A patient's speech sounds unusual. Before revealing the answer, decide what distinguishes catatonic speech disturbance from talking past the point.

Ask whether the unusual quality lies in how the words are delivered, or in whether the content of the answers is actually correct. Catatonic speech disturbance differs from talking past the point, in which the content of answers is characteristically approximate or oblique, whereas catatonic speech disturbance concerns vocal quality and delivery: strange or stilted intonation, falsetto or staccato tone, a strangled vocal quality, or continuous whispering, with the content of what is said not necessarily inaccurate at all. Talking past the point, by contrast, involves answers that are delivered in an entirely normal vocal manner but whose content is consistently, noticeably wrong despite clear understanding of the question. Whether the abnormality lies in delivery versus content is the key distinguishing feature.