Communication Assessment & Learning Lab
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 Using Appropriate Language 

1. Think about what you are going to say before you say it
2. Speak clearly and expressively
3. Pay attention to your voice (e.g., rate, pitch, projection, etc.)
4. Be aware of your use of language; bias works toward gender, age, or sexual orientation)
5. Avoid slang words, contractions or words that you find difficult to pronounce
6. Try to use the word "you" in place of "I"
7. Pause throughout your speech so the audience can take in your message
8. Do not add extra distractions
9. Be aware of fillers like "um," "uh," "like," etc
10. Use a variety of tones to avoid sounding monotone