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How to Speak Slowly and Clearly

Posted On: February 4, 2013

How Can Americans Understand My Accent?

There are many people who speak English as a Second language who shy away from talking to native speakers due to a perceived unclear accent. Accents make us unique. While some of us learn how to adapt our speech to be understood in different countries or with people from different countries (on virtual teams), some of us would like to practice strategies to be understood more clearly from now forward.


To help you achieve, I would share some of the exercises we can use to slow our speech down, while sounding natural and clear. These tips will help perfect our speech in everyday conversation and also in any public speaking or presentations that we have to deliver. I will demonstrate these techniques with help of other experts who have made videos on the same topics. In this first video, Jay Miller shares with us four techniques you can use to slow down and also create a better rapport with your audience.

Take a look at what Jay has to say about 3 cures for speaking too fast. 

Thank you, Jay for allowing us to share your video on our blog.  

See more at his channel: Jay Miller Voice Coach. 

In this second video, Rebecca Linquist shares some of the same techniques from a different perspective, using all three learning styles – auditory, visual, kinesthetic  This video provides some hands on demonstrations that help you hear the right sounds by seeing them. I have used all of these techniques in my accent and pronunciation classes.

Thank you Rebecca for allowing us to embed your awesome video on our blog. See more of Rebecca’s articulation and accent videos and learn about her self study and coaching programs on her website English by the Hour.




What new or different techniques have you learned from these videos? 
What techniques will you apply? 

Feel free to share your answers in the comments section below.

Author, Jennifer Kumar, an American citizen who has lived in India for 10 years. She helps you to understand the best way to deliver your message technically and culturally while working with and interacting with Americans. Contact her for more information.

Related Posts:
9 Lessons on Being a Public Speaker   
Speaking More Clearly With Americans 
5 Ways to Talk Slower, Naturally 

Original publishing date: 2/13, updated 5/2020