How to Stop Mumbling and Speak Clearly

Co-authored by Patrick Muñoz and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: October 8, 2024 Fact Checked

Being told that you mumble can be frustrating, especially if you’re trying your best to speak up. Since mumbling makes it hard for people to hear you, improving your speech will help you communicate better and share your thoughts. You can overcome mumbling and speak more clearly by doing voice exercises, improving your speech, and dealing with nervousness. Additionally, you can get support to help you improve if you need it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Improving Your Speech

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1
Practice deep breathing to help you produce a strong voice. Your breathing affects your speech, so deep breathing can help you stop mumbling and speak clearly. Do breathing exercises every day to help you strengthen your voice. Here are some deep breathing exercises you can try:
- Exhale all of the air from your lungs, then inhale deeply until your lungs are totally full. Do this 3 or 4 times a day to help you breathe better.
- Exhale until your lungs are empty, then take 5 quick gasps of air to fill your lungs. Gasping engages your diaphragm, so it will help you learn to breathe more deeply.
- Do big “ha ha ha” laughs to help you inhale and exhale deeply.
- Press your lips together and laugh through your nose to help you control your breath.
- Lie down, place a book over your abdomen, and relax. Then, breathe in deeply so that the book rises. When you exhale, the book should fall.
2
Talk slower so you can improve your clarity. Talking too quickly makes it hard for people to understand you and may cause you to mumble. Fortunately, slowing down can help you fix this problem. To help you slow down, take more breaths as you speak. Additionally, make sure you’re saying every syllable of each word.^{[1]
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- Try not to worry about speaking too slowly. It may feel like you’re talking really slowly, but you’re probably speaking at a normal speed.
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Patrick Muñoz
Voice & 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
Voice & Speech Coach

Over-enunciate and slow down. Read a passage from a poem or a difficult tongue twister and speak slowly and clearly while you exaggerate your enunciation. You're more understood while speaking in public when you over enunciate while practicing.

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3
Maintain good posture while you’re speaking. In addition to helping you feel more confident, good posture keeps your airways open so that you can speak more clearly. While standing or sitting, keep your back straight and your shoulders rolled back. Additionally, tilt your chin up so that you’re looking straight forward.^{[2]
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- Try not to hunch forward, even when you’re sitting down. It’s okay to lean, but keep your back straight so that you can breathe easily.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Doing Voice Exercises

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1
Yawn and hum while opening and closing your mouth. First, yawn to loosen up your jaw. As you finish your yawn, say “ho-hum” and extend the “hum.” Continue to make a humming sound as you open and close your mouth. Then, close your mouth and shift your jaw from side-to-side.^{[3]
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- Do this exercise every day while you’re working to improve your speech.
- This can relax the muscles around your mouth and jaw so you can communicate more clearly.
2
Sing to work your vocal muscles. Singing develops your vocal muscles and improves your volume, which can help you stop mumbling. Sing along to your favorite songs or sing them a capella. If you don’t want to sing in front of people, do it in the shower, the car, or your room.^{[4]
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- Sing every day to help yourself improve.
- If you turn the music up loud, people won’t be able to hear you sing.
- Joining a choir can be a big help because it will get you in the practice of singing.
Tip: Try singing the word “ah” at different volumes and pitches. This can help you develop your range so that it’s easier for people to understand you.
3
Read aloud to yourself to practice speaking. Pick a book, magazine, or article to read. Then, read out loud for at least 10 minutes. As you read, take your time and say each word loudly and clearly. Repeat the exercise every day to help you get better at speaking.^{[5]
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- Try recording yourself reading so you can listen to how you sound. Additionally, this will help you see your progress as you continue the exercise.
EXPERT TIP

Patrick Muñoz
Voice & 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
Voice & Speech Coach

Our Expert Agrees: Use your phone or a tape recorder to record and then listen to yourself. Listening to yourself lets you hear how you come across. Then, you can practice your sound, tone, and pitch.
4
Practice enunciating each syllable of a word. Syllables are the sounds in a word, and it’s important that you pronounce all of them so people understand you. If this is hard for you, practicing on your own can help. Watch yourself in the mirror as you speak. Make sure your mouth is moving with each syllable. If it isn’t, start the word over and try again.^{[6]
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- For instance, the word “done” has 1 syllable, while the word “aha” has two syllables (ah-ha).
- If you’re unsure about a word’s syllables, look up the word online or in a dictionary. This will show you the breakdown of the syllables.
5
Recite tongue twisters to help you articulate better. You can say your tongue twisters anywhere, but it’s best to watch yourself in the mirror. Say the tongue twister from beginning to end, making sure you say each syllable. Start slowly and increase how fast you say them as you repeat the tongue twisters.^{[7]
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- If you trip over a word, don’t worry about it. Just start the phrase over and try again.
Here are some example tongue twisters:

Betty bought a bit of butter, but she found the butter bitter. So Betty bought a bit of better butter to make the bitter butter better.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Sallie sells sea shells on the sea shore.

Red leather, yellow leather.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Relieving Your Nerves

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Practice before you give a speech so you’re less nervous. It’s totally normal to feel nervous about public speaking, but practicing can help you feel more confident. Plan out what you want to say beforehand, then give your speech in front of a mirror. Repeat your speech several times to help you feel more confident.^{[8]
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- If you can, film yourself giving your speech so you can evaluate yourself and make improvements.
- Ask someone who is honest but kind to listen to your speech and tell you how you can improve.
Variation: Practice can also help you deal with mumbling in your daily interactions. For instance, prepare for classroom lectures by answering your homework questions out loud. Similarly, prepare to speak up at work meetings by stating your thoughts about recent work projects aloud to yourself or by making notes about what you want to say.
2
Be confident as you speak instead of worrying about mistakes. While mistakes can feel really embarrassing, everyone makes mistakes from time to time. When it comes to speaking, most people make some sort of mistake on a daily basis. Usually, no one will notice these mistakes, so don’t worry about it. Instead, keep your head high, |make eye contact with the audience, and share your thoughts.^{[9]
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- If people do notice when you make a mistake, they’ll usually be very supportive of you. Try to remember that most people are rooting for you, so there’s no need to worry.
3
Do relaxation exercises to calm down before you speak. When you start to feel nervous, calm yourself down so that you can think and speak clearly. Pick 1 or 2 go-to relaxation techniques that help you feel calm, then do them whenever you start to get overwhelmed. Here are some exercises you might try:^{[10]
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- Visualize yourself being successful.
- Count your breaths.
- Imagine your happy place.
- Smell a scent that relaxes you.
- Rub a soft texture to help you feel comforted.
- Do some light stretching before you speak.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Getting Support

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Tell people what you want them to do when you’re not speaking clearly. Worrying about what others are thinking can make it harder for you to improve your speech. In fact, it might even trigger your mumbling or other speech problems that you’re having. To prevent this, tell your family members, friends, teachers, or coworkers what you need them to do to help you improve.^{[11]
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- In some cases, you might want them to tell you when they’re having trouble understanding you. You may even have them give you a non-verbal signal, like touching their ear or their lips.
- However, sometimes you might just want them to let you finish your thought or restate a word that tripped you up. Tell them, “Don’t pronounce words for me,” or “Don’t try to guess what I’m trying to say. I’ll repeat myself if I need to.”
2
Work with a speech coach if you’re not making progress on your own. You’ll likely be able to stop mumbling and improve your clarity by doing voice exercises, improving your speech, and calming your nerves. However, this might not work for everyone. If you’re still having trouble, a speech coach can help. They’ll help you identify what’s causing your mumbling and other speech problems so you can do targeted exercises to improve your speech.^{[12]
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- Your doctor can refer you to a speech therapist or you can look for one online.
- If you’re still in school, you may be able to attend speech therapy there. In some cases, it’ll even be free.
3
Attend a support group for extra help with a speech disorder. If you feel frustrated or upset about your speech problems, going to a support group can help. This allows you to talk about your struggles with people who understand, and you can get advice from people who’ve dealt with similar issues. Look for a support group online or ask your doctor to help you find one.^{[13]
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- If you can’t find a support group, you could try talking to people in online forums.

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I mumble and my mouth fills with saliva when I speak. What can I do to prevent this?

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This often happens when you are short of breath. You may be holding your breath unwittingly, out of anxiety or social fear. Practice taking long deep breaths. The key is not to focus on what you're doing wrong but on what you can do better.

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How do I prevent my throat from cracking?

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Take a deep breath before speaking and stay hydrated. If you are teenager, your voice may be cracking because of hormone changes.

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How do I get past the hesitation when speaking in a stressful situation like a job interview?

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Think of it just as what it is -- a job interview that you've prepared well for -- and not as a matter of life and death. People get stressed when they give something too much importance in their mind and think about what would happen if they fail it. Decrease the importance of the event in your mind (after you are done with preparing for it) -- you won't be nervous at all and you'll shine fine.

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Tips

Focus on what you’re saying so that you don’t forget what you want to say.

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If you start to feel anxious before you speak, take a few deep breaths to calm yourself down. It might seem like it’s taking forever for you to respond, but it’ll actually take just a few seconds.

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If you often struggle with a particular word, spend additional time practicing it.

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