This lesson focuses on reducing non-word sounds and using pauses effectively to sound clear and confident.
You might have heard that non-word sounds and long pauses should be avoided. Non-word sounds include uhm, ah, uh, mmm, etc. They can also be words or phrases that are repeated, such as so, like, basically, you know, etc.
Read the following excerpt of an interview with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, a US politician (and daughter of former US President John F. Kennedy). Do you notice anything about her speech?
Interviewer: But do you think, in your own view, those things would make you a better pick for this job than other candidates?
Caroline Kennedy: I think they would make me a really good pick for this job, and, um, it’s up to the governor to decide, you know, who would be the best. Really. And I think there are many ways to serve, and I’ve loved what I’ve done so far, and I plan to continue, I think, you know, serving and advocating for the issues that I think are important. So, if it’s this, that would be wonderful, because I really do think that the relationships that I have in Washington—you know, I worked hard on the Obama campaign—I have a good relationship with many of the people that are coming into the administration, in the Senate, others, both sides of the aisle, you know, that’s the kind of work that I’ve done outside of politics. It hasn’t been sort of a partisan kind of career that I’ve had. So I think that at this point in time, that’s what people are looking for.
The full transcript is on the NYTimes site, which requires a subscription. So just use this excerpt.
Interviewer: But do you think, in your own view, those things would make you a better pick for this job than other candidates?
Caroline Kennedy: I think they would make me a really good pick for this job, and, um, it’s up to the governor to decide, you know, who would be the best. Really. And I think there are many ways to serve, and I’ve loved what I’ve done so far, and I plan to continue, I think, you know, serving and advocating for the issues that I think are important. So, if it’s this, that would be wonderful, because I really do think that the relationships that I have in Washington—you know, I worked hard on the Obama campaign—I have a good relationship with many of the people that are coming in to the administration, in the Senate, others, both sides of the aisle, you know, that’s the kind of work that I’ve done outside of politics. It hasn’t been sort of a partisan kind of career that I’ve had. So I think that at this point in time, that’s what people are looking for.
This went viral because Caroline Kennedy used the phrase “You know” 138 times in one interview, and everything had been transcribed. It made her sound less confident in herself, and she ended up getting attention for something she didn’t want!
TIP
Another good, short (2:16) video of Kennedy using lots of non-word sounds & phrases:
- "AP Exclusive: Kennedy talks Senate seat"
- Turn on the subtitles so the student can see how often she uses them.
Discuss the following techniques to reduce non-word sounds.
- Non-word sounds can make you sound unsure of yourself or disinterested in the conversation. Noticing yourself using them is the first step.
- Instead of non-words or phrases, try to put in a phrase. Let me think, or I’ve lost my train of thought, are good ways to say something instead of uhhhmmm...
- The next step is to practice using them naturally. Use the above phrases before a phrase chunk. Phrase chunks are where natural pauses happen in speech.
- Try pausing effectively instead (again, before phrase chunks). Former US President Barak Obama was very good at pausing effectively and speaking slowly—fluency doesn't mean speed! Listen to his speech and pay attention to when he pauses:
- Pausing allows the listener to process thoughts.
- It punctuates the important parts of what you’re saying.
- Along with tone, rhythm and intonation, it works to help you prove your point.
Students should know what phrasal chunks are because in school, teachers will often have students dissect phrasal chunks in reading passages. This is to help students understand chunks of phrases instead of becoming overwhelmed by the whole passage. They’re usually sections where you’d put a natural pause (often punctuated by periods or commas).
- Your teacher will ask you a question. Try answering naturally.
- Give an elevator pitch in English. Can you pause effectively? If you don’t know what an elevator pitch is, you can learn about it in the First Lesson!
At-home study: Listen again to President Barak Obama's speech and shadow his use of pauses. Does it make you feel more confident to speak this way?
Don't forget to pay attention to his intonation, stress and rhythm, too!