Oral Fluency & Phonetics
Articulating sounds clearly, mastering stress patterns, and speaking with confidence.
Speaking is an active, real-time communication skill. Improving spoken English requires not only vocabulary and grammar but also a clear understanding of phonology, intonation, and delivery.
From passing the IELTS speaking interview to presenting in a classroom or public seminar, learning word stress rules, phonetic alignments, and speech templates helps you sound natural, professional, and confident.
Key Takeaways
- •Phonetics is the study of speech sounds; the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) contains 44 sounds in English.
- •Word stress is the relative emphasis given to certain syllables in a word.
- •Intonation is the rise and fall of the voice in speaking, which alters meaning and attitude.
Core Concepts & Definitions
1Word Stress Rules
In English, we do not speak all syllables with the same force. Only one syllable in a word receives the primary stress.
•Two-syllable nouns usually have stress on the first syllable (e.g. PRE-sent).
•Two-syllable verbs usually have stress on the second syllable (e.g. pre-SENT).
Equations & Calculation Methods
Speech Delivery Pattern
Start a spoken response with an interesting hook, state your main point clearly, back it up with a brief story/example, and conclude in a single sentence.