Our Services
Comprehensive Enunciation & Mumbling Therapy Services for Adults
Speech
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Social
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Voice
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Communication
Science Of Mumbling
When someone has a manner of speaking where the sounds or words are under-articulated, slurred or blended together it is said they are having trouble with enunciation.
Adults with enunciation concerns tend to move their mouths less than the average person when speaking and/or speak at a faster rate than average. The treatment for enunciation depends on the cause of the concern: oral motor or rate.
Once we complete an assessment we will determine the misused pattern and formulate a treatment plan to target the root of the cause. Our speech-pathologists will work closely with you to achieve lasting noteworthy enunciation when speaking.
If you feel that you are generally not enunciating when you speak, then our services may be right for you.
Enunciation refers to how clearly sounds and words are produced; mumbling describes speech that is reduced in precision, volume, or projection so that listeners work harder to understand. In adults, unclear speech often reflects a mix of fast rate, low volume, reduced mouth opening, imprecise consonants, or limited prosodic contrast. It is not a diagnosis on its own—rather a performance pattern that can be optimized with targeted practice. At WELL SAID, our approach is practical and goal‑driven: we identify the specific patterns (e.g., dropped final consonants, blended clusters, flatter stress) and train efficient, repeatable skills for everyday speaking demands (meetings, calls, presentations).
There is no exact rate for “mumbling,” because it is not a single condition with formal diagnostic criteria. Instead, it is a cluster of habits that many adults slip into, especially in work settings with long days, frequent calls, and background noise. Clarity often varies during the day. Fatigue, allergies, colds, or stress can lower volume and reduce attention to final sounds. Fast talkers and deep thinkers may compress words while trying to keep up with their ideas. People who learned English later may also carry sound patterns from another language that reduce clarity in certain contexts. Because of this range, we avoid vague labels and track functional outcomes that matter. Useful measures include how often listeners ask you to repeat, how many times you need to re‑phrase in meetings, the number of minutes you can speak comfortably before fatigue, and the degree to which your message lands on the first pass. When possible, we compare short audio clips from week to week to make progress visible. In short, enunciation concerns are common and responsive to focused coaching. They deserve attention not because they signal a disorder, but because small changes in delivery often unlock smoother workdays and more persuasive communication.
Adults with enunciation concerns often report that people say “sorry?” or “pardon?” more than they would like. Listeners may miss word endings, especially plural and past‑tense markers, or they may confuse close‑sounding words when clusters blur together. Speech can sound quiet, rushed, or flat, with limited stress on key words. Some people sound clear when reading but less clear in free conversation, where ideas arrive quickly and breath support drops. Video calls can make things worse because microphones compress sound and body cues are reduced. Common patterns include dropped final consonants, blended clusters (for example, “bes” instead of “best”), low projection, and variable rate. In noise, these patterns stack and make listening harder. You may also notice that complex sentences feel breathy or that your voice fades at the end of long thoughts. These signs do not mean something is wrong with you. They point to trainable skills. When we target the highest‑impact patterns first—usually final sounds, pacing, and stress—listeners work less, you repeat less, and conversations move faster.
Some common signs of enunciation concerns and mumbling in adults include:
– frequent repeat requests;
– reduced carry of final sounds;
– blurred consonant clusters;
– low vocal energy;
– monotone or low‑contrast stress;
– fast/variable rate, and reduced intelligibility in noise or at a distance; and,
– worsening clarity during conversations compared to reading.
An S‑LP’s job is to locate the few changeable factors that will produce the biggest gains. We start with careful listening, short recordings, and simple measures. We explain what we hear in plain language and show models that you can copy right away. Together, we set goals tied to real situations: “fewer repeats in Monday updates,” “clearer phone intros,” or “stronger endings on client calls.” Training blends micro‑skills and strategy. Micro‑skills include crisp final consonants, reliable cluster carry‑through, and mouth opening on stressed words. Strategy includes pacing, planned pauses, and choosing key words to highlight. We build short home routines, often five to eight minutes, that fit between meetings. You record brief clips to check accuracy and track progress. We also coach transfer into real life using scripts, mock calls, or meeting rehearsals. When relevant, we coordinate with audiology, ENT, or dentistry. Our role is collaborative and practical: we keep effort low, results visible, and your voice authentic. Over time, the habits run in the background, so you can focus on ideas—not on how every sound is made. Typical contributors include:
– learned speaking habits (i.e., fast rate, low projection);
– limited articulatory precision;
– inefficient breath‑voice coordination; and,
– inconsistent prosody.
An S‑LP’s job is to locate the few changeable factors that will produce the biggest gains. We start with careful listening, short recordings, and simple measures. We explain what we hear in plain language and show models that you can copy right away. Together, we set goals tied to real situations: “fewer repeats in Monday updates,” “clearer phone intros,” or “stronger endings on client calls.” Training blends micro‑skills and strategy. Micro‑skills include crisp final consonants, reliable cluster carry‑through, and mouth opening on stressed words. Strategy includes pacing, planned pauses, and choosing key words to highlight. We build short home routines, often five to eight minutes, that fit between meetings. You record brief clips to check accuracy and track progress. We also coach transfer into real life using scripts, mock calls, or meeting rehearsals. When relevant, we coordinate with audiology, ENT, or dentistry. Our role is collaborative and practical: we keep effort low, results visible, and your voice authentic. Over time, the habits run in the background, so you can focus on ideas—not on how every sound is made.
Assessment maps strengths, breakdowns, and goals. We gather short samples of conversation and reading to compare free speech with controlled speech. We listen for final sounds, clusters, vowel clarity, stress patterns, and rate. We check volume and projection across different distances. If indicated, we screen oral structures and review hearing history. We also ask about your daily demands: How often are you on the phone? Do you present standing or seated? Which rooms or microphones do you use? These details shape the plan. We set simple, meaningful measures such as repeat counts per meeting, self‑ratings of clarity under pressure, and the percentage of words with clear final consonants in a reading passage. When helpful, we capture short recordings before and after cues to make change audible. By the end of assessment, you will know the top two or three skills to target, how we will practise them, and how we will decide that practice is working in your real world.
Treatment is practical and brief. We begin with clear models and slow‑motion practice to lock in placement and timing. You learn to carry clusters to word ends, open the mouth on stressed words, and project without strain. We add pacing and pause plans so thoughts land cleanly. Drills are short—often two sets of two minutes during the day—because frequency beats length. We rotate tasks: words, phrases, and short lines you actually say at work. Then we rehearse real moments, such as your weekly update, until they feel automatic. You record small samples to build self‑monitoring and to prove progress to yourself. As accuracy grows, we speed up and lengthen sentences to natural levels. We track easy metrics, like fewer repeats or quicker agreement in meetings. If medical or hearing issues are present, we time practice around treatment and adjust goals. Most clients notice early wins within a few sessions. The aim is not to sound artificial; it is to make your normal style easier to understand, with less effort for you and your listeners.
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1-on-1 Personalized support
Therapy, Coaching, or Training
Therapist, Coach, Trainer? It doesn’t matter what you call us. We’re here to support you in improving your communication skills.
At WELL SAID, we understand that the journey to effective communication is unique for everyone. Whether you refer to our services as therapy, coaching, or training, what truly counts is the personalized support we offer. Our aim is to help you improve in communication and other areas—adapting our approach to suit your specific needs and goals.
Commonly Treated Goals
Rate of Speech
Over-Articulation
Breath Control & Coordination
Mindfulness in Communication
Elevate Your Speech
Discover our tailored mumbling therapy services designed to enhance your speech skills.
Learn the strategies
Learn the techniques to stop mumbling and start speaking clearly
Build Endurance
Take the strategies that you’ve learned and build experience in using them
Keep it up
Re-wire your brain to have a new way of speaking with repetition over time and across contexts
Our Distinctive Approach to Enunciation & Mumbling
At Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, we have the experience and dedication to help you achieve measurable improvement in your speech that you can use in your real life.
Using a client-centred, evidenced-based, holistic and collaborative approach, we will work with you and the latest research to achieve your enunciation goals.
Our services are covered by most workplace and education insurance plans.
Try our “Is Enunciation Work for Me?” self-reflection quiz below to discover how you might benefit.
Experienced Guidance
Our skilled therapists provide tailored programs to address your unique speech and communication needs, ensuring effective and meaningful progress.
Holistic Techniques
We integrate a variety of techniques for a comprehensive approach, focusing not only on speech but also on building confidence and reducing anxiety.
Empowered Clients
We believe in empowering our clients through knowledge and skills, fostering independence in their communication journey.
Is Enunciation & Mumbling Help for me?
Are you unsure if enunciation & mumbling work is right for you? Try our new self-assessment tool by clicking on the box below. A redirect will open to a page with a series of questions. Complete the questions and get a PDF report organizing and visualizing your needs. This report is perfect for clarifying what you need and what your goals are.