- Use punctuation to help you decide where to pause when you read.
- You have 3-4 seconds to look at the text before the microphone opens, so use this time to break the text up into meaningful chunks, using the punctuation as a guide. This will show you the places where you can make a small pause and alter your intonation – going up when you begin reading a chunk and falling a little when you end a chunk.
- Using appropriate pausing helps you to read more fluently and give the full meaning of the text. This will improve your score.
- Stress the words that carry important information. When you read the text, stress the words that help to convey meaning, by reading them in a slightly louder voice and adding emphasis to key syllables.
- Also, use rising and falling intonation patterns to show how the ideas are linked or are coming to an end.
Some practice lessons
