable when delivering it live in front of an audience.

5. Time yourself. Record how long it takes for you to go through your entire speech, so that you can adjust the length as needed before delivering it live – remember that most speeches should last no more than 10-15 minutes. 6. Identify potential questions from the audience and prepare answers before hand. Knowing ahead of time what kind of questions people may ask can help reduce the anxiety of not knowing what comes next, enabling you to stay confident when speaking in public. 7. Work on building up confidence levels before delivering a speech. Visualize yourself succeeding in delivering a great presentation; practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or positive self-talk; or use props during practice sessions such as water bottles or stress balls if needed to remain calm during the real thing!

What strategies can I use to reduce my anxiety when giving a speech?

1. Plan Ahead: Create an outline of your speech beforehand and practice it multiple times to become familiar with the content. Doing a trial run with the audience can also help you get used to speaking in front of people.

2. Visualize Success: Positive visualization is a great way to reduce anxiety before giving a speech. Imagine yourself confidently delivering the speech while feeling relaxed and composed.

3. Get Organized: Make sure you have all the materials necessary for your presentation, including notes, slides, etc., to reduce any additional stress that may come from not having what you need when you speak.

4. Take Deep Breaths: Before and during the speech, take a few deep breaths as this will help calm nerves and make sure your breathing is regulated throughout the duration of your presentation.

5. Speak Slowly: It is common to feel anxious while giving a speech and try to rush through it too quickly. Speaking slowly helps maintain composure while delivering your message effectively and clearly.

6. Pay Attention to Your Body: Your posture, stance, movements , facial expressions can all influence how confident you appear to your audience and how nervous you may be feeling inside. Check in with yourself frequently throughout the presentation and correct any tense body language or physical actions if needed.

7. Focus on the Audience: If you notice that your anxiety levels are growing as you present, shift your focus onto the audience instead of yourself as this will help refocus your attention away from negative thoughts that may arise from fear or insecurity.

8. Make Eye Contact: Establishing eye contact with your audience is a key confidence-builder for public speakers—it shows that you’re strong, engaged with them, and receptive to feedback or questions they might have regarding your speech topic .

9. Practice Positive Affirmations: Positive thoughts will boost your self-confidence as well as your mood which can help increase performance quality significantly during speeches or presentations in general—so don’t forget to tell yourself “you can do it!” several times throughout the day leading up to the event!

10. Seek Support of Friends & Family: Many experienced public speakers suggest seeking support of close friends & family members prior and during their speeches—not only does it allow helpful critique regarding content but it also creates a more comfortable atmosphere while speaking which can reduce pre-speech jitters drastically.

16 Practical Tips To Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

• Nathan Mixon
• June 9, 2024

Table of Contents

How to improve public speaking.

Hey there, fellow public speaker! Ready to level up your public speaking game? Trying to become a better speaker? Whether you’re aiming for that big promotion, nailing that TEDx talk, or just looking to impress at your next social gathering, mastering the art of public speaking is key. It’s not just about talking; the best speakers focus on connecting, inspiring, and leaving a lasting impression.

Public speaking isn’t just a skill; it’s a superpower that can transform how you communicate and connect with others. Whether you’re addressing a small group or a packed auditorium, the ability to articulate your ideas with confidence and charisma can open doors and create opportunities you never thought possible. So, if you’re ready to learn how to improve public speaking, buckle up and get ready for an exciting journey of growth and self-discovery!

In this guide, we’re diving deep into the question of how to improve public speaking and arm you with practical public speaking skills, tips, and techniques to boost your confidence and captivate any audience. From shaking off those pre-speech jitters to crafting compelling messages and delivering them with flair, we here at The Speaker Lab have got you covered. So, grab your favorite mug of coffee (or tea, if you’re like me – no judgment here), kick back, and let’s get into ways to improve your public speaking and advance your career as a better public speaker.

Overcoming Anxiety and Building Confidence

We get it, speaking in public can be scary. As many of you probably know, in public speaking anxiety is a common fear that can significantly impact performance. The thought of standing in front of a live audience, being the center of attention, and delivering a coherent message can trigger feelings of nervousness and self-doubt, even if you’re confident in the value of your message. However, there are effective techniques for managing anxiety and building confidence, allowing speakers to deliver engaging presentations with poise and clarity.

It’s important to acknowledge that public speaking anxiety is a natural response to the perceived threat of judgment or scrutiny from others. It’s normal to feel nervous before a big speech. This fear can manifest in physical symptoms and physiological reactions such as making your palms sweat (you thought Eminem was lying?), increasing your heartbeat, and giving you a shaky voice, all of which can undermine your performance as a good public speaker. By recognizing and accepting this feeling as a common experience, speakers can begin to address it with constructive strategies.

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3 Techniques for Managing Anxiety and Building Confidence

1. deep breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques.

One of the most immediate ways to calm nerves before speaking is through deep breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques. By focusing on slow, deep breaths, speakers can activate the body’s relaxation response, reducing feelings of tension and stress. Incorporating mindfulness practices, such as grounding oneself in the present moment and observing thoughts without judgment, can further alleviate anxiety, steady your trembling hands, and enhance focus.

2. Visualization and Positive Affirmations

Visualization involves mentally rehearsing a successful speaking scenario, envisioning oneself delivering a confident and engaging presentation. By visualizing positive outcomes, speakers can reinforce their belief in their ability to perform well. Additionally, incorporating positive affirmations—such as “I am confident and capable”—can help to reframe negative self-talk and cultivate a more empowering mindset (even if you think it’s corny).

3. Gradual Exposure to Public Speaking

Like any skill, public speaking flourishes with practice. Beginning with practice sessions and small group settings provides a safe environment for speakers to hone their abilities and build confidence gradually. As speakers become more comfortable, they can progress to larger audiences or more challenging speaking engagements. Toastmasters clubs, community events, and volunteer opportunities offer valuable platforms for gaining experience and refining presentation skills. Practicing public speaking is so important when it comes to building more confidence.

Additionally, participating in workshops, seminars, or conferences provides exposure to diverse audiences and topics, further enhancing speaking proficiency. By embracing opportunities to speak in various settings, individuals can conquer their fear of public speaking and cultivate greater self-assurance over time. Not only does this help you address your anxiety as you hone your public speaking skills, but it also provides opportunities to receive constructive feedback from any other seasoned public speaker who may be in attendance.

By implementing these techniques for managing anxiety and working to gain confidence, speakers can overcome the common fear of public speaking and unlock their full potential as effective communicators. With practice and perseverance, they can cultivate the skills and mindset needed to deliver compelling presentations with confidence and impact.

Mastering Body Language and Nonverbal Communication

Body language plays a crucial role in public speaking, influencing how speakers are perceived by their audience and conveying confidence, credibility, and engagement. By mastering body language and nonverbal communication skills, speakers can enhance their presence on stage and deliver more impactful presentations.

Effective communication is about more than just words—it’s also about how those words are delivered. Research suggests that a significant portion of communication is nonverbal, with body language accounting for a substantial part of the message conveyed – the way you stand, sit, walk, and hold your arms and hands all have an impact on how you and your message is received.

When speakers lack confidence and look uncomfortable, they lose much of their sense of authority or expertise. But when speakers project confidence and authenticity through their body language, they establish rapport with their audience and capture their attention more effectively.

3 Public Speaking Tips for Improving Body Language

1. maintain good posture.

Good posture serves as the cornerstone of confident body language. When individuals stand tall, with shoulders back and heads held high, they project an image of strength and assurance. This posture not only exudes professionalism and authority but also facilitates better breath support and vocal projection, very important aspects of public speaking. Slouching or hunching over can undermine confidence and diminish credibility. By prioritizing good posture, speakers establish a strong foundation for effective communication, captivating their audience with a commanding presence.

2. Make Eye Contact

Eye contact is another powerful tool for connecting with the audience and establishing credibility. By maintaining eye contact with individual audience members, speakers create a sense of intimacy and engagement. It’s essential to scan the room and make eye contact with different sections of the audience, ensuring that everyone feels included and valued.

If the idea of looking straight into an individual audience member’s eyes seems daunting, a helpful trick for making eye contact without focusing on specific individuals is to look at the general area around their eyes or eyebrows. This gives the appearance of eye contact without the pressure of locking eyes with someone directly. You can also just scan the audience, moving your gaze across different sections of the room, which creates the impression of engagement with the entire audience without singling out individuals. Just remember to maintain a natural pace and avoid fixating on any particular spot for too long to ensure a balanced connection with your audience.

3. Use Gestures and Facial Expressions

Gestures and facial expressions can help to reinforce verbal messages and convey enthusiasm and conviction. Using hand gestures to emphasize key points and illustrate concepts adds dynamism to the presentation and keeps the audience engaged. Similarly, facial expressions convey emotions and sincerity, allowing speakers to express empathy, excitement, or concern as appropriate. Let the audience have a clear understanding of your emotions as you speak – this will help them empathize more with your message.

By incorporating these tips for improving body language into their presentations, speakers can enhance their ability to connect with their audience and deliver messages with clarity and impact. With practice and mindfulness, speakers can harness the power of body language to captivate their audience and leave a lasting impression.

Enhancing Vocal Delivery and Articulation

Vocal delivery is a cornerstone of effective public speaking, as it plays a crucial role in capturing audience attention and conveying authority. Speakers who master vocal delivery techniques can engage their audience more effectively and leave a lasting impression.

The way a message is delivered is just as important as the message itself. Vocal delivery encompasses elements such as tone, pitch, volume, and rhythm, all of which contribute to the overall impact of a presentation. A strong vocal delivery commands attention, instills confidence in the speaker, and enhances the audience’s understanding and retention of key points.

3 Techniques for Improving Vocal Delivery

1. practice vocal warm-up exercises.

Just as athletes engage in warm-up routines to prime their bodies for peak performance, speakers can similarly enhance their vocal prowess through targeted exercises. Vocal warm-ups serve as the foundation for clear and commanding speech delivery. Humming exercises, for instance, gently engage the vocal cords while promoting resonance and clarity in speech. Lip trills, where speakers produce a vibrating sound by blowing air through slightly pursed lips, aid in relaxing the vocal apparatus and improving breath control. Tongue twisters serve as playful yet effective tools for sharpening articulation and enunciation.

By using these vocal warm-up exercises, speakers can cultivate a strong and dynamic voice that captivates and inspires their listeners.

2. Pay Attention to Pace and Rhythm

Think of your speech pace like a roller coaster ride: you want to keep your audience on their toes, not lulling them into boredom. Varying your speed and rhythm adds excitement and keeps listeners engaged throughout your talk. Don’t be afraid to hit the brakes with well-placed pauses—they create suspense, give your audience time to digest important information, and make your key points pop. By really mastering the art of pacing, you’ll keep your audience hanging on your every word from start to finish.

3. Focus on Articulation and Pronunciation

In public speaking, the efficacy of communication is intricately tied to the speaker’s ability to articulate and pronounce words clearly. Each consonant and vowel carries significance, especially within the context of essential terms central to the speaker’s discourse. Through consistent practice of exercises like tongue twisters and deliberate focus on the intricate movements of the mouth, speakers can refine their articulation. This diligent attention to detail ensures that their ideas are not only effectively conveyed but also readily understood by their audience’s attention.

By incorporating these techniques into their vocal delivery, speakers can enhance their ability to captivate and persuade their audience. With practice and mindfulness, speakers can develop a vocal delivery style that commands attention, conveys authority, and leaves a lasting impact on their audience.

Structuring and Delivering Engaging Speeches

Effective speech structure is essential for delivering a compelling message that resonates with your audience. A well-structured speech not only captures attention but also enhances comprehension and retention of key ideas.

The structure of a speech serves as its foundation, guiding the flow of information and ensuring coherence and clarity. A well-structured speech enables the speaker to communicate their message effectively, maintain audience engagement, and leave a lasting impression. Without a clear structure, the audience may struggle to follow your train of thought – the last thing you want is an audience that is confused or lost.

3 Tips for Structuring Speeches

1. start with a strong opening.

Picture this: you’re gearing up for a speech, right? Well, the opening is like the big entrance – it’s your chance to grab everyone’s attention and set the vibe for what’s to come. So, how do you do it? With a killer hook. Throw out a mind-bending question, hit the audience with a jaw-dropping stat, or reel them in with a story that’ll have them on the edge of their seats. Trust me, a strong opening is like the spark that ignites the whole speech, keeping your audience hooked and hungry for more.

2. Organize Content Logically

When crafting your speech, think of it as building a roadmap for your audience. Start with a warm introduction to welcome them into your world of ideas. Then, lead them through the main points of your talk, each one seamlessly flowing into the next like stepping stones across a stream. Make sure your points are organized logically, so your audience can easily follow along without getting lost in the shuffle. Remember, clarity is key!

Finally, wrap up with a solid conclusion that ties everything together, leaving your listeners with a clear understanding of your message. If your audience is walking out of your talk knowing (and hopefully remembering) exactly what the main points were that you were trying to get across, then mission accomplished.

3. Incorporate Storytelling and Anecdotes

Think of stories and anecdotes as the secret sauce that adds flavor to your speech. Sprinkle them throughout your presentation to create moments that stick in your audience’s minds long after your talk is over. Whether it’s a personal anecdote, a compelling case study, or a relatable story, these narrative gems bring your ideas to life and forge a deeper connection with your audience. By weaving personal stories into your speech, you transform abstract concepts into tangible experiences with a direct connection that resonate with your listeners on a human level in their everyday life.

Another important way to make your audience feel comfortable is to use personal experience. Personal anecdotes and stories that can help nail down important points make for a better speech. The best speakers use examples from their lives or the life of another person to help make their point for relatable. You want your audience members to be pushed out of their comfort zone but also to be able to relate to what you’re saying as it might happen in one’s daily life.

By following these tips for structuring and delivering engaging speeches, speakers can effectively communicate their message, captivate their audience, and leave a lasting impact. A well-structured speech not only informs and educates but also inspires and motivates, leaving the audience with a sense of clarity and purpose.

Refining Message Content and Delivery

Crafting a message that truly connects with your audience demands meticulous attention to both content and delivery. By honing these aspects, speakers can captivate their audience and ensure their message is communicated with clarity and resonance.

2 Strategies for Refining Message Content

1. conduct audience analysis.

Before stepping onto the stage, take the time to lean into your audience’s interests, preferences, and needs. Do some in-depth audience analysis, examining their demographics, knowledge level, and pressing concerns. Tailoring your message and making a point to identify areas of concern or importance to resonate with their specific interests and challenges not only builds rapport but also enhances credibility, ensuring your message hits home with maximum impact. Give your speech a personal touch for your audience by doing the research beforehand.

2. Use Persuasive Language and Rhetorical Devices

Incorporating persuasive language and rhetorical devices when making speeches elevates the impact of your message by shaping audience perception and eliciting emotional responses. Integrate storytelling, vivid imagery, metaphors, and analogies to convey intricate concepts in a captivating and relatable manner. By appealing to both the audience’s emotions and logic, speakers can effectively sway their perspective and inspire them to take meaningful action.

2 Strategies for Refining Delivery

1. practice emphasizing key points.

Delivery is paramount in molding an audience’s perception and sustaining its engagement. Prioritize practicing your speech delivery beforehand (a lot), focusing on pacing, intonation, and emphasizing key points. Strategic pauses permit the audience to absorb information and contemplate essential ideas. By diversifying tone and volume, speakers can uphold audience interest while conveying enthusiasm and conviction.

Try practicing in front of a mirror with a timer and then maybe with a friend or a spouse or a parent – anyone willing to listen to your speech. That can help you become comfortable with the cadence and pace of your speaking.

2. Focus on Pacing and Intonation

It’s crucial to keep an eye on pacing and intonation to keep your audience engaged and ensure your message comes across effectively. Tailor the speed of your delivery to match the complexity of your content and the audience’s grasp of the topic. Intonation adds depth to your speech by conveying emotions, highlighting key points, and infusing your delivery with energy and dynamism. By mastering these elements, you can create a captivating and impactful presentation that resonates with your audience.

By implementing these strategies for refining message content and delivery, speakers can maximize the impact of their speeches and effectively engage their audience. By tailoring the message to the audience’s interests and needs and delivering it with confidence and conviction, speakers can inspire, inform, and motivate their audience to action.

Free Download: 6 Proven Steps to Book More Paid Speaking Gigs in 2024​

Download our 18-page guide and start booking more paid speaking gigs today!

Developing effective public speaking skills is a journey that requires dedication, practice, and continuous improvement. Throughout this guide, we’ve explored key strategies for enhancing your public speaking abilities, from overcoming anxiety to refining message content.

By acknowledging and addressing common fears and anxieties associated with public speaking, you can build confidence and resilience. Techniques such as deep breathing exercises, visualization, and gradual exposure can help you manage nerves and perform at your best. Practicing in smaller groups and settings can help you release some nervous energy, receive constructive criticism and honest feedback, and get some more public speaking tips .

Mastering body language and nonverbal communication is essential for conveying confidence and engaging your audience. By maintaining good posture, making eye contact, and using gestures and facial expressions effectively, you can establish rapport and credibility with your audience.

Enhancing vocal delivery and articulation is another critical aspect of effective public speaking. By practicing vocal warm-up exercises, paying attention to pace and rhythm, and focusing on articulation and pronunciation, you can ensure clear communication and captivate your audience’s attention.

Structuring and delivering engaging speeches requires careful planning and organization. Starting with a strong opening, organizing content logically, and incorporating storytelling and anecdotes can make your speech memorable and impactful.

Finally, refining message content and delivery involves conducting audience analysis, using persuasive language and rhetorical devices, and practicing emphasizing key points. By tailoring your message to the audience’s interests and needs and delivering it with confidence and conviction, you can inspire, inform, and motivate your audience to action.

As you continue on your public speaking journey, remember to embrace opportunities for growth and practice regularly. With dedication and perseverance, you can cultivate valuable public speaking skills that will serve you well in both your personal and professional endeavors.

So, seize every opportunity to speak publicly, embrace the challenges, and strive for improvement. With each speech you deliver, you’ll become more confident, articulate, and influential. Embrace public speaking as a valuable skill for personal and professional success, and let your voice be heard.

• Last Updated: June 4, 2024

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How to be clear and concise in a speech

by Allison Shapira | Jun 3, 2015 | Speaking Tips | 1 comment

How to be clear and concise in your speech

At nearly every single workshop, someone asks me, “how do I get to the point?” or, “how can I be concise while speaking in public?”

If you’re speaking to an audience with a limited attention span or in a crisis situation where your audience is dealing with numerous challenges simultaneously, you need to be brief and to the point. Unfortunately, the ones who know the most about an issue are usually the ones who say too much about it.

Start with the end in mind:  If someone leaving your speech or presentation ran into a colleague in the elevator who asked, “what was Allison’s speech about?” or, “what does Allison want us to do?” – what would the answer be? That is your main message; keep it in your mind like a mantra to ensure that everything you say in the speech supports that main message.

Ask the “3 Questions” before every speech:

• Who is my audience? In this case, how much do they already know about your subject and why is it important/urgent/relevant to them ?
• What is my goal? Your main message above should address this.
• Why me? Why is this subject important/urgent/relevant to you ?

Write an outline of the speech: What information do you need in order to support (but not distract from) the main message? Organize the information into broad themes or arguments.

Write out the speech word-for-word: Get everything out of your head and onto paper or computer. Write your main message at the top of your speech or bullet points, so you see it again and again. It will remind you to stay focused.

(This is crucial)  Analyze and trim the speech: Michelangelo once said about his sculptures that he could look at a block of marble and see the statue within, then he trimmed away what was holding it back. Our speeches are blocks of marble with a powerful message within: look critically at your speech and decide “what doesn’t belong?” Physically start crossing things out that hold your speech back so that your main message and arguments are clearly visible.

Read, practice, rest (repeat):  The key here is iteration. You can’t write everything down the day of the speech and expect it to be exactly what you want to say (though yes, sometimes it can happen). The process of going over a speech draft multiple times over a period of days helps you look at it with fresh eyes each time, further cutting out what doesn’t belong. This is a muscle you build over time.

What about speaking concisely in a meeting, without time to prepare remarks in advance?  Take a moment to jot down your one main point before you speak and think of one anecdote or reason supporting your point. Then, speak up with that one point and one anecdote, resisting the urge to restate it another way. Pause and breathe when you are done and wait for a response to your intervention.

We are always dealing with an audience’s limited attention span; our challenge is to get to the essence of what we want to say and then say it confidently, clearly, and authentically.

As Franklin D. Roosevelt said,

“Be sincere, be brief, be seated.”

Great stuff!!!

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How can I improve my speech clarity?

22 nov, 2021.

Do you often find that your speech is broken, unclear, or unintelligible? Or do you speak in ways that the recipient finds hard to understand? Then, you may need speech-language therapy.

While this may not be directly linked to a speech disorder, having unclear speech can affect how you interact with others. It may attract unhealthy attention in social gatherings, shatter your confidence or make you feel isolated. Fortunately, there are ways you can improve your speech clarity and speak more confidently. Here are six tips to help you speak more clearly:

1. Take deep breaths

Breathing is essential to producing a stronger voice and speaking. Without it, you may experience wavering pitch, breathy voice, vocal fatigue, and tension in your vocal mechanism, which will add to the unclear speech. Therefore, you should take breathing exercises regularly to boost your speech clarity.

2. Adopt a good posture

A bad posture will affect not only your musculoskeletal system but also your speech clarity. For example, if you shrug your shoulders, you place massive tension in the neck region and you may struggle to breathe. This can affect your speech. Therefore, sit or stand straight to avoid tension around the neck and improve your speech.

3. Use a mirror

Using a mirror is one of the oldest ways to improve your speech clarity. So, if you have unclear speech, spend some time in front of a mirror and practice pronouncing words that may be causing you to have unclear speech. While at it, focus deeply on how your lips move as you pronounce different words and apply the same mechanism when having a normal conversation.

4. Swallow excess saliva

Speaking with too much saliva in your mouth can affect your pronunciation, sound control, and intonation quality. Therefore, to achieve a clear speech, swallow excess saliva and ensure your mouth is empty.

5. Watch your pitch

Your speech may be rough and strained if your pitch is too high. On the other hand, if the pitch is too low, your audibility will be massively affected. Your overall speech clarity in both cases won’t be anywhere near good. Therefore, make sure the pitch of your voice is calm and relaxed for a clearer speech.

6. Speak slowly

Take your time when speaking. Speaking slowly gives your tongue, lips, and jaw enough time to fall back in their rightful place. That way, they can work harmoniously to produce a more comprehensible speech. Also, with a slow speaking rate, you can control what you want to say, making you convey your thoughts and ideas more confidently.

Seek expert intervention

Do you want to improve your speech clarity? Experienced speech therapists at Gen Physio can help. We offer speech therapy services and our experts approach each patient differently, perform a comprehensive assessment, and create a personalised treatment plan to help make your speech clear and fluent. Call us today to book an appointment.

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Tools for Clear Speech

Intelligibility : Fluency : Communication

Use the record and play buttons above to compare your pronunciation to the words below:

Problems with playback may be resolved by refreshing the page.

The /s/ sound plays an important role in the difference between the paired words below.

Listen to each pair, paying attention to how the first word differs from the second. sheen | seen think | sink maze | mace eyes | ice

Record yourself repeating the words, making sure to focus on the pronunciation of /s/. Then, compare it to the model recording. If you need help, check out the animated video to see exactly how to pronounce the sound.

Repeat this exercise several times a day. As with any skill, improving takes repetition and practice.

Here are several common words that include /s/. It’s a good idea to be comfortable with their pronunciation.

Listen to how each word is pronounced, focusing on /s/. Notice how /s/ can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a word. sample stocks past race slip strong

Record yourself repeating the words, making sure to focus on the pronunciation of /s/. Compare your recording to the model recording.

Repeat this exercise several times a day.

In Sentences

It’s important to go beyond single words when you practice sounds in English. Tongue twisters (difficult-to-pronounce sentences) are a great way to train your tongue to pronounce /s/ in a stream of speech.

Listen to how each tongue twister is pronounced. Be sure to note the sounds or words that might be challenging for you, and how many times you will pronounce /s/. The thin sink sank. Strange sayings stop crazy scams. Salsa tastes so scrumptious and salty and sweet.

Record yourself repeating each tongue twister. Try it slowly first, and then gradually increase to a fluid, natural-feeling pace.

Repeat this exercise several times a day. You can try creating your own tongue twisters, too!

Pronunciation practice is even more effective in a meaningful context. Here are several sentences with /s/ that you may find yourself saying frequently.

Listen to how each sentence is pronounced. Which word(s) include /s/? Excuse me. [x=ks] I’d like to speak with human resources, please.

Record yourself repeating each sentence, focusing on the pronunciation of /s/.

What’s next?

Schedule a One-to-One Session to learn more about this sound and how to master it. Receiving direct, personalized feedback on your pronunciation is an excellent way to pinpoint your strengths and areas for improvement. Also, here are some great ways to make pronunciation practice more effective and relevant to you:

• Compile important vocabulary with /s/ from your field of study, résumé, and other interests. Practice these words by recording yourself pronouncing them and writing authentic sentences that use them in context.

• Think of scenarios you are likely to encounter in your daily life (e.g. talking to a fellow student or colleague, interviewing for a job) and write role plays that could include words with /s/. This will prepare you to use them spontaneously.

• Attend Conversation Hour with the goal of focusing on your pronunciation of /s/.

  Select your first language from the drop-down menu to highlight suggested sounds for practice. Start here, but don’t hesitate to explore other sounds along the way.

Select Your Language Arabic Chinese – Cantonese Chinese – Fuzhounese Chinese – Mandarin French Japanese Korean Portuguese Russian Spanish

/b/ buy | verb | about /d/ doubt | add | mind /dʒ/ jail | challenge | wager /ʒ/ usually | measure | massage /f/ fine | safe | painful /g/ go | dialogue | flag /h/ have | Manhattan | hopeful /k/ kind | occupy | back /l/ like | fall | please /m/ maybe | form | impossible /n/ can’t | woman | know /ŋ/ bring | finger | drank /p/ power | trap | apartment /r/ real | store | third /s/ same | mice | except /ʃ/ shop | issue | motion /t/ too | attract | skirt /t∫/ choose | watch | change /θ/ thanks | bath | nothing /ð/ the | either | breathe /v/ very | leave | favorite /w/ Weissman | switch | awhile /y/ yesterday | yield | use /z/ close | Zicklin | exactly

/i/ cheap | cookie | hourly /ɪ/ chip | sick | distribute /e/ say | paid | valet /ɛ/ bed | said | execute /æ/ wrap | attract | laugh /ʌ/ come | lucky | function /u/ group | Baruch | chew /ʊ/ good | pull | understood /o/ row | photo | boat /ɑ/ wrong | want | hot /ɑɪ/ might | try | advice /ɑʊ/ towel | cow | amount /ɔɪ/ toilet | annoying | join

/kw/ question | acquire | quiz /st/ stocks | stare | straight /sk/ skip | exclusive | score /ks/ expensive | exercise | axis /sp/ spray | splice | spot /sl/ slide | slim | slope

Let’s communicate.

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"Be a voice not an echo." - Albert Einstein

How to Make Your Message Clear and Powerful

Got what you want to say down pat? Think again! Here's a surprisingly easy yet effective way to make your message clear and powerful.

One of the hallmarks of studying anything for a long period of time is understanding that you still know a lot less about it than you think. This should always be a happy conclusion. It means that you can basically spend a lifetime pursuing something you love.

Public speaking is like that. So, for that matter, is coaching and training people how to do it well.

How do you decide what to include in your speeches to succeed? Get my Free white paper , "The 7 Key Components of Successful Presentations."

For instance, at some point during the last 19 years as a speech coach, I came to a conclusion I couldn't have anticipated. It has to do with strengthening and solidifying one's message. Best of all, it's usually my client who discovers exactly how to do so.

First, Prepare for Your Presentation the Right Way

Chances are, though, you won't travel that road yourself unless you set yourself up for the journey. What I mean by that is, by preparing for your presentation in the right way.

How do most of us prepare? Well, I think the process goes like this: we have some thoughts about a topic, and immediately begin jotting down our ideas. Then we edit and polish our content—and perhaps spend a lot of time  on our slide deck—until we think the material is where it needs to be. Then, maybe, we practice out loud (if we have the time).

The result often is that we're flying blind where the audience is concerned. We invested all our energy in  perfectionizing  our content. In the process, we left out two hugely important factors: our audience's needs and preferences, and our specific purpose in giving the speech.

Best, then, to rearrange the order of things. Your initial effort should always involve an audience analysis. You need to understand your listeners as closely as possible! That may be easy if you'll be speaking to your team at a weekly meeting, or much more involved if the listeners will consist of a group you don't know. From knowing your audience, emerges the purpose  for which you'll be speaking to these people. And here's the payoff: knowing exactly what you're trying to achieve helps you bring in precisely  the content that will allow you to achieve that purpose. You've now prepared the right way.

Learn more about how to speak for leadership. Download my  Free e-book , "High-Impact Speaking: The Leader's Guide to Presenting with Integrity and Influence." 

Now Go One Step Beyond That . . . for Greatness!

At this point, it's critically important that you  practice your material out loud.  You need to hear whether your spoken performance is right for this audience: in terms of language, tone, comprehensibility, and most important: listeners' level of understanding. 

And here's where you may surprise yourself. When I'm working with a client and we've videotaped (or these days, screen recorded) a talk, I often ask this question: "What are you really trying to say here?" It's usually easy for the client to respond. But here's the interesting thing: very often, that response will be much clearer, and more in-depth, than what he or she said in the actual presentation. My follow-up question is even easier: "Why don't you say that?"

It's often in this debriefing exercise, you see, that the speaker reveals the true heart of the message. I suspect that may be because they are trying to fashion a commendable presentation, rather than tapping into the raw power of what they're trying to say.

So if you're not debriefing with a speech coach, perform some self-discovery. Practice your talk, record it, and then ask yourself: "What am I really trying to say?" I'd bet that your response is different—in some large or small way—than the actual content of your talk. The next step is obvious: Go back into your content, and make your message clearer and more powerful. 

You should follow me on Twitter   here .

Gary Genard  is an actor, author, and expert in theater-based public speaking training. His company, Boston-based  The Genard Method  offers in-person and online training to help executives and teams become extraordinary communicators. In 2020 for the seventh consecutive year, Gary has been ranked by Global Gurus as  One of The World's Top 30 Communication Professionals . He is the author of  How to Give a Speech . His second book,  Fearless Speaking ,  was recently named as  "One of the 100 Best Confidence Books of All Time."   Contact Gary here . 

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• How to End a Speech: What You Need for a Bang

A good talk or public speech is like a good play, movie, or song.

It opens by arresting the listener’s attention, develops point by point, and then ends strongly, ensuring that the audience’s attention is maintained throughout.

The truth is, if you don’t know how to end a speech, the overall message won’t be persuasive and your key points may get lost.

The words you say at the beginning, and especially at the end of your talk, are usually the most persuasive parts of the speech and will be remembered longer than almost any other part of your speech. It’s crucial to leave a lasting impression with a powerful conclusion.

Some of the great speeches in history and some of the most memorable Ted talks have ended with powerful, stirring words that live on in memory.

How do you end a speech and get the standing ovation that you deserve?

Keep reading to discover how…

Here are 9 tips and examples for concluding a speech.

To ensure that your conclusion is as powerful as it can be, you must plan it word for word, including a strong closing statement.

Ask yourself,  “What is the purpose of this talk?”

Your answer should involve the actions that you want your listeners to take after hearing you speak on this subject.

When you are clear about the end result you desire, it becomes much easier to design a conclusion that asks your listeners to take that action. It is also crucial to restate a key idea to reinforce your message and leave a lasting impression.

The best strategy for ending with a BANG is to plan your close before you plan the rest of your speech.

You then go back and design your opening so that it sets the stage for your conclusion.

The body of your talk is where you present your ideas and make your case for what you want the audience to think, remember, and do after hearing you speak.

2) Always End A Speech With A Call To Action

It is especially important to tell the audience what you want it to do as a result of hearing you speak.

A call to action is the best way to wrap up your talk with strength and power. Reinforce your key points by summarizing the main message, ensuring it leaves a lasting impression. Closing the speech effectively can evoke emotions and make a significant impact on the audience.

Here’s a Speech Call To Action Example

“We have great challenges and great opportunities, and with your help, we will meet them and make this next year the best year in our history!”

Consider ending with a thought-provoking question to challenge the audience to think differently and inspire them to take action.

Whatever you say, imagine an exclamation point at the end. As you approach the conclusion, pick up your energy and tempo.  This is even more important if  the presentation you are giving is virtual .

Speak with strength and emphasis.

Drive the final point home.

Regardless of whether the audience participants agree with you or are willing to do what you ask, it should be perfectly clear to them what you are requesting.

3) End a Speech With a Summary

There is a simple formula for any talk:

• Tell them what you are going to tell them.
• Then, tell them what you told them.

As you approach the end of your talk, say something like,

“Let me briefly restate these main points…”

You then list your key points, one by one, and repeat them to the audience, showing how each of them links to the other points.

Audiences appreciate a linear repetition of what they have just heard. This repetition helps make your message memorable and ensures that your key points leave a lasting impression.

This makes it clear that you are coming to the end of your talk.

4) Close with a Story

As you reach the end of your talk, you can say,

“Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I have been talking about…”

You then tell a brief story with a moral and then tell the audience what the moral is. Using effective body language, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, and using open gestures, can make your story more impactful and leave a lasting impression.

Don’t leave it to them to figure out for themselves.

Often you can close with a story that illustrates your key points and then clearly links to the key message that you are making with your speech.

To learn more about storytelling in speaking, you can read my previous blog post  “8 Public Speaking Tips to Wow Your Audience.”

5) Make Them Laugh

You can close with humor.

You can tell a joke that loops back into your subject and repeats the lesson or main point you are making with a story that makes everyone laugh.

During my talks on planning and persistence, I discuss the biggest enemy that we have, which is the tendency to follow the path of least resistance. I then tell this story.

Ole and Sven are out hunting in Minnesota and they shoot a deer. They begin dragging the deer back to the truck by the tail, but they keep slipping and losing both their grip and their balance.

A farmer comes along and asks them, “What are you boys doing?”

They reply, “We’re dragging the deer back to the truck.”

The farmer tells them, “You are not supposed to drag a deer by the tail. You’re supposed to drag the deer by the handles. They’re called antlers. You’re supposed to drag a deer by the antlers.”

Ole and Sven say, “Thank you very much for the idea.”

They begin pulling the deer by the antlers. After about five minutes, they are making rapid progress. Ole says to Sven, “Sven, the farmer was right. It goes a lot easier by the antlers.”

Sven replies, “Yeah, but we’re getting farther and farther from the truck.”

After the laughter dies down, I say…

“The majority of people in life are pulling the easy way, but they are getting further and further from the ‘truck’ or their real goals and objectives.”

A memorable statement like this can make the humor more effective by condensing the core message into a crisp and authentic sound bite.

That’s just one example of closing using humor.

6) Make It Rhyme

You can close with a poem.

There are many fine poems that contain messages that summarize the key points you want to make. Here are some practical tips for selecting and delivering a poem: choose a poem that resonates with your message, practice your delivery to ensure it flows naturally, and use appropriate pauses to emphasize key lines.

You can select a poem that is moving, dramatic, or emotional.

For years I ended seminars with the poem,  “Don’t Quit,”  or  “Carry On!”  by Robert W. Service. It was always well received by the audience.

7) Close With Inspiration for A Lasting Impression

You can end a speech with something inspirational as well.

If you have given an uplifting talk, remember that hope is, and has always been, the main religion of mankind.

People love to be motivated and inspired to be or do something different and better in the future.

Here are a few of  my favorite inspirational quotes  that can be tied into most speeches.  You can also  read this collection of leadership quotes  for further inspiration.

Remember, everyone in your audience is dealing with problems, difficulties, challenges, disappointments, setbacks, and temporary failures.

For this reason, everyone appreciates a poem, quote, or story of encouragement that gives them strength and courage.

Here are 7 Tips to Tell an Inspiring Poem or Story to End Your Speech

• You have to slow down and add emotion and drama to your words.
• Raise your voice on a key line of the poem, and then drop it when you’re saying something that is intimate and emotional.
• Pick up the tempo occasionally as you go through the story or poem, but then slow down on the most memorable parts.
• Especially, double the number of pauses you normally use in a conversation.
• Use dramatic pauses at the end of a line to allow the audience to digest the words and catch up with you.
• Smile if the line is funny, and be serious if the line is more thought-provoking or emotional.
• When you come to the end of your talk, be sure to bring your voice up on the last line, rather than letting it drop. Remember the  “exclamation point”  at the end to reinforce your main message and leave a lasting impression.

Try practicing on this poem that I referenced above…

Read through  “Carry On!” by Robert Service

Identify the key lines, intimate parts, and memorable parts, and recite it.

8) Make it Clear That You’re Done

When you say your final words, it should be clear to everyone that you have ended. A strong closing statement is crucial in signaling the end of your speech, leaving a lasting impression, and ensuring that the audience remembers the key points. There should be no ambiguity or confusion in the mind of your audience. The audience members should know that this is the end.

Many speakers just allow their talks to wind down.

They say  something with filler words  like,  “Well, that just about covers it. Thank you.”

This isn’t a good idea…

It’s not powerful…

It’s not an authoritative ending and thus detracts from your credibility and influence.

When you have concluded, discipline yourself to stand perfectly still. Select a friendly face in the audience and look straight at that person.

If it is appropriate, smile warmly at that person to signal that your speech has come to an end.

Resist the temptation to:

• Shuffle papers.
• Fidget with your clothes or microphone.
• Move forward, backward, or sideways.
• Do anything else except stand solidly, like a tree.

9) Let Them Applaud

When you have finished your talk, the audience members will want to applaud. Using effective body language, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, and using open gestures, can signal to the audience that it is time to begin clapping.

What they need from you is a clear signal that now is the time to begin clapping.

How do you signal this?

Some people will recognize sooner than others that you have concluded your remarks.

In many cases, when you make your concluding comments and stop talking, the audience members will be completely silent.

They may be unsure whether you are finished.

They may be processing your final remarks and thinking them over. They may not know what to do until someone else does something.

In a few seconds, which will often feel like several minutes, people will applaud.

Then another…

Then the entire audience will begin clapping.

When someone begins to applaud, look directly at that person, smile, and mouth the words  thank you.

As more and more people applaud, sweep slowly from person to person, nodding, smiling and saying, “Thank You.”

Eventually, the whole room will be clapping.

There’s no better reward for overcoming your  fear of public speaking  than enjoying a round of applause.

BONUS TIP: How to Handle a Standing Ovation

If you’ve given a moving talk and really connected with your audience, someone will stand up and applaud. To encourage a standing ovation, make your message memorable by using repetition of your keyword or phrase and incorporating relevant visuals or metaphors to leave a lasting impression on the audience. When this happens, encourage others by looking directly at the clapper and saying,  “Thank you.”

This will often prompt other members of the audience to stand.

As people see others standing, they will stand as well, applauding the whole time.

It is not uncommon for a speaker to conclude his or her remarks, stand silently, and have the entire audience sit silently in response.

Stand Comfortably And Shake Hands

But as the speaker stands there comfortably, waiting for the audience to realize the talk is over, one by one people will begin to applaud and often stand up one by one. Using positive body language, such as maintaining eye contact, smiling, and using open gestures, can leave a lasting impression on the audience.

If the first row of audience members is close in front of you, step or lean forward and shake that person’s hand when one of them stands up to applaud.

When you shake hands with one person in the audience, many other people in the audience feel that you are shaking their hands and congratulating them as well.

They will then stand up and applaud.

Soon the whole room will be standing and applauding.

Whether you receive a standing ovation or not, if your introducer comes back on to thank you on behalf of the audience, smile and shake their hand warmly.

If it’s appropriate, give the introducer a hug of thanks, wave in a friendly way to the audience, and then move aside and give the introducer the stage.

Follow these tips to get that standing ovation every time.

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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

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.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Best practices 6 techniques for clear and compelling speech

by Simon Lancaster • October 26, 2021

Politicians and other public figures deploy particular rhetorical devices to communicate their ideas and to convince people, and it’s time that we all learned how to use them, says speechwriter Simon Lancaster.

There is a secret language of leadership — and it’s one that anyone can learn, says UK speechwriter Simon Lancaster in a TEDxVerona talk . He has made a career out of crafting addresses, remarks and talks for top politicians and CEOs of international corporations such as Nestle and Unilever, and continues to do so . Refreshingly, rather than clinging Gollum-like to what he’s learned and knows, he believes everyone should have access to the same tools that he and his colleagues use.

By tools, he’s not talking about special software or databases — he’s referring to rhetoric. Rhetoric has its roots in ancient Greece ( think: Aristotle ) as clear, convincing speech was seen as an essential component of communication and participation in a democracy. Instruction in rhetoric remained part of the curriculum in many secondary schools in Europe and the US until the 19th century.

“The reason we all used to learn rhetoric at school was because it was seen as a basic entry point to society,” explains Lancaster, who is based in London. “How could society be fair, unless everyone had equal ability to articulate and express themselves? Without it, your legal systems, your political systems, your financial systems are not fair.”

Yes, the power to persuade is just that — power.

Lancaster states there is only one school in England that still teaches rhetoric: Eton, the alma mater of 20 Prime Ministers (including current officeholder, Boris Johnson). He adds, “It should be of intense concern to all of us that education in this has been narrowed to a very small … elite.”

While Lancaster can’t send the world to Eton, he can share the 6 rhetorical building blocks needed to speak persuasively. Here they are:

Building block #1: Breathless sentences or phrases

Barack Obama gave an acceptance speech for the ages in 2008 after he was first elected president of the US. He spoke vividly of the challenges that lay ahead for the country: “Even as we celebrate tonight, we know that the challenges tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: Two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.”

Lancaster wants us to pay special attention to the last part of that sentence, the “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century” part. Yes, it’s a stressful mouthful — not just because of the content but because of how it’s delivered. Short, staccato phrases like these mimic how we speak when we’re anxious and in a hurry. This technique helps communicate urgency to an audience.

Building block #2: Speaking in 3s

What’s the other rhetorical trick underlying “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century”? The rule of 3.

Humans are accustomed to things coming in 3s: whether it’s judges on American Idol , bowls of porridge in a fairy tale , or sides in a triangle. Our minds and ears have been trained by speeches (Abraham Lincoln’s “government of the people, for the people, by the people”); slogans (reduce, reuse, recycle); and book titles ( Elizabeth Gilbert ‘s memoir Eat, Pray, Love ). “You put your argument in 3s, it makes it sound more compelling, more convincing, more credible. Just like that,” says Lancaster.

Recall British PM Winston Churchill’s stirring triplet from the speech he delivered to Parliament on June 4, 1940: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight on the fields and in the streets.” Besides the rule of 3, he gave the line additional rhetorical firepower by repeating the opening clause.

Lancaster explains, “When we are emotional about things, our perspective distorts, and this then manifests in our speech. So this is the authentic sound of passion.” Doing this can catch an audience in the speaker’s enthusiasm.

Building block #3: Balanced statements

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” It’s a line from president John F Kennedy’s inspiring 1961 inaugural address , and one that’s stood the test of time. Why? Its balanced construction, says Lancaster. “If the sentence sounds as if it’s balanced, we imagine that the underlying thinking is balanced and our brain is tuned to like things that are balanced.”

Grouping balanced statements in 3s further amplifies the effect:

“We’re looking to the future, not the past.

We’re working together, not against one another.

We’re thinking about what we can do, not what we can’t.”

Building block #4: Metaphor

According to Lancaster, people use a metaphor once every 16 words on average ( side question: Where do statistics like this even come from? ). He declares, “Metaphor is probably the most powerful piece of political communication.”

Metaphors are rich in imagery and awake immediate feelings in people, so it follows that politicians love them and sprinkle them like birdseed (“like birdseed” is a simile, not a metaphor , and similes are other strong rhetorical tools to have in your kit). At times, they can employ them to point us to an ideal or aspiration. For example, in his farewell address , president Ronald Reagan movingly invoked America, h/t to John Winthrop, as a “shining city upon the hill.”

Too often, however, metaphors are used to manipulate, incite and denigrate. Politicians and talking heads could have called the 2015-16 refugee encampment in Calais, France, a “refugee camp” or “refugee settlement.” Instead, they deployed this loaded word: “jungle.” Lancaster says,“It’s planting in your mind the idea that migrants are like wild animals to be afraid of, that they are dangerous, that they represent a threat to you. This is a very dangerous metaphor because this is the language of genocide; it’s the language of hate.” Unfortunately, media outlets picked up “Calais jungle” and used it as their shorthand identifier of the camp, extending the metaphor’s reach.

Building block #5: Exaggeration

In the same way that we get breathless when they’re speaking with passion, our speech distorts in another significant way. We exaggerate. So when we’re sitting down to a meal after having eaten little that day, we tell our family and friends: “I love this pizza.” But when we say things like this to each other, we also realize it’s a bit of distortion: We do not love the pizza in the same way that we love our children or parents or the planet, and everyone present knows that.

Similarly, politicians and leaders might say things like “I’ve waited my whole life to say these words” or “I will work to achieve this with all my heart and soul.” These utterances are indeed over the top, but because they’re acceptable and even welcome since they echo how we speak.

Building block #6: Rhyming

Starting from childhood, many of us are taught concepts through rhymes — such as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “i before e except after c.” With their musicality, they’re a pleasing informational snack that sticks in memories like a musical earworm .

Rhymes can seem corny, but sprinkled in at the right time, they can be incredibly potent. We all remember the pithy “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” from defense attorney Johnnie Cochran during O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial.

Rhyming’s appeal comes “down to what linguists talk about as the processing fluency of language — how easy is language to swallow?” says Lancaster. “If you speak using long words and long sentences, it’s like giving someone a steak and asking them to swallow it. Whereas if you give them something pithy, like a rhyme, it’s like asking them to just sip on some Prosecco.”

These six tricks can help us speak directly to people’s instinctive, emotional and logical brains, and they are extremely effective , says Lancaster. There’s no need for us to be in the public eye to use them in order to sway others or make our words stay in people’s minds. Even if we never employ them in our own lives, it’s equally important for us to recognize them. Politicians, con artists and advertisers utilize them to win votes, spread opinions, or sell products people don’t need. By being alert to these rhetorical devices, we can be better citizens and consumers.

This post was originally published on TED Ideas . It’s part of the “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President   Biden on the Supreme Court Decision to Overturn Roe v.   Wade

12:37 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Today is a — it’s not hyperbole to suggest a very solemn moment.  Today, the Supreme Court of the United States expressly took away a constitutional right from the American people that it had already recognized.

They didn’t limit it.  They simply took it away.  That’s never been done to a right so important to so many Americans.

But they did it.  And it’s a sad day for the Court and for the country.

Fifty years ago, Roe v. Wade was decided and has been the law of the land since then.

This landmark case protected a woman’s right to choose, her right to make intensely personal decisions with her doctor, free from the inter- — from interference of politics.

It reaffirmed basic principles of equality — that women have the power to control their own destiny.  And it reinforced the fundamental right of privacy — the right of each of us to choose how to live our lives.

Now, with Roe gone, let’s be very clear: The health and life of women in this nation are now at risk.

As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, as Vice President and now as President of the United States, I’ve studied this case carefully.  I’ve overseen more Supreme Court confirmations than anyone today, where this case was always discussed.

I believe Roe v. Wade was the correct decision as a matter of constitutional law, an application of the fundamental right to privacy and liberty in matters of family and personal autonomy.

It was a decision on a complex matter that drew a careful balance between a woman’s right to choose earlier in her pregnancy and the state’s ability to regulate later in her pregnancy.  A decision with broad national consensus that most Americans of faiths and backgrounds found acceptable and that had been the law of the land for most of the lifetime of Americans today.

And it was a constitutional principle upheld by justices appointed by Democrat and Republican Presidents alike. 

Roe v. Wade was a 7 to 2 decision written by a justice appointed by a Republican President, Richard Nixon.  In the five decades that followed Roe v. Wade, justices appointed by Republican Presidents — from Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, George W. [H.W.] Bush — were among the justices who voted to uphold the principles set forth in Roe v. Wade.

It was three justices named by one President — Donald Trump — who were the core of today’s decision to upend the scales of justice and eliminate a fundamental right for women in this country.

Make no mistake: This decision is the culmination of a deliberate effort over decades to upset the balance of our law.  It’s a realization of an extreme ideology and a tragic error by the Supreme Court, in my view.

The Court has done what it has never done before: expressly take away a constitutional right that is so fundamental to so many Americans that had already been recognized.

The Court’s decision to do so will have real and immediate consequences.  State laws banning abortion are automatically taking effect today, jeopardizing the health of millions of women, some without exceptions. 

So extreme that women could be punished for protecting their health.

So extreme that women and girls who are forced to bear their rapist’s child — of the child of consequence. 

It’s a — it just — it just stuns me. 

So extreme that doctors will be criminalized for fulfilling their duty to care.

Imagine having — a young woman having to ch- — carry the child of incest — as a consequence of incest.  No option. 

Too often the case that poor women are going to be hit the hardest.  It’s cruel.

In fact, the Court laid out state laws criminalizing abortion that go back to the 1800s as rationale — the Court literally taking America back 150 years. 

This a sad day for the country, in my view, but it doesn’t mean the fight is over.

Let me be very clear and unambiguous: The only way we can secure a woman’s right to choose and the balance that existed is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade as federal law.

No executive action from the President can do that.  And if Congress, as it appears, lacks the vote — votes to do that now, voters need to make their voices heard.

This fall, we must elect more senators and representatives who will codify a woman’s right to choose into federal law once again, elect more state leaders to protect this right at the local level.

We need to restore the protections of Roe as law of the land.  We need to elect officials who will do that.

This fall, Roe is on the ballot.  Personal freedoms are on the ballot.  The right to privacy, liberty, equality, they’re all on the ballot. 

Until then, I will do all in my power to protect a woman’s right in states where they will face the consequences of today’s decision.

While the Court’s decision casts a dark shadow over a large swath of the land, many states in this country still recognize a woman’s right to choose.

So if a woman lives in a state that restricts abortion, the Supreme Court’s decision does not prevent her from traveling from her home state to the state that allows it.  It does not prevent a doctor in that state — in that state from treating her.

As the Attorney General has made clear, women must remain free to travel safely to another state to seek the care they need.  And my administration will defend that bedrock right. 

If any state or local official, high or low, tries to interfere with a woman’s ex- — exercising her basic right to travel, I will do everything in my power to fight that deeply un-American attack.

My administration will also protect a woman’s access to medications that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration — the FDA — like contraception, which is essential for preventative healthcare; mifepristone, which the FDA approved 20 years ago to safely end early pregnancies and is commonly used to treat miscarriages.

Some states are saying that they’ll try to ban or severely restrict access to these medications. 

But extremist governors and state legislators who are looking to block the mail or search a person’s medicine cabinet or control a woman’s actions by tracking data on her apps she uses are wrong and extreme and out of touch with the majority of Americans.

The American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists wrote to me and Vice President Harris stressing that these laws are not based on — are not based on evidence and asking us to act to protect access to care.  They say by limiting access to these medicines, maternal mortality will climb in America.  That’s what they say.

Today, I’m directing the Department of Health and Human Services to take steps to ensure that these critical medications are available to the fullest extent possible and that politicians cannot interfere in the decisions that should be made between a woman and her doctor.  And my administration will remain vigilant as the implications of this decision play out.

I’ve warned about how this decision risks the broader right to privacy for everyone.  That’s because Roe recognized the fundamental right to privacy that has served as the basis for so many more rights that we have come to take — we’ve come to take for granted that are ingrained in the fabric of this country: the right to make the best decisions for your health; the right to use birth control — a married couple — in the privacy of their bedroom, for God’s sake; the right to marry the person you love. 

Now, Justice Thomas said as much today.  He explicitly called to reconsider the right of marriage equality, the right of couples to make their choices on contraception.  This is an extreme and dangerous path the Court is now taking us on. 

Let me close with two points. 

First, I call on everyone, no matter how deeply they care about this decision, to keep all protests peaceful.  Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful.  No intimidation.  Violence is never acceptable.  Threats and intimidation are not speech.  We must stand against violence in any form regardless of your rationale.

Second, I know so many of us are frustrated and disillusioned that the Court has taken something away that’s so fundamental.  I know so many women are now going to face incredibly difficult situations.  I hear you.  I support you.  I stand with you. 

The consequences and the consensus of the American people — core principles of equality, liberty, dignity, and the stability of the rule of law — demand that Roe should not have been overturned.

With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of this country.  They have made the United States an outlier among developed nations in the world.  But this decision must not be the final word.

My administration will use all of its appropriate lawful powers.  But Congress must act.  And with your vote, you can act.  You can have the final word.  This is not over.

Thank you very much.  I’ll have more to say on this in weeks to come.  Thank you.

12:49 P.M. EDT

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Best free text-to-speech software of 2024

Find the best free text-to-speech software for free text to voice conversion

• Best overall
• Best custom voice
• Best for beginners
• Best Microsoft extension
• Best website reader
• How we test

The best free text-to-speech software makes it simple and easy to improve accessibility and productivity in your workflows.

1. Best overall 2. Best custom voice 3. Best for beginners 4. Best Microsoft extension 5. Best website reader 6. FAQs 7. How we test

In the digital era, the need for effective communication tools has led to a surge in the popularity of text-to-speech (TTS) software, and finding the best free text-to-speech software is essential for a variety of users, regardless of budget constraints. 

Text-to-speech software skillfully converts written text into spoken words using advanced technology, though often without grasping the context of the content. The best text-to-speech software not only accomplishes this task but also offers a selection of natural-sounding voices, catering to different preferences and project needs.

This technology is invaluable for creating accessible content, enhancing workplace productivity, adding voice-overs to videos, or simply assisting in proofreading by vocalizing written work. While many of today’s best free word processors , such as Google Docs, include basic TTS features that are accurate and continually improving, they may not meet all needs.

Stand-alone, app-based TTS tools, which should not be confused with the best speech-to-text apps , often have limitations compared to more comprehensive, free text-to-speech software. For instance, some might not allow the downloading of audio files, a feature crucial for creating content for platforms like YouTube and social media.

In our quest to identify the best free text-to-speech software, we have meticulously tested various options, assessing them based on user experience, performance, and output quality. Our guide aims to help you find the right text-to-speech tool, whatever your specific needs might be.

The best free text-to-speech software of 2024 in full:

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The best free text-to-speech software overall

1. Natural Reader

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Natural Reader offers one of the best free text-to-speech software experiences, thanks to an easy-going interface and stellar results. It even features online and desktop versions. 

You'll find plenty of user options and customizations. The first is to load documents into its library and have them read aloud from there. This is a neat way to manage multiple files, and the number of supported file types is impressive, including eBook formats. There's also OCR, which enables you to load up a photo or scan of text, and have it spoken to you.

The second option takes the form of a floating toolbar. In this mode, you can highlight text in any application and use the toolbar controls to start and customize text-to-speech. This means you can very easily use the feature in your web browser, word processor and a range of other programs. There's also a browser extension to convert web content to speech more easily.

The TTS tool is available free, with three additional upgrades with more advanced features for power-users and professionals.

Read our full Natural Reader review .

• ^ Back to the top

The best free custom-voice text-to-speech software

2. Balabolka

There are a couple of ways to use Balabolka's top free text-to-speech software. You can either copy and paste text into the program, or you can open a number of supported file formats (including DOC, PDF, and HTML) in the program directly. 

In terms of output, you can use SAPI 4 complete with eight different voices to choose from, SAPI 5 with two, or the Microsoft Speech Platform. Whichever route you choose, you can adjust the speech, pitch and volume of playback to create a custom voice.

In addition to reading words aloud, this free text-to-speech software can also save narrations as audio files in a range of formats including MP3 and WAV. For lengthy documents, you can create bookmarks to make it easy to jump back to a specific location and there are excellent tools on hand to help you to customize the pronunciation of words to your liking.

With all these features to make life easier when reading text on a screen isn't an option, Balabolka is the best free text-to-speech software around.

For more help using Balabolka, see out guide on how to convert text to speech using this free software.

The best free text-to-speech software for beginners

3. Panopreter Basic

Panopreter Basic is the best free text-to-speech software if you’re looking for something simple, streamlined, no-frills, and hassle-free. 

It accepts plain and rich text files, web pages and Microsoft Word documents as input, and exports the resulting sound in both WAV and MP3 format (the two files are saved in the same location, with the same name).

The default settings work well for quick tasks, but spend a little time exploring Panopreter Basic's Settings menu and you'll find options to change the language, destination of saved audio files, and set custom interface colors. The software can even play a piece of music once it's finished reading – a nice touch you won't find in other free text-to-speech software.

If you need something more advanced, a premium version of Panopreter is available. This edition offers several additional features including toolbars for Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer , the ability to highlight the section of text currently being read, and extra voices.

The best free text-to-speech extension of Microsoft Word

4. WordTalk

Developed by the University of Edinburgh, WordTalk is a toolbar add-on for Word that brings customizable text-to-speech to Microsoft Word. It works with all editions of Word and is accessible via the toolbar or ribbon, depending on which version you're using.

The toolbar itself is certainly not the most attractive you'll ever see, appearing to have been designed by a child. Nor are all of the buttons' functions very clear, but thankfully there's a help file on hand to help.

There's no getting away from the fact that WordTalk is fairly basic, but it does support SAPI 4 and SAPI 5 voices, and these can be tweaked to your liking. The ability to just read aloud individual words, sentences or paragraphs is a particularly nice touch. You also have the option of saving narrations, and there are a number of keyboard shortcuts that allow for quick and easy access to frequently used options.

The best free text-to-speech software for websites

5. Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader

Despite its basic looks, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader has more to offer than you might first think. You can open numerous file formats directly in the program, or just copy and paste text.

Alternatively, as long as you have the program running and the relevant option enables, Zabaware Text-to-Speech Reader can read aloud any text you copy to the clipboard – great if you want to convert words from websites to speech – as well as dialog boxes that pop up. One of the best free text-to-speech software right now, this can also convert text files to WAV format.

Unfortunately the selection of voices is limited, and the only settings you can customize are volume and speed unless you burrow deep into settings to fiddle with pronunciations. Additional voices are available for an additional fee which seems rather steep, holding it back from a higher place in our list.

The best free text-to-speech software: FAQs

What are the limitations of free tts software.

As you might expect, some free versions of TTS software do come with certain limitations. These include the amount of choices you get for the different amount of voices in some case. For instance, Zabaware gives you two for free, but you have to pay if you want more. 

However, the best free software on this list come with all the bells and whistles that will be more than enough for the average user.

What is SAPI?

SAPI stands for Speech Application Programming Interface. It was developed by Microsoft to generate synthetic speech to allow computer programs to read aloud text. First used in its own applications such as Office, it is also employed by third party TTS software such as those featured in this list. 

In the context of TTS software, there are more SAPI 4 voices to choose from, whereas SAPI 5 voices are generally of a higher quality. 

Should I output files to MP3 or WAV?

Many free TTS programs give you the option to download an audio file of the speech to save and transfer to different devices.

MP3 is the most common audio format, and compatible with pretty much any modern device capable of playing back audio. The WAV format is also highly compatible too.

The main difference between the two is quality. WAV files are uncompressed, meaning fidelity is preserved as best as possible, at the cost of being considerably larger in size than MP3 files, which do compress.

Ultimately, however, MP3 files with a bit rate of 256 kbps and above should more than suffice, and you'll struggle to tell the difference when it comes to speech audio between them and WAV files.

How to choose the best free text-to-speech software

When selecting the best free text-to-speech software is best for you depends on a range of factors (not to mention personal preference).

Despite how simple the concept of text-to-speech is, there are many different features and aspects to such apps to take into consideration. These include how many voice options and customizations are present, how and where they operate in your setup, what formats they are able to read aloud from and what formats the audio can be saved as.

With free versions, naturally you'll want to take into account how many advanced features you get without paying, and whether any sacrifices are made to performance or usability. 

Always try to keep in mind what is fair and reasonable for free services - and as we've shown with our number one choice, you can get plenty of features for free, so if other options seem bare in comparison, then you'll know you can do better.

How we test the best free text-to-speech software

Our testing process for the best free text-to-speech software is thorough, examining all of their respective features and trying to throw every conceivable syllable at them to see how they perform.

We also want to test the accessibility features of these tools to see how they work for every kind of user out there. We have highlighted, for instance, whether certain software offer dyslexic-friendly fonts, such as the number two on our list, Natural Reader.

We also bear in mind that these are free versions, so where possible we compare and contrast their feature sets with paid-for rivals.

Finally, we look at how well TTS tools meet the needs of their intended users - whether it's designed for personal use or professional deployment. 

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Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he's written a book, ' The Making of Tomb Raider '. His second book, ' 50 Years of Boss Fights ', came out in June 2024, and has a newsletter, ' Springboard '. He's usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that's about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.

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The 7 Best, Free Translator Tools [2024 Edition]

These seven best free translator tools are chock-full of features, great translations and quality that’s hard to match.

Some even have their own translation apps so you can take their powerful capabilities with you wherever you go.

Here’s all you need to know about the best online translator apps that money can’t buy.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

1. Google Translate

2. bing microsoft translator, 4. yandex translate, 5. translate dict, why is it important to use the best online translators, how to get the most out of a free online translator, and one more thing....

Available on: iOS | Android

Google Translate is a big name in the field, and for good reason. For starters, it supports over 100 languages including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. You can even translate languages you’re unfamiliar with, like Frisian and Sesotho.

This free online translator also allows you to play the audio of the translated pieces at a conversational rate. If you play a translation twice, the audio will be slightly slower, allowing you to master tricky pronunciations. Keep in mind, however, that these pronunciations may not always be accurate.

To translate, all you have to do is enter the text, website or document into the left box, and Google Translate can figure out what language it is, provided you enable the “Detect Language” function . You can input your text directly, enter a webpage link, upload a document or quickly snap a picture.

In case you don’t have the typing skills for your target language yet, such as Japanese or Russian, you can also use their handwriting feature. You could also make use of their visual keyboard to type in words using your target alphabet. For common languages, you could use their speech input feature to help you quickly get a translation of what someone is saying in your target language.

• Thousands of learner friendly videos (especially beginners)
• Handpicked, organized, and annotated by FluentU's experts
• Integrated into courses for beginners

You’ll get multiple translations, definitions and ratings of how common they are, too. This is helpful since translations often depend on context. You could even “save” words for easy access the next time you use Google Translate.

While Bing Microsoft Translator doesn’t have as many features as Google Translate does, it’s not something to sneeze at, either. In fact, Bing’s translations may be even better for certain languages.

You can get translations and audio pronunciations for over 100 languages including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Yucatec Maya and Klingon (yes, you read that right). All you have to do is input your text, voice or photo into the appropriate fields .

In case you need a little more help, you could also hit up other users via the “Conversation” tab . There are also phrasebooks in various languages covering topics like lodging, dining and emergencies—perfect for travelers and learners on the go. Finally, you can retrieve previous translations and check out any pinned searches.

• Interactive subtitles: click any word to see detailed examples and explanations
• Slow down or loop the tricky parts
• Show or hide subtitles
• Review words with our powerful learning engine

Reverso doesn’t translate quite as many languages as the ones above, but it still has some special features that make it worth using.

Currently, Reverso offers translations for 17 languages including Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Ukrainian.

For most common words and phrases, Reverso will provide you with several possible translations. You’ll also get example sentences, which are very useful for learning how to use new vocabulary in context . If you’re unsure about the grammar of the text you’re translating, run it through Reverso’s spell/grammar check to generate the most accurate translation.

If you opt for a subscription, you can access advanced features such as pronunciation, search history, phrasebooks and other offline learning tools.

Available on: iOS |  Android

Yandex Translate isn’t as well-known as the tools already named above, but it’s on this list for one special reason: This tool utilizes self-learning statistical machine translation for over 100 languages .

You can transliterate Chinese pinyin, Japanese romaji, Korean romanization and more. Speech input is available in languages such as Russian, Ukrainian, English or Turkish.

• Learn words in the context of sentences
• Swipe left or right to see more examples from other videos
• Go beyond just a superficial understanding

Aside from text, Yandex can also translate photos, articles, entire web pages and more. If you’re reading on an iPad, you can utilize the “Split View” feature. A virtual keyboard is available for typing symbols in the absence of an international keyboard. Like Reverso, Yandex provides examples of how your translated words are used in context.

Translate Dict is a web-based translator that supports dozens of languages. It auto-detects the language or dialect you’re translating, and also offers audio pronunciation. There’s even an accent detector to catch any inflections, intonations and other nuances for a more accurate translation .

You could also check out the word and character count at the bottom of the page. This comes in handy if you want to use the translator to craft social media posts that limit character counts.

Additionally, SYSTRAN can also translate RSS feeds , which comes in handy when you’re subscribed to a content creator in your target language . You could even create your own personal dictionary, which not only helps you keep track of new vocab, but also override any default translations that may not be accurate.

And if you opt for the pro version, you can unlock even more features, such as translations into more languages, unlimited text translation and more supported document formats.

• FluentU builds you up, so you can build sentences on your own
• Start with multiple-choice questions and advance through sentence building to producing your own output
• Go from understanding to speaking in a natural progression.

DeepL is one of the least comprehensive options on this list in terms of the number of languages that it can translate. To date, it’s only available for 32 languages. However, the quality of the translations are on par with—and, in some cases, even better than—the more well-known of the best free translator tools on this list.

You could type in the text to be translated, drop in .pdf, .docx and .pptx files or click the microphone to translate speech. There’s even a glossary function and a dictionary function for extra information.

• The accuracy of translations can vary wildly. You’ve probably learned from your translation exercises that there are multiple ways to translate any word or phrase, and some ways are much better (and more accurate) than others. Translations vary with online translators, too, but usually, the higher-quality options have worked out more of the kinks than their competitors.
• Each online translator has different features. For example, some websites focus more on simple translations, while others have unique features that make them more like hybrids of conventional translators and learning websites . For language students, these additional features can help strengthen their grasp of the language, definition, pronunciation and more.
• The best online translators can help you learn as well as translate. A good online translator can actually add to your vocabulary. In fact, if you use it correctly and often, your favorite free online translator might just help you learn languages for free .
• Try some “test phrases” to check for accuracy. Try translating phrases you already know between your native language and your target language. The more challenging the grammar and vocabulary, the better. Testing translators with phrases you already know can help give you an idea of how well the translator works with your specific target language.
• Translate the text back and forth between languages. Translating back and forth between languages is a helpful way to ensure the translation means what you want it to mean. For instance, if you’ve translated a phrase into your target language, try plugging that phrase back into the translator to get a clearer idea of what it actually means in English. Sometimes, this can help you catch translation or word choice errors.
• Play around with all of the translator’s features. For instance, if you always just want text translated, you might not even notice that your favorite translator offers terrific audio of words and phrases in your target language that you can use to nail down your pronunciation.
• Use your translator frequently. Whenever you realize you don’t know a word, use your favorite translator to look it up. Since these top online translators are handy ( some of which can be used offline ), it’s easy to use a translator whenever you have a spare moment. If you use the translator regularly, your vocabulary will likely grow exponentially with very little effort.
• Use it to check your work. Wrote something in your target language? Whip out your favorite translator to check it. You can translate it back to English to be sure the message is what you intended.
• Find real-world examples of words you look up. Some translators provide example sentences, which is great for learning in context. But it’s a good idea to take things a step further and ensure that you’re able to recognize and understand a word outside of the translator.

To understand words and the contexts they operate in, you need to observe the words in real-world contexts where native speakers are communicating naturally, such as interviews, podcasts and more. You can find these on language learning platforms like FluentU .

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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Try FluentU for FREE!

Try these seven online translator apps, and watch your language mastery soar!

If you dig the idea of learning on your own time from the comfort of your smart device with real-life authentic language content, you'll love using FluentU .

With FluentU, you'll learn real languages—as they're spoken by native speakers. FluentU has a wide variety of videos as you can see here:

FluentU App Browse Screen.

FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.

Didn't catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.

Interactive, dual-language subtitles.

You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU's "learn mode." Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

FluentU Has Quizzes for Every Video

And FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You get a truly personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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