English Second Language·Speaking skills · NSSCO 7.2
Fluency, intonation, word stress & register
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Speaking well isn't about big, difficult words — it's about being easy to listen to. In this lesson Miss Veronica shows you four gentle skills that make you sound clear, natural and confident: fluency (speaking smoothly without freezing), pronunciation and word stress (saying words so people understand you — PRE-sent versus pre-SENT), intonation (the up-and-down music of your voice), and register (matching your language to the person you're talking to, from a friend to the principal).
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCO English Second Language 7.2):
- Speak with fluency — smoothly and at a natural pace, using thinking phrases instead of freezing when you lose a word
- Pronounce sounds clearly and audibly, taking extra care with sounds that are tricky for second-language speakers
- Place word stress on the correct syllable, and explain how stress can change a word's meaning (for example PREsent and preSENT)
- Use intonation correctly — rising for yes/no questions, falling for statements and wh-questions — and to show interest or feeling
- Use sentence stress to emphasise the most important word in a sentence
- Choose the appropriate register — formal or informal — to match the situation and the audience
- Use standard, formal English suitable for the speaking examination, avoiding slang
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