Pace
The speed at which speech is delivered, measured in syllables or words per minute. Pace affects comprehensibility, emotional expression, and perception of speaker characteristics.
Real World
Auctioneers at Christie's or Sotheby's deliberately increase their pace during competitive bidding to create urgency and excitement, then slow dramatically before saying 'sold' to build tension and signal finality.
Exam Focus
Comment on pace changes within a transcript, not just overall speed — shifts in pace often mark key moments.
How well did you know this?