Fluency refers to the rate, rhythm, effort, continuity, prosody, and/or naturalness of a person’s speech. We all produce some “disfluencies”, such as occasional repetitions of words, filler words, and non-word fillers. Less commonly, individuals may produce part-word repetitions, multiple whole-word repetitions, phrase repetitions, prolongations, or feel like they are ‘stuck’ on a certain sound making it difficult or forceful to produce. The latter “dysfluent” productions are often consistent with fluency disorders, such as stuttering. Additionally, they may be accompanied by facial grimacing or other secondary behaviours such as head shaking or squeezing eyes shut during the stuttering moment..

The cause of fluency disorders is complex, and presentation often varies across speakers and situations. Through speech therapy, individuals learn how to control various aspects of their speech. In addition, speakers learn techniques to alleviate feelings of anxiety that are often associated with verbal communication among those with fluency disorders.