How to Write a Speech

You may feel nervous and stressed when you speak in front of a class, company, or at an event, but an effective speech prepared in advance will give you more confidence. With careful planning and attention to detail, you’ll be able to write a speech that informs, persuades, inspires, or entertains your audience! Take the time to compose your speech and practice it many times for the best results.

Table of Contents

Write effective speeches

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Study the topic carefully. If it’s an informative or persuasive presentation, do your research! This will give your presentation credibility and make your arguments much more convincing. Look for academic sources such as books, scientific journals, articles and government websites to find information and support your arguments. ^{[1] X Research Source}

If you’re writing a speech in front of a class, be sure to check with your teacher for details on how many and what resources are acceptable.

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Make an outline that includes your thesis and main ideas. Organizing your ideas and research into an outline is a great way to check for completeness and coherence before you begin writing a draft. In general, a speech should have an introduction, 5 main ideas with evidence (such as statistics, quotes, examples, and anecdotes) and a conclusion. Use a numbered outline or just write down what you need to say with bullet points. ^{[2] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source}

If you’re writing an informative or persuasive presentation, organize your presentation into a problem-and-solution structure. Start by mentioning something wrong, then explain how to fix it in the second half of your speech. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Tip : Remember that you can always revise your outline later or while you’re writing a draft. At this step, you can write down any information that seems relevant and remember that you may have to omit it later.

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Choose a catchphrase to grab your audience’s attention right from the start. The first sentence of a speech can be the most important part, as that’s when the audience decides whether or not to continue listening. Depending on the topic and purpose of your speech, you can start with something witty or emotional, scary or shocking to engage your audience. ^{[4] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to Source}

For example, if it’s an inspirational speech about weight loss, you might say something like, “Five years ago, I couldn’t even get on an airplane or a flight of stairs without stopping halfway through. breath.”
For the purpose of persuading the audience to reduce fossil fuel use, you can open with the sentence “Gasoline vehicles are one of the culprits causing global warming, threatening to destroy the planet. our.”

READ More: Matthew Gray Gubler

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Link the topic you’re about to talk about with a broader issue to give context. Depending on the type of topic, your audience may not feel relevant if you don’t explain. This is extremely important if your topic doesn’t seem relevant to your audience and is therefore difficult to capture their attention. Think about the broader context and the relevance of the topic you are about to cover in that context. Why should people care about this topic? ^{[5] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source}

For example, if you are giving a presentation on fundraising for Alzheimer’s research, you should provide information about the prevalence and impact of Alzheimer’s disease on families. You can complete the intro with a combination of stats and a story.

Tip: The introduction should be in one paragraph or double-spaced page. This saves you from spending too much time getting into the context before getting into the main body of the topic. ^{[6] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to Source}

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Arrange the main ideas in logical order. After introducing the topic and providing context, jump right into the arguments. State each point and provide additional information, evidence, facts, and statistics to support the arguments. Set aside about one paragraph for each idea. ^{[7] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source}

For example, in a speech calling for an end to animal testing of cosmetics, you might start by arguing that animal testing is cruel, then explain that this is unnecessary, continuing. followed by a list of possible alternatives.

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State the new topic and summarize what was presented. Another way to help your audience understand your arguments is to give a general sentence or two before moving on to a new topic, and finally recapitulate the content in a sentence or two after paraphrasing. . Use simple, easy-to-understand words in your introduction and summary so your audience understands your main points. ^{[8] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to Source}

For example, if you are going to present the concept of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), briefly explain what the concept is, then describe in detail and how it relates to your thesis. you, ending with a summary of the main idea you want to present.

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Use linking words to guide the audience throughout the speech. Connecting words help your speech flow more smoothly and help your audience see the connections between ideas. You may not notice linking words when reading or writing, but without them, your writing will be fragmented and clumsy. Double-check to make sure your speech includes linking words. Some linking words and phrases include: ^{[9] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source}

Then
Next
Before
After
Firstly
Monday
In that moment
Next week

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End your speech with a call to action. As you near the end of your speech, your audience will likely be excited and ready for action. Encourage your audience to explore and contribute solutions to the problem you just presented by suggesting how they might do it. This is a great opportunity for you to share resources with your audience and get them engaged. ^{[10] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source}

For example, if you just gave a presentation about the effect of global warming on polar bear populations, end your speech by providing information about nonprofits that work to protect polar bears. environment and polar bear population.
If you just shared your weight loss story to motivate your audience, suggest things they can do to start their weight loss journey and share resources that you found helpful.

Make your speech attractive

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Use short and simple sentences. Unnecessarily loud words can upset the audience. Similarly, lengthy and complex sentences can be confusing and confusing. You should stick to simple language for most of your speech. Only use complex words if there is no other way to express the idea you want to convey. ^{[11] X Research Source}

For example, instead of saying, “Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is vitally important to human survival, because it allows you to have the dexterity that gives you more confidence.” and a sense of success,” you should say, “A healthy weight allows you to be more active, and this can help you live a happier life.”
You should also note the use of sentences with different structures. Speech will be richer if each page has 1-2 sentences long, just remember to avoid using too much. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Prefer to use nouns over pronouns to clarify meaning. You can use pronouns from time to time, especially when they help you avoid repeating the same word more than once. However, using too many pronouns can make it difficult for the audience to understand the meaning of the sentence and understand what you are saying. Choose proper nouns (names of people, places, and things) whenever possible and avoid overusing pronouns. Some commonly used pronouns include: ^{[13] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source}

It
he/he
she/she
they/them
we
that
those things

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Repeat a word or phrase several times throughout the speech. Repetition is an effective measure when writing speech. While repetition in written text can be distracting, repeating a word or phrase several times throughout a speech can help emphasize your argument and engage your audience. ^{[14] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to source}

For example, if you’re speaking to a group of sales associates looking to increase sales of a new product called “Synergy,” you might repeat a simple sentence like, “Tell me about it.” your customers about Synergy”, or you can simply say “Synergy” a few times during your speech to remind your audience of this product.
If you’re writing a motivational speech about how running can help people overcome emotional obstacles, you can repeat a phrase like “Running through pain” from time to time.

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Limit stats and citations to avoid audience fatigue. It may seem like your argument will be more convincing if it is accompanied by a lot of statistics and quotes from experts, but in fact this often has the opposite effect. Limit yourself to one or two statistics or citations for each idea, and use only numbers and quotes that really make sense. ^{[15] X Trusted Source University of North Carpina Writing Center Go to Source}

For example, when giving a presentation on the mating behavior of North American elk, just two statistics about the decline in elk populations over the past 50 years is enough to impress your audience. . If you cite a series of complex figures, the presentation will be less engaging and may confuse the audience.
Choose easy-to-understand quotes and remember to paraphrase each quote to strengthen your argument. Try to choose sentences that have simple language and are no longer than two lines.

Steps

Write effective speeches

Make your speech attractive

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