How to Structure a Speech

Good speeches require strong, logical structures. There are many elements to writing a good speech, but here we will focus on the structure of a good speech.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Get the audience's attention. There are countless ways to do this. Examples of frequently used attention grabbers include quotations, stories and startling statistics. Relate the attention grabber to the topic you are addressing.

2. Preview the main points of your speech. This may feel silly, but it helps the reader anticipate what they are about to hear, which makes the speech easier to follow.

3. Address the main points, or body, of your speech. Use segues to transition between the main points you are addressing.

4. When concluding your speech, recap the main points of the speech. Again, this may feel redundant while you are doing it, but it is very useful.

5. Reinforce the general idea of your speech. This is particularly necessary when making an argument.

6. Call the audience to action. Tell them what they can or should do based on what you have just told them.

Tips & Warnings

• The common rule of thumb for structuring speeches is: "Tell them what you are going to say, tell them, and tell them what you said." This will help the audience follow what you are saying and remember the main points of your speech.
• Don't get caught up in your notes. Pauses and occasional stumbling are less distracting than someone reading their notes the whole time.

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