1. RATE OF
SPEECH

2. Speaking is
characterized
by variations in
speed.

3. RATE OF SPEECH
• Depends on the thought you are
expressing
• A reflection on the speaker’s mood
• May vary from time to time and from
passage to passage

4. VARIATIONS IN SPEED
• Projects characteristics such as calmness,
SLOW acceptance of others, and formality
• Projects an image of dullness, listlessness,
TOO SLOW apathy, laziness, and sometimes lack of
intelligence
• Projects animation, enthusiasm, excitement
FAST and informality
• Suggests nervousness, tension, anxiety, or
TOO FAST a flighty personality

5. TWO FACTORS INFLUENCING
DIFFERENCES OF RATE
QUANTITY PAUSE

6. Quantity in Speech Rate
• This is the length of time that is
spent in the actual utterance of
vowel sounds within words and
the duration varies according to
the mood and sentiment being
expressed.

7. • If you are happy,
joyful, excited or in a
hurry, you will
probably speak faster
than is usual,
pronouncing the
vowel tones in shorter
duration because of
the gaiety of the
mood.

8. • If you are sad, heavy
of heart, deeply
serious or in a
reflective mood, your
speech tends to be
slow, taking more
time in prolonging the
vowels within the
words.

9. Effects of Using the Wrong
Rate of Speech
Listeners get strained
Listeners get bored
too much and get tired
too easily listening to
listening to a very fast
a very slow pace.
speaker.

10. PAUSE
• The length of time spent in silence
between words and particularly between
phrases
• May range from a slight hesitation to a
longer pause or silence
• May be made not only between words
and phrases but also during vocalization

11. Gives listeners
time to assimilate Increase the
the word impact of feeling
particularly for projected
dramatic effects
Build up suspense Breaks the
and emphasize continuity of
the word or thought making
sentence that
follows
Uses the listeners
bored
of
Pauses