One effective accent modification technique involves using the voice to place accurate stress when using two-word and three-word proper nouns in speech. Proper nouns, according to Marjorie Whittaker and Lynda Katz-Wilner, of ESL Rules, are “geographic locations such as continents, countries, states, cities, islands, bodies of water, parks, roadways, mountains, tourist attractions, museums, hospitals, airlines […]

You’ve prepared the valuable information for your presentation.  You’re confident about the content you’ll be sharing.  Perhaps you’re giving a workshop.  It’s the first time you’re giving this presentation.  You’re knowledgeable and excited about the material yet you’re worried that your delivery will negatively affect your credibility.  Your mind races with one of the three […]

One accent modification technique that helps speakers of English as a second or other language is consonant blend pronunciation.  Marjorie Feinstein-Whittaker & Lynda Katz-Wilner, authors of  Rules for Using Linguistic Elements of Speech: A Resource and Interactive Workbook, provide information for mastering pronunciation of R blends.  Consonant blends occur at the beginning, middle, and end […]

You’ve prepared the valuable information for your presentation.  You’re confident about the content you’ll be sharing.  Perhaps you’re giving a workshop.  It’s the first time you’re giving this presentation.  You’re knowledgeable and excited about the material yet you’re worried that your delivery will negatively affect your credibility.  Your mind races with one of the three […]

The importance of Pronouncing English Numbers When you pronounce English numbers accurately, your communication partners will focus on WHAT you’re saying and not on HOW you’re saying it.  You’ll sound more natural in your speech rhythm.  In this article, you’ll learn straight-forward rules for pronouncing numbers when speaking about time, amount, and money. Pronunciation of […]

Many times I hear complaints that speakers aren’t able to engage their audiences and get the reactions they want.  These speakers begin to doubt themselves and experience nervousness. They are frustrated because they spend a lot of time on crafting a beautiful speech with great words only to feel like they’ve still failed. 4 Common Speaker […]

Communication Barriers: Expressing your Gifts “I know my game very well.  It’s a gift.  The point is to use it.”  -Roger Federer, US Open Champion What does communication have to do with expressing your gifts?  Roger Federer, famous tennis player, and US Open Tennis Champion with 17 Grand Slam titles, spoke on one of my […]

Public Speaking Successes you already Possess There are many situations in which you are already successful with speaking.  You just may not know it. There are certainly techniques and strategies to empower you when you speak your story.  What you have RIGHT NOW  are tools you may not realize that you have. 5 Confidence-building Strategies Make a […]

Definition of Heteronym Many fluent speakers of English as a second language experience trouble with pronouncing heteronyms.  There’s a quick way to learn the pronunciations.  Marjorie Feinstein-Whittaker & Lynda Katz-Wilner, authors of  Rules for Using Linguistic Elements of Speech: A Resource and Interactive Workbook, provide straightforward information for mastering pronunciation of heteronyms.  Heteronym pairs are word […]

Moving through Public Speaking Fears: Testing it There are two components to moving through fear.  One component consists of actually creating your own test for the fear.  The subsequent component involves preparing for the test.  Think about that.  Most of us have taken tests both when we were prepared and when we weren’t prepared.  What is the common thought and feeling before and after having taken […]