Pausing and chunking:
Pauses and chunks package information for the listener. Speakers divide speech into 'chunks', which may be single words or groups of words to communicate a thought or idea, or to focus on information the speaker thinks is important.
Without the use of pausing and chunking, it is be hard for listeners to follow your meaning and they may be overwhelmed with too much information.
Look at these examples. Try reading both of them out loud. Which one do you think a listener would understand better?
Sample 1
Does it really matter whether people speak with an accent as long as they can be easily understood many people now believe that in an increasingly globalised world we should accept variations in pronunciation that is accent. however there's no point in speaking with an accent if people can't understand you is there?
Sample 2
Does it really matter /
whether people speak with an accent /
as long as they can be easily understood?//
Many people now believe /
that in an increasingly globalised world /
we should accept variations in pronunciation /
that is / accent. //
However /
there's no point in speaking with an accent /
if people can't understand you /
is there?//
Speech chunks and pauses are marked with a slash / or // for a longer pause.
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