American English: How to Speak with the Right Pace
(How to Slow Down So That People Can Understand You)
The need for speed
Many non native speakers of American English speak with fast pace that makes it difficult for Americans to understand them.
Speaking too fast is one of the most common American English communication errors made by international professionals.
This may be happening to you!
Let’s talk about why this happens.
Carryover from your native language
For most of you, your speaking pace is simply a carryover from the way you speak your native language.
If your native language is spoken quickly, without stresses, reductions or pauses, you’ll apply the same framework when you speak American English.
That’s completely natural.
You don’t have a communication disorder!
Nervousness is a factor
You may also speak quickly when you feel nervous. This frequently happens to both native and non native speakers.
Whatever the reason, speaking American English too quickly is a huge problem when it comes to clear communication.
That’s because if you speak too quickly, your listeners have to work harder to understand you. They have to concentrate to pick out and remember the key words in your message.
Pronunciation errors are more likely to occur when you
speak fast because you’re not taking enough time to articulate the correct sounds and patterns.
Research on speaking pace
Research has found that when a listener has to work hard, he or she will often tune out and stop listening.
In the worst case scenario, a listener who has to work hard to comprehend a message will lose trust in the speaker’s abilities.
When the brain has to work hard, it causes the listener to
doubt the accuracy of what the speaker has said. You can read a summary of this research at the link above.
A technique for speaking with a good pace
The good news is that there’s a technique that you can use to slow down your rate of speech.
I call this technique PPP and it means:
- speak in phrases (not long never-ending sentences)
- use pitch emphasis on the key words in each phrase
- insert pauses after each phrase
I’ll describe the PPP technique in more detail below.
The PPP method
Clear and engaging speakers don’t say longer sentences in one long breath. Instead, they divide longer sentences into two or three phrases.
They emphasize the most important word in each phrase using pitch emphasis.
They insert a brief pause at the end of a phrase.
- phrases
- pitch
- pauses
Using phrasing slows you down creates a speaking pace that’s easy to follow.
Using pitch emphasis on important words is a audio cue that tells your listener what’s important.
Inserting a small pause after each phrase gives your listener a tiny bit of time to process what was you said….. before you continue.
Powerful speakers emphasize the last word in a sentence a little bit more and then pause a little bit longer.
This is a cue that lets the listener know, without a doubt, that the sentence is complete.
Application
Sounds simple, yes?
Theoretically the idea of speaking in phrases, emphasizing key words and inserting pauses is easy to grasp.
But’s it’s not always so easy to apply…especially if your native language is spoken with a different melody.
I’d like to tell you a story that illustrates how one of my coaching clients learned to speak with a pace that was easy for her listeners to understand.
Rashmi’s Story
(Rashmi is a real person but I’ve changed her name to maintain confidentiality)
Rashmi worked as a product manager for an internationally known software company in California. A self starter, she contacted me for personal coaching after scoring mediocre points on communication during her annual review.
After our consultation, I told Rashmi that there were two big reasons why her colleagues were having difficulty understanding her.
The number one reason was because her rate of speech was too fast for her clients and customers to easily comprehend.
When I revealed this to Rashmi, she was shocked!
Rashmi had always assumed that she spoke with a pace that was easy for others to understand.
She never realized that her rapid speaking pace, especially when on the phone and at meetings, was much too fast for her colleagues and clients to process.
In fact, at first Rashmi didn’t believe me when I suggested that her speaking pace was challenging for Americans to follow.
But all of that changed once she started to implement my advice.
Phrases, pitch and pauses
In our sessions we used Rashmi’s daily scripts; the phrases and sentences she uses every day in her job.
- We broke down her sentences into smaller phrases.
- We highlighted the words she needed to emphasize using a bit more pitch.
- We used / marks to insert pauses after each phase.
- We used // marks to insert longer pauses at the end of each sentence.
Focused practice
Rashmi made a focused effort to apply these techniques during her daily phone conversations.
Rashmi made a focused effort to apply these techniques during her staff meetings.
At first it felt strange and uncomfortable…but after a couple of weeks Rashmi began to enjoy using the PPP technique.
That’s because using the PPP technique made her sound more confident. She felt more in control of her message.
She came across as more thoughtful and more confident. And this heightened her perceived trust level in her organization.
Rashmi’s new speaking pace allowed her to really connect with people. She was thrilled.
Success
In fact, let me share an email message that Rashmi sent me towards the end of her coaching program:
Hi Susan,
I just had a great phone meeting with a support person and I loved every minute of our conversation.
It was a complex scenario to explain and he understood me very well without me repeating it. And I was pausing after each important word.
Ahhha…. The joy of good communication. Just wanted you to know!
How about you?
Just like Rashmi, you may not realize that your rapid speaking pace is uncomfortable for your American colleagues to process.
You may not realize that your fast speech is creating breakdowns and keeping you from:
- communicating your ideas clearly
- sounding confident
- building trust
- connecting with others
How to practice the PPP technique
One way to practice the PPP technique is to find a speech model.
Think of a friend or co-worker who speaks with a speed that’s easy to understand. This person can be your speech model.
Pay close attention to how your speech model speaks. Observe how he or she speaks in phrases.
Observe how they emphasize key words and insert short pauses.
Then try to match your speaking rate with theirs at meetings and during conversations. Think PPP!
Pace yourself against your model. You may feel like you are speaking too slowly but chances are you aren’t!
Changing your speaking will feel strange in the beginning.
But with daily practice you’ll begin to feel comfortable speaking with a more relaxed pace, especially when you notice that people are listening to you and “getting” your message!
Confidence and trust
Remember that speaking with a slower pace gives others an opportunity to understand you.
It indicates that you feel confident and in charge of your message.
It builds the trust you need to connect with others and get your best ideas across.
Try the PPP technique. You’ll feel the difference. And most importantly, so will your listeners!
