How to Become More Articulate & Well-Spoken

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Certified image consultant Sheila A. Anderson shares skills & strategies for becoming a more articulate and impressive speaker

Co-authored by Sheila A. Anderson and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Basic Speech Articulation
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• Advanced Articulation & Eloquence
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• Practice Tools & Exercises
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• What is articulation and why does it matter?
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• Video
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• Expert Q&A
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• Tips

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Being articulate can make you seem more cultured and intelligent, which may make others respect and listen to you more. Whether you're giving a presentation or trying to tell your best friends a funny story, if you make an effort to be clearer and more concise with your speech, you’ll be the most articulate person in the room in no time! We’ll guide you through every step of improving your articulation—from the basic mechanics of your speech to the eloquence of what you’re speaking about and how you’re getting your point across. We’ve also included practical tools and exercises, along with helpful tips from a team of relevant experts, so keep reading!

How can I be more articulate?

Certified image consultant Sheila A. Anderson says that some ways to be more articulate include speaking clearly, avoiding mumbling, slowing down your speech, minimizing filler words (like “um” or “like”), and avoiding upspeak, which is where you end each sentence like a question.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

How to Speak More Articulately (Basics)

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1. 
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   Slow down your speech and enunciate your words. The first key step to improved articulation, according to voice and speech coach Patrick Muñoz, is to “slow down…then, start to over-enunciate. Take a passage from a poem or a tongue twister and speak those very slowly and clearly. Always be aware of your breath, because your breath will solve all of your issues. You want to make sure that you’re breathing in and letting that breath flow out…If you speak slowly and clearly, if you breathe, you’re going to come across as sounding confident.”

   • On the flip side, “If you speak too fast, your voice is too strident,” explains Muñoz. “[Listeners] are going to have a feeling, even if they don’t specifically put it into their consciousness, that there’s something off about [your speaking]. You’ll sound too needy or too urgent.”
   • You don't have to speak…so…slowly…that you feel like you're pausing between every word, but pausing strategically in between sentences to give yourself time to prepare your next sentence will do the trick.
   • You may think that rushing will help you convey everything you want to say and make people see your point more quickly, but this actually isn’t the case. If you slow down, think about what you have to say, and pronounce your words clearly, you’ll actually be more well-spoken.
   • If you speak too quickly, there's also a chance that you’ll slip up or misspeak, and you don't want that!

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Patrick Muñoz is an internationally recognized voice and speech coach who’s worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez.

   Maureen Taylor is a communications coach who’s been helping leaders, founders, and innovators in all sectors hone their messaging and delivery for almost 30 years.

   Sheila A. Anderson is a certified image consultant who specializes in empowering corporate professionals to raise their personal image to meet the value of their brand.

   Sandra Possing is a life coach and professional speaker who specializes in one-on-one coaching with a focus on mindset and leadership transformation.
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   Expand your vocabulary and grammar knowledge. Using a variety of words and sentence structures creates more interest and color in your speech. The easiest way to expand your vocabulary is to read, read, read. “Reading will always be the number one way to improve your vocabulary, along with being in dialogue and having conversations with others,” says author and developmental editor Lydia Stevens. If you don’t understand the words you read, look them up in a dictionary or thesaurus and “make sure to take notes of the new words you’re learning,” language instructor Alejandra Alfonzo adds. “That’s going to help you to pronounce these words better and copy the rhythm of the words.”

   • Another way to improve your vocabulary is to pick a word from the dictionary each day and use it as many times as you can during that day. You can also create vocabulary flashcards and quiz yourself, with a goal of learning 7-10 new words per week.
   • Just remember that you want to sound natural when using these new words, which means you’ll have to really learn what they mean and get comfortable using them casually. You don’t want to try to use a word you’ve only ever seen in a dictionary without fully understanding how it’s used in conversation!
   • Along with vocabulary, be sure to use correct grammar. Study up on common grammar mistakes in English, such as saying “Like I said” rather than “As I said” or “Him and I were discussing” rather than “He and I were discussing.”
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   Practice your pronunciation. Pay attention to words or sounds that you struggle to pronounce in your day-to-day life. Then, practice saying these words every day, focusing on pronouncing each syllable and sound correctly, as well as placing the stress on the correct syllable. For example, one of the most difficult words to pronounce in English is “anemone” (uh-NEM-uh-nee). If you have a hard time saying that word, practice pronouncing it slowly while correctly placing the stress on the “nem.” Keep practicing until you’re able to say the word quickly, naturally, and correctly.
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   Reduce your use of contractions and slang. While you can certainly still use some slang and contractions that make your speech sound more natural in modern times, you should avoid using loads of slangy or abbreviated words. Instead of “hi,” use “hello.” Instead of “yeah,” use “yes.” Avoid words like “huh” or “uh-huh” unless they’re being used in the context of a story or event. This is especially important if you’re giving a formal or semi-formal presentation—avoid too many contractions (e.g., “I can’t” or “I don’t”) and speak in complete sentences as much as you can.

   • Similarly, avoid very trendy slang words, unless you’re using them for a specific effect. For example, if you’re speaking in a formal setting, slang words like “extra,” “ghosting,” “tea,” or “cheugy” might make others perceive you as less articulate—even if that’s not the case!
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   Replace filler words with strategic pauses. Words like “um,” “uh,” and “like” can degrade and detract from the message you’re trying to deliver and the way in which it comes across. These filler words can disturb the flow of a sentence and make it feel detached and unclear. When you’re floundering for words or weighing your next statement, a correctly-placed nonverbal pause is much better, as it can give the listener the effect of a dramatic or studied thought. It also confirms that you have control over what is being said.

   • If you find it difficult to stop saying filler words like ‘um' out loud, try thinking the word instead.
   • If you struggle with stammering, break your sentences up into phrases and make slight pauses between each clause.
   • For example, "Hello there, where can I find the bread?" could be broken up into, "Hello there (pause), where can I find (pause) the bread?"
   • When using this strategy, focus on a smooth beginning to the first word of each phrase, especially if it begins with a vowel. Don't force words out—say them gently.
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   Speak at an appropriate volume. This can vary depending on your surroundings, and it’s important to tailor your volume to your environment. If you’re speaking to a large group or crowd, for instance, you’ll want to speak loudly and with confidence. If you’re having a private meeting with your supervisor, on the other hand, you’ll want to speak more softly. However, if you want to be more articulate, you should always speak at a decently loud, self-assured volume (rather than letting your sentences trail off or speaking in a meek and timid way).

   • “Volume doesn’t [just] make you louder,” explains public speaking expert Maureen Taylor. “Volume makes you enunciate your words better, and it brings inflection.”
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   Change up your pitch as you’re speaking. The pitch of your voice refers to how high or low you speak, or whether you generally have a high or low voice. For better articulation, it’s important to vary your pitch as you’re speaking. This sounds more natural, conversational, and soothing to listeners—all of which can make you appear more articulate. However, you want to be careful of upspeak, warns Muñoz, which is when you habitually heighten your pitch at the end of your sentences. This can make you sound like you’re always asking a question, rather than making a statement, which may make you seem less confident and articulate.
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Be More Eloquent & Articulate (Advanced)

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   Speak with more concision and purpose. Many of the most articulate people in the world don’t actually say all that much—they get their point across with as few words as possible, which makes them seem more collected and in control. When you’re participating in discussions, try to be as condensed and succinct as possible, without being vague. Talking aimlessly or rambling until you get to your point may cause half of your audience to tune out by the time you get to your main message.

   • Focus on thinking before you speak, and really be intentional about what you’re trying to say. This helps you eliminate verbal pauses, speak slower, and speak with more conciseness and clarity overall.
   • It’s okay if this slows you down a bit. In fact, pausing before you give a real answer will make you come across as more thoughtful and intelligent than someone who just blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.
   • If someone asks you a question and you really want to think it through, don't be afraid to say, "Come back to me in a minute. I need to gather my thoughts." You will sound much more prepared after you have time to think.
   • Or, if you’re preparing a speech ahead of time and there’s a time limit, don’t squeeze in the thirty thoughts that come to your head. Pick the three most important ideas and elaborate on those.
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   Use body language to project confidence and preparedness. If you want to be perceived as more articulate and intelligent, then you have to look confident when delivering your message. This mostly comes down to body language and posture—if you seem comfortable and confident in your own message, instead of nervous or like you’re second-guessing yourself, then other people will be more likely to believe in it too. First of all, improve your posture. “Even if you don’t feel confident,” says life coach Sandra Possing, “you can straighten out your spine. You can drop your shoulders down and back, open up your chest, and hold your head high—this makes a huge difference.”

   • “Keep your body language open and inviting,” adds Anderson. “Examples of open body language include eye contact, arms resting at your sides, and a soft smile.”
   • “Another thing with body language is gestures,” notes Muñoz, “or just your body language with your hands.” Are you fidgeting? Are you playing with your fingertips? Are you playing with your nails? Are you keeping your hands in your pockets? These are all gestures that can make you come across as less confident.
   • On the other hand, some hand gestures can make you seem more confident. Use your hands to gesture and help you explain what you mean to get your point across. Involve your whole body in the speaking process and use your eyes, gestures, and posture to effectively communicate to your audience.
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   Practice active listening—and know when to listen instead of speak. “Good listening skills are essential in good communication,” says Anderson. “Being present when someone is speaking to you shows that you’re interested in them and what they have to say. It shows that you’re open to other ideas and thoughts. Listening not only with your ears but with your body language is essential. Face someone when they’re talking to you, lean into them, and make eye contact. Repeat and summarize what you heard back to them.”

   • Active listening also comes with knowing when to listen rather than speak. Some of this comes down to knowing your subject and speaking only when you’re able to bring more clarity to others or add to the discussion.
   • Remember, speaking from a desire to just get your voice heard will not add to your perceived level of articulateness. Let others speak about things that they’re an expert in, then add to that discussion through thoughtful questions.
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   Prepare thoroughly for planned speeches or public speaking events. If you want to sound smart, you can’t just spout out your latest ideas to a group of people without thinking about how you’ll frame them in advance. If you have a public speaking event coming up—or even just an important discussion with a loved one—the key is to “prepare, prepare, prepare, prepare, prepare,” according to Muñoz. “Being prepared is the key thing. After that, practice what it is you’re going to say—what kind of speech is this? What kind of moment is this for?”

   • Once you know what you want to say, rehearse it as much as you need in order to feel comfortable and prepared.
   • It's important to practice and rehearse, but it's also important for what you say to sound natural. Therefore, you should know the material well enough to change things up in the moment if this becomes necessary.
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   Learn skills to become a captivating storyteller. Once you’ve got the basics of articulation down, it can be helpful to learn storytelling skills—this will make you seem more magnetic and interesting when you speak, which can help you appear more articulate. If you focus on “telling a story” when talking to a group of people, you are more likely to get rid of all that verbal filler or hesitation. “Be sure that your face is expressive,” instructs public speaking coach Lynn Kirkham, “and that you’re using good pauses when saying something important or poignant, so that there’s a second for your audience to absorb it, and move physically forward if you want to emphasize important points.”

   • When telling a story, it’s also important to know your audience. If you're giving a presentation on a poet to a group of literary scholars, then you can assume that they understand the vocabulary and concepts you’re using.
   • But, if you're teaching a group of fifth-grade students to write their own poetry, then the words you use and the level of explanation you give will have to be very different.
   • Being a complete genius won't help you at all when talking to a group of nine-year-olds; to be a professional at being articulate, you'll have to adjust your words and speech to your audience whenever it's necessary.
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   Learn as much as you can about a variety of subjects. This is more of a long-term strategy to becoming more articulate—but it’s a very important one! If you want to make a lifelong effort to be a more articulate person, then you have to live a more intellectual life. Read contemporary and classic fiction to be immersed in the world of literature. Read non-fiction and the daily newspaper to be up-to-date. Watch the news to have a better sense of what is going on in the world and how relevant issues are being discussed. Talk to other intellectual people and make a habit of communicating effectively.

   • Sure, reading an extra book a month or reading the paper every day may not immediately make you more articulate the next time you have a conversation, but you will see it impact your speaking and cognitive abilities in the long run!
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Section 3 of 4:

Practical Ideas & Exercises to Improve Your Articulation

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1. 
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   Listen to articulate speakers and mimic their speech. Go on YouTube or another online source and watch videos of great speakers like Martin Luther King Jr. or Barack Obama. You could even watch celebrity interviews of people you find to be particularly articulate speakers—see if you can learn anything from these speakers, or attempt to imitate their patterns and rhythms of speech. You can also read great speeches like “The Gettysburg Address” or “Ain’t I a Woman?” to see if you can pick up on how to impress and inspire people.

   • You can also just watch inspiring speakers on the news who are particularly well-spoken and thoughtful, and see what you can learn from them.
   • Take notes while you watch or read. You'll see that you can learn a lot about how to be articulate just by watching other people who are well-spoken.
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   Read books, newspapers, and articles out loud on a regular basis. “Read daily, and read out loud” advises language tutor Kordilia Foxstone, founder of private online language school Language Academia. “The idea is that, when you read out loud, you engage both your eyes and your ears. You pronounce the words as they’re said.” English teacher Tristen Bonacci, MEd, echoes this advice, saying that you should “pick a book or newspaper, just a little bit above your reading level, and then read part of that every single day.”

   • This habit can especially help if you’re really struggling with certain aspects of articulation, like eliminating filler words or having a limited vocabulary. By regularly reading aloud any professional writing, you should be able to develop these qualities over a period of time.
   • However, it’s important not just to read, but also to look up definitions and correct pronunciations for words that you are unfamiliar with. Refine your pronunciation as you go along and, just like physical exercise, you'll notice your voice gaining strength your brain becoming accustomed to speaking articulately.
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   Record yourself speaking and listen back. Muñoz says to just “take out your phone, turn on the voice recording app, and just listen to yourself…give a little TED Talk about something or read a passage and listen to yourself. Are you being clear? What are those sounds that you need to improve? Start to work on those individual sounds and on really articulating. If you over-articulate, then when you’re in regular conversation, it’s going to be a lot easier to be clear and be heard every time.”

   • “Most of the time,” continues Muñoz, “we’re not aware of our own sound, tone, or pitch, but especially when it comes to mumbling. We don’t realize that people aren’t understanding us.”
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   Join a public speaking group. Joining a public speaking club or course will put you in touch with like-minded people and will offer the time and place you need to practice giving speeches, captivating audiences, and learning to be more articulate. If you’re feeling shy or afraid to speak in front of audiences, this can give you the push you need to become a more confident and articulate person. Or, if a club isn’t really your thing, consider taking a class or “getting an executive coach to hone your communication skills,” suggest Anderson.

   • Reader Poll: We asked 792 wikiHow readers what communication skills they found magnetic and irresistible, and only 9% of them said being articulate. [Take Poll] So, it's perfectly okay if you don't feel confident about your speaking skills just yet! Just keep practicing!
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Section 4 of 4:

What is articulation and why is it important?

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1. 
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   Articulation is the production of clear, understandable speech. By definition, articulation is all about physical mechanics—can you make understandable speech sounds through the movements of your lips, tongue, jaw, and teeth? In speech, this usually translates to proper pronunciation and enunciation. However, as it’s used in everyday life, the term “articulation” is usually used to mean something more like eloquence, which is the level of fluency or persuasion in someone’s speech.

   • While eloquence and articulation are two different things, they’re often combined into the same idea or used interchangeably.
   • Ultimately, this combined concept of eloquence and articulation refers to someone who can speak and express themselves well.
   • A person with good eloquence and articulation will likely have an extensive vocabulary, good enunciation, a clear speech pattern, and an ability to clearly express their ideas in a concise, persuasive, and captivating way.
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   Articulation is important because it helps you be understood by others. Most of all, being articulate can help you communicate clearly with others. If your speech or speech sounds are incorrect, it can be difficult for others to understand what you’re trying to say, leading to miscommunication and frustration. Furthermore, the combination of articulation and eloquence is largely perceived as intelligence or intellect. So, by having these qualities, you may experience more personal, academic, and professional success.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  What can I do if I get nervous while I speak?

  

  Amy Chapman, MA
  Voice & Speech Coach

  Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a Vocal Therapist and Singing Voice Specialist. Amy is a licensed and board-certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

  

  Amy Chapman, MA

  Voice & Speech Coach

  Expert Answer

  Just slow yourself down. This will give you time to catch your breathe in between thoughts and words, which will lower your heart rate and help you keep your cool.

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  Thank you for your feedback.
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• Question

  Why do people mumble?

  

  Amy Chapman, MA
  Voice & Speech Coach

  Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a Vocal Therapist and Singing Voice Specialist. Amy is a licensed and board-certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

  

  Amy Chapman, MA

  Voice & Speech Coach

  Expert Answer

  People typically mumble because they're nervous and their mind is going too fast for the their mouth. That causes them to get caught up and they don't articulate every word they're trying to say.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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• Question

  Is it bad to pause while you're giving a speech?

  

  Amy Chapman, MA
  Voice & Speech Coach

  Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a Vocal Therapist and Singing Voice Specialist. Amy is a licensed and board-certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.

  

  Amy Chapman, MA

  Voice & Speech Coach

  Expert Answer

  Absolutely not! Aside from the fact that you're going to have an easier time enunciating if you take it slow, well-timed pauses actually make you easier to understand. Little breaks can also give you time to think through what you're going to say.

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  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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• Know the difference between sounding articulate and just trying to sound educated. Using big words = educated. Using words that everyone understands = articulate. Adding unassociated statistics = educated. Knowing the small details of your position = articulate.
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• When you’re speaking, try not to focus on any feelings of nervousness or worry. Instead, focus on the message you want to deliver.
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