This English learning activity is about thought groups. The activity includes an instructional video focusing on thought groups and pausing while speaking. It is designed to help you learn what thought groups are and how to pause around thought groups.

To complete this activity, begin by watching the video. Next, read important points to remember below. Practice reading the sentences with the pauses. Don’t worry about slowing down. Pausing actually helps you to sound more fluent and is an important part of the rhythm of English.

WATCH THE VIDEO

PRACTICE

Important Points to Remember:

• When we’re reading, we pause at punctuation marks:


comma ,        semi-colon ;         colon :         parentheses ()
dash -         quotation marks “ ”         period .

• But when we speak, we choose to pause around “thought groups.”

Thought groups are groups of words that form a meaningful unit in a sentence:

Noun phrases: the well-respected manager
Verb phrases: spoke kindly
Prepositional phrases: about her staff
Clauses: if you do your job well, when you start your job

• Pauses aren’t always required at every thought group.

If your team  /  does its job well,  /  your manager  /  will speak kindly  /  about your group.  / 
(5 pauses)

If your team does its job well  /  your manager will speak positively  /  about your group. /
(3 pauses)

• There is usually only one stressed word in each thought group.

If your team  /  does its job well  /  your manager  /  will speak positively  /  about your group.

More Practice
Try these related pages to help you practice with thought groups:
Thought Groups Practice A
Thought Groups Practice B
Thought Groups Practice C

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