This advice may not work for everyone as I'm on the spectrum. Tips listed in no particular order:
Reading books as the other commenter suggested helps expand vocabulary and flow of speech. I also keep an eye out for metaphors that might be useful in conversation.
Listen to speeches. Most famous orators have very recognizable speech patterns, it's ok to imitate just one but listen to many. Lots of good stuff to look at here: body language, inflection, the timing of their jokes. I have a handful memorized and there is no shame in quoting someone else if they put it just right
Practice, just talk to people about anything, look for opportunities to broker a compromise. Communication is a skill and tool that gets sharper the more you use it.
Don't talk too much. This is where I fumble a lot. I don't mean don't speak at all obviously but if you take the time to slowly think through what you want to say it comes out much better, establish this as a pattern and people will really listen to what you have to say
Write, pick something you're passionate about and write a page, paragraph, or even just a sentence. Don't think about it at first, just let the words hit the page. Do a quick edit, then another, then another until you've said exactly what you want without losing meaning. My preferred topics include trying to express emotion as you can play with the words a lot, almost like tuning a verbal engine.
Slow down, relax. We all trip over our words sometimes, there is no shame in it. I find myself getting flustered when I trip over my words, just taking a deep breath and starting at the beginning of the sentence does the trick 90% of the time.
Talk to yourself.
Imagine the situation you want to get better at being in and practice saying the things you want to say. Stand at a whiteboard, look at yourself in the mirror, talk into an empty zoom call, whatever and imagine there is someone you are explaining something to. Basically sit and have a one sided conversation with yourself and go over things. You'll find you start to edit things down and make what you're saying more concise. You will find knowing your subject, and caring about the things you are saying will also help you deliver your thoughts succinctly. Imagine what questions people might ask you, this will help you identify holes in your arguments, flaws in your plans, and weaknesses in your explanations. As much as speaking is a skill in itself, really knowing the ins and outs of the subject at hand goes far.
Similarly, get a lot of practice in real life. Take opportunities to speak to people. Don't wait until you have all your thoughts collected because you never will. Instead be continually doing what I outlined above, and then expose yourself to people who will ask you questions or for clarification, or need to be persuaded or taught – and always be sure to ask, "does that make sense?"
Other times, I find it difficult to finish a sentence because I'm searching for a word I have blanked on or forgotten
This is actually a very common phenomenon called lethologica – the frustrating word being on tip-of-the-tongue feeling. It's probably because you're thinking too much or having anxiety in the situation you're speaking in. Remember to relax. This will get better with exposure and engaging in more speaking opportunities. As others have said, just finding opportunities to really practice speaking itself will help you with this.
All that being said, I wouldn't worry too much about eloquence or trying to sound loquacious in your explanations. That's a different skill from being able to explain things well, simply, and concisely. I am much more impressed by a simple explanation delivered succinctly than fanciful poetry that flows from the speaker with clever word choices and turns of phrase. If you do want to master this as an art form though, then simply study people who do this – watch newscasters, politicians, university professors. Study and read more outside of technical subjects, particularly the humanities.
If you want to become a real master of eloquence in the English language then watch people speak in the British house of commons where you will hear English articulated with the most impenetrable oratory magniloquence. I bust this kind of rhetoric out sometimes and it usually works to trick people into thinking that you are clever and give some imaginary weight to your argument – but it is a complete smoke screen that won't fool anyone of legitimate intellectual substance. Speaking simple English is best.
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There are a lot of comments here that sort of touch on it, but OP I had the same desire as you and now I am regarded among my peers as being well-spoken, articulate, and confident. Here is how I got here:
watch interviews of people you admire. I wanted to be charismatic like George Clooney, Frank Sinatra, etc. I watched tons of interviews and focused on how they told stories, including pacing and tone of voice, mannerisms etc.
practice speaking with confidence. I recorded my voice while reading from a dictionary, then recording when telling a story or babbling about nonsense. It is weird to hear yourself but soon you will get used to it and can focus on your faults, like “ums” or stuttering or whatever.
be curious. Anything can be a great story, anything can be shared, and everything makes you a more interesting person. A well-articulated person has a wide vocabulary, can convey their thoughts effectively in a way that can be understood by others. Going back to the first bullet point, but watching persuasive people give speeches (politicians, activists, leaders like CEOs, entertainers, etc) are all super helpful in creating your own unique voice and mannerism.
Finally, just practice. You’ll get better the more you do it and the process should be fun. Interact with others and break out of your comfort zone. A comedian works so hard and bombs often in order to get a good 5 minute routine. It takes trial and error, time, and commitment. Good luck!
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To do this I think you need to do three things: 1. surround yourself with articulate people 2. read and 3. write. If you spend all day learning and writing about history for example, then when something about history comes up in conversation the words will naturally flow because you have already answered these questions before. Make journal entries daily and try to improve your writing. Also read so that you can pick up ideas from other writers. By doing this you will get into the habit of being more articulate and your conversations will improve as a result. What might be even more important though is surrounding yourself with articulate people. You're only as good as the company you keep.
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Lots of good advice in other comments, much of it about learning to speak better. However, being articulate and well-spoken goes deeper than that. Fundamentally, it's about three things:
Forming compelling, well-structured thoughts
Turning those thoughts into words that have rhythm and flow that suits your audience
Delivering those words in a way that best suits the topic and audience
The best thing you can do is develop habits that teach these skills. For example...
Read. Read every chance you get. Read a broad variety of content. Read works that challenge your thinking skills as well as your reading skills. Read classic and contemporary works, read fiction and non-fiction, and read hard-journalism and fluffy editorials, Read whatever catches your fancy. Just... be critical of the quality of the writing. Learn to recognize writing that engages and moves you, and also writing that doesn't. Take the time needed to understand why one author succeeds while another author fails.
Also, engage while reading. Keep a notebook and highlighter and dictionary handy. Take note of interesting passages or things you want to investigate later. When you encounter a word you don't know, or that's used in a way you don't expect, google it or crack open the dictionary to figure out how / why the author chose that particular word or expression.
Write. Start doing longer-form writing that requires putting some thought into structure, as well as the details of grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary. Write about stuff you care about, for an audience you care about. And care about how people perceive your writing.
Really good writing is surprisingly difficult and time-consuming. I've spent hours, days even, writing just 2-3 paragraphs. Heck, this reply I'm writing here will have taken me (*checks clock*) almost three hours to compose.
... which is kind of crazy, right? Like, why spend so much time responding to someone I don't know, on a topic I hadn't even been thinking about until I stumbled across your post? Well... this is how I choose to improve my communication skills. I enjoy finding topics that draw me in, and finding ways to meaningfully engage with people about them.
If you're doing it right, you will find that the writing process has a profound impact not just on how you express your thoughts, but also on the thoughts themselves. You become a better thinker, in addition to a better reader and writer.
Speak. As others have suggested, put yourself out there. Learn to be comfortable being yourself in front of an audience. This isn't easy, of course, but it gets easier the more you do it. Start by seeking out speaking opportunities where you have a friendly audience. Toastmasters is good. Ignite talks are good as well. Also, jump at any opportunity you have to present on something you're passionate about.
I like u/Tavoneitor10's suggestion to start a youtube channel. Just keep in mind there's nothing intrinsic to youtube that will push you to be more articulate or well-spoken. It will help you find your voice and be more comfortable speaking to an audience, but it won't necessarily elevate how you communicate.
(BTW, a youtube channel on how to become more articulate and well-spoken would probably be a fantastic way of actually becoming more articulate and well-spoken. :-) )
My point with all of the above is that being articulate and well-spoken isn't something you develop directly. It flows from developing the dozens of little foundational habits and skills that go into being a critical thinker and eloquent communicator. But such skills take a lifetime to develop. You can always be more eloquent and more well-spoken. So be comfortable with who you are today and work on developing the habits needed to improve.
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