How to slow down when speaking English (without sounding boring)

Why Slowing Down Matters

Speaking too fast is one of the most common challenges for non-native English speakers—especially French and German speakers. Fast speech often means:

• You lose clarity.

• You sound less confident.

• Your audience stops listening.

  
  

The good news: Slowing down doesn’t make you sound less fluent—it makes you sound professional, confident, and credible. Here’s how.

1. Change your mindset: speed ≠ fluency

Many people think speaking fast = sounding fluent. It’s not true. Fluency is clarity + confidence, not racing through words.

Think of driving: If you’re doing 80 km/h in a city, you’re likely to crash. Drop to 50 km/h, and you have more control. Same with English: Slow down and control your words— so your message lands.

2. Master the power of the pause

Pauses make you sound calm, thoughtful, and in control.

Pause at punctuation:

• After commas, half a beat.

• After full stops, one full beat.

Example: “Todaywearegoingtotalkaboutthreeimportantthings…” becomes “Today, we are going to talk about three important things. First…”

Pro tip: When in doubt, pause longer than feels natural. To the listener, it sounds confident, not awkward.

3. Speak in thought groups

Break your sentence into small meaning units (thought groups):

“I think we can start | with the financial update, | and then move on | to project status.”

This forces you to slow down—and helps your listener follow your message.

4. Use breathing as your speed control

Your breath sets your rhythm. If you feel out of breath, you’re speaking too fast.

• After each thought group, breathe naturally.

• Before answering a question, inhale first. It signals confidence.

  
  

5. Pronounce every word (but keep it natural)

Swallowing syllables is a speed trap. Instead:

• Hit key consonants: especially at the end of words (“worked,” “needed”).

• Open your mouth slightly more: French and German speakers often under-articulate in English.

• Focus on clarity, not perfection.

  
  

6. Stress key words, not every word

Choose one or two important words per sentence and give them weight: “Our priority is to meet the deadline.” “The main challenge is the delivery timeline.”

This forces you to slow down and makes your message stronger.

7. Practise with purpose

Record yourself: Aim for 140–160 words per minute (TED Talks range).

Mark pauses on your script: Add “|” for every pause.

Two-minute drill: Take a short email or meeting script, slow it down, and repeat daily.

Final thought

Slowing down doesn’t make you sound less intelligent. It makes you sound in control—and that’s the key to being taken seriously in meetings, presentations, and interviews.