What type of speech difficulty characterizes an individual with a fluency disorder?

Fluency disorders are primarily characterized by disruptions in the flow of speech, which manifest as interruptions and non-smooth speech patterns. Individuals with fluency disorders may exhibit behaviors such as repetition of sounds, syllables, or words, prolongation of sounds, and blocks in speech that hinder the natural rhythm of verbal expression. These disruptions can make the speech appear hesitant or choppy, significantly affecting communication.

The other options do not accurately represent fluency disorders. For instance, continuous speech without interruption suggests a smooth flow, which contradicts the nature of fluency disorders. Distortions in pronunciation relate more to articulation disorders, and the inability to construct sentences pertains to language disorders rather than fluency. Therefore, the identification of interruptions and non-smooth speech as characteristic of a fluency disorder is essential for recognizing and understanding these communication challenges.