Developing strong verbal communication skills makes a significant difference in the quality of your daily interactions. Communication is more than just words, it’s also the verbal and non-verbal cues used during an interaction. Having strong verbal communication skills allows you to establish yourself as someone worth speaking with and listening to.

Verbal communication skills show your ability to deliver and receive spoken and written communications. There are several effective verbal communication skills that you can hone. These include active listening, asking for clarification, asking open-ended questions, recognizing and responding to non-verbal cues, and using humor to engage listeners.

Think before you speak.

Everyone has experienced awkward silence at one point or another, but it’s not always a bad thing. Pausing before responding to a question gives you a chance to organize your thoughts in a clear, concise way. Being rushed to say something causes you to give an unintended message or say things that don’t make sense.

Thinking before you speak gives listeners the impression that you are thoughtful and take the time to give the best response. Don’t be in a rush to start speaking if your counterpart pauses for a moment. Giving someone time to consider their response shows professionalism and your interest in hearing what they say.

Be Authentic

It’s okay to be influenced or inspired by the verbal communication skills of others, so long as your authentic self shines in your interactions. Don’t be afraid to admit if you don’t have an answer to a question. Being honest is better than pretending to have input and accidentally providing an inaccurate response. The more genuine and transparent you are, the more people will be drawn to interact with you.

Letting your personality show during a conversation or presentation gives listeners a chance to know you. Speaking as your authentic self makes it easier for others to engage with you. Faking your personality or putting on a show can alienate your listeners and discourage them from engaging with you.

Language skills start developing in early childhood. Some young children struggle with speech delays and articulation disorders that can cause communication problems. This can interfere with a child’s quality of life including how they learn and how they make friends. A speech-language pathologist can address specific verbal needs whether it’s a speech delay, lisp, stutter, or difficulty being social in a school setting.

Verboso offers online speech therapy services that address a variety of communication problems. Their speech therapists have years of experience devising custom treatment plans to provide children speech therapy for language skills, articulation, fluency, and more. Learners engage in speech-language therapy from the comfort of home with licensed speech-language pathologists who have flexible hours.

Verboso specializes in language disorders, articulation disorders, stuttering, apraxia of speech, autism, and cleft palate-related speech errors. The first step toward helping your child better express themselves is to schedule an evaluation with a speech-language pathologist who can determine the most effective speech therapy services.

Use concise language.

The best way to communicate your message and ensure it’s understood by your listeners sooner is to use concise language. Think about how you can convey information clearly and in the fewest words possible. Avoid using complex words or giving unnecessary information when both speaking and writing. The more streamlined your communication is, the more likely your listeners will understand your main points and message. Being as direct as possible reduces confusion and encourages a productive interaction.

Whether you want to learn a foreign language for fun, travel, or professional advancement, it takes time and practice to learn how to speak well. Using a language learning tool like Belatone helps you gain conversational fluency in any language. The language learning platform offers people of all ages self-paced lessons that naturally teach language skills.

At belatone.com you can practice live with native speakers from the comfort of your home. All it takes to enjoy on-demand practicing and flexible hours is a webcam and reliable internet connection. Immersive learning is perfect for accent modification, vocabulary building, and gaining the confidence to carry a conversation in a foreign language.

Improving your verbal communication skills ensures you can clearly, concisely, and effectively communicate with others.