How to speak slower
Nerves speed most people up. A steadier pace makes your answer easier to follow and gives you time to think. Here is how to find yours and keep it.
Try a practice answerWhy pace matters
When you speak quickly, the listener has less time to take in each point. Important details, such as what you did or what changed, can pass before they register. Speaking fast also leaves you less time to plan the next sentence, which can lead to more filler words and lost threads.
Slower is not always better. Very slow speech can sound hesitant or flat. The aim is a pace the listener can follow comfortably, with some variation for emphasis.
What is a good speaking pace?
As a rough guide, around 120 to 160 words per minute is comfortable to listen to in an interview. Above about 180, answers can start to sound rushed; below about 100, they can drag. These are guides, not rules: some natural speakers sit outside the range and are still easy to follow.
Your pace will also vary within an answer, and it should. Slowing down for a key point is a good thing.
Measure your own pace
- Record an answer.
Answer a question for one to two minutes as you would in an interview.
- Work out your words per minute.
Divide the number of words in a transcript by the length in minutes. DontBlank does this for you and shows your pace against the comfortable range.
- Find where you speed up.
An average can hide a rushed section. Note where the answer felt fastest: often the start, or the part of the story you feel least sure about.
Ways to slow down
- Breathe at full stops. A short breath at the end of each sentence adds natural pauses without your having to think about pace.
- Shorten your sentences. Long sentences chained together with “and” tempt you to speed up to reach the end.
- Cut the setup. If you are rushing because you have too much to say, remove background rather than talking faster.
- Lean on key words. Giving the important words a little weight naturally slows your delivery.
- Pause after key points. Let the main point or the result land before you move on.
Practise with a target
Record an answer and check your pace, then record the same answer with one change, such as breathing at every full stop. Compare the two figures and, more importantly, listen to whether the second take is easier to follow.
Common questions
Why do I speak faster in interviews?
Nerves raise your heart rate and quicken your breathing, and many people speed up to get through a stressful moment. Rehearsing aloud makes the answer more familiar, which tends to steady your pace.
Will speaking slowly make me sound less confident?
Not usually. A measured pace with clear pauses often sounds more confident than rushing. Very slow, hesitant speech is different, which is why the aim is a comfortable pace rather than the slowest possible one.
Does pace matter in recorded interviews?
Yes. With no interviewer to ask you to repeat yourself, a pace that is easy to follow matters even more. Plan answers that fit the time limit without rushing.
Now say it out loud.
Use your own example. Record a first take, listen back and choose one thing to make clearer.