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WorksheetsFluency Set: Basic Definitions 1-10
Total questions: 77
Worksheet time: 39mins
Grace is a preschool teacher who notices that one of her students often has tense pauses and dysrhythmic phonations while speaking, which seem different from the typical repeating, pausing, or revising she hears from other children. Which definition best describes the type of disfluency Grace is observing?
The continuity, smoothness, rate, and effort in speech production
The repeating, pausing, incomplete phrasing, revising, interjecting, and prolonging of sounds typical of young children
Disfluencies qualitatively different from typical disfluency, including tense pauses and dysrhythmic phonations
Speech that is abnormally fast with omission of sounds and syllables
Daniel is giving a presentation in class. His teacher comments on his speech, saying that his fluency needs improvement. In the context of fluency disorders, what combination of characteristics does the term fluency refer to?
Rate only
Effort only
Continuity, smoothness, rate, and effort in speech production
Accuracy of articulation without regard to rate
Kai is giving a presentation in class. During his speech, he frequently experiences blocks, repeats sounds or syllables, and prolongs certain words. Which option lists behaviors considered stuttering-like disfluencies that Kai might be exhibiting?
Sound or syllable repetitions, tense pauses, and dysrhythmic phonations
Occasional pauses for breath and natural hesitations
Rapid but intelligible speech with normal syntax
Frequent blocks, repetitions, and prolongations during speech
Scarlett is a speech-language pathologist working with people who stutter. She notices that some of her clients experience reactions that are not immediately visible to others. These reactions include feelings and thoughts like frustration, anxiety, guilt, and expectations of difficulty that lead to avoidance. How are these covert reactions best characterized?
Overt blocks and repetitions heard by listeners
Feelings and thoughts like frustration, anxiety, guilt, and expectations of difficulty that lead to avoidance
Motor tics and involuntary limb movements
Objective measures of airflow and subglottal pressure
Which description best matches cluttering?
Speech that is abnormally fast with omission of sounds and syllables, abnormal pausing and phrasing, often in bursts that may be unintelligible, with frequent abnormalities in syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
Speech marked exclusively by tense blocks without changes in rate
Clear articulation produced at a slow, even tempo
Normal disfluencies typical of preschool development
Emma is learning to play the piano and notices that she can feel the position of her fingers and the amount of pressure she applies to the keys, even without looking. The term proprioceptive most closely refers to which sense?
The sense of hearing one’s own voice after a delay
The sense of smell associated with oral resonance
The sense of the relative position of body parts and the strength of effort in movement
The sense of visual feedback from lip and jaw motion
Nora is working with a speech therapist to manage her stuttering. The therapist suggests using a device that plays back Nora’s own voice through an earpiece with a fraction-of-a-second delay, which alters how she hears herself speak. What is the primary mechanism of this Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF) device?
A metronome that sets a fixed speech rhythm
An earpiece that plays back the person’s recorded voice with a fraction-of-a-second delay, altering auditory feedback
A tactile cueing device that vibrates at word boundaries
A visual pacing board that segments syllables
Samuel is a speech-language pathologist evaluating a child for a possible fluency disorder. Which sequence of steps should Samuel follow during the evaluation?
Diagnosis, test selection, child interview, parent interview
Parent interview, child interview, tests and observation, diagnosis
Screening, therapy, discharge, follow-up
Case history only without direct observation
Michael is a speech-language pathologist working with a child who stutters. He wants to involve the child’s family in the therapy process. Family systems therapy in fluency intervention is best defined as which of the following?
An approach focused solely on the individual’s speech motor patterns
Models of counseling and service delivery that focus on variables regarding the family unit as a whole
A pharmacologic protocol targeting anxiety reduction
A technique limited to group speech practice sessions
Priya is experiencing communication difficulties due to a fluency disorder. Which statement aligns with cognitive behavioral therapy as an approach to help her?
A counseling approach targeting thoughts and behaviors related to communication difficulties
A surgical procedure to modify vocal fold vibration
A device-based intervention delivering delayed feedback
A method that trains only respiratory strength without addressing cognition
Harper has been experiencing a lot of stress at work and wants to learn how to manage it better. Her therapist suggests a technique that uses electronic monitoring to help her gain control over physiological functions. What is this technique called?
Affective
Primary prevention
Fluency shaping
Biofeedback
Mia is a speech-language pathologist working with young children. She wants to prevent the onset and development of fluency disorders in her clients. Which of the following approaches best represents primary prevention in fluency disorders?
Direct training of relaxed respiration and articulation to teach fluent speech
Eliminating or diminishing the onset and development of stuttering by changing child susceptibility or home/school conditions
Helping speakers confront fears and reduce avoidances associated with stuttering
Becoming aware of physiological activity through instruments to voluntarily control muscles
Which therapy approach attempts to directly train individuals to speak with relaxed respiration, relaxed vocal folds, and relaxed articulation muscles to teach how to speak fluently?
Stuttering modifications
Fluency shaping
Primary prevention
Internal motivation
A therapy approach focuses on the emotional aspects of stuttering, helping the speaker to recognize and manage their feelings and attitudes towards their speech. Which term matches this description?
Fluency shaping
Stuttering modifications
External motivation
Affective
Daniel is working on improving his speech fluency. Which scenario best illustrates internal motivation in Daniel?
Daniel practices daily because personal goals make the effort feel important and needed
Daniel attends therapy only because a parent offers rewards for participation
Daniel uses a device to monitor muscle activity during speech exercises
Daniel modifies home routines to reduce environmental stressors
External motivation is characterized by which source of drive?
Self-generated or intrinsic valuation of what is important
Encouragement provided by someone else, such as family or an employer
Physiological feedback about muscle activity to guide behavior
Direct training in relaxed speech subsystems to build fluency
Which option best defines a preventative approach in the context of speech pathology?
Counseling to replace maladaptive beliefs with flexible ways of thinking
Use of instruments to provide information on physiological functions to enable voluntary control of those systems
Systematic desensitization to reduce fears related to speaking situations
Preventing stuttering onset by modifying home and school conditions
Which statement best defines trait anxiety in the context of fluency disorders?
A situational fear that occurs only during public speaking tasks
A consistent tendency to respond with anxiety when anticipating threatening situations
A temporary stress reaction to unfamiliar listeners
An anxiety pattern limited to clinical settings
Social anxiety, as described for fluency, most closely refers to which of the following?
Fear of social situations and interactions that can automatically bring self-consciousness, judgment, evaluation, and inferiority
General worry about academic performance regardless of social context
Anxiety limited to speaking on the phone
A fear response that occurs only during solitary practice
During a classroom presentation, William begins to stutter. As he tries to speak, he starts making extraneous sounds and shows noticeable facial and body movements. These behaviors are best described as which of the following?
Fluent speech produced under delayed auditory feedback
Extraneous sounds and facial/body movements used during moments of stuttering
Silent reading strategies to avoid dysfluency
Breath pacing to initiate phonation
Which is an example of a secondary stuttering behavior noted in the material?
Syllable prolongation within fluent speech
Repetitions of fillers like "uh" or "um," eye blinks, and unusual head, hand, or other body part movements
Use of shorter sentences to reduce cognitive load
Speaking at a slower overall rate with visible tension or physical struggle
Nora is a speech therapist working with young children. She notices that one of her new clients, aged 4, is showing signs of beginning stuttering. Which of the following characteristics is Nora most likely to observe?
Ages 6–13 with anticipation of blocks
Untypical disfluency with emerging awareness
Adolescents and adults with solidly learned patterns
Prolonged blockages involving lips, tongue, and jaw
Olivia is a speech therapist working with children who have beginning stuttering. She notices that one of her students often shows signs that specifically involve the speech musculature. Which of the following is Olivia most likely observing?
Awareness of listener reactions
Muscle tension and fixed articulators
Fear of stuttering
Patterns solidly learned
Isla is a speech therapist working with children who stutter. She is reviewing the characteristics of intermediate stuttering in her clients. Which combination aligns with the three facts of intermediate stuttering?
6–13 years old, fear of stuttering, anticipation of blocks (most common)
Adolescents and adults, muscle tension, fixed articulators
Untypical disfluency, awareness, repetitions at end of tone
Prolonged blockages, resist therapy after 30, grief
Which age range is directly associated with intermediate stuttering in the notes?
2–5 years old
6–13 years old
14–18 years old
Adults over 30
Which grouping is identified as facts of advanced stuttering?
Awareness and untypical disfluency
Adolescents and adults; patterns solidly learned
6–13 years; fear of stuttering
Muscle tension and fixed articulators
Hannah is attending a support group for people who stutter. During a discussion about advanced stuttering, the facilitator asks which additional facts are associated with advanced stuttering later in the list. Which option should Hannah choose?
Resist therapy after 30; fear, shame, and grief; prolonged blockages (lips, tongue, jaw)
Anticipation of blocks; untypical disfluency; awareness
Fixed articulators; repetitions at end of tone; mishearing
Simultaneous speech; voice masking; DAF
David is a child with articulation difficulties. He believes speaking is ___ and begins to ___ the challenge.
easy; ignore
hard; anticipate
unavoidable; accept
fun; minimize
According to the research note provided, stuttering results from _____ language.
expressive
receptive
mishearing
bimodal
Which list contains the four forms of stuttering intervention exactly as presented?
Desensitization, counseling, masking, pacing
Modification, cancellation, DAF (delayed auditory feedback), non-DAF
Shaping, relaxation, biofeedback, counseling
Restructuring, substitution, modeling, nonverbal cueing
In the stuttering treatment category of modification, which components are included?
Anxiety control and strategies such as pullouts and cancellations
Voice masking and listening to pitch changes
Fluency via control of verbalization length
Simultaneous speech with a partner
The cancellation approach to stuttering treatment aims for fluency primarily through what mechanism?
Masking the speaker’s voice during output
Control of verbalization length after a stuttered moment
Introducing delayed auditory feedback to slow rate
Eliminating all secondary behaviors before speaking
Which of the following is NOT a technique listed under stuttering treatment > non-DAF?
Simultaneous speech
Listening to distorted voice
Voice masking
Delayed auditory feedback
Which of the following is a non-DAF treatment activity?
Listening to voice pitch changes
Timed syllable production with metronome
Cancellations only
Silent reading of scripts
Which item distinguishes beginning from intermediate stuttering in the notes?
Beginning: untypical disfluency and awareness; Intermediate: 6–13 years old with fear and anticipation of blocks
Beginning: adolescents and adults; Intermediate: patterns solidly learned
Beginning: prolonged blockages; Intermediate: resist therapy after 30
Beginning: mishearing language; Intermediate: voice masking
During a classroom presentation, Arjun begins to stutter while speaking. Which example best illustrates a secondary behavior that might occur during his stuttering moments?
Careful planning of verbalization length
Eye blinks paired with repetitions of fillers like "uh"
Using delayed auditory feedback
Practicing simultaneous speech with a partner
Which statement best summarizes the progression to advanced stuttering based on the list?
It typically involves untypical disfluency with little awareness.
It occurs only in children ages 6–13 with fear and anticipation of blocks.
It is framed by adolescents and adults with solidly learned patterns and may include resisting therapy after 30, emotional reactions, and prolonged blockages.
It is characterized solely by mishearing language.
Which statement best defines fluency in speech?
Rhythmically speech without interruptions
Speech with occasional pauses for emphasis
Rapid speech that avoids long words
Monotone speech with limited intonation
According to the summary definition, stuttering is best described as what?
Lack of fluency characterized by a high frequency and/or duration of blockages in the flow of speech
A temporary loss of voice due to vocal fold fatigue
An acquired language disorder affecting word retrieval
A motor speech disorder limited to respiration
Stuttering is a response to errors in which components of speaking?
Formulation, processing, and execution
Hearing, memory, and attention
Respiration, phonation, and resonance
Vocabulary, grammar, and pragmatics
Which set lists the three criteria included in a stuttering diagnosis?
Primary behaviors, secondary behaviors, and feelings/attitudes
Hearing thresholds, articulation tests, and reading fluency
Respiratory strength, pitch range, and maximum phonation time
Language comprehension, naming speed, and writing accuracy
Which option identifies a strategy used by individuals who stutter to avoid or delay speaking?
Primary behavior
Secondary movement
Escape strategy
Evasive strategy
Daniel is observing a speech therapy session and wants to identify the four primary behaviors associated with stuttering. Which list correctly names these behaviors?
Repetitions, substitutions, omissions, and additions
Phonation breaks, pitch shifts, loudness spikes, and breathy voice
Respiratory pauses, laryngeal spasms, tongue clicks, and whispering
Repetitions, prolongations, blocks, and secondary movements
In early stuttering, repetitions are commonly observed. Which description matches repetitions?
Getting stuck on sounds, syllables, or words and repeating until the next sound arises
Dragging the vowel sound while articulators hold position for several seconds
Stopping airflow and articulatory movement entirely before a sound is produced
Replacing difficult words with easier synonyms to avoid stuttering
Which type of disfluency is characterized by involuntary movements or gestures that accompany stuttering?
Prolongations
Repetitions
Blocks
Secondary movements
How long do articulators typically stop during prolongations as described in the material?
About 1/2 to 2 seconds
5 to 10 seconds
Less than 1/4 second
More than 10 seconds
Which description best defines blocks in stuttering?
Uncontrolled lengthening of vowel sounds without airflow
Rapid repetition of phrases with normal airflow
Inappropriate stoppage of airflow and sometimes articulatory movements
Replacement of feared words with synonyms
At which levels of speech may blockages occur?
Respiratory, laryngeal, and articulatory mechanisms
Auditory, cognitive, and pragmatic systems
Semantic, syntactic, and phonological levels
Velopharyngeal, nasal, and oral cavities only
Which consonants are most commonly associated with the onset of blockages?
f, v, s, z, sh, and zh
l, r, w, y, h, and j
b, c, d, g, m, n, p, and t
k, q, x, and hard ch only
What does the term secondary movements refer to in the context of stuttering?
Physical or mental effort to speak
The natural rhythm of fluent speech
Automatic breathing adjustments during talking
Changes in pitch to emphasize meaning
Which pairing correctly matches the two types of secondary behaviors listed?
Escape (behavioral) and evasive (linguistic)
Respiratory and laryngeal
Motor and sensory
Cognitive and emotional
Which statement best describes escape behavior in stuttering?
Trying to get out of the stuttering situation
Anticipation of disfluency followed by compensation
Repeating a sound to maintain speech flow
Pausing to breathe before a difficult word
Which statement best describes evasive behavior in stuttering?
Anticipation of disfluency followed by compensation
Trying to get out of the stuttering situation
Physical posturing to increase airflow
Unconscious repetition of syllables
Which option accurately contrasts prolongations and blocks?
Prolongations maintain airflow while articulatory movement stops; blocks stop airflow and sometimes articulators
Prolongations stop both airflow and articulators; blocks keep airflow but halt articulators
Prolongations involve repeating syllables; blocks lengthen vowels
Prolongations occur only on vowels; blocks occur only on nasals
Which item best completes this statement: In children who begin to stutter, the most common repeated units are what?
Syllables and words
Entire phrases
Breath groups
Consonant clusters only
Which scenario most clearly exemplifies a primary behavior rather than a secondary movement?
A child repeats the first syllable of a word several times before moving on
An individual looks away and blinks to push through a word
A speaker substitutes a simpler word to avoid difficulty
A person plans alternative phrasing to compensate
Which best identifies the temporal range often noted for articulator stoppage during prolongations?
As short as 1–2 seconds or maybe half a second, with longer durations being rare
Typically 3–5 seconds with frequent longer episodes
Always less than a quarter second by definition
At least 10 seconds to be classified as a prolongation
Which of the following is an example of an evasive behavior in stuttering?
Pauses before speaking
Social avoidance of conversations
Mutism in group settings
Inhibition of participation
Selecting the best example of escape behavior in stuttering involves recognizing actions after a moment of disfluency. Which option fits this description?
Social avoidance following a stuttered word
Planned pauses to prevent stuttering
Changing words before a feared sound
Postponing a response to buy time
Feelings and attitudes toward stuttering are said to start from a ______ and ______ stuttering.
disorder; precipitate
habit; worsen
fear; maintain
belief; eliminate
Which set lists manifestations of feelings and attitudes associated with stuttering?
Muscle tension, elevated heart rate, tremors, anxiety with shame and frustration
Reduced respiration, fever, rash, euphoria
Improved articulation, calm affect, lowered heart rate, exhilaration
Dry mouth, cough, dizziness, laughter
A person who stutters is likely to exhibit which of the following patterns?
More than 10 disfluencies in 100 words and more than 2 units of repetitions
Fewer than 3 disfluencies per 100 words and single-unit repetitions only
No awareness of disfluencies and no secondary movements
Only prolongations without repetitions or blocks
Which observation aligns with the description that people who stutter are aware of their disfluencies and have secondary movements?
The speaker notices stumbles and shows accompanying movements like eye blinks
The speaker is unaware of any speech changes and stands motionless
The speaker reports perfect fluency with no physical signs
The speaker shows only language comprehension errors
Which list correctly names the four types of stuttering described in the set?
Border, beginning, intermediate, advanced
Mild, moderate, severe, profound
Developmental, neurogenic, psychogenic, cluttering
Initial, medial, terminal, silent
Which fact is included among the characteristics of border stuttering?
Typical disfluency that comes and goes with little tension
Constant severe blocks with marked physical struggle
Rare disfluency fewer than 3 per 100 words
High tension with persistent avoidance behaviors
According to the set, how many disfluencies per 100 words are associated with border stuttering?
More than 10 per 100
Fewer than 3 per 100
Exactly 5 per 100
Between 20 and 30 per 100
Which combination best fits the description of evasive behaviors?
Pauses, changing words, and postponing responses
Social withdrawal, mutism, and inhibition
Eye blinking, head nodding, and foot tapping
Rapid rate, reduced loudness, and monotone
Which option best represents an escape behavior triad?
Syllable-timed speech, shadowing, and choral reading
Social avoidance, mutism, and inhibition
Which statement aligns with the role of the Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in stuttering as noted in the set?
Behavior is eliminated or reduced rather than corrected, and prognosis is uncertain
Stuttering is corrected to normal fluency with a guaranteed prognosis
Primary role is to diagnose hearing loss and prescribe medication
Focus is exclusively on language content and ignores disfluency
True or false: Language and motor deficits increase the likelihood of stuttering.
True
False
True or false: Slow speech from a person who stutters does not impact school performance.
True
False
Which statement best captures the idea of cancellation in stuttering treatment described in the set?
Developing fluency by controlling the length of verbalization, starting with simple words or phrases
Avoiding feared sounds entirely through substitution
Which sign would most directly indicate elevated arousal linked to feelings and attitudes in stuttering?
Increased heart rate associated with speech attempts
Absence of any physical response during disfluency
A student produces frequent two- to three-unit sound repetitions and shows eye blinks. Based on the set, which conclusion is most supported?
They exhibit only language comprehension issues without motor signs
They likely exceed 2 units of repetitions and display secondary movements typical in stuttering
Which progression of types best reflects increasing involvement across development as listed in the set?
Advanced to beginning to border
Beginning to intermediate to advanced
Which pairing correctly matches a category with an example from the set?
Evasive behavior—changing words before a feared sound
SLP role—guaranteed correction of stuttering
Which description aligns with the note that behavior is eliminated/reduced (not corrected) in SLP roles?
Focus on reducing frequency and severity rather than promising perfect fluency
Immediate cessation of disfluency through medication
