Trippingly on the tongue! Be more Hamlet (10 Easy Tips)

"Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue..."— William Shakespeare, Hamlet

🎭 Hamlet had a problem.

He felt lost, angry, and confused. His father, the king, had died suddenly and his mother had recently married again. A little too quickly.

A ghost had then told him that his uncle had murdered his father to become king.

And his uncle was the guy who had just married his mother.

Hmmmm.

But when a group of travelling actors (called “players”) arrived at the castle, Hamlet came up with a plan. He asked them to perform a play called “The Murder of Gonzago.” 

And there was a twist.

Hamlet told them to add a special scene, a short speech he had written himself. The scene recreated the murder of his father, based on what the Ghost had told him.

Hamlet wanted to see how the murdering King Claudius would react when he watched it. Hamlet wanted to “catch the conscience of the king.”

Before the show, Hamlet gave some advice to the actors:

“Speak the speech... trippingly on the tongue.”

He didn't want them to overact or deliver the lines too mechanically, but rather smoothly, lightly, and naturally. Why? Because Hamlet (Shakespeare) knew that if you want to speak in a way which engages others, then your best strategy is to be clear and natural.

Even in Shakespeare’s time, people knew that how you speak is just as important as what you say.

So when you’re practising your English, think like Hamlet. Speak clearly, but naturally.

The good news? There are 2 bits,

Firstly, it worked. His uncle looked shocked and guilty before jumping up from his seat and stopping the play. From that moment, Hamlet knew it was him.

Secondly, Hamlet's advice can also work for you. You really don’t need to change everything to sound more fluent and confident. A few small tweaks can actually make a big difference.

Here are 10 easy, simple fixes to help you sound more natural in English.

1. Use Contractions

Native speakers use short forms (called contractions) all the time.

• “I am not sure” → “I’m not sure”

• “She will come later” → “She’ll come later”

  
  

2. Speak Less Formally

Formal English is fine in writing, but in real life, people speak more simply. Say: “I don’t get it” instead of “I do not understand" or “Wanna go to the cinema?” instead of “I want to go to the cinema.”

3. Use Filler Words Sometimes

Words like “well”, “you know”, and “I mean” are common in natural speech. For example: “Well, you know, I was going to go, but I changed my mind.”

Don’t use them too much, but a few can make your speech sound more relaxed.

4. Stress the Right Words

English speakers stress the important words in a sentence.

For example: “I went to the shops.”

(We stress verbs and nouns, not little words like “to” or “the.”)

5. Join Words Together (Linking)

In natural English, words often connect. This is called linking.

• “What do you want to eat?” often sounds like:*“Whaddya wanna weet?”

• (We add a small “w” sound before “eat” so it’s easier to say.)

• “I’ll let you know” becomes: “I’ll letcha know.”

This happens a lot in fast, fluent speech.

6. Give Short Answers

You don’t always need full sentences.

Q: “Are you coming?

”A: “Yeah, probably.”

(Not: “Yes, I am probably coming.”)

7. Use Easy Words like ‘Stuff’ and ‘Things’

Native speakers often use simple, general words. For example:

• “We talked about some marketing stuff.”

• “Can you grab your things?”

  
  

8. Use Common Phrases

Learn a few short phrases such as : “It’s up to you” instead of “The decision is yours.”

Say: “I’m not sure” instead of “I have no idea.”

These everyday phrases sound more natural and friendly.

9. Use Intonation

Let your voice rise and fall when you speak. This makes you sound more interesting and helps people understand your meaning. Try this one:

"To be, or not to be: that is the question:"

— Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1

10. Listen and Copy

Watch YouTube videos, listen to podcasts, or talk with native speakers. Pay attention to how they speak — then try to copy their rhythm and tone.

A Final Thought

You don’t need to sound perfect. Just sound real. Speak like yourself. Clearly, confidently, and naturally. And try to remember the advice of poor old Hamlet, that tragic, depressed and doomed Prince of Denmark:

"Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue..."