Speed

I use a mirror technique to help slow down or speed speech up. It helps to focus on pronunciation and gives you a better indication of letter stress points used in every day conversation. The mirror also helps you understand where to stress words, these are often found at the beginning of questions.
Conversation should not sound scripted, it should be spoken in a very natural way. A very easy way to practice is to record your voice and play it back to yourself or to a friend.