College Life
Speaking Up and Being Understood
Use this page when you feel nervous about speaking in class, or people sometimes do not understand you.
What many students notice
Many students feel nervous about speaking in class. Some worry about their accent. Some worry about saying something wrong in front of others. Some wait so long for the perfect sentence that the class moves on.
- Everyone has an accent. People from Kentucky, Boston, London, and Lagos all have accents. An accent shows where you learned English, not how well you think.
- The goal is to be understood. You do not need to sound like anyone else. Clear speech with an accent is clear speech.
- Misunderstandings are normal. People who grew up speaking English misunderstand each other every day. They fix it by asking and explaining. You can do the same.
What helps people understand you
Small changes make the biggest difference. Most of them are about speed and emphasis, not individual sounds.
- Slow down a little. Nervous speakers often speak fast. A slightly slower pace gives listeners time.
- Pause between ideas. A short pause after each idea helps listeners follow you, the way a period helps readers.
- Stress the important word. Say the key word in each idea a little louder and longer: The DEADLINE is Friday.
- Use the key terms from the course. If the class says photosynthesis, use that word. Listeners recognize it.
- Show or write it. In class, point to the slide or the page. Online, type a key word or a number in the chat.
Example: when a listener does not understand
A student answers a question in class. The instructor does not understand one word. Each number matches a note below.
Student: I think the main cause was the drought.
Instructor: Sorry, the main cause was what?
Student: The drought.1 When there is no rain for a long time.2
Instructor: Oh, the drought. Yes, good.
Student: It is on page 42, in the second paragraph.3
- Repeat the key word, slowly. Only the word that was not understood, not the whole sentence.
- Explain it another way. A short definition gives the listener a second path to the meaning.
- Point to the source. A page number lets everyone see the word in writing.
Notice what the student did not do: apologize for the accent, or stop talking. One quick repair, and the conversation continued.
Language focus: word stress
The strong syllable
In English words with more than one syllable, one syllable is stressed: it is louder, longer, and clearer. Listeners use stress to recognize words. A word with the stress in the wrong place can be hard to understand, even if every sound is correct.
In word families, the stress often moves. Learn the stress with the word.
| Word | Related word | Related word |
|---|---|---|
| ANalyze | aNALysis | anaLYTical |
| PHOtograph | phoTOGraphy | photoGRAPHic |
| eCONomy | ecoNOMic | ecoNOMics |
| deVELop | deVELopment | develOPmental |
Online dictionaries show stress with a mark (ˈ) before the stressed syllable, and most let you listen. Play the word, then say it with the recording.
Two-syllable words that are both a noun and a verb often change stress: a REcord (noun), to reCORD (verb). A PREsent, to preSENT.
Sentence starters
Use these to join the conversation, or to repair it. Fill in each blank with your own words.
- To join inI’d like to add something about .Can I go back to for a moment?
- When you are not understoodLet me say that another way. .The word is . It means .
- To buy a little timeThat’s a good question. Let me think for a second.What I mean is .
Where to practice
- Small groups first. Speaking to two or three classmates is easier than speaking to the whole class. Start there.
- Office hours. A one-on-one conversation with an instructor is good practice, and it builds a connection. See Making connections.
- The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). Tutors help with many kinds of coursework. Ask whether a tutor can help you practice a presentation. See This semester for hours.
- Recording yourself. Record one minute on your phone, listen, and try again. It feels strange at first, and it works.
Next step
Try one thing this week
- Say one thing in each class, even a short question.
- Find three key words for one course, and check their stress in a dictionary.
- If someone does not understand you, repeat the key word and explain it another way.