Having appropriate pauses is also an important part of spoken English. Pauses are given after each message unit in order to give listeners time to process the information. If a speaker speaks too rapidly or without thought to the grouping of the information presented, listeners may have difficulty distinguishing the important content of the message.
Pausing, like stress and pronunciation, greatly adds to the clarity of speech. There are several reasons for adding a pause:
To make the meaning clear Example When the wind blows [pause] the waves run high.
For emphasis Example Frankly [pause] I am disappointed in you.
To enable the speaker to catch a breath
To give listeners time to understand complex sentences
Therefore, it is helpful to pause after commas, transitional words, and complicated ideas, such as lengthy subjects, prepositional phrases, and clauses in compound and complex sentences.
A Look at the following sentences and check any (/) that indicates an appropriate pause.
1. Although the Greeks / were credited with the first Western democracy / neither women / nor slaves had their right / to vote.
2. During the debate / the woman proved that Jason’s argument was flawed / thereby embarrassing him / in front of everyone.
3. Those pineapples were / in my opinion / the best fruit / that I had ever tasted.
4. Many critics believe / that modern movies lack / what early movies possessed / namely / a strong plot and good actors.
5. Common pets / in American households include birds / cats / and dogs.
6. Nevertheless / I still do not agree that animal testing / is worthwhile.
B Now practice listening and repeating the sentences.
A Practice saying sample response and write a slash (/) where you would pause.
1. His ability to track creatures across long distances enabled the man to complete in an annual competition where contestants tracked certain animals.
2. Many scientists contend that the universe started with a big bang, releasing enormous amounts of energy to create the solar systems and planets.
3. In the last three years, Joe’s friends not only supported him during his illness, but they did everything in their power to make life easier for him so he could recover more quickly.
4. Neela, a foreign exchange student from India, came from a small village in the mountains that depended almost entirely on farming.
B Now practice listening and repeating the sentences.
Every clause or thought group within a sentence contains a focus word. A rise and then fall in pitch is used to mark this focus word. This change alerts listeners to the central meaning of the thought group. The fall in intonation, combined with pausing, helps listeners recognize the end of a thought group.
I remembered to bring paper, / but I forgot my book.
When the water boils rapidly, / put the spaghetti in the pot.
When the water boils, / rapidly put the spaghetti in the pot.
A Practice saying the sentences. Be sure to use appropriate pauses and pitch.
1. Remember that when the timer rings, it is time to give the baby his bottle.
2. Ultimately, a person’s success in life depends on two things: hard work and dedication.
3. Albert Einstein, the scientist known for his strange hair, came up with his theory of relativity in 1915.
4. A college education should be provided for by the government, according to my economics teacher, Ms. Brown.
5. Since she had disobeyed her parents earlier, Emily was forbidden to leave her room for the rest of the night.
6. On the other hand, I do not believe that art should replace reading, writing, and arithmetic as student's main priorities in school.
B Now practice listening and repeating the sentences.