Types of pauses in recitation

The role of pauses in diction

Pauses in speech are the most underrated tool when it comes to public speaking. Pauses, if used correctly, can add a great deal to a presentation or speech. These simple pauses allow the audience to absorb everything they hear while allowing the speaker to maintain composure.

Silence is golden

One of the most important things to learn in good speaking skills is not to say anything at all, however, many people have difficulty pausing even for a second or two, and there are many different reasons behind this, such as:

• Fear that the audience will think they have forgotten something.
• Seeing everyone looking at them.

While this is understandable, especially for novice speakers, when we think about these concerns objectively, they are not accurate:

• Pausing for a few seconds is normal for the audience, they won't think you've forgotten what you're going to say.
• The audience will also look at you when you speak, that's what the audience does.

So what happens when pauses are used in diction?

• The audience is able to absorb what the speaker is saying.
• Minimize unnecessary filler words like “um” or “uh.”
• The speaker appears confident.

The importance of pauses in recitation

Pausing while delivering is not a “nothing” moment. Instead, it is a tool for building a connection with the audience, either emotionally or intellectually. When we pause at the appropriate moments, we give our listeners time to process what we are saying, as well as draw the listeners’ attention to what we are saying. This helps On getting them excited for the end.

Pauses are also important for emphasis. Often, the audience feels like we're saying the same thing over and over even when we don't intend to. Pauses help make the main points.

Pausing is very important when we want to give the audience time to think about the topic at hand. This is especially true when the topic is complex or new. Pausing can signal to the audience that you want them to think a little bit without having to tell them to think about it directly.

In fact, the most valuable parts of giving are the pauses, a person has to know when to stop and they will be an excellent speaker.

Types of pauses in recitation

Speeches can be long and tedious, and even short speeches can be complex, so the audience must be given time to regain focus.

There are several effective ways to use temporary pauses during speech to make the desired impact on the audience.

• Separation of the main parts

Listeners can only hold a certain amount of information in their minds before feeling tired or exhausted, so the speaker should pause at these moments: between the introduction and the exposition, between the main ideas, and between the exposition and the conclusion. Doing so indirectly tells the audience that there is something new. In turn, it allows them to hit the "restart" button in their brain.

• Focus on the important points

The confusion and anxiety that accompanies public speaking leads to the release of adrenaline, which makes us speak faster, so the speaking person may speak quickly, which leads to missing important points so that the audience cannot absorb them, and this is among a group of mistakes to avoid when speaking in front of  others , Therefore, short pauses are essential to give the listeners a chance to understand and comprehend the important ideas presented.

• moving in

Creating natural and useful transitions between the main parts of a speech is always a disconcerting challenge for a speaker. Remember that while we know how elements fit into our presentations and speeches, the audience does not, and it is our duty to make that clear. In addition to knowing which words and phrases to avoid during delivery, we must Create transitions that help keep the audience focused. Pauses help here a lot. They help listeners understand that everything the person has just said is about to correlate with what they are going to say next.

• Attract the attention of the listeners

Speaking of retaining information, here brain research reinforces the importance of pauses in speech, after asking the question: Does the language of silence have any neurological benefit? The researchers found that speakers who do not take short pauses negatively affect the listeners' comprehension. Short-term memory can retain a specific number of information for a short period of only about 30 seconds. Pauses are very important in order to get the listeners' interaction.

• Minimize filler words

There is no problem with stuttering or using some repetitive words while speaking, provided that they are not used frequently. In the event of excessive use of a certain word (including some common words: like, or, therefore) during speech, try to take a short pause and think about this word without saying it.

• Think of an answer to a question

There is a specific formula for answering the questions posed, which is listening, understanding (and here we must stop) and answering. A short pause in this case allows the whole question to be heard and time is given to think about the appropriate answer, in order to avoid interrupting the question and giving an incorrect answer and putting the person himself in a very awkward position.

• Allow others to speak

Be sure to pause to give the audience a chance to ask questions about the topic. This helps to know the interests of the audience and thus the delivery is better.

The duration of pauses in recitation

If pauses are used correctly, the listener will not be aware that you are pausing, but you will communicate your ideas more persuasively and clearly. If pauses are used incorrectly, the listener will find it difficult to concentrate as the person speaking appears less authoritative and credible.

You should generally pause for 1 to 3 seconds each time. The pause at the end of a paragraph may be approximately 3 seconds, while at the end of sentences it is approximately between 1 and 2 seconds. The duration of the pause can be determined arbitrarily.

You should stop whenever the need arises, in general, make sure that the pauses are not too frequent, you can record the audio while you deliver the speech with the pauses planned and then calculate the time spent in the pauses and try to avoid mistakes that are made when delivered in front of   colleagues   in as long as it exists.

Finally, a person is more effective with an audience when there is a conversation with them, and as mentioned earlier, adrenaline tends to increase the speed of speech, pauses help maintain the dynamism of the conversation, and this gives a better impression of the person. speaking.  The person should not appear rushed or anxious but relaxed, confident and able to deliver well with short, sweet pauses.