Fluency in Public Speaking

Making Your Speech Flow / Eliminating Word Whiskers

Fluency is the quality of speaking so that words and thoughts flow from your mouth in a gentle stream.

Some of the verb synonyms of fluency are flow, run, and pour. Think of the words coming from your mouth in that fashion. It has to do with learning control.

Speech mastery would require learning how to have control of what we say and the way we present our message. Really, this is an essential aspect of speech mastery.

Lack of control can be described like a percolator, words bubbling up with brief interruptions groping for more words. At other times we may be lost for words when the kettle is dry. It results in out groping for what to say or how to say it.

It can happen to the best of speakers.

When a lack of this quality develops into a practice, public speaking becomes an impossibility.

What disrupts the natural flow? How can it be mastered?

Before looking at the reason for the lack, check out this most embarrassing situation. It is from Miss Teen USA 2007. When you consider this, remember that she was very courageous and she tried her best.

As you consider her best, what three things can you do to give your best? Come back and find out.

Lack of Fluency can Kill (your chances of winning.)

Why a Lack of Fluency?

First the causes of a lack of fluency can be divided into three areas; mental preparation, speech preparation, and delivery.

Most of us can relate to or have seen or been in the need for mental preparation.

Have you ever know someone who is always groping for the right words to say. You find your self listening to painfully long explanations. When finished, if you were able to last that long, you summed it up by saying, you mean and then state it in one sentence.

At other times you will impatiently say, “can you get to the point.” (It is our hope that you said it kindly and prefaced it with please.)

They unfortunately are getting to the point. The solution and how to reprogram them can be learned by from a study of neuro-linguistic programming. The challenge faced is that they are trying to get to the point while expressing themselves. They are just not very good at it.

The Fluency Challenge

For now, if fluent speech is a challenge for you, force your self to identify with only 3-5 words what you want to say. Simplify what it is you want to express into it’s basic elements. It is the simplification process that will help you move to becoming a more fluent speaker.

Always look at what you say and think of how you could have said it simpler without compromising what you were saying.

Lack of a natural flow of speech can come from several causes that could be separated into three general areas.

1) Mental preparation problems often stem form the Use of Grammar.
A) It can include inadequate or improper use of punctuation.
B) A lack of understanding or misuse of the 8 parts of speech
C) Being unfamiliar with words.
D) Lack of clear thinking
E) Timidity and uncertainty


The resolutions of these challenges are simply education and or preparation.

2) In the Preparation of a Speech, the ability to be fluent can become a challenge. Why?
A) Not developing the material in a logical manner
B) Unfamiliar terminology
C) Weak vocabulary or use of words not commonly spoken
D) Poor word choice
E) Lack of preparation


The solution is better preparation and self education.

3) The third area where this public speaker skill could be lost is in the Delivery.
A) This could be due to a lack of preparation
B) Misuse of pausing
C) Improper use of sense stress.
D) Word whiskers


The solution lies in better preparation (practice) and or education.

Hopefully you see this is something anyone can master. Many of the 'How To' are discussed throughout the speech qualities section. Much of what you will learn and practice is synergistic.

Fluency Busters

What are flies in the fluid of your smooth flowing speech? They are called many names. One of the most common terms is Word Whiskers. More importantly, how can you eliminate word whiskers from your vocabulary? Please send in other methods to eliminate them that have worked for you if you would like to share.

Word Whiskers

Word whiskers are the extra little phrases like little whiskers that need to be shaved off our speech. Words like ‘uh,’ ‘an uh,’ ‘now,’ ‘and now,’ ‘and then,’ and ‘you see.’

These are almost unconsciously added to each sentence or phrase. It detracts from the quality of the speech and the effectiveness of the speaker.

First understand why we do it. Our brain is following it’s programming. Actually it is a mental programming flaw telling us we must talk all the time. It is like our brain says, “If I am not talking, something must be wrong. There for I must talk, even if I have to say, ‘and uh.’”

So the very thing we are programmed to do, be fluent, ends up being the cause of losing the smooth flow of thought within our speech.

Solution: first you have to want to change.Get a count of which word whisker you use and how many times (This is where neuro-lingusitic programming shines.)

Write the word on top of your notes. Circle and put a diagonal cross line through it.

Slow down in your speaking, when needing to say, ‘and uh,’ you pause.

The second two of the above exercises are mental. They are to condition you and reprogram you to replace them with something else. The circle with the universal NO sign is a visual reminder to help reprogram your brain.

The slowing down and or using pausing, will effectively help you replace the uh’s, and uh, and other whiskers with a pause. Just pause and breathe when you find your self wanting to move on to the next thought.

Fluent Speech Mastery

Mastering fluency is a process that is 80% mental and 20 % physical.

It is physical in that we use muscles of our mouth, face, throat and diaphragm. They too need to be reprogrammed for the speech to flow naturally. That programming comes automatically with the mental programming.

Another way to accomplish this is within your mind imagine your self coming up to the point where you need to formulate the next thought.

Picture or imagine yourself pause. Picture your audience having the moment to process what you just said. You, just breathe. Doing it for real or in your imagination is the beginning of the process to reprogram your brain. Picture yourself being programmed to be fluent.

And Now

What if you need to reprogram the expression ‘NOW.’

Different from ‘uh,’ the expression ‘Now’ at the end of a sentence or phrase is much harder to change. In this case, rather than fill in blank spaces between thoughts like “and uh,” the use of “now” often happens at transitions. The same process can work. Conscious effort to rewrite the programming of the brain is what’s required. The brain needs to be reprogrammed for fluent speech.

One way to re-write the programming is the using the Benny Goodman technique. Benny Goodman practiced playing the clarinet 6-8 hours each day. He even practiced when he didn’t have an instrument in his hands. He practiced mentally.

Practice mentally giving your lecture. Picture or imagine yourself coming to the end of the phrase or sentence and when you stop, the transition will be a pause where a deep breath is taken.

That pause and deep breath can replace any mistake you make when practicing. Simply stop, rewind the script in your mind, and play it back. The only thing, that code in your brain needs to be read as pause, deep breath.

The pause and deep breath does something for the brain. It makes it feel good. You may not feel it feel good, but studies have shown that it does.

More importantly, it will help you master the ability to speak fluently.

This page will continue to be added to as more suggestions arrive.

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