Writing the Text for a Speech Flashcards
All 10 cards in this deck
What are the main features of a speech?
A greeting to the audience, direct address, signposting, rhetorical devices built for the ear, a memorable ending, and often thanks at the close.
How should a speech greet its audience?
To suit the occasion: "Good evening, councillors", "Fellow students", "Ladies and gentlemen". It shows at once that you know who you're talking to.
Why does a speech need signposting?
Listeners can't re-read, so phrases like "My first reason…" or "Let me turn to…" help them follow the argument.
Why does repetition work especially well in a speech?
Listeners remember what they hear repeatedly. Repeating a key phrase creates rhythm and fixes your message in their minds.
What do inclusive pronouns (we, us, our) do in a speech?
They make speaker and audience a team with a shared problem, so agreeing with you feels natural.
What technique is used in "We can wait. We can hope. Or we can act.", and what is its effect?
A tricolon with repetition of "We can". The short sentences build to a climax, so the final option, acting, feels like the only sensible choice.
How do you write "for the ear" in a speech?
Vary sentence length: short sentences for emphasis, questions that the audience answer in their heads, and patterns that are easy to follow aloud.
How should a speech end?
With a call to action, a return to your opening image, or a short, punchy line, then "Thank you for listening."
Should you write stage directions such as (pauses) or (audience claps) in a speech?
No. Show the drama through the writing itself, e.g. a short sentence on its own line creates a pause naturally.
How would a speech to a school assembly differ from one to councillors on the same topic?
The assembly speech can be warmer and more personal, with examples from school life; the council speech needs a formal register and proposals the council has the power to carry out.