It’s true – there’s an overlooked link between speaker volume and English grammar.
When you are delivering a presentation, how much you project your voice impacts both listener understanding and information retention.
What you might not really understand is that English sentence structure accounts for why it’s important to speak loud enough from the beginning to the end of your sentences.
Uneven Volume Creates a “Hiccup” in the Flow of Information.
Beginning a sentence so that your listener(s) can hear you with ease is a good start. However, if by the end of the sentence, the volume softens, you are requiring more effort of the listener to catch your words. Uneven speech volume creates a “hiccup” in the flow of information. It disrupts the listener’s ability to follow along smoothly from one idea to the next.
Your audience can catch up and understand what you’re saying. But what’s affected is how much of the information is retained after your presentation. When the volume isn’t steady, the listener’s brain works harder to decode the message. As a result, the brain has less energy for remembering it.
Let’s Talk about English Sentence Structure
When one examines how a sentence in English is structured, one focuses on the grammar of its parts. In addition, as an Applied Linguist, I pay attention to how the sentence connects to the sentences that go before and after it.
In English sentence structure, a sentence starts with “old information” and ends with “new information.” To better understand what I mean by this, take a look at the following:
🗒️ Last Thursday was World Saunter Day. This is a day of celebrating leisurely strolls. That is, slow walking where you can observe what is around you. This can help busy professionals who juggle packed schedules strike a healthy balance between work and well-being. By taking time to wander without a fixed destination, you invite mindfulness and creativity into your daily routine. It’s a gentle reminder that pausing to appreciate small details can refresh the mind and boost productivity. 🗒️
What’s in bold is the new information. World Saunter Day.
What’s in bold and underlined, is the old information. This refers to World Saunter Day. It’s old information. It has already been mentioned.
Leisurely strolls. New information to explain what this day celebrates. That is, slow walking. Another way to say “leisurely strolls.” It’s old information.
Observe what is around you. New additional information about what happens when you walk slowly. This refers to the phenomenon just explained in the previous sentence. It’s old information.
Go ahead and examine the rest of this paragraph…
- a healthy balance between work and well-being
- By taking time to wander
- mindfulness and creativity into your daily routine
- It’s
- the mind and boost productivity
Have a question about the rest of this paragraph? Feel free to click HERE to ask your question.
Key Takeaway: Speak English with a Steady Volume
Speak loud enough so that your audience hears the new information. This is critical when you’re sharing your knowledge and expertise on stage or via the screen.
If the listener(s) can’t easily hear the new information, the drop in volume can create a processing lag. They might still catch what you’re saying but they are no longer fully with you as you move from point to point. This slight disconnect can affect how well the message is understood in the moment and how much of it is retained after the presentation.
One Speaking Technique to Try
When coaching clients on English Speech Production and Presentation Delivery, the Speaking-from-the-Ribcage technique is gold. This helps them project a steady, amplified sound. HT to Barbara McAfee for this technique.
When you speak from the rib cage, you are more audible and sound more confident. Clients have told us that this technique redirects their attention so that they are less nervous; they are able to quiet any anxious thoughts. In addition, hearing their own steady, amplified sound gives them a greater sense of control while speaking.
Below is a video that walks you through four steps to help you develop a feeling for how to speak from the ribcage. That is, how to engage the ribcage as you are speaking.
We’re Curious….
What do you do to ensure your listener(s) hear you when you’re speaking English in presentations or meetings?
How do you project a solid vocal presence to earn your listeners’ attention?
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