Speech

Structure of a speech

1. Introduction
a. Greeting to guests (salutations)
b. Opening words (thank guests, etc) (formalities)
2. Body
a. Transition
b. Presentation of topic
c. Main ideas
3. Closing
a. Transition
b. Restatement/ summary
c. Closing words (thank you)

Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction)

Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples)
Tell them what you told them (The ending)

Points to note

- Audience awareness
o Students? (peers)
o Are teachers/the principal present?
o General public?
o What do the audience know about the topic?
- Tone and style
- FORMAL/ INFORMAL (use contractions in either case)

- Be interesting. Don’t bore the audiences. (A)

o I don't want to alarm anybody in this room, but it's just come to my
attention that the person to your right is a liar. Also, the person to your left
is a liar. Also the person sitting in your very seats is a liar. We're all liars. What
I'm going to do today is I'm going to show you what the research says about why we're all liars, how you
can become a lie-spotter and why you might want to go the extra mile and go from lie-spotting to truth
seeking, and ultimately to trust building.
o Let’s be honest. We’ve all lied. In fact, I could confidently claim that 95% of
you have lied today. To those who would claim that they’re the remaining
5%, congratulations – you’re the biggest bunch of liars here. Its only human
nature for us to lie, whether to cover up our wrongdoings, or to protect
others feelings.
- Ask questions. Keep the audience on their feet. (And, it’s a more interesting way to
introduce a new idea)
- Rhetorical questions can be a nice way to keep the audience involved.(B)
o Okay, what were the tell-tale signs? Well first we heard what's known as a
non-contracted denial. Studies show that people who are overdetermined in their denial will
resort to formal rather than informal language…
o Now we're going to look at the hot spots. Can you tell what's happening in a
conversation? Can you start to find the hot spots to see the discrepancies
between someone's words and someone's actions? Now I know it seems
really obvious, but when you're having a conversation with someone you
suspect of deception, attitude is by far the most overlooked but telling of
indicators…
o We could work together. Why be enemies? Because we’re different? Is that
why? Think of the things that we could do. Think how strong we would be.
Earth… and Mars… Together.

- Be aware of the audience. Refer to the audiences as ‘you’ ; and the audience and
and yourself as ‘we’. (C)
o You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all
costs—Victory in spite of all terror—Victory, however long and hard the
road may be, for without victory there is no survival.
o We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be; we shall fight on the
beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields
and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...
o Now we're going to look at the hot spots. Can you tell what's happening in a
conversation? Can you start to find the hot spots to see the discrepancies
between someone's words and someone's actions?

- Use dialogues as examples if possible. It adds a new tone to your speech. (D)
o ‘The dog ate my paper! I’m telling the truth!’ ‘No, darling, you don’t look fat
in that pretty dress of yours.’ ‘I’m sorry, i really am. It’ll just take me 5
minutes, I’m on my way, trust me,’ We’ve all told lies like these at one point
or another in our lives.

- Keep topic sentence precise and concise. It’ll be more memorable. Short sentences
are preferable. (E)
o …, co-education promotes gender equality, equal opportunities and a sense
of fair competition between both sexes. It encourages girls to prove that they can do as
well as or even better than boys. Furthermore, understanding, mutual respect and cooperation can be
developed between boys and girls through school team projects. The idea that co-education makes tom-
boys out of girls, or it makes boys soft and effeminate, is just deceptive.
o …, co-educational schools undoubtedly enjoy better discipline. Don’t you see that
boys under co-education tend to be more polite, reserved and respectful? Bad habits like smoking,
drinking, gambling and using foul languageare rare when boys and girls study together. There is also
plenty of evidence that co-education is key to promoting a healthy social life and fostering gender-equal
society. Our second speaker will develop this point. [My second speaker will look at this point, and my
third speaker will look at the long-term benefits of the co-educational policy.
 o …, from an economic and administrative point of view, co-education can pull
resources, man-power and facilities together. A lot of time, effort and money can be
saved as a result. Parents can also feel more convenient and less troublesome when their sons and
daughters can study together in the same school.

- Repetition is not necessarily a bad thing, if you use it correctly. It could, in fact,
strengthen your message. (F)
o We have what we need to do so. We have everything we need to meet
those challenges. After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and
most respected nation on earth.
o Now is the time for bold unprecedented action. It is time to ask each other –
which side of history will you be on? As a citizen of our planet, it is time to
declare no more talk. No more excuses. No more ten-year studies. No more
allowing the fossil fuel companies to manipulate and dictate the science and
policies that affect our future
o I stand before you as someone who is not opposed to war in all
circumstances. The Civil War was one of the bloodiest in history, and yet it was only through the
crucible of the sword, the sacrifice of multitudes, that we could begin to perfect this union and drive the
scourge of slavery from our soil.
I don't oppose all wars. My grandfather signed up for a war the day after Pearl Harbor was
bombed, fought in Patton's army. He fought in the name of a larger freedom, part of that arsenal of
democracy that triumphed over evil.
I don't oppose all wars.
After September 11, after witnessing the carnage and destruction, the dust and the tears, I supported
this administration's pledge to hunt down and root out those who would slaughter innocents in the name
of intolerance, and I would willingly take up arms myself to prevent such tragedy from happening again.
I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am
opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by
Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other armchair, weekend warriors in this administration to shove
their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships
borne.
That's what I'm opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on
reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics.

- Do sum up your speech. Call for action. Remind the audience, for one last time, what
your message is. (G)
o I speak of peace because of the new face of war. Total war makes no sense in an age when great powers
can maintain large and relatively invulnerable nuclear forces and refuse to surrender without resort to
those forces…
Today the expenditure of billions of dollars every year on weapons acquired for the purpose of making
sure we never need to use them is essential to keeping the peace…
But we shall also do our part to build a world of peace where the weak are
safe and the strong are just. We are not helpless before that task or
hopeless of its success. Confident and unafraid, we labour on--not toward a
strategy of annihilation but toward a strategy of peace.
o On one hand, the government has to deal with the terrorists with a very firm
hand, and on the other the minorities have to be protected and right
at-mosphere created for the functioning of a genuine democracy. The
terrorism of the terrorists of terrorizing the terrorized has to be con-tained.
- Try to be optimistic in your conclusion. End the speech on a positive note. (H)
o And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it
ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we
will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and
white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join
hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

- Assert urgency at the end, if you like a challenge. Evoke a sense of urgency in the
audience for the grand effect. (I)
o There is no doubt in the world’s scientific community that this a direct result of human activity and that
the effects of climate change will become astronomically worse in the future. You know that climate
change is happening faster than even the most pessimistic of scientists warned us decades ago. It has
become a runaway freight train bringing with it an impending disaster for all living things…
That is our charge now – you are the last best hope of Earth. We ask you to
protect it. Or we – and all living things we cherish – are history.
USEFUL EXPRESSION FOR SPEECHES

a. Salutations
*** Good morning/afternoon/ evening
- Ladies and Gentlemen
- Distinguished participants in the conference,
- Professor Chan, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Students

b. Opening words
- it gives me great pleasure to address you on this auspicious occation of our alumni
reunion
- it is a great pleasure to be here with you today
- It is a pleasure for me to be here once again to talk with you in my capacity as
President of the Student Council.
- Thank you very much for inviting me to speak here today
- I wish to extend my sincerest thanks to you for this opportunity to present …
- I feel privileged to be here with you in the lovely city of Sydney today and it
is a great honour to speak at your meeting. You have chosen a very crucial topic…

c. Presentation of the topic

- Today I would like to report to you on the results of our meeting.
- I want to take this opportunity to share some of these challenges with you. But first I
would like to say a few words about what we have achieved so far…
- I am not going to explain them in any great detail. I just want to highlight a few of
the crucial policy decisions

d. Connectives
- First and foremost
- This brings me to my second point, which is about
- I want to conclude with a few words on/about
- by making a few comments / remarks about/on
- As I said at the start of my speech

e. Starting a sentence
- I am not hiding the fact that
- i have no hesitation in saying that
- But I would say that I do not personally believe that
- The truth/problem/ paradox is that-
- My starting premise here is that

f. Discussion of a topic
- One might observe - with hindsight – that
- I don't see how we could disregard those
- This is where transparency is of paramount importance
- I know it has been claimed on many previous occasions that
g. Thanks
- I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all those who actively participated in the
competition.
- I would also like to thank all those who contributed to the success of the IST
Conference.
- In the closing stages of this conference I would like to thank you all for your valuable
contributions
- I would like to thank everyone involved in this territory-wide project.
- I also want to thank the Financial Committee for all its support and hard work.

h. Closing words
- This brings me to my last point, which is
- To sum up the challenges facing us
- Allow me to wish you a very successful and productive conference day
- With these few introductory remarks/observations I am now available for
comments and questions
You are a member of the school debating club. Your club is entering a debating contest and
the motion is Nuclear power is the best source of energy for the future. Decide whether you
are for or against the motion and write your debate speech. The members with the best
speeches will be chosen to represent the school at the competition.
(Learning English through Debating)

You want to give a speech at the following conference: Write a speech for the conference.
Growing up in H.K. in the 21st Century
A conference for young people aged 13 – 18
We are looking for students to give short talks on the topic of ‘The joys of being a teenager
in Hong Kong’
(Learning English through Social Issues )

You are the President of the Student Union at your school. You are preparing a speech to
welcome new students on the first day of school. In order to help students achieve success
and have an enjoyable school life, you want to talk about the following in your speech:
i. Importance of following school rules; and
j. Importance of interpersonal relationships.
The first part of the speech has been written for you. Finish the speech.
Good morning Principal, teachers and fellow students
On behalf of the Students’ Union, I’d like to welcome all of you to our school. I am sure we
all want to achieve success and have an enjoyable school life, so this morning I’d like to give
you some advice.
(part A)

You have won the Best All-round Student Award at your school. You are giving a speech to
your fellow students to share the secret of success. You are greatly inspired by the following
popular song about making every moment count.
Once in a lifetime
means there’s no second chance
so I believe that you and me
should grab it while we can
(Learning English through Poems and Songs)
My fellow schoolmates, as the Best All-round Student, I’m honoured to share with you today
my secret of success.

A Best All-round Student may suggest a ‘superman’ who can do everything at his best.
However, this is not true. I can’t do everything at my best. I sometimes fail too. Though I’m
good at exams and also sports, there is still much room for improvement. However, I
strongly believe that time waits for no man. We have to cherish our time and every
opportunity we have. I came across this belief when I listened to an old song years ago. One
of the lines in this song reads:

Once in a lifetime
means there’s no second chance
so I believe that you and me
should grab it while we can

“Once in a lifetime means there’s no second chance’’ strikes me a lot. It’s very true that
many things happen just once in a lifetime. Actually every moment counts. Therefore,
grabbing every opportunity to do my best is always the key to my success. Every day is
precious, including my time at school and also after school. I like to make good use of every
moment to learn and enjoy getting along with classmates and friends at school. Growing
with my buddies is indeed a wonderful experience. I find it very true that as long as you
enjoy doing something, you’ll be good at it. So why not enjoy your time studying the
subjects you like, or even studying together as a small group? This may help you get better
results in exams!

After school, I like to join various school clubs and activities to broaden my horizons, and to
enlarge my exposure to something interesting, such as chess, athletics and music. I really
enjoy learning new things. At school, there are plenty of opportunities for us to learn. Extra-
curricular activities are very wide-ranging, and there must be some which you’ll find
fascinating.

‘I believe that you and me should grab it while we can’ also strikes me. Not everyone is
given the chance to enjoy so many activities at this stage in our lives, so we should embrace
everything because we are so well provided for. If you can find one or two activities that
you’re really interested in, please try to work hard in them, and perhaps you may be one of
the school team members getting awards for our school!

I hope my speech has given you inspiration. You’ll soon be the next student getting the Best
All-round Student Award. Thank you.

(426 words) (~lv5)

Principal, teachers and fellow students,

On behalf of the Students' Union, I'd like to welcome all of you to our school. I'm sure we want to
achieve success and have an enjoyable school life, so this morning I'd like to give you some advice.

To commence with, I believe following school rules is of cardinal importance to not just the
school's operation, but also every school member. As the proverb goes, "To err is human.
We have all made mistakes ever since we are born - cheating, copying homework, lying and
so on. Being a microcosm of society, the school has the responsibility to teach you to
distinguish right from wrong, which is evident in our strict school rules. The prime objective
of setting up these rules is not to punish you, but to help you establish right values, such as
integrity, leadership, responsibility and so on. Idealistic as it seems immersing in such kind of
environment would help shape your future character, thus enhancing your future personal
development.

'No entrance to the restricted areas. No eating or drinking in classrooms...’

These hard and fast rules are definitely unfamiliar to you, if not frightening. While our school
places premium on obedience to school rules, it might be hard for you to understand the
rationale behind these rules right away. Please be assured that we will give you a helping
hand - we have arranged several student ambassadors to explain the rules to you after this
morning session, during which you are welcome to raise questions. Our students and
teachers would appreciate it if you have any enquiries, as we want you to know that we care
about you. While we persist in imposing rules fair and square, friendly reminders would be
uploaded to the Internet so as to make sure you all have access to them.

Aside from the school rules, I would like to touch on the topic of friendship. What do you
think about friendships? Truth be told, I am grateful to have met my best friends in this
school, who accompanied me through thick and thin over six years. I believe it is equally
important to all of you, as friends are meant to share happiness and sorrow with us. Having
a sophisticated network of friends is not only conducive to sharing invaluable memories
together, but school friends also serve as your support system when you encounter
challenges at work, for example, group projects and interviews. It may as well benefit you
when you have grown up and are to search for work. Most importantly, they may be the
ones who deal with the highs and lows together with you in your school life and even after
graduation.

Leaving your old friend zone and developing new comradeship might be another difficult
task, yet please remember we all have walked through this path. Taking the initiative to chat
with the ones beside you is definitely a good start - why not give it a try? Smiling at each
other or nodding your head may also help leave an amicable impression on others, be them
teachers or schoolmates.

Let us once again welcome the new students with a warm round of applause. I hope my
sharing will serve you well in your school year. May I wish you all the best. Thank you.

(511 words) (lv 5**)

Principal, teachers and fellow students,

On behalf of the Students' Union, I'd like to welcome all of you to our school. I'm sure we want to
achieve success and have an enjoyable school life, so this morning I'd like to give you some advice.

With a view to helping you integrate into the school life of a secondary school student, I
would like to remind you about your responsibility to follow school rules. Putting on our
school's uniform, you are a representative of the Hong Kong College. As such, you should
avoid disobeying the school rules within or outside the campus, failing which you will
jeopardize the school's image as a college which emphasizes both academic excellence and
interpersonal development.

I suggest you take a look at our school's handbook that you received this morning. Inside the
handbook is a list of our school regulations which tell you the dos and don’ts at school. Not
only do the rules act as a means for the school to maintain its reputation, but also guidelines
which protect you from personal injuries. For instance, rules like "do not run in the
restrooms" are for your own safety as the school does not want you to slip and fall on a wet
floor.

Apart from complying with the school regulations, please bear in mind the importance of
developing healthy relationships with people on the campus. The reason why Hong Kong
College has been making great achievements in all aspects is our coordinated efforts. If you
had come to our Open Day last year, you would remember how we, teachers and parents
joined hands in organizing an array of meaningful activities. This highlights the importance of
establishing harmonious relationships with members of our Hong Kong College family, which
you would receive good advice from senior students and help from your schoolmates. Good
interpersonal relationships will ensure you a fruitful and rewarding life here as you take part
in various academic and non-academic activities.

To achieve this, please remember to have respect for everyone: greet the teachers and seek
their advice politely. Avoid being rude or boorish, which can put off the people around you.
Always be courteous to everyone. By doing so, you will help foster a friendly environment.

With an effort to conform to school rules and build up good interpersonal relationships, I'm
sure you'll enjoy a most wonderful school life here in this school. Thank you.

(359 words) (5**)