1. ‘THOUGHT GROUPS’ or PHRASING
Public Speaking
‘THOUGHT GROUPS’ or
PHRASING
FROM: ESL Pronunciation Work Page Created originally to accompany Academic Spoken English Pronunciation
Bridget Green Extension 2006

2. What are ‘thought groups’?
Written English = punctuation to show pauses. 
Spoken English = group words by their meaning and pause between them. 
It's important to know where to put the pauses in the sentences so that you can sound more like a native-speaker.

3. First things first…

4. Thought Group Patterns
Use the Punctuation
My sister, who is older, isn’t married.
He’s funny; I like him.
He has two great features: his eyes and his smile.
periods.
commas,
semi-colons;
colons: 

5. Thought Group Patterns
Emily and Josh have been living in Pullman.
The guy next door ought to have called for the last few months.
When there isn’t any punctuation, where are the thought groups?

6. Thought Group Patterns?
How do you know
where the ‘thought groups’ are?
GRAMMAR

7. Thought Group Patterns
Emily and Josh
The guy who lives next door
Noun phrases: 
Verb phrases: 
have been living
ought to have called

8. Thought Group Patterns
in Pullman
for a couple of months
Prepositional phrases: 
Parenthetical phrases: 
phrasing (or thought groups)
this is, in fact, an example.

9. Thought Group Patterns
Short subject & verb: 
Mary likes him.
The guy smiled.

10. The important thing to remember
Pausing
The important thing to remember is
to pause
in the right places. 

11. Let’s try it. With a partner read these sentences out loud.
Where should you pause?

12. Let’s try it. Ladies and gentlemen / thank you / for coming tonight.

13. Let’s try it.
I’d like to tell you a little bit about the art of Japanese origami, or paper folding.
I’d like to tell you / a little bit / about the art / of Japanese origami, / or paper folding.

14. Let’s try it.
First, let me explain the history of origami (although, I must admit, it’s not perfectly clear).
First, / let me explain / the history of origami / (although, / I must admit, / it’s not perfectly clear).

15. speaking in thought groups
That’s it!
Remember:
speaking in thought groups
will make you
easier to understand.