From the author: I devote the lion's share of my working time to communicating with different people. And I often come across the fact that sometimes terribly smart and damn interesting thoughts appear in my head (either in my head or in my interlocutor’s). And I really want to share them with others, so that they too will be surprised by this unprecedented wisdom. And now the ligaments are tense and the jaw creaks like the drawbridge of a medieval castle (it probably creaks from zeal), only instead of smart thoughts, something vague and incomprehensible is heard. But the fact that this matter is fixable leaves hope. - Talk, talk, don’t stop, I beg you - usually such exclamations accompany listeners, speeches of professional readers, actors, politicians, hypnotists and even talented “pick-up artists.” Have there been times in your life when you listened to someone and wished that it would go on forever? Most likely, there were some. And it’s quite possible more than once. What sensations and feelings did you have at this moment? Did your attitude towards the person you were listening to change during this time? Have you ever had a desire to learn how to speak beautifully, smoothly, attractively, excitingly and, most importantly, competently? And if your answer is “no,” then I suggest you return to reading this article later, when you have a real need for it. Everyone else has a pleasant opportunity to get acquainted with the simple rules of conducting a leisurely, competent conversation. So. Here are some rules that will help you improve the quality of your speech: Read more Reading a wide variety of literature (books, newspapers, magazines) is a sure guarantee of competent speech. A good way is to re-read (or read for the first time) Russian classics, which we should have become familiar with in school. It is best to read slowly, thinking about each paragraph, or just thinking. This will teach you how to form words into sentences correctly and increase your vocabulary. You can get “food for thought” from anywhere: from books, magazines, the Internet. Look for the meanings of words unknown to you, learn to pronounce them correctly. Down with “parasites” If possible, remove so-called parasitic words from your “speech diet”: “well”, “in general”, “as if”, “well this”, “ damn”, etc. This will be quite difficult at first, since such words help us express our own emotional state. Naturally, it will be much easier to cope with “parasites” if you do not express strong emotions in a conversation. At a pace, at a pace... It is very important to monitor the pace of speech. Use simple phrases, take your time. But remember, your interlocutor/listener will definitely get bored if you mumble monotonously under your breath. Take pauses, highlight the right moments with emotions, but not very strong, without fanaticism. Fringe and patterns Let your speech shimmer and murmur, like a mountain stream on a sunny, fine day. Add threads of beautiful words to it, as if your fingers are weaving a luxurious Uzbek carpet. What do I mean? It’s simple - use various metaphors, unusual comparisons, suitable sayings in your conversations. This approach will significantly enliven and decorate your speech. And of course remember humor. It’s not a bad idea to make fun, including at yourself, if it’s appropriate in a given situation. Be your own coach Expand your social circle, because this is how you can train your speech. If you are a completely reserved and unsociable person, you can use TV and radio. Imitate your favorite TV presenter: repeat his phrases, copy his intonations. Do the same with your least favorite characters (for comparison). Practice “chatterology” I offer you a simple and quite funny exercise. Choose some household item (according to your taste and color), for example, a mop, and talk about it for 5 minutes in beautiful literary language. Most likely, such exercises will cause you obvious verbal difficulties, feelings of shame, and a feeling of self-doubt and bouts of Homeric laughter (and perhaps