How to Improve Phrasing

Phrasing is how you use your voice to group words together.

    How to read with proper phrasing:
  • • Use correct rhythm and meter by not reading too fast or too slow.

  • • Pause for key words within the text.

  • • Make sure your sentences have proper flow and meter, so they sound smooth instead of choppy.

  • • Make sure you sound like you are reading a sentence instead of a list.

  • • Use punctuation to tell you when to stop, pause, or emphasize. (see box below)

PunctuationHow to Use It
. periodstop at the end of the sentence
, commapause within the sentence
! exclamation pointemphasize the sentence and pause at the end
? question markemphasize the end of the sentence and pause at the end
; semicolonpause within the sentence between two related thoughts
: colonpause within the sentence before giving an example or explanation

One way to practice phrasing is to copy a passage, then place a slash (/), or pause mark, within a sentence where there should be a pause. One slash (/) means a short pause. Two slashes (//) mean a longer pause, such as a pause at the end of a sentence.

Read aloud the passage below, pausing at each pause mark. Then try reading the passage again without any pauses. Compare how you sound each time.

There are many ways / to get involved in your school / and community. // Joining a club / or trying out for a sports team / are a few of the options. // Volunteer work can also be very rewarding. // You can volunteer at community centers, / nursing homes, / or animal shelters. //

Use the rubric below to measure how well a reader uses phrasing while reading aloud. For phrasing passages, see Reading Fluency Practice, pp. 568–591.

Phrasing Rubric

123
Reading is choppy. There are usually no pauses for punctuation.Reading is mostly smooth. There are some pauses for punctuation.Reading is very smooth. Punctuation is being used properly.