How to Stop Mumbling and Speak Clearly

Mumbling is when you speak so low or skimp on enunciation to the extent that people don't understand what you're saying, and often ask you to repeat yourself. This can be an annoying habit, but chances are that you already know how to speak without mumbling. You have probably had a phone conversation when the connection was poor or spoken to somebody who was hard of hearing, and in these situations you probably spoke loudly and clearly without even thinking about it. Can you do that consciously and make it a habit? Here are some techniques to try.

Steps

Using better posture

1. Stand up straight. Even if you're nervous, good posture will help to give the impression of confidence. Good posture also helps to keep your airways open, so your breath can be stronger.
   • Sit comfortably so that you can also sit up straight. Tuck in your stomach when sitting and push your spine upwards.

Dealing with motivations for mumbling

1. Avoid nervousness. People who speak fast do it because they are not confident, or they are nervous. Pretend not to be nervous and this will make you speak at normal speed.
2. Don't be afraid to say the wrong thing. You might; everyone does. Just correct yourself or move on. It is a skill and some people are extremely gifted at it. If you need to practice, realize it is a skill that you aren't particularly strong in but is something you can learn.

Practicing improving your clarity

1. Listen. Listen to others who are good at speaking, such as radio and television announcers. Notice how they pronounce words, at what speed they talk, and so on.
2. Practice. Talk into a tape recorder or use your computer with a microphone. Then, listen to your recordings. Do take the opportunity to notice what is unintelligible, where your sentences trail off, and so on.
   • Practice pronouncing words by reading things out loud and pronouncing every word correctly and slowly. If you mumble, go back and repeat the sentence.
   • Practice some vowel sounds with a wide mouth.
3. Practice reading out loud at least 10 minutes a day.
4. Record some sentences. Use tests such as tongue twisters. Play it back and check your pronunciation and enunciation problems. Try to remedy the errors you note with more practice.

Speaking clearly

1. Open your mouth wider as you talk. Not as much sound will come out if it has to snake past your closed teeth and lips first.
2. 
   Articulate. Make sure you actually stop the air for consonants like 't' and 'b'. Differentiate between your vowels.
3. Slow down. Talking too fast is a common symptom of nervousness, but it won't help your words be understood.
4. Speak up. Aim to speak at least a little bit louder. You will automatically use more breath, and you will probably slow down and articulate better in the process.
5. Speak with inflection. Questions should go up in pitch at the end. Statements should go down. Notice, also, what syllables and words get emphasis. Try exaggerating your inflection, the way you would if you were reading to a small child and hamming it up a little bit.
6. Support from your diaphragm. Use the muscles in your stomach to support your breath as you speak. Even if you speak no more loudly, you will speak more clearly this way. Place a hand over your stomach, just below your ribs. You should feel the muscles there move as you speak.
7. Sing. You don't have to sing while anybody is listening, but try singing alone in your shower or in your car. You'll exercise your voice and get used to using it. You'll also learn about using air, articulation, breath, and phrasing.
8. Shout. Don't squeak or scream or raise the pitch of your voice. Bellow. Keep your voice at about its normal pitch and see how loud you can go. Cheering at a sporting event or talking over loud music is an opportunity to practice, or you could just close the door. Notice how you control your air when you shout.

Tips

• Be confident. Have at least enough faith in the sentences you are saying to get them across clearly.
• Be conscious of your speech. Every now and then, listen to yourself and notice how you're doing.
• Before you speak, it helps if you're calm and confident. If you're excited sometimes you'll talk faster and it will not be clear. Calm down, slow down, and think about what you want to say.
• If you're nervous or uncertain, regard clear speech as a courtesy to your listener.
• Ask a friend to listen to you as you read a sentence. Then have them tell you what you did good and bad.
• Try to speak louder than the person you are talking to.
• Notice which words you struggle with, and repeat them loud and clearly, until you are able to say them at a normal speaking pace.
• First think, then speak.

Related wikiHows

• How to Communicate Effectively
• How to Improve Your Voice
• How to Develop a Perfect Speaking Voice
• How to Develop a Friendly Tone of Voice
• How to Enunciate
• How to Speak Clearly
• How to Speak Up
• How to Stop Your Voice from Shaking
• How to Sing Clearly

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