Enhancing Your Delivery in Conversations!

When speaking in English, what you say matters, but how you deliver it can make an even greater impact. One key aspect of delivery is maintaining eye contact with your listener.

Making Eye Contact—Even When Your Listener Seems Unresponsive

Eye contact is an essential part of effective communication. It shows confidence, engagement, and helps your listener stay connected to your words.

But what if your listener—whether it’s an examiner in a test or someone in a formal setting—keeps a neutral expression?

Some examiners maintain a composed or serious demeanour throughout the conversation.

This doesn’t mean they are uninterested or that your message isn’t being received. It’s simply their way of staying impartial. Instead of getting discouraged, focus on steady, natural eye contact without staring too intensely. Imagine you’re speaking to a friend or explaining something to someone who genuinely wants to understand.

Balancing Eye Contact

To make your delivery feel natural:

Look up regularly—avoid keeping your eyes down or looking away too often.
Use brief shifts in gaze—break eye contact naturally by glancing away for a moment before returning.
Match eye contact with your TONE (I will share more about “tone” in another column)—if you’re making an important point, hold eye contact a little longer.

By keeping steady eye contact, even when your listener remains neutral, you’ll come across as more confident and engaged. So next time you’re in a conversation or a speaking test, remember—your delivery is just as important as your words!

Vocabulary Learning:

· Demeanour – A person’s outward behavior or expression. For example, if someone has a serious demeanour, they may not smile much or show many emotions on their face.

· Impartial – Being fair and not taking sides. In an exam, an examiner is impartial because they don’t show personal opinions or reactions, even if they think you’re doing well.