How to Speak Eloquently

Co-authored by Patrick Muñoz

Last Updated: January 1, 2023 References Approved

Eloquence isn't genetic, and it can certainly be learned by anyone, at any age. If you are concerned about the eloquence of your speech, then take time to practice and improve not only what you say, but how you say it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Changing What You Say

1
Stick with clear and succinct vocabulary. Although it may not always be the case, a broad vocabulary doesn’t necessarily equate to a strong vocabulary. When it comes to sounding eloquent, less is more. A wordy explanation is not more eloquent than a simple and clear explanation, if they both accomplish the same thing. Don’t add in extra vocab words to sound more intelligent.^{[1]
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2
Use what you know. Make attempts to learn new vocabulary whenever possible, but when you’re speaking, stick to words you know. One of the least eloquent things you can do is misuse a large vocabulary word, or combine too many large vocabulary words and leave your listener confused.

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3
Make helpful references. When applicable, make allusions to things that help explain a thought or idea, or that will otherwise give the listener a better idea of what you’re trying to say. References to pop culture, classic literature and art, and historical people and events are all incredibly helpful and give you an added air of intelligence.^{[2]
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4
Don’t use filler words. Nothing sounds less professional and eloquent than filling up silences and spaces between words with filler words like “um,” “like,” “so,” and “yeah”. Make a conscious effort not to fill up your speeches with these words, and don’t feel like you must insert words into every empty space. If it is helpful, think through exactly what you’re going to say before you say it so that you don’t fall back on these fillers.
5
Enunciate each word. You could have the most eloquent speech in the world prepared, but if you can’t properly enunciate the words in them, your listeners will end up confused and in the dark. Take the necessary time to pronounce each word in your sentence correctly, minimizing an accent if necessary. If you have particular trouble with proper enunciation, hire a voice/speaking coach to help you pronounce words properly.
6
Familiarize yourself with transitions and adjectives. One of the common issues people have with speaking, is they end up grasping for words, leaving an awkward pause in their speech, and then they seem unprepared. Beat this by becoming familiar with a list of popular transitions and popular adjectives. If you do forget what you were going to say, it won’t take you as long to supply a word when you can refer to these mental lists.
- Common (and eloquent) transitions include furthermore, additionally, moreover, in particular, nevertheless, and despite.
- Common (and eloquent) adjectives will vary based on what you’re talking about, but may include gorgeous, disgusted, absurd, tasteful, resonant, brief, pleasant, and lovely.^{[3]
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Formulate your sentence in advance. In order to prevent stumbling over your thoughts and jumping straight into speech, think about what you’re going to say before you say it. Similar to writing a response, thinking in advance will give you time to formulate exactly what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it. Just be careful that you don’t script yourself so much that you sound fake or accidentally leave out important words.^{[4]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Changing How You Speak

1
Overcome speaking and social anxieties. It will be incredibly difficult to sound eloquent if your voice quivers, you speak too quietly, or you get a stutter when you begin speaking. Take the necessary measures to overcome these social anxieties by visiting a speech pathologist, speech therapist, or a counselor.
2
Stay relaxed. Similar to the aforementioned note on overcoming your anxieties, if you’re uptight, stressed, or look nervous, you won’t perform as eloquently. Do what is necessary in order for you to relax, whether it be imagining your audience in their underwear or simply remembering that the worst thing that could happen is that your audience gets bored (which really isn’t that bad at all). Speaking should come naturally, not feel forced, so let the words flow and don’t worry too much about how to say them or what people are thinking of you.
3
Speak with confidence. Have you ever noticed how people who act confidently automatically seem more charismatic and eloquent? When you speak with confidence, you instill a sense of curiosity in your audience. Even when you don’t feel it, act confident, and your speech will come across more professional and well-spoken. Plus, as you pretend to be confident, you’ll actually start to become more confident. A win-win situation, for sure.
4
Slow down your speech. Talking too fast will make even the most eloquent of speakers sound anxious and unprepared. When you’re worried about saying something, it is a natural reaction to speed up your spoken words per minute so that you’re done speaking faster. This doesn’t sound professional and makes you seem stressed. Take time to slow down your speech; it is better to speak too slow than to speak too fast.^{[5]
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EXPERT TIP

Patrick Muñoz
Speech Coach
Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.

Patrick Muñoz
Speech Coach

Expert Trick: Breathing deeply can help you slow down. If you take a deep breath before you speak, you'll be able to slow down your pace. When you speak more slowly, your voice will carry, so you'll sound more clear. In addition, you'll have more time to think as you're speaking, so you'll be more sure of what you're going to say.
5
Pay attention to the listener. Strong speakers make eye contact with their audience on a regular basis, and address their speech to individual people. This shows that they’re not just speaking into the air, but that they care that their audience is listening and truly hearing what they’re saying. When you speak, even if to a single person, make a point to make eye contact with your listener(s) on a regular basis.^{[6]
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Use notes if you need to. If you’re worried about a public speech rather than just daily conversation, don’t feel guilty about keeping notes on hand. Organizing your thoughts and having them around for brief glances is a great way to keep your speech in order. Don’t use your notes as a script, but rather as a way to quickly remind yourself of key words and phrases that you can insert into your speech to be better understood.
7
Practice in front of a mirror. Yes, it may seem silly, but if you can watch yourself speak you can see what you need to change. Either set up camp in front of a mirror or record yourself speaking into a video camera. This will help you to pinpoint what you do well when you’re speaking, and what you need to improve.^{[7]
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Spend more time reading. Reading books not only increases your vocabulary and reading comprehension, it also introduces you to the eloquent and well-spoken characters of fiction and history. Read on a regular basis, and pay particular attention to the things characters say that you find eloquent. You can mimic those speech patterns and behaviors in your own speaking if you so desire.

Community Q&A

Question

What are the feelings of students who don't speak English fluently?

Community Answer

People who are using English as a non-primary language can feel frustrated at times trying to find the right words to convey their meaning. Even though they may be quite fluent and well-spoken in their own native languages, they can feel like they come across as unintelligent due to a limited English vocabulary. As English is one of the most difficult languages to learn due to all of its exceptions, it can feel overwhelming at times.