How to slow down your speech
How to slow down your speech: stop fully at every full stop, breathe in before the next sentence and aim for about 120 to 170 words per minute. Record one minute of yourself to find your real pace, then rehearse with your pauses marked in your notes.
Treat every full stop as a real stop, breathe before each new sentence, and keep to roughly 120 to 170 words per minute.
Why you talk too fast
You are not alone: 385 of 1,851 nervous speakers, or 21%, told AmberWillo that speaking too fast is their biggest challenge (AmberWillo News). Most fast talkers are running from the silence. Some speakers become uncomfortable very quickly with the "dead air" a pause creates (Stand Up, Speak Out), so they fill it with more words. But a pause gives your audience time to take in what you just said, and a rapid "machine-gun" delivery fails to stress your key points.
How to slow down your speech: six drills
Measure it
Record one minute of your talk and count the words. One recommended band for presentations is 120 to 170 words per minute (100th Monkey). Now you know your number.
Land every full stop
At each period, stop completely and breathe in before the next sentence.
Shorten your sentences
Long sentences invite rushing. Split them in two.
Mark the pauses
Put a slash in your notes where you want to breathe, and two slashes before your key points.
Slow the first 30 seconds on purpose
Nerves peak at the start, so that is where speed creeps in. Rehearse your opening at a pace that feels a little too slow; to the audience it will sound normal.
Read a famous speech aloud
Pick a slow, rhythmic one, such as a passage from the "I Have a Dream" speech, and read it at its own pace. It trains your ear for space between phrases.
How to slow down your speech when you're nervous
Speed under pressure is mostly adrenaline. Before you start, breathe out slowly a few times; slow, deep breaths slow your heart rate (American School Counselor Association). During the talk, use questions as a reset: pause before you answer instead of jumping in. If you notice you're rushing, stop at the next full stop, take one full breath and start the next sentence slower. Knowing how to slow down your speech in the moment matters more than a perfect pace in rehearsal.
Slow, but not flat
Learning how to slow down your speech doesn't mean one slow speed all the way through. To keep your delivery interesting, your rate should vary: a lively pace can carry enthusiasm or humor, and a slower one seriousness or careful reasoning (Stand Up, Speak Out). Slow down most for numbers, names and the line you want remembered.
Questions readers ask
What is a good speaking pace?
One recommended band for presentations is 120 to 170 words per minute (100th Monkey). Record a minute and count to find yours.
Why do I talk fast when I'm nervous?
Adrenaline tells your body to speed up its movements (Stand Up, Speak Out), and silence feels longer when you are anxious. Pauses and slow exhales counter both.
Hear your own pace
Confidently shows whether you sped up, which is hard to hear while you are talking.
Practise out loud for freeFree on iPhone and Android
Sources
- Words per minute: how to speak slower when public speaking, 100th Monkey
- Practicing for Successful Speech Delivery, Stand Up, Speak Out (Saylor Academy open textbook)
- What Is Communication Apprehension?, Stand Up, Speak Out (Saylor Academy open textbook)
- Coping With Student Anxiety, American School Counselor Association
- If you talk too fast under pressure, one presentation drill matters most, AmberWillo News