Accurate Reading

 
Skipping, Dropping Endings, and Misreading Words


 
Reading accurately is a very important skill for any person interested in enriching their presentations through the written thoughts of other experts on the matter just as it is for a singer trying to make the lyrics of a song clear and memorable. Both the oral reader and singer have to be careful in their rendering of words.



Good examples of this are the contestants in the "American Idol" show on television. Who do you enjoy listening to most, those who sing clearly or those who because of slurring their words or make other oral blunders?

Avoiding things like skipping words, dropping word endings or even misreading words can be avoided by practicing a few simple techniques such as: making sure you understand the context of the words you are reading so you can grasp the flow of thought 
just like a singer understands the message or feelings the lyrics are trying to get across. This is even more important for the person reading in public than it is for the singer who is given more leeway.


Another good trick is to pretend you are a person jumping from stone to stone across a river or creek. The person tries to get across the river successfully focuses his or her attention as well on the rocks ahead to avoid any nasty surprises caused by unexpectedly slippery rocks or jagged edges.

 
When reading orally you should use a similar technique. Look ahead as you read. Know in advance what words you are coming to. This will help you to stay aware of the flow of thought and be better prepared to pronounce the words properly with proper enunciation and emphasis.


For instance, if you are reading the word "project" -- what is the meaning of that word? Does the writer or author mean a project that somebody is working on or to project something like your voice in a song or oral presentation? The two words are spelled alike but pronounced quite differently. And many persons in your audience will catch such mistakes in wrong pronunciations

If you are talking about some project you are working on the "o" sounds like the "a" in the word "father". But if you are talking about projecting your voice the "o" sounds like the "o" in the exclamation "Oh!" or the "oa" combination in the word "boat".

If you are unsure about the proper pronunciation of a word check it out in a good dictionary or vocabulary book. Never be over confident. It can be critical as I once found out the embarrassing way when I said "pronounciation" when I should have said "pronunciation".