Speaking: Fluency and Coherence A1
Basic Pausing
Listen to the examples here.
Pausing is Not a Mistake! ⏸️
Good speakers pause. Pausing gives you time to think and helps your listener understand you. The secret is to pause between ideas, not in the middle of an idea.
Tips for Good Pausing
🧠 Understanding Thought Groups
To know where to pause, you need to see the thought groups in a sentence. A thought group is a short, simple idea. We say the whole group smoothly, 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.
Your goal is to speak in thought groups, not word by word.
💡 Simple Rules for Pausing
Rule 1: Pause at a Period (.)
A period means the idea is finished. This is a "long pause". Take a breath here.
I live in Siem Reap. [long pause] It is a beautiful city.
Rule 2: Pause at a Comma (,)
A comma means a short separation of ideas. This is a "short pause".
I like rice, [short pause] fish, [short pause] and chicken.
Rule 3: DO NOT Pause in 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? (Self-Check)
Read these sentences. Where is the best place to pause? Say the sentence out loud, then click "Show Answer".
- I am a student and I study English.
Show Answer
Pause before 'and' (I am a student / and I study English.)
- My teacher is from Australia.
Show Answer
No pause needed (one thought group)
- When I am hungry, I eat some noodles.
Show Answer
Pause after 'hungry,' (When I am hungry, / I eat some noodles.)
Activity 2: Read Aloud Practice
Click 🔊 to hear the paragraph read with pauses. Then, read it aloud yourself. Pause only at the slash marks (/). Try to 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."
Vocabulary
- Pause To stop speaking for a short time before you continue.
- Thought Group A short phrase that has one simple idea. You say the whole group without stopping.
- Comma A punctuation mark that shows a short pause.
- Period A punctuation mark that shows the end of a sentence and a long pause.
- Fluent Able to speak a language easily and smoothly.
- Confident Feeling sure about yourself and your abilities.
Your Pausing Mission ⭐
This week, 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!