When native U.S. English speakers talk just above a whisper, they measure about 50% intelligibility.

What does this mean to you?

A score around 50 percent for an international person means that listeners have to strain to understand them. It is about the same as listeners trying to get information from a native speaker talking a little louder than a whisper. Put another way, listeners need to rely a lot on context, grammar and gestures to figure out what the international talker and ESL person is saying.

Sometimes listeners succeed. 

Other times they are just frustrated.

My bad stammering when I was a youth and young adult made listeners uncomfortable. I could easily see that.

What a relief to be where I am now. Speech skill building in direct practice and taking every opportunity to practice new speaking skills made speaking a pleasure – for me and listeners.

 Yay for skill building. Yay for perseverance. Yay for good communication!

Besides a weekly speech tip video above, here is a powerful point of view for presentations. Remember this:

And this from Raul, on Facebook

Hi Antonia,
Would you please do a video and use as a topic “never say never”. I believe the majority of us think we are not going to go further into learning clear English speech. However, life pushes us to take more instruction and classes on this subject. Our jobs demand more clear talk. Thanks in advance, Raul

How wonderful, Raul, to have such an insight. We have the illusion that learning is for kids. We think that once you finish formal education for high school or with college, you are done.

But making English speech clear, intelligible or understandable is a goal often triggered by work life and career wishes.

“Never say never” Raul told me is his favorite quote.

It takes 70 days of practice every day to change a habit. Mastering the pronunciations and manner of clear English speaking that makes it easier to understand our speech takes between two and three months of focused practice everyday. Build that systematic learning with scientific principles and you have wonderfully efficient learning. Fast.

“Never say never.” Fact is, even after you have the habit, you have to keep it up. If you don’t use it, you will lose it.

Take the wisdom of Raul, and apply it to your skill of clear talking. “Never say never.” Persistence is the key. Persistence in working your brain and muscles to get and keep the clear talking habit. Systematic learning is efficient. Seek and do that for your learning.

Above is a pronunciation tutorial for the “v” and word “never”. Gosh, “v” is so hard!