Key terms in plain English

• Clarity: how easy your speech is to understand on the first pass.
• Pace: how fast you speak on average, measured in words per minute.
• Thought group: a short chunk of 4 to 7 words that carries one idea.
• Planning pause: a brief silence you choose, about 300 to 500 milliseconds, to plan the next group.
• Focus word: the strongest content word in a group.
• Articulation rate: words per minute excluding pauses and fillers.

Why clarity and pace drive Band 7
Band 7 listeners should not have to re-listen. Clean grouping plus stable pace lets examiners track argument and examples, even when grammar is not perfect. Good pacing also reduces fillers and breath crashes, which raises Fluency and Coherence without forcing you to speak faster.

The PACE loop: a simple training system
P – Plan your message in thought groups. Mark slashes where one idea ends. Keep groups 4 to 7 words.
A – Articulate clearly. Link words smoothly, but let key consonants land at group ends, for example “affects daily life.”
C – Control speed and silence. Aim 110 to 150 words per minute in long answers, with planning pauses of 0.3 to 0.5 seconds between groups.
E – Evaluate with numbers. Track words per minute, fillers per minute, and percent of statements that end with a falling tone.

Target metrics that keep you honest

• Speaking pace: 110 to 150 WPM for Part 2 and long Part 3 turns.
• Thought groups: 20 to 30 groups in a 2 minute answer.
• Planning pauses: 0.3 to 0.5 seconds on average.
• Fillers per minute: under 3 to start, then under 1.
• Final falls: at least 70 percent of statements finish with a down step.

Example 1 – From tangled to clear
Raw: “In my city traffic is really bad and like it affects you know daily life because people waste time and then productivity goes down and also pollution is worse.”
Trained: “/ In my CIty / traffic is SEVere / and it AFfects / daily LIFE /. / People LOSE TIME / so PROducTIvity DROPS /. / POLLution is WORSE / on main ROADS /.”
Why it works: short groups, one focus word per group, clear falls on finished claims, no filler strings.

Example 2 – Pacing a contrast answer
Question: Do you prefer studying alone or with others.
Trained: “/ I USUally STUdy aLONE / beCAUSE I FOCUS BETter /. / But beFORE EXams / I MEET a PARTner / to CHECK unKNOWNs /.”
Why it works: pace near 120 WPM, contrast signalled by but in its own group, each claim sounds complete.

Mini case — Fariha in Dhaka
Starting point: 170 WPM average, frequent breath crashes, fillers 4.5 per minute. Intervention: 10 minutes daily for 14 days. Routine: 3 minutes slash and mark on a Part 2 card, 3 minutes shadow a clear news clip, 2 minutes metronome at 120 bpm, 2 minutes re-record with a buffer opener such as “That is a fair question.” Results: pace settled at 132 WPM, fillers 1.2 per minute, final falls 82 percent. Mock Speaking moved from 6.0 to 7.0.

Measurable practice blocks

• Slash and cap (4 minutes): choose a 100 to 120 word script, add slashes, put the focus word in CAPS once per group, then read twice.
• Shadow 30 (3 minutes): copy pauses and pitch from a 30 second native clip.
• Metronome speak (2 minutes): 110 to 130 bpm. One beat of silence between groups.
• Final fall drill (1 minute): speak three complete statements with deliberate downward endings.

Common mistakes

• Over-chunking into two-word groups, which sounds robotic.
• Running on with no groups, which hides key ideas.
• Rising at the end of every sentence, which sounds unsure.
• Breathing mid word because groups are too long.
• Over-articulation of every function word, which kills rhythm.

Edge cases and safe moves

• Long names and numbers: pause just before them, then deliver as one group, for example “/ about THREE point FIVE perCENT /.”
• Foreign terms: give a micro-pause before and after, then keep your normal pace.
• Unexpected follow-up: take a planning pause up to 700 ms, then use a buffer line to buy breath, for example “Let me look at this from the access side.”
• Laughter or coughing: pause, reset posture, restart at the next group boundary rather than in the middle of a clause.

Tips and tricks

• Draw small arrows over your script: up for a rise when more is coming, down for a finishing fall.
• Tap your finger on the desk for the focus word. Tactile cues lock timing.
• Smile on positive stances. It subtly lifts tone and improves clarity.
• If speed creeps up, force a two-beat pause after your first group in any long answer.
• Record in pairs: one normal speed, one 10 percent slower. Keep the clearer take.

To avoid

• Filler chains like “um you know like” when a 0.5 second silence is cleaner.
• Stacking three ideas in one breath.
• Overusing linking words at every sentence start.
• Reading voice without natural stress peaks.

Glossary
Clarity: ease of understanding on first listen.
Pace: average speaking speed in words per minute.
Thought group: a short, meaning-based unit of speech.
Planning pause: brief chosen silence between groups.
Focus word: the main content word in a group.
Articulation rate: pace excluding pauses and fillers.

Next steps
Pick one Part 2 topic. Write 120 words, add slashes, choose one focus word per group, and record twice, once at normal speed and once slower. Log WPM, fillers per minute, average pause length, and percent of final falls. Keep a 7-day sheet and aim to move one metric from amber to green.

1. Actionable closing — How-to steps
2. Choose a prompt and write a 100 to 120 word script.
3. Add slashes every 4 to 7 words, pick one focus word per group.
4. Record a 60 or 120 second answer and count WPM, fillers, and final falls.
5. Repeat with a metronome at 120 bpm, keeping one silent beat between groups.
6. Insert one buffer opener for long answers, then re-record.
7. Compare takes and keep the clearer one.
8. Track your three metrics daily and push only one target per week.
   CTA: Do one 10 minute loop now, log WPM, fillers, and final falls, and commit to one small target for the next seven days.