💭 Study Activity — Expert Tips 💭
Markus Burns
About this quote
"The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause."
Twain knew effective speech is more than just the words you use. Allowing your audience time to process an engaging thought will often serve you better than quickly moving to your next point.
While long pauses may be awkward, the great public speakers recognize the power of the pause. Pausing allows you to gather your thoughts and plan your next point while avoiding filler phrases such as "um," "like," and "you know." Pauses also allow time for the audience to ingest your previous point and build anticipation for what's to come.
To get accustomed to pausing in speeches, count to two in between sentences while practicing. With time, these pauses will become natural.
About Mark Twain
Mark Twain (1835-1910) was an American humorist, journalist, and novelist best known for his treatment of life on the Mississippi River in works such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.