Meaning & use
choppy voice
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Meanings
nouncountable
A way of speaking in which the sound keeps stopping and starting, so the words come out in short, uneven bursts.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a choppy voice' or 'her choppy voice'; it is not usually plural.
Patterns
- in a choppy voice
- speak in a choppy voice
- a choppy voice on the phone
The caller's choppy voice made it hard to catch every word.
He answered in a choppy voice, as if he were reading from a broken script.
Her choppy voice on the recording sounded like a bad phone line.
nouncountable
A voice that sounds rough and unsteady because the speaker is nervous, upset, or out of breath.
Grammar: Often used with 'in a ... voice' to describe how someone speaks.
Patterns
- in a choppy voice
- a choppy voice from crying
- speak in a choppy voice
She told the story in a choppy voice, pausing to wipe her eyes.
After the race, he gave a choppy voice interview, still gasping for air.
His choppy voice betrayed how nervous he was during the speech.
Common combinations
- in a choppy voice
- She explained the problem in a choppy voice.
- speak in a choppy voice
- He tends to speak in a choppy voice when he is nervous.
- a choppy voice on the phone
- I could barely understand her choppy voice on the phone.
- answer in a choppy voice
- The witness answered in a choppy voice, choosing each word carefully.
- a choppy voice from crying
- The child's choppy voice from crying made everyone worried.
Synonyms and how they differ
- broken voice
- Similar, but 'broken voice' often suggests strong emotion, while 'choppy voice' can also be caused by a bad connection.
- halting voice
- Focuses on slow, hesitant speech with many pauses; 'choppy voice' is more about uneven sound quality.
- uneven voice
- A general term for a voice that is not steady; 'choppy voice' is more specific about a stop-start pattern.
Commonly confused: choppy voice or hoarse voice? choppy voice or shaky voice?
choppy voice vs hoarse voice
A hoarse voice sounds rough or scratchy because of a sore throat; a choppy voice keeps breaking into short, uneven parts.
choppy voice vs shaky voice
A shaky voice trembles with emotion; a choppy voice stops and starts, often because of a bad phone line or uneven breathing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'choppy voice' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The second option fits because a choppy voice stops and starts, so pauses after a few words make sense. The first and third options describe smooth, controlled singing, which is the opposite of choppy. The fourth option says the voice was clear, but a choppy voice is usually hard to follow.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “choppy voice”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.