Do people ask you to repeat yourself? Or worse — do they just look confused, or quietly switch off? If you've ever wondered why you're hard to understand in English, the answer is probably not your grammar or vocabulary. More often, it's a lack of clarity.
The biggest intelligibility blockers fall into four areas: sound (articulation, pronunciation), delivery (pace, pauses, intonation), language choices (structure, length, jargon), and communication intelligence (audience awareness, politeness, body language). Fix those, and your English becomes immediately easier to follow.
The real issue is not your CEFR level. It's your clarity. Many professionals already operate at an intermediate to advanced level — they know the words and the grammar rules. What breaks down is how those words are delivered and structured in real time.
Clarity is a performance skill. You can think of it as an art form.
Everything in this article comes directly from coaching sessions with advanced professionals who use English as a second language every day.
In a recent session, a client told me about a colleague he finds very hard to understand — especially in international video meetings. He assumed it was the colleague's accent. But as we explored the issue, the real culprit became clear: it wasn't the accent at all. It was articulation.
I suspected this when I asked whether the colleague tends to move his mouth much when he speaks. My client's response was immediate: "Yeah. That's exactly it. He mumbles."
Most professionals don't struggle to be understood because their English isn't good enough. They struggle because their delivery makes their English hard to process. And while we can't help the mumbler — he's not our client — we can help you become aware of the habits that may be quietly undermining your own intelligibility.
What's happening: Sounds are not fully formed. Everything sounds muddy and trapped.
Fix: Practice overarticulating. Grab a mirror and watch as you put your mouth to work. Say: "Next week, we need to present the project results" — first with exaggerated articulation, then in your usual delivery. Find the happy medium between the two.
Insight: Most articulation issues are not language problems — they're physical habits. If the mouth doesn't move, the sound can't be properly produced. It's like trying to dance with your feet tied together.
What's happening: Your first language influences your sounds, stress, and rhythm. This can reduce intelligibility even when your grammar and vocabulary are strong.
Fix: Focus on word stress, sentence stress, and key sounds — not perfection. Prioritise getting the English "music" right, and you'll be much better understood.
Insight: Listeners don't struggle primarily because of mispronounced sounds. They struggle when stress and rhythm are off. That's job one.
Here's a quick illustration of just how much stress matters. Take this sentence and read it with completely flat intonation first:
"I didn't say he stole the money."
Now shift the stress each time, following the italics below — and notice how the meaning changes with each version:
Six words. Six completely different meanings. That's the power of stress and intonation.
It's also worth correcting common sound substitutions — for example: ship and sheep, rice and lice, wine and vine. Small sound differences that carry big meaning.
Stress and intonation are so central to intelligibility that they deserve their own deep dive. If you want to go further on this, our post on prosody in English is a good next step.
What's happening: No pauses create a wall of sound. Poorly placed pauses break meaning.
Example: "What we need to do is review the numbers and the timeline and the risks and also the budget…"
Fix: Pause between ideas, not inside them. Use pauses to signal structure and give listeners time to process what they're hearing.
What's happening: Too fast is hard to process. Too slow loses energy.
Fix: Speak at a controlled, steady pace. Slightly slower is usually better.
What's happening: Rising intonation makes statements sound like questions. Flat intonation makes speech monotonous.
Example: "We finished the report?" — said as a statement, but sounds like a question.
Fix: Use falling intonation for statements, and vary your pitch to highlight key points.
What's happening: "Um," "uh," "like," "you know" — used too frequently, they erode authority and slow comprehension.
Fix: Replace fillers with silent pauses. This immediately increases both clarity and authority.
Insight: Fillers are rarely about missing vocabulary. They're usually a pacing and confidence issue.
What's happening: Restarting sentences too often breaks flow and loses the listener.
Fix: Finish the thought. Correct yourself only if the meaning is genuinely affected.
What's happening: Ideas are not logically ordered.
Example: "So what I mean is like the thing from yesterday it was not really clear and we should maybe…"
Fix: Use a simple structure: point → explanation → example.
Insight: If your thinking is unclear, your sentence structure will be unclear. Language exposes thinking very quickly.
What's happening: Long sentences are hard to process in speech.
Fix: Keep sentences short and complete. One idea per sentence.
What's happening: Too much technical language excludes listeners.
Example: "We need to optimize the cross-functional alignment to leverage scalable outcomes."
Fix: Use jargon only when necessary. Prefer clear, shared vocabulary.
What's happening: Figurative language can confuse international listeners.
Fix: Use idioms sparingly. Clarity comes first.
What's happening: Indirect phrasing reduces impact and can obscure responsibility.
Fix: Prefer active voice. "We decided…" instead of "It was decided…"
What's happening: No signposting makes it hard for listeners to follow your logic.
Fix: Guide your listener explicitly:
What's happening: Using the same style for every listener, regardless of context.
Fix: Adjust your speed, vocabulary, and level of detail based on who you're speaking to.
What's happening: Excessive hedging reduces clarity. Too little softening sounds abrupt.
Fix: Aim for direct and respectful — a clear message with light softening where needed.
What's happening: Non-verbal signals conflict with your message.
Fix: Keep gestures simple and aligned with what you're saying. Maintain steady eye contact.
What's happening: Too much detail hides the main message.
Example: Answering a simple question with a long explanation before ever stating the conclusion.
Fix: Decide the one thing your listener must understand — and lead with it.
What's happening: Too soft, too loud, or inconsistent volume forces listeners to work harder.
Fix: Aim for a stable, medium volume. Your listener should never have to adjust to you.
What's happening: No clear start, no clear takeaway — the listener doesn't know where they are in your message.
Fix:
Clarity is not about saying more. It's about deciding what matters — and leaving the rest out.
You don't need perfect English. You need clear, controlled, listener-focused communication.
Most professionals improve fastest not by learning more English, but by using what they already know with more precision and intent.
Apply these consistently, and your English becomes easier to understand — often within weeks, not months.
If you'd like personalized help with any of the above, our English Accent Training is designed specifically for professionals who want to communicate with more clarity and confidence.
One topic from this list deserves its own conversation: mumbling. The causes are more surprising — and more fixable — than most people expect. We'll be going deeper on that soon.
Why You're Hard to Understand in English, by Brenda de Jong-Pauley, MA
Published May 2026
About the author:
Brenda de Jong-Pauley is the founder of The English Center in the Netherlands, where she has worked with international professionals since 2009. Originally from the United States, she lives and works in the Netherlands, supporting professionals in developing clear, confident English for real business situations.
Brenda holds a Master’s degree in Psychology (focused on persuasive communication) and a Bachelor’s in Education. She specializes in high-level business communication and spoken English.
The English Center is a CEDEO-recognized training provider, working with professionals and teams from international and Dutch companies and municipalities.
