Giving a speech is important for academics and for many jobs. There are many kinds of speeches. Some speeches explain something, while other speeches try to change people’s thinking about something. In this unit, you will learn how to give a speech describing and explaining how to do something.
Your speech should include the following information:
- Introduction (your topic)
- A short explanation of your topic
- Clear, step-by-step directions, using transition words
- Why we should know how to do your topic
- Conclusion (your topic again)
Example:
/Introduction/ Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Nicole, and I am here today to teach you how to make paper fortune tellers.Introduction /Short explanation of your topic/ A paper fortune teller is a like a magic 8 ball—it is an object American children use in a game. In the game, people ask questions about their future. The paper fortune teller gives them their answers. Short explanation of your topic /Clear, step-by-step directions, using transition words/ To make a paper fortune teller, you need a square piece of paper, like this. First, you fold the paper in half diagonally to make a triangle. Next…
…now we have a paper fortune teller! Paper fortune tellers are fun to make and play with. Clear, step-by-step directions, using transition words Also, they are good for practicing your English, especially future grammar. /Conclusion (your topic again)/ In short, I hope that everyone enjoyed learning how to make paper fortune tellers with me today. Thank you. Conclusion (your topic again)
For this kind of speech, it is important to use good transition words, appropriate verbs, and time conjunctions/imperatives.
Transition words
- First/foremost
- Second
- Next/then/after that
- Finally/lastly
- Overall, in conclusion/in short
Correct verbs are very important for explaining how to do something.
Here are some useful verbs you might use:
- Fold
- Flip
- Turn over
- Stop
- Turn on/off
- Cut
- Take
- Find
- Hold
- Wait
- Continue
- Get
For cooking - boil, fry, bake, mix, stir, beat, chop, slice
Time conjunctions (when, while, after, before, until, by the time, as soon as) are also very useful. When explaining how to do something, we often use imperatives instead of “will” in the second clause:
- When the cookies are brown, take them out of the oven.
- After you look at the card, give it to me.
- As soon as you start to feel sad, think about a happy experience.
How do I know if my speech is good?
Your speech has these 5 parts:
- An introduction
- An explanation of your topic
- Step-by-step instructions
- Why we should know how to do your topic
- A conclusion
You use:
- Good pronunciation
- Good grammar
- Appropriate vocabulary
- Transition words
- Good energy
Your speech is:
- Organized
- Interesting
It is clear that you:
- Researched
- Practiced
Exercise
Please open the exercise to continue.