Speaking: Fluency and Coherence A1 - Lesson 4
Basic Pausing
By the end of this lesson, you will understand where to pause when you speak English to sound more fluent and confident.
The Big Idea: Pausing is Not a Mistake!
Good speakers pause1. Pausing gives you time to think and helps your listener understand you. The secret is knowing a good place to pause. You should pause between ideas, not in the middle of an idea.
Let's look at the difference. `[pause]` means a short, quiet moment.
| Bad Pausing (Confusing) | Good Pausing (Clear and Fluent) |
|---|---|
| I live in... [pause] Battambang... [pause] and I am a... [pause] teacher. | I live in Battambang, [pause] and I am a teacher. |
| My favorite... [pause] food is... [pause] fish amok. | My favorite food is fish amok. [pause] I like it a lot. |
Vocabulary Glossary
- Pause (Verb) | ផ្អាក | To stop speaking for a short time before you continue. ↩
- Comma (Noun) | ក្បៀស (,) | A punctuation mark that shows a short pause. ↩
- Period (Noun) | ខណ្ឌ (.) | A punctuation mark that shows the end of a sentence and a long pause. ↩
- Thought Group (Noun) | ក្រុមគំនិត | A short phrase that has one simple idea. You say the whole group without stopping. ↩
- Smoothly (Adverb) | ដោយរលូន | Flowing easily without stopping, like a river. ↩
Linking Sounds for Smoothness
To know where to pause, you need to see the thought groups4 in a sentence. A thought group is a short, simple idea. We say the whole group smoothly5, and then we pause.
I will use a slash ( / ) to show the thought groups.
- I like coffee / and my sister likes tea.
- In the morning, / I ride my moto to school.
- My friend is kind, / funny, / and smart.
Your goal is to speak in thought groups, not word by word.
Simple Rules for Pausing
Rule 1: Pause at a Period (.)
A period3 means the idea is finished. This is a "long pause". Take a breath here.
Example: I live in Siem Reap. [long pause] It is a beautiful city.
Rule 2: Pause at a Comma (,)
A comma2 means a short separation of ideas. This is a "short pause".
Example: I like rice, [short pause] fish, [short pause] and chicken.
Rule 3: DO NOT Pause in the Middle of a Thought Group
Try not to pause between words that belong together.
Don't say: "My... favorite color... is blue."
Say: "My favorite color is blue." (All one smooth thought group).
Practice Your Pausing
Activity 1: Where Would You Pause?
Read these sentences. Where would you put a pause? Say the sentence out loud.
- I am a student and I study English. (Pause before 'and')
- My teacher is from Australia. (No pause needed)
- When I am hungry, I eat some noodles. (Pause after 'hungry')
Activity 2: Read Aloud Practice
Read this short paragraph aloud. Try to pause only at the commas and periods. Speak in smooth thought groups.
"My name is Leakhena. I am from Cambodia, and I live in Siem Reap. I am a student at a big university. In my free time, I like to read books and listen to music."
Your Pausing Mission
This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to use good pausing.
When you speak English, try to think in "thought groups". Speak a short phrase, then pause to think of your next idea. This is much better than pausing after every word. It will make you sound much more confident!