The ability to retrieve words from the lexicon (mental dictionary) to form speech sounds usually requires little conscious effort. However, word retrieval that is not performed adequately may require greater cognitive effort, affecting speech production (Abrams, 2008). When recall of words stored in a lexicon is delayed, it is commonly due to tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) states. TOT experiences are temporary, frustrating problems remembering words. The ways in which TOT states occur to influence speech production can be understood by analyzing how speech production occurs without TOT and with TOT, what factors enhance TOT situations, what factors inhibit TOT experiences, and who is affected by the states. TOTAL. The mental processes that enable speech production may convey how TOT experiences are activated. Speech is a rather complex but partially unconscious process that occurs at a rate of approximately 2-4 words per second, and errors are made only every 1,000 words (Abrams, 2008). It requires speakers to construct a message and then encode what they mean through two processes. First, the semantic properties of the target word (word meaning) are determined. The brain then retrieves information about its phonology (word sounds), and this information is sent to speech articulators to form meaningful speech sounds (Field, 2004). According to interactive activation theories, semantic selection and phonology coding are processes that operate together. On the other hand, discrete theories believe that speech production requires that selection and retrieval of target semantics occur before phonology is encoded. However, both theories agree that TOT states occur when the brain is capable of making the lexical selection of ...... half of the paper ...... L., & Burke, D. (2000) . Phonological priming effects on word retrieval and tip-of-the-tongue experiences in young and older adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 26(6), 1378. Kornell, N., & Metcalfe, J. (2006). “Blockers” do not block memory during tip-of-the-tongue states. Metacognition and learning, 1(3), 248--261. Schwartz, B. (2008). Working memory load differentially influences tip-of-the-tongue states and sense-of-knowledge judgments. Memory and Cognition, 36(1), 9--19.White, K., Abrams, L., & Frame, E. (2013). Semantic category moderates phonological priming of proper name retrieval during tip-of-the-tongue states. Language and Cognitive Processes, 28(4), 561--576.Yarmey, A. (1973). I Recognize Your Face But Can't Remember Your Name: More Evidence for the Tip of the Tongue Phenomenon. Memory and cognition, 1(3), 287--290.