how to prepare for a impromptu speech

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How to Give a Great Impromptu Speech

Last Updated: March 19, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 411,558 times.

Most speeches are the result of careful planning, revision and practice. There may be times, however, when a situation demands that you give an impromptu speech with little or no time to prepare. When you find yourself in an unexpected public speaking scenario, you’ll be improvising what you say, which means you’ll have to be able to think on your feet. Following a basic structure, pacing yourself and staying composed will help you deliver an oration you can be proud of, or at least survive with minimal embarrassment.

Setting Up an Unexpected Speech

• Most of the time when you’re giving an impromptu speech, you’ll be singled out to say a few words on the spot. Since you’ll only have a few moments, preparing yourself is more about getting yourself in the right state of mind than it is knowing exactly what you’re going to say.
• If you really need to milk it, you can buy yourself some extra time by shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries or adjusting the microphone stand before speaking.

• Assume that everyone around you wants to see you succeed. This will help put you at ease. Expecting yourself to fail will only destroy your composure and make you more fearful of your audience.
• Confront the reality of your situation to avoid being blindsided by panic. Accept that you have to give a speech and then focus all your resources on giving a good one.

• Oftentimes, the more confident you make yourself appear, the more confident you’ll feel.
• Relax! Speaking in front of a crowd is not that big a deal. Even if you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world.

• Don’t just jump right into the main idea of your speech. Test the waters by getting used to speaking and sharing a little about yourself first.

Delivering an Effective Speech

• Use simple sentences that follow a logical progression and enunciate your words carefully to keep yourself from getting tongue-tied.
• Slowing yourself down a little will give your mind time to catch up and formulate new ideas.

• Two minutes will fly by once you start speaking. Despite your reservations about being put on the spot, you may actually find it harder to give a short speech than a long one.

• A good way to give your speech a solid beginning, middle and end is to present details chronologically. For example start with “when I first became friends with John, he…”, follow that up with “now that we’re coworkers, we have more fun than ever…” and conclude with “I have no doubt that the future of our friendship will be just as entertaining.”
• When describing personal experiences, avoid sharing opinions on irrelevant controversial subjects.

• Humor is a great icebreaker and also makes it easier to hold your audience’s attention.
• Be sure any jokes you make are suitable for the age and demographic of your audience, as well as the occasion itself.

Ending on a High Note

• As with the rest of your speech, keep your conclusion brief. It’s alright to sign off with a simple “thank you for your time” or “let’s hear it for the newlyweds.”

• If you’re planning on making a specific request or appeal, as for a business conference, the end of your speech is the proper time to do it.
• The conclusion is the perfect occasion to come out with something especially heartfelt. Emotions will run high and the crowd will be moved by your sentiments.

• You don’t have to thank every important figure at the event individually. A general expression of gratitude is all that’s needed.
• Be clear who you’re supposed to hand the microphone or floor off to so that you don’t end your speech by looking around in confusion. [11] X Research source

• Impromptu speeches are mostly appraised by the willingness of the speaker to rise to the occasion. There’s no sense in being too critical of your performance since you’ll have had no time to work on it beforehand.

Expert Q&A

• Practice for unexpected speaking scenarios by volunteering to give impromptu speeches at casual events. Thanks Helpful 19 Not Helpful 2
• If you're using a microphone, stay within optimal range for your voice to be amplified. Don't move the microphone too close or too far away from your mouth. Thanks Helpful 16 Not Helpful 2
• While brainstorming, quickly come up with three or four main points to cover. Thanks Helpful 20 Not Helpful 4

Tips from our Readers

• Speak clearly and be confident. This will make you seem more credible even if some parts of your speech aren't as strong as others.
• Don't waste your time by writing full sentences, write bullet points and then expand on them when you give the speech.
• Make sure not to be too cocky or sound sarcastic, or you might not win over the audience.
• Use your own stories. Relate the topic to some of the moments in your life.

• Steer clear of subjects you don't know much about. Thanks Helpful 14 Not Helpful 2
• Be careful not to offend your audience. Not only is it bad form and will make your speech be perceived as a failure, it could actually harm your standing among your acquaintances. Thanks Helpful 13 Not Helpful 3
• Take a moment to get your appearance in order before presenting yourself. Steal a quick glance in the mirror or have a trusted friend tell you if your hair is a mess, your shirt is untucked, you have food stuck in your teeth, etc. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 3
• Don't use generic, pre-written speeches pulled from the internet or oration guidebooks. These can easily come off as stilted and inorganic. Your audience will be able to tell if you're simply going through the motions. Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 4

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Lynn Kirkham. Public Speaking Coach. Expert Interview. 20 November 2019.
• ↑ http://wittcom.com/how-to-develop-confidence-speaking/
• ↑ http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/how-to-impromptu-speech/
• ↑ http://www.askmen.com/money/body_and_mind_150/192b_better_living.html
• ↑ http://www.write-out-loud.com/how-to-use-humor-effectively.html
• ↑ https://speakingwithoutnet.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/ending-on-a-high-note-the-last-sentence/
• ↑ https://www.workingvoices.com/insights/presenting-how-to-react-when-you-make-a-mistake/

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How to Master the Art of the Impromptu Speech: 13 Practical Tips

• The Speaker Lab
• August 14, 2024

Table of Contents

Impromptu speeches can strike fear into the hearts of even the most seasoned speakers. The thought of standing up in front of a crowd with little to no preparation is enough to make your palms sweat and your heart race. But here’s the thing: with the right mindset and a few key strategies, you can absolutely crush your next impromptu speech.

Whether you’re speaking at a meeting, a wedding, or any other unexpected occasion, our pro tips will help you organize your thoughts, engage your audience, and speak with confidence. So, let’s dive in and discover how you can become an impromptu speaking rockstar!

What Is an Impromptu Speech?

If you’ve ever been asked to speak at an event without much notice, you know the feeling of panic that can set in. Suddenly, you’re expected to come up with something insightful and engaging to say in front of a crowd—with little to no time to prepare. This, my friend, is the dreaded impromptu speech.

But here’s the thing: impromptu speeches are a part of life. Whether it’s a toast at a wedding , a few words at a company meeting, or a class assignment, there will be times when you need to speak off-the-cuff. And while it can be nerve-wracking, mastering the art of impromptu speaking is a valuable skill that can serve you well in both your personal and professional life.

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Impromptu Speech Definition

So, what exactly is an impromptu speech? Simply put, it’s a speech that you have to make without much or any time to prepare. You might be given a topic on the spot, or you might have to come up with one yourself. Either way, you don’t have the luxury of crafting a carefully-written script or rehearsing your delivery.

Examples of an Impromptu Speech

Impromptu speeches can take many forms, from lighthearted toasts to serious discussions. In school, teachers might use impromptu speeches as homework assignments to help students develop communication skills and prepare for real-life situations. These speeches can be based on a wide range of prompts, from current events to celebrities to sports.

In the world of competitive public speaking , impromptu is a popular event. Participants have just a few minutes to select a topic, brainstorm ideas, outline their speech, and deliver it—all without the aid of notes. These speeches often follow a standard structure, with an introduction, body, and conclusion, and can be either serious or humorous in tone.

However, impromptu speeches aren’t just for students and competitors. In our daily lives, we might be called upon to say a few words at a birthday party, give a quick update at a meeting, or even deliver a eulogy at a funeral. The key is to be prepared for these moments, so you can speak with clarity and purpose—even when you don’t have time to prepare.

Tips for Delivering an Effective Impromptu Speech

So, you need to give an impromptu speech. Maybe it’s at a wedding, or a company meeting, or even a class assignment. Whatever the occasion, the prospect of standing up and speaking off-the-cuff can be intimidating. But fear not. With a few key strategies, you can learn to deliver effective impromptu speeches with confidence and ease.

Focus on What You Already Know

When you’re given an impromptu speech topic, it’s tempting to try to come up with something entirely new and original. But the trick is to not overthink it; you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Instead, focus on what you already know. Draw on your own experiences, knowledge, and opinions to craft a speech that feels authentic and genuine.

For example, if you’re asked to speak about a current event, think about how it relates to your own life or work. If you’re dealing with a more abstract topic, like “happiness” or “success,” consider what those concepts mean to you personally. By grounding your speech in your own perspective, you’ll be able to speak with authority and conviction.

Pretend You’re Having a Conversation

One of the biggest challenges of impromptu speaking is the pressure to perform. When you’re standing in front of a crowd, it’s easy to feel like you need to be polished and perfect. But here’s the thing: your audience doesn’t expect perfection. They just want to hear what you have to say.

So, instead of trying to deliver a flawless speech, pretend you’re having a conversation. Imagine you’re talking to a friend or colleague, and speak in a natural, conversational tone. Use simple language and short sentences, and don’t be afraid to pause or take a breath when you need to. By speaking like a human, rather than a robot, you’ll be able to connect with your audience on a more personal level.

Finish Early

When you’re giving an impromptu speech, it can be tempting to try to fill up all the allotted time. After all, you don’t want to seem unprepared or like you don’t have enough to say. But here’s a counterintuitive tip: it’s okay to finish early. In fact, finishing early can be a sign of confidence and clarity. If you’ve made your point and don’t have anything else to add, there’s no need to ramble on just for the sake of filling time. Instead, wrap up your speech with a strong conclusion and a clear call-to-action. Your audience will appreciate your brevity and your ability to get to the point.

Don’t Panic

Finally, the most important tip for delivering an effective impromptu speech is simply this: don’t panic. It’s normal to feel nervous or anxious when you’re asked to speak without preparation. But remember, your audience is on your side. They want you to succeed, and they’re not expecting perfection.

So take a deep breath, smile, and remind yourself that you’ve got this. Focus on your message, speak from the heart, and trust that your words will resonate with your listeners. With a little practice and a lot of self-confidence, you’ll be delivering killer impromptu speeches in no time.

Impromptu Speech Frameworks and Techniques

If you’re about to give an impromptu speech and have just a few minutes to prepare, don’t panic. There are some simple frameworks and techniques you can use to structure your thoughts quickly and deliver a coherent, engaging speech. Namely, there’s the diplomatic approach, the storytelling approach, and the 5 W’s framwork.

The Diplomatic Approach

One useful framework for impromptu speeches is the diplomatic approach. Start by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the topic, then wrap up with a conclusion. This allows you to present a balanced perspective and speak for a longer time than some other frameworks. Just remember, it’s okay to pause and collect your thoughts if needed.

The Storytelling Approach

Another effective technique, especially for more informal events, is storytelling. Begin with a personal anecdote related to the topic (the small), expand to a broader group or national perspective (the medium), and conclude with the big picture implications (the large). This creates a natural flow and helps you connect with your audience.

The 5 W’s Framework

If you’re speaking about a specific event or person, try the 5 W’s framework:

• Who is involved
• What is the event or goal
• Where is it taking place
• When is it happening
• Why is it important

Following this structure provides instant organization to your impromptu speech. You can start with the context of who and end on the most impactful note of why it matters.

No matter what approach you use, the key with any impromptu speech is to avoid rambling or getting off track. Focus on one or two main points and support them with examples, anecdotes, or facts. And if you’re really in a bind, don’t be afraid to embrace the power of brevity. A shorter speech delivered with confidence is better than a long, meandering one.

Remember, the ability to speak informally with limited preparation time is an invaluable skill. Whether it’s a class assignment, a business meeting, or a social event, being able to think on your feet and communicate effectively will serve you well. With practice and these frameworks in mind, you’ll be ready to tackle any impromptu speaking occasion that comes your way.

Mastering the Art of Topic Selection

One of the most daunting aspects of an impromptu speech can be selecting a topic to speak about with little or no advance notice. But with a few strategies up your sleeve, you can confidently rise to the challenge and even have fun with it.

Consider Your Audience

First, consider your audience and the event itself. What subjects would be appropriate and engaging for that particular crowd and occasion? If you’re at a business conference, topics related to your industry, current market trends, or professional development would be suitable. At a wedding, you might speak about relationships, love, or personal growth.

Work with What You Already Know

Next, think about your own experiences, knowledge, and passions. You’ll always speak more naturally and engagingly about a topic you genuinely care about or have firsthand insights on. Perhaps you have a unique perspective on a current event, a lesson you learned from a challenge you overcame, or an area of expertise from your studies or career. Don’t be afraid to draw from your own life and share your story.

If you’re really stumped, try a brainstorming technique like mind mapping. Jot down the first word or phrase that comes to mind, then branch out with related ideas and see where it takes you.

Make Your Impromptu Speech Unique

Another tip: embrace the element of surprise. An unexpected or even quirky topic can be memorable and help you stand out. Just be sure to keep it appropriate for the audience and event. For example, you could speak about what we can learn from children’s books or how your favorite hobby relates to success in life.

Ultimately, the best impromptu speech topic is one that you can speak about sincerely, passionately, and from a place of knowledge or experience. Trust your instincts, don’t overthink it, and remember—the speech itself is what matters most. With practice and an open mind, you’ll soon be a pro at thinking on your feet and crafting a compelling speech on the fly.

Impromptu Speaking in Various Everyday Settings

Impromptu speeches can pop up when you least expect them. Whether you’re in a business meeting, at a speaking event, or even back in graduate school, being able to think on your feet and speak off-the-cuff is a valuable skill.

In the business world, impromptu speaking often comes into play during meetings. You might be called upon to give an update on a project or weigh in on a decision. In this case, the ability to organize your thoughts quickly and articulate them clearly can make a big impression on your colleagues and superiors.

At speaking events, you may find yourself fielding questions from the audience or even being asked to fill in for a speaker who couldn’t make it. Being prepared for these impromptu moments can help you seize opportunities to showcase your expertise and connect with potential clients.

Even in academic settings like graduate school or business school, impromptu speaking skills come in handy. You might be asked to lead a discussion or debate a point in class. The more comfortable you are thinking and speaking on the spot, the more you’ll be able to contribute and make the most of your education.

The key in all these situations is to stay calm, focus on what you know, and structure your thoughts in a clear, logical way. With practice, you’ll be able to handle any impromptu speaking scenario with confidence and poise.

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Developing Your Impromptu Speaking Skills

So how do you get better at impromptu speaking? The short answer is practice. In addition, there are several specific things you can do to hone your skills.

Practice Communication and Quick Thinking

First, work on your general communication skills. The better you are at expressing yourself clearly and concisely, the easier it will be to do so on the spot. Consider joining a group like Toastmasters to get regular practice speaking in front of others.

Next, make a habit of practicing quick thinking. This could mean participating in improv classes or even just challenging yourself to come up with a short speech on a random topic in a limited amount of time. The more you practice thinking on your feet, the more natural it will become.

Stay Informed

Another helpful exercise is to stay informed on a wide range of topics. The more knowledge you have to draw upon, the easier it will be to formulate thoughts and opinions on the fly. Make a point to read widely, watch the news, and engage in discussions on various subjects.

Seek Opportunities to Improve

Finally, don’t be afraid to embrace the discomfort of impromptu speaking. It’s normal to feel nervous or put on the spot. But the more you put yourself in those situations, the more comfortable you’ll become. Over time, you’ll start to see impromptu speaking not as a source of anxiety, but as an opportunity to share your ideas and make an impact.

With dedication and practice, you can turn impromptu speaking into a strength—a skill that will serve you well in all areas of life. It may not happen overnight, but if you commit to developing this ability, you’ll be amazed at how far it can take you. From the boardroom to the stage, the power to speak with confidence at a moment’s notice is one that will open doors and create opportunities you never imagined.

FAQs in Relation to Impromptu Speech

What are the 3 parts of impromptu speech.

An intro that grabs attention, a body with your main points, and a crisp conclusion that ties everything together.

What is an example of an impromptu?

Giving a sudden thank-you speech at work when awarded unexpectedly counts as an impromptu.

How do you prepare for impromptu speaking?

Brush up on current topics. Practice thinking on your feet. Stay calm and collected no matter what comes up.

How to do a 2 minute impromptu speech?

Pick one idea. Support it with two strong points. Wrap it up clearly. Keep eye contact and breathe.

Impromptu speeches don’t have to be a source of anxiety. By focusing on what you already know, pretending you’re having a conversation, and using simple frameworks, you can deliver an engaging and effective speech on the fly. Remember, the key is to stay calm, be yourself, and let your passion for the topic shine through. With practice and experience, you’ll become more and more comfortable with impromptu speaking until it feels like second nature. So, the next time you’re called upon to give an impromptu speech, take a deep breath, smile, and know that you’ve got this. You have the skills and the confidence to captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression.

• Last Updated: August 6, 2024

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15 Best Impromptu Speech Tips (With Examples)

An impromptu speech is often the scariest type of speech you can make because you don’t get to prepare or predetermine what you’re going to say.

The speaker only gets a topic given in the form of a quotation, object, or proverb, and they have to do their best to deliver long-awaited answers.

Impromptu speech doesn’t have to be a full speech on its own. It can be a combination of answers to short quotations or terms provided during interviews or live discussions broadcast on the television.

While you can’t prepare yourself for the impromptu speech since you might not have any idea what you’ll be asked, you can still work on improving your speech and dialog with the help of the tips below!

I have also listed some great examples of impromptu speeches to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

Also Read : Common Weaknesses List & Examples

15 Best Impromptu Speech Tips

These 15 tips will let you know exactly how to behave during an impromptu speech, how to know what and when to say, and how to guide your speech without having too many pauses or breaks in between.

1. Hold it Together (Be Confident)

Impromptu speeches might happen suddenly for many reasons, and often, you might find yourself in front of the audience without even agreeing to it.

No matter what happens during the speech, you have to assure yourself that you’ll be alright. This means you should look up, never avoid eye contact, and breathe deeply. Thinking about something positive is a confidence boost you might need to get through the speech.

2. Focus on Your Audience

When you’re starting your impromptu speech, keep in mind that you’re not going against the audience, yet the audience will be on your side.

Therefore, you should work with the audience and focus your speech around something positive and helpful to the audience.

The goal is to have the audience listen and understand what you’re saying in your impromptu speech but also respond to the things you’re saying. Being confident in front of the audience is one thing you should do, while the other is to focus on the audience and plan a structure you’ll learn in the next tip.

3. Plan a Structure

Even though you might not be prepared for a speech, you will still be able to quickly develop a speech structure in your head as soon as you hear the topic, question, or object you’re given to talk about.

Every speech structure should include three steps and the speech can be structured around almost anything. The most popular structures are:

• Past/present/future
• Cause/effect/remedy
• Before/the event/the result

Think of the structure as a guideline of your speech that will help you get from start to finish as smoothly as possible. Another thing to keep in mind is that you can tell your structure/plan to your audience so they can easily keep up with your speech and know what to expect from it.

Check Out : Professional Development Goal Examples

4. Don’t Ramble

When you come up with a quick structure for your impromptu speech, you’re left to deliver the speech, but one thing you should keep in mind is not to ramble.

Rambling won’t get you anywhere; you’ll feel unease, and your audience won’t follow your speech easily.

Instead, it would help if you stuck to the “less is more” saying, stick to the target, and keep things short and to the point.

With a proper structure plan, you’ll have three key points (no matter what they are), so by splitting your speech into three sections, you’ll be able to judge how much time you should spend talking about each section.

5. Stand Out

Many try to stand out by actions, gestures, and confidence during their impromptu speech. While this is also important, there’s something even more important.

The first and the last sentence are the most memorable. It’s all about the primacy and recency, and most of the audience will most likely remember the first and the last thing you say.

Therefore, starting and finishing with powerful sentences that go well with your given topic and are linked to the message you deliver in the speech is super important as it will have the biggest impact if properly executed.

6. Talk as if You Were Talking to a Friend

Talking in front of the audience can be scary, but without preparation, talking in front of the audience can be even scarier.

Instead of feeling the pressure, feeling uncomfortable, or sweating buckets, you should go on with your impromptu speech as if you were talking to a group of friends.

You don’t have to fake anything, as the audience will see right through it. Instead, be yourself and try to do your best as this will always provide a better result.

Also Read : Best Executive Summary Examples

7. Tell a Relevant Story to Personalize Your Speech

The great thing about impromptu speeches is that they can go in your favor. If you don’t know what to talk about or what to include in your speech, here’s one tip that can help change the way you do your speech.

Try to think of a personal story that will be relevant to the subject of your impromptu speech. This will give you a topic to talk about, you won’t have to do any research or try to come up with facts that you will have to somehow back up, and your audience will love a personal story.

Personal stories are always easier to follow, and they’ll always go down well with any audience. Another piece of advice is to include a personal story in the middle section of your speech, but you can place it somewhere near the beginning of the speech.

8. Pay Attention to Your Voice Tone

When you take care of everything else before the speech and during the speech itself, many speakers forget to think of the voice tone.

There’s not much to overthink and you should speak slowly. Rushing might get you near the end sooner, but your speech won’t be a smooth ride.

Instead, take your time, focus on your breathing, rely on pauses, and have an impact while you deliver the key parts of the speech.

9. Make Sure to Follow Your Speech with Confident Actions

Confident actions are the most powerful body language actions that are not hard to get right, yet you might have to remind yourself to be “presentable”.

Standing tall on both your feet, not slouching over, keeping eye contact, using hand gestures, and avoiding fiddling are some of the things that will make you look confident.

Such confident actions will go well with your speech structure, confident voice tone, and relaxed, personalized speech.

Learning a couple of hand gestures will also put you at ease as you won’t have to wonder what to do with your hands during the speech.

10. Don’t Aim for Perfection

Every speaker wishes for their speech to be perfect, but an impromptu speech is the worst time to expect a perfect speech from yourself.

Therefore, it’s okay to lower the bar and focus on the execution and let the main goal be the smooth flow.

Setting the bar too high will only put you under pressure. In reality, most impromptu speeches happen due to unpredicted reasons, so if you’re put under the spotlight unwillingly and unprepared, the audience will notice, and they’ll understand, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Explore : Goal vs Objective – Difference & Examples

11. Practice Beforehand

You might not ever be prepared for a specific impromptu speech, but if you’ve been put into the spotlight once, you can be put under the spotlight again.

What you can do is practice quickly coming up with a speech structure on any given topic. Even if you have only a couple of minutes, you can develop a quick and concise structure and rehearse it in your head or in front of a mirror before you go in front of the audience.

And if you have a couple of hours, you can do a lot of practicing and even go through all these tips and be fully ready, no matter what the audience throws at you.

12. Use Humor to Break the Ice

No matter what the speech is about, you can always add a bit of humor to it. Don’t overdo it, but even a tiny bit of humor can help you make a better connection with your audience, ensure they pay attention to what you’re saying, and that they’re intrigued to hear what’s next.

Followed with a personalized story, you’ll have the audience hooked up until the end of the speech.

Of course, humor should come naturally, and you shouldn’t do it if you feel like you have to force it. But keep in mind that humor can be a great ice breaker, so it’s never a bad idea to keep it as a “secret weapon”.

13. The Meaningful Pause

Unfortunately, you’ll likely feel stuck or not know what to say next during your impromptu speech.

Just the thought of this can paralyze many speakers who are put under the spotlight. However, there’s a quick tip you can use to turn the block in your head into an advantage.

Instead of worrying if your audience noticed, try to “fake” a meaningful pause whenever you’re feeling stuck. During this pause, you can relax, and sooner than you know it, you will think of something.

The best thing is, your audience will never notice that “something’s wrong”, and yet this will also give them a breather and help them continue following your speech.

14. Keep Things Short

Less is more, and during impromptu speeches that can go extremely wrong, it’s better to cut your speech short and yet deliver everything you believe is valuable to the audience.

In other words, it’s better to regret not saying something than to say too much and then be on the spot from where you can’t turn back.

Also, keeping things short will help you stay in control of your impromptu speech and even look a lot more confident during your performance!

15. Try Turning the Impromptu Speech into Q&A Session

Since most impromptu speeches happen unexpectedly, not only will you have to come up with something from nothing, but you’ll also have to give the audience something you’re looking for.

Therefore, depending on the setting of your speech, you might try and turn your impromptu speech into a Q&A session, just like the journalistic interview type.

This will help you think less about what your whole speech will look like and focus on things the audience asks you in pieces.

You’ll still have full control over the answer, so turning a speech into a Q&A session is never a bad idea.

Check Out : Motivational, Funny, & Uplifting Sales Quotes

Best Impromptu Speech Examples

We’ll now take a look at some of the best examples of impromptu speeches to draw inspiration from.

University of Kentucky – Speech and Debate Team

In this impromptu speech example, the speaker only took two minutes for a quick structure plan from where she was put under the spotlight straight away.

A great start with a personalized story that leads straight into the argument. During the argument, clear signs of uncertainty are visible, but the speaker did well by slowing the speech down and taking a couple of very short meaningful pauses.

Prepared with examples which is a bonus, the speaker went through her speech structure with ease. There were moments where the speaker was nervous, but she kept it well together and even seemed confident in her speech at times.

Use gestures, confident actions, eye contact with the audience, and all other positive things you can learn from the tips above.

Closing the speech without any rumbling and getting the point straight across to the audience is a memorable way to end the speech, which is why this is one of many perfect examples of an impromptu speech.

Interesting Post : Popular Digital Marketing Quotes

Chris Gurrie Impromptu Speech Example

This is a short yet educative impromptu speech example where the speaker, Chris Gurrie, gets assigned a random topic by the audience and then guides the viewers of this video on how to plan a perfect impromptu speech structure.

While you would usually have around two minutes for the planning and practice process, Chris does it in about 30 seconds.

Chris starts his impromptu speech with many questions that come from a personalized story that then leads into the main topic of the speech.

What Chris also does is focuses on his audience and he shares his planned structure.

Chris’s impromptu speech is full of valuable information the audience might not have been aware of, which then ties to things on a larger scale. Even though Chris only took 30 seconds to work on the speech plan, he looks very relaxed, confident, with a strong game right until the end of the speech.

What’s interesting enough is that if you didn’t know this was an impromptu speech, you might not even know. Therefore, this is a perfect example of how good you can get at impromptu speeches without knowing the subject beforehand.

Toastmaster International – Impromptu Speaking

If you prefer learning from a video example, this four-minute video is everything you’ll need to gain the confidence to do an impromptu speech.

In this example, you’ll learn opportunities where impromptu speaking might be required. Of course, all of the opportunities are the ones where you don’t have much time to prepare.

However, with the techniques covered in this example video, you’ll learn how to manage last-minute speeches.

Lastly, the video will teach you all the benefits of holding impromptu speeches.

Even though this is an educational-type video, if you have a better look, you would notice that this whole video is less than five minutes long, and it’s scripted in a way to serve as yet another impromptu speech example.

Therefore, as you learn how to perform an impromptu speech, you’re watching an impromptu speech which is a brilliant idea.

Preparing yourself for an impromptu speech is only half the job, so in this video, you also learn how to deliver your impromptu speech with more useful tips.

Impromptu Speech Example: Thesis-Point-Story Format

Planning a structure for your impromptu speech is super important. The thing about the structure is that you can develop any three- or four-step process that will get you through the speech.

This video is a perfect example of a thesis-point-story format where Chris, the speaker, gets assigned a random topic from where he creates the thesis-point structure, shares it with the students, and gets down to the speech itself.

With word play, Chris slowly introduces the topic to the audience, and while he speaks to his students as his friends, he is getting down to the story’s main point.

As Chris goes through his impromptu speech, you can also notice that he asks the audience plenty of questions, and by answering his questions, he is slowly revealing the whole story behind the point of his impromptu speech.

Even though this example might be a bit complicated to understand, you can also learn from Chris’s body language, how he speaks, and how he controls his speech as he’s a highly skilled impromptu speaker.

Angel Anderson – Impromptu Speech Example

In this four-minute impromptu speech example video, Angel Anderson teaches you exactly what impromptu speaking is, how to practice it, and even shows an example full of important tips that can help you develop the same skills.

Angel uses a question-style topic, after which he sets the timer for two minutes for his impromptu speech.

With this type of question, Angel starts his impromptu speech with a personal story that gets interesting, which ensures that the audience follows him.

Not only did Angel answer a question, but he also shared an anecdotal story, and even then, he shared some more information connected to this story.

By far, Angel’s video is not the perfect impromptu speech, but it’s a real example of how easily you can work on your impromptu speech, practice, and learn as you progress.

Of course, this example is ideal for all interview-type impromptu speeches, which can be as hard as the topic-type speeches.

Impromptu speech can seem scary at first, but with plenty of preparation and practice, you will be able to speak on any topic without much preparation.

These 15 tips are everything you’ll need to start, develop, and finish your impromptu speech while being confident both verbally and nonverbally.

On top of that, these five examples show you how impromptu speech is done first-hand. Remember that you shouldn’t aim for perfection, but even tiny improvements are a good step forward to achieving a decent impromptu speech.

Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.

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Impromptu speech outline: 7 formats

How to prepare for an impromptu speech.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Using a speech outline to prepare an impromptu speech seems counterintuitive, doesn't it? After all, impromptu means of the moment, spontaneous, without preparation. So, what is an impromptu speech outline?

Quite simply it’s the structure, or format of your speech. It’s how you order your material from the time you open your mouth at the beginning of your speech, until you close it at the end.

An outline doesn’t need to be a written document or put on note cards to be effective. An experienced impromptu speaker will have an assortment of structural patterns memorized. When they’re asked to speak, they’ll mentally flick through them and choose the most appropriate.

Following an outline lessens the possibility of rambling aimlessly off topic. And, given my flibberty gibbet tendencies it's vital! Maybe yours too?☺

What's on this page

Seven structural patterns , each with example impromptu speech outlines and a printable blank outline template to download.

How to use these structural patterns : guidelines for practice

About the printable impromptu speech outlines

How to reframe a topic : examples of openings showing how to adapt a topic.

The patterns are: 

• Point, Reason, Example, Point (PREP)

Past, Present, Future

Problem, solution.

• Pros/Cons, Positives/Negatives, For/Against, Advantages/Disadvantages

Cause, Effect, Remedy

• Before/The Event/The Result

Local, National, International

 How to use these structural patterns

To become a competent impromptu speaker you need to get familiar with them. So initially just play with them for practice either with a friend or by yourself.

• Get a subject to talk about. (Click for 150 impromptu speaking topics ).
• Choose yourself a pattern to form the body of speech.
• Now go. Open your mouth and speak.

You’ll need an introduction followed by your material organized according to whatever pattern you’ve selected, and then a conclusion.

Keep it simple. You don’t need to try hard to say devastatingly intelligent insightful things. The starting goal is to get used to thinking, then speaking, without a great deal of prior preparation.

This is impromptu speaking, ‘off the cuff’, largely spontaneous. Be honest and where you can, add personal stories. Your own experiences, plus your knowledge of the subject, will establish rapport and credibility. Don’t be afraid to experiment, or 'fail', as that's how you'll learn.

If your content at this stage is trite nonsense and you putter out of ideas too soon, so be it. At the beginning it’s more important to learn to let go of feeling anxious, inadequate and the need for perfection. 

Once you’re used to a pattern, and can follow it easily without having to stop and think about which part comes next, you’ll naturally come up with better material.

Along with examples of each impromptu speech outline structure there's a link to a blank printable. There are seven of them: one for each pattern. They are there for you to use as a guide. You'll find the links for them below the example outlines. 

Each outline has the same four step format.

The first step is mentally preparing yourself: sorting out your topic, considering your audience and working out what tone best fits with them, as well as your speech purpose. 

The second step covers preparing the introduction, the third, the body, and the fourth and final step, the conclusion.

Your chosen structural pattern is the body  

The third step, the body of your speech, holds the specific pattern you’re working with. It’s this step, the body, you’ll want to focus on first when you’re practicing. After you’ve set your topic allow yourself a few minutes to think it through (or make notes) using the pattern headings as a guide.

Once you feel comfortable with the body, you’ll find the openings and conclusions become much easier.

Getting the time and content balance right

The overall length of your speech or the time you take to deliver it is, to a large part, determined by how much information you put into the body. Obviously one or two main points and their supporting material will take less time than three or four.

( Practice will help you confidently and reliably get the balance of time to content right. Click the link for  examples of one minute speeches  prepared using the Point-Reason-Example-Point (PREP) pattern. They'll give you an idea of what's required.)

Practice, practice, and then do it some more

You don’t need to follow each of the four steps of the outline slavishly. However, to use that old cliché, before you can run, you need to know how to walk. So before giving yourself permission to try to improvise and dazzle publicly, ground yourself in structure. Give yourself a solid baseline to work from.

There’s no secret behind becoming more confident and competent reasonably quickly. It’s practice. Lots of it.

Time and record yourself. Play it back and listen carefully.

Is there a good opening? Have you followed the pattern you chose in the body of the speech? Is it clear? Have you got clean transitions between each part of your speech and the one following it? Is there a strong ending? And are the words you’ve chosen, as well as the way you use them, right for your subject, the purpose of the speech and your intended audience?

And lastly, learn one pattern well before you work with another.

Effective impromptu speech activities 

If you teach a public speaking or communication class or lead a public speaking group, here's  a comprehensive bundle of   17 proven fun and effective impromptu speech activities , complete with full guidelines and printables. They ease, rather than jettison, students into impromptu speaking one step at a time.  

How to reframe a topic

Sometimes when you're asked to speak on a topic you'll find yourself needing to modify it before going ahead.

Or maybe you want confirmation that you've understood what you're being asked to speak about.

Here are examples of three ways to reframe the topic as part of your opening. They are particularly useful for Question and Answer sessions.

Add them to your practice too.

1. Give the topic a scope. This establishes what you're prepared to cover.  

For example: Thanks. That’s a great question. I am happy to share what has happened since I joined the organization in 2020.

Or:  Thanks, that’s a great, and very big question. I don’t have time right now to cover all aspects of it. So here’s the first part. If anybody would like me to follow up with the second and third, please see me later and we’ll make a time.

2. Summarize and ask for confirmation. Use this technique to  make sure you’ve understood what’s being asked of you before you answer. 

Example:  Thank you for your question. It's an important one and I want to make sure I’ve understood it correctly before answering. You want to know why we’re not mobilizing the Defense Force to clear protesters from the streets, is that right?

3. Redirecting, reshaping the question or angle, before responding . This can be useful when you want to give a bigger picture, or establish context - something the original question didn't allow for.

Example: You’ve asked about using the Defense Force to clear the streets. Let’s consider the precedents for that: the 1951 Waterfront Dispute, Bastion Point, 1978, and the anti-Springbok rugby tour protest in 1981. What have they taught us?

7 impromptu speech outline patterns

Please note, these examples are not complete speech outlines. In most instances they don't include the opening or the conclusion. What they do is illustrate seven ways to organize material in the body of the speech. And some of the examples are more fleshed out than others.

 PREP: Point, Reason, Example, Point

PREP is an acronym for: Point, Reason, Example, Point. The pattern adapts well to most situations.

Here are two PREP impromptu speech outline examples: one for a social setting and one for business or workplace audiences. You can also see it in action on this page of one minute speech topics where I've used it in three sample one minute speech outlines.

PREP impromptu speech outline: workplace 

Topic: Cameras off during a virtual team meeting

Point: Human Resources are reporting numerous requests from employees to be allowed to leave their cameras off during routine virtual (zoom) meetings.

Reason: The reason most frequently given is fatigue due to  strain 

Examples: It is hard to:

• maintain focus while looking at a grid of faces for the length of an entire meeting,
• see yourself on camera and NOT respond to it,
• be physically constrained in a small space in order to remain on camera,
• arrange life so it doesn’t intrude in the form of kittens, babies or anything else while on camera,
• have your colleagues in your home without having issued the invitation yourself.

Point: And that’s why we’ve asked Human Resources to develop a set of guidelines to cover when cameras should be on, and when they can be turned off. If you have any suggestions or points you’d like them to consider, please get them by Friday.

For more: 

• Bailenson, J. N. (2021). Nonverbal Overload: A Theoretical Argument for the Causes of Zoom Fatigue . Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 2(1). 
• Should We Require Students to Turn Their Cameras On in the Zoom Classroom?   Anna Lännström, Stonehill College. Published by Wabash Center, 2020  

PREP impromptu speech outline example: social

A toast to acknowledge friend’s engagement

Point: It’s a joy to join you celebrating Ryan and Mary’s engagement.

Reason(s): There’s dozens of reasons for my being pleased to be here. We haven’t got time for them all. So here’s three. The first goes back a long way to when we were ten years old. I’m never going going to get married, he said. Thanks to Mary, look at you now! I am delighted you have to eat those words. The second reason is quite selfish. At least the field is cleared now because he’s well and truly spoken for. Hi ya singletons out there! And the third and most important is because I’ve never seen Ryan quite so deliriously crazy happy, ever, in all the years I’ve known him.

Example(s): This is the man who has spent all his weekends for last year renovating the house they share. You know it’s got to be the real thing when unclogging drains, getting rid of rat nests and replacing rotten window frames is better than time out with me and the boys. When you add making significant positive changes to his eating and drinking habits, throw in running a kilometer or two or three or more, several times a week, it’s proof. You’ve got be happy to do any of that!

Point: Which in turn, makes me happy too. Here's to Ryan and Mary!

Download PREP impromptu speech outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: PREP impromptu speech outline

Use this pattern if you want apply a time line treatment to a subject.

Topic: In your experience what's an effective way of getting children to eat vegetables?

In the past:

When I was a child not eating whatever was served was not an option. It didn’t matter if it was something dreaded like cauliflower, broccoli or spinach. It was on the plate. Therefore it needed to be chewed and swallowed. If it wasn’t you were in for a long sit at the table. Because both you and the plate of food remained in place until the plate was cleared. This as a technique was a failure. It built resentment rather than a love of vegetables.

That kind of stand off would not happen nowadays. I have more tolerance than my parents for children whose taste buds do not thrill to strong tasting vegetables. The only thing I ask of my kids, is that they try a little of each new one when it is served. If they don’t like it, they can put it to one side. Alongside that, we use vegetables as snacks, sneak them into purees and sauces, get the kids involved in choosing and cooking them, and set an example by eating copious quantities of them ourselves.

Our diets are changing. They are becoming increasingly plant based. Vegetables are no longer an accompaniment, an after-thought. Instead they’re center plate – up front and proud. 

Perhaps the infamous battle over vegetables will disappear entirely. It’s my hope that through showing greater tolerance of our children’s preferences and by being more creative with how we introduce them into their diets, that the issue will simply cease to be one.

Vive la broccoli!  

Topic: What are the most popular and enduring toys for children?

Past : Toys that sold well: Teddy bears, named after Theodore Roosevelt 1902, yo-yos – 1928, Silly Putty, 1955, GI Joe – dolls for boys, 1960s, including two that have kept right on selling;

Present: Lego from Denmark, 1932, and Barbie from USA, 1959

Future : More Lego, more Barbies who are more diverse, more skin types and shapes. Both seem set for along time yet.

Download Past, Present, Future outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use:  Past, Present, Future impromptu speech outline

This is a simple two part pattern: here’s the problem. Now here’s the solution.

Example: The problem is congestion on our main city roads during peak hours.

The solution is to:

• reroute heavy vehicles over those hours
• look carefully at the current design of the roundabouts, on and off ramps and laybys and update them if necessary 
• adjust the speed limit

Example: The problem is maintaining a work routine while working from home

• make yourself a dedicated work space.
• set yourself regular hours for getting up, having breakfast, being at your desk, lunch etc.
• establish clear boundaries around your work time for family and friends. Being in the same room or the next one, doesn’t mean you’re available.
• prioritize your tasks for the day each morning.

Download Problem, Solution outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: Problem, Solution impromptu speech outline

Pros and Cons, Positives and Negatives

This is a useful beginning point toward answering the classic ‘what shall I do?’ dilemmas.

Setting out the pros and cons * of a situation gives us an overview, which we can then use to help make a rational, considered decision.

* 16th century: from Latin  prō  for + con, from  contrā  against

Dilemma:  Whether or not to go to university

• New experiences, new people, broadens outlook
• Builds networking opportunities, long term friendships, & professional relationships
• After graduation enter workforce at different level – a leg up because core competencies already established
• Scholarships available
• Leadership and extension activities/clubs available
• High levels of personal debt
• Difficult to sustain oneself mentally, physically and financially without support
• Doesn’t guarantee a job on graduation
• Doesn’t train you for a specific vocation
• Doesn’t automatically mean entry into higher paying job

Dilemma:  Whether or not to buy cheap or fast fashion

• Affordable – instantly gratifying
• Up to the minute clothing – democratization of fashion – not just for elite rich
• Can follow the trend – included rather than excluded on price
• Can change mind and buy more if don’t like what you have – not going to cause you hardship
• Profitable for retailers and manufacturers
• pollution: people throw out their clothes which then enter land fills
• waste: breeds throwaway mentality – chuck rather than mend
• loss of skills: how to mend clothing: sew on buttons, fix a fallen hem, patch a rip etc.
• exploitation of woman and children in 3rd world countries: low wages, and unsafe workplaces

For more: Fast Fashion by Adam Hayes, April 2021, investopedia.com

Download Pros and Cons outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use:  Pros and Cons impromptu speech outline

 This is a three-part problem solving pattern.

• What is the cause of something?
• What is its effect?
• And what is the remedy?

Topic: Public speaking anxiety

Cause(s) of public speaking anxiety:

• feeling self conscious in front of others
• fearing repeat of past poor experiences
• fear of being judged
• fearing not being as good as you’d like to be, or as good as others
• breathing poorly which doesn’t support the voice
• becoming overwhelmed by symptoms of fear: shaking limbs, quivering voice, racing heart beat, forgetting what had been practiced
• gabbling through speech at break neck speed
• becomes a cycle which intensifies each time a person has to speak in public
• limits personal potential in many ways: at work and socially
• take a public speaking course, join a public speaking club
• practice a great deal,  get good support and practical feedback you can use
• and take every opportunity to speak in front of others as it will lessen the fear.

Topic: Procrastination

Cause(s) of procrastination:

• boredom: not being interested in the task that needs completing
• fear of failure: thinking the task will prove too difficult - would rather not begin it, than risk failure, perfectionism
• unable to prioritize what needs to be done against what isn’t so urgent
• overwhelmed: too many things to do, and too little energy

Effect(s) of procrastination:

• pressure: rushing to catch up on what should have been done which leads to poor decision making
• failure: letting oneself, friends, family and workmates down, compromised work standards, reputation
• losing time, opportunities, limiting your career options
• escalating low self-esteem issues and health risks
• Create incremental to-do lists – a bit at a time rather than one huge overwhelming piece of work.
• Create a stimulating work-place for yourself – surround yourself with what you genuinely like to see.
• Time-line your work realistically - what needs to happen. today, tomorrow and the next day to arrive at the due date with the work completed to your satisfaction.
• Get rid of the temptations you know you are distracted by. Put your phone on mute. Remove bookmarked sites.
• Find a mentor, someone you admire and who will hold you to account.

Download Cause, Effect, Remedy outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: Cause, Effect, Remedy impromptu speech outline

Before, The Event, The Result

This three-part pattern is a time line centered around an event. The result of event (eg. a natural disaster or a personal or societal change, large or small) profoundly changes what came before it. Sometimes the end result is much better, and sometimes far worse.

It’s a pattern much loved by advertisers who imply that the event (the purchase and use of whatever product or service they are selling) will result in whatever is desired: health, wealth, beauty, popularity, longevity, peace, love, intelligence... It's the classic Before and After format.    

Topic: Covid-19 - its impact on the tourism industry in NZ

Total annual tourism expenditure had increased by almost $15 billion, or 55%, in the seven years prior to 2020. 

• Tourism was New Zealand’s biggest export industry, contributing 20.1% of total exports. 
• Tourism generated a direct annual contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $16.4 billion, or 5.5%, and a further indirect contribution of $11.3 billion, another 3.8% of New Zealand’s total GDP.  

Then along came Covid–19.  The borders were closed in an effort to keep it out for as long as possible. Good for the population: fewer deaths and hospitalizations compared to other first world countries: USA, UK, Australia but not so good for tourism.

The result:  

• total tourism expenditure was $26.1 billion, a decrease of 37.3 percent ($15.6 billion) from the previous year.
• international tourism’s overall contribution to New Zealand’s total exports of goods and services fell to 2.1 percent from 20.0 percent
• tourism generated a direct contribution to GDP of $8.5 billion, or 2.9 percent, a decrease of 47.5 percent ($7.7 billion), or 2.6 percentage points

Reference:  https://www.tia.org.nz/about-the-industry/quick-facts-and-figures/

Here’s a feel-good-hard-work-pays-off story using the format, the sort you might hear on your local TV or radio station.

Topic: the house makeover

Before the makeover:

• dark and dingy – very few windows, dated décor
• very poor heat retention – no insulation
• no outdoor – indoor flow
• small poky kitchen with limited storage
• one bathroom – not adjacent to either living areas or bedrooms

The Event:   the makeover of the worst house in the best street,  a perfect project for husband (builder) and wife (interior decorator), 12 month time line, carefully planned

The Result:

• jump in value of property
• a house which is a pleasure to live in, fabulous garden, everybody is happy, reporters come calling for house and garden magazine before and after spreads☺
• an inspirational example of talent plus effort

Download Before, The Event, The Result outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use:  Before, The Event, The Result impromptu speech outline

This structure is excellent for comparisons and overviews spanning spatial areas.

Topic: Deaths from Covid-19 in New Zealand as at 22nd February 2022

Local: none

National: 56

International:  5,905,942

Reference: Google News - Covid 19 map - New Zealand  

Topic: Who follows the news?  A survey of 38 countries, 2018

Local news :  Global median = 78%. 78% of respondents are  more likely to follow the news if in own area and own country. 

National news : Global median = 86%. 86% of respondents are more likely to follow if the news is about own country.

International news : Global median = 57%. Comparatively significantly less of the respondents are likely to follow the news. That changes with the amount of education a person has. If they have more education, they are more likely to follow the news.

Reference:  Publics around the world follow national and local news more closely than international : Pew Research Center report, 2018

Download Local, National, International outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use:  Local, National, International impromptu speech outline

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How to Give an Impromptu Speech (21 Ultimate Tips)

Giving a speech in front of an audience is one of the most common fears in the world. It’s right up there with public speaking and death. But, what if you’re put on the spot and have to give a speech? That is going to be a nightmare for most of us!

In this blog post, we will discuss 21 tips for giving an impromptu speech. Whether you’re in a meeting at work or caught off guard at a party, these tips will help you deliver your message with confidence and style!

1. Buy Yourself a Bit of Extra Time

2.  organize your thoughts, 3. remember the key points, 4. calm yourself down, 5. try to appear confident, 6. concentrate on the audience, 7. feel free to submit you aren’t prepared, 8. go for a short and bold introduction, 9. begin with a relevant story, 10. try to speak casually, 11. try not to rumble, 12. be aware of your tone, 13. don’t rush your speech, 14. use open body language, 15. keep it short, 16. use pauses impactfully, 17. a little humor often helps, 18. don’t try to be 100% perfect, 19. ask questions, 20. end with a strong conclusion.

Time is something that you never have enough of when you’re giving a speech. If possible, try to buy yourself an extra minute or two before you actually have to deliver your speech. This will give you time to gather your thoughts and calm your nerves.

If you’re feeling nervous about giving an impromptu speech, this will give you a chance to collect your thoughts and compose yourself before you have to speak.

There are a few ways you can do this:

Ask for clarification: If someone asks you to give a speech and you’re not sure what they want, ask for clarification. This will give you a few extra seconds to come up with an answer.

Say you need to think about it: If you’re given a topic at the last minute, say that you need time to think about it. This will buy you a few minutes to come up with a plan.

Make Your Way to Stage Slowly: Take your time walking to the stage. This will help you calm down and focus on your speech.

Once you’ve bought yourself some extra time, it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to say.

Now you have a few extra minutes to organize your thoughts. The best way to do this is to come up with an outline for your speech. This will help you stay on track and make sure that you cover all the important points.

If you’re given a topic, try to brainstorm a few ideas before you start writing. If you have time, write your thoughts.

If you’re really struggling to organize your thoughts, try using a mind map. This is a visual way to brainstorm and can be a helpful tool for getting your ideas down on paper.

Once you have a general idea of what you want to say, it’s time to start crafting your speech.

When you’re writing a speech, it’s important to remember the key points. These are the most important things that you want to say and should be at the core of your speech.

If you’re giving an impromptu speech, try to focus on these key points. This will help you stay on track and make sure that you cover all the important information.

Some key points to remember:

The introduction: This is your chance to make a good first impression. Make sure you introduce yourself and catch the audience’s attention.

The body: This is where you’ll deliver the meat of your speech. Make sure you stay on topic and cover all the important points.

The conclusion: This is your chance to wrap up your speech and leave the audience with a memorable message.

Make sure you know these key points inside out. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try focusing on one key point at a time. This will make it easier for you to stay focused and deliver a more cohesive speech.

Once you have the key points down, it’s time to start thinking about your delivery.

It is normal to feel nervous when you’re about to give a speech. However, it’s important to try and calm yourself down before you take the stage.

If you’re feeling nervous, there are a few things you can do to calm yourself down:

Deep breathing: This is a simple but effective way to calm your nerves. Focus on taking deep, slow breaths and you’ll start to feel more relaxed.

Visualize yourself giving a great speech: This might seem like a strange technique, but visualization can be really helpful in calming down. Picture yourself giving a great speech and you’ll start to feel more confident.

Talk to someone else before you speak: If you’re feeling nervous, talking to someone else can help. This will take your mind off of the speech and give you a chance to relax.

The more relaxed you are, the better your speech will be.

One of the most important things you can do when giving a speech is to appear confident. This will help put the audience at ease and make them more likely to listen to what you have to say.

There are a few ways that you can appear confident:

Make eye contact: When you’re speaking, make sure you maintain eye contact with the audience. This will help show that you’re inquisitive in what you’re saying.

Smile: A smile is a great way to appear friendly and confident. It is also a great way to hide your nerves.

Pretend you’re speaking to a friend: If you find it difficult to make eye contact, try pretending that you’re talking to a friend. This will help you relax and make it easier to connect with the audience.

When you’re giving a speech, it’s important to focus on the audience. This will help you connect with them and make sure that they’re paying attention to what you’re saying.

There are a few things you can do to focus on the audience:

Make eye contact: Again, this is one of the best ways to connect with an audience. Make sure you make eye contact with as many people as possible.

Engage with the audience: Try to engage with the audience as much as possible. This means making jokes, asking questions, and connecting with them on a personal level.

Talk to them, not at them: It’s important to remember that you’re talking to the audience, not at them. Make sure you address them directly and keep your tone conversational.

When you focus on the audience, they will be more likely to listen to what you have to say.

If you feel like you’re not prepared for your speech, don’t be afraid to submit. Most people will understand if you say that you didn’t have time to prepare.

Actually, the audience will have less expectation if you say that you aren’t prepared. And they will appreciate your honesty.

So don’t try to wing it, because it will only make things worse. If you submit, at least you tried.

As we said earlier, your introduction is your chance to make a good first impression. So make sure you take advantage of it!

Keep your introduction short and to the point. Don’t try to be too funny or clever, because chances are high that it will only backfire.

And most importantly, don’t give away too much information about what you’re going to be speaking about. The introduction is supposed to be a teaser for the main event.

So make sure you keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

If you have a relevant story, starting your speech with it can be a great way to captivate the audience.

Starting with a story will help you connect with the audience on a personal level and make them more interested in what you have to say.

Plus, it’s a great way to break the ice if you’re feeling nervous. Besides, it will help you to get into the groove of your speech nicely.

But if you don’t have a relevant story, don’t force it. Don’t feel like you have to start with a story just because everyone else does. Just go with a simple intro.

If the event is not a formal one, it is better to speak casually. You will be remembered as a speaker who spoke comfortably and informally.

When you speak casually, it also gives off the impression that you’re more confident and relaxed. This will help put the audience at ease and make them more receptive to what you have to say.

However, if you are speaking in a formal event, you should adjust your tone and manner of speech.

Rumbling is a common occurrence when giving an impromptu speech. And it’s easy to understand why it happens. When you’re nervous you sometimes start shaking and you lose control over your voice.

Usually, speaking too quickly is the main cause of rumbling. So if you find yourself rumbling, try to slow down your speech. Take a few deep breaths and focus on speaking slowly and clearly.

Your tone of voice is just as important as the words you use. In fact, your tone can sometimes convey more meaning than the words themselves.

If you’re feeling nervous, your tone will likely reflect that. If you sound too nervous, the audience will be hesitant to trust what you have to say.

Make sure you stay aware of your tone and adjust it accordingly. However, don’t overthink it and just speak naturally.

When you’re feeling nervous, it can be tempting to rush through your speech. But this is a big mistake!

Rushing will only make you sound more nervous and it will be difficult for the audience to follow what you’re saying.

Plus, if you rush through your speech, you’re more likely to make mistakes. So take your time and speak at a comfortable pace.

Your body language can be a great way to convey confidence and authority.

If you stand up straight, look the audience in the eye, and gesture while you speak, you will come across as more confident.

However, if you slump over or avoid eye contact, it will appear that you’re unsure of yourself. So make sure you use your body language to your advantage.

When you’re giving an impromptu speech, it’s important to keep it short and sweet. No one wants to listen to a long, drawn-out speech.

The best way to keep your speech short is to focus on one main point. And make sure you get to the point quickly.

The audience will appreciate your brevity and you’ll be more likely to hold their attention.

If you need to take a pause while speaking, don’t just stand there awkwardly. There are a few things you can do to make your pauses work for you:

Use pauses for emphasis: If you want to emphasize a certain point, take a pause before and after you make it.

Pauses for transitions: Pauses can be a great way to transition from one topic to another.

Use pauses for comedy: If you’re telling a joke, pausing before and after the punchline will make it funnier.

Humor is a great way to add appeal to your speech and connect with the audience. But it’s important to use it appropriately.

Don’t force it: If you’re not naturally funny, don’t try to be. It will only make things worse.

Know your audience: Make sure you know your audience before you crack any jokes. What might be appropriate for one group of people might not be appropriate for another.

Use self-deprecating humor: If you want to make yourself more likable, use self-deprecating humor. This is a great way to show that you’re comfortable with yourself and that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

No one is perfect and you definitely don’t need to be when giving an impromptu speech. In fact, trying too hard to be perfect can actually make things worse.

When you’re nervous, it’s normal to make a few mistakes. So don’t worry if you forget what you were going to say or if you stumble over your words sometimes.

The audience will understand that you’re nervous and they’ll be more forgiving if you make a mistake. Just relax and go with the flow.

Questions are a great way to engage the audience and get them involved in the discussion.

You can ask general questions or question specific members of the audience. Just make sure you keep things moving and don’t let the conversation drag on for too long.

Your conclusion is the last impression that you leave with the audience. So make sure it’s a good one!

Make sure you recap your main points and remind the audience why they should care about what you have to say.

And if you want to leave them with something to think about, end with a call to action or a powerful quote.

If you’re looking for a good way to start your speech and get the audience on board, here are 21 of our favorite tips. But don’t worry if they all seem too difficult to follow!

We tried to include some practical advice that will help you feel confident no matter where you stand in the room. The best part is that you don’t have to memorize anything. Just focus on delivering your message in a clear and concise way and you’ll be sure to engage the audience.

We hope these tips will help the next time you’re called upon to give an impromptu speech! And remember, practice makes perfect. So the more speeches you give, the better you’ll become for such an event.

Related Posts:

How to Give an Impromptu Speech

No Time to Prepare? Don't Despair

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An impromptu speech is a speech that you have to make without much or any time to prepare. In life, this can happen when you attend special events, like weddings or celebrations. In school, teachers use impromptu speeches as  homework assignments to help you develop communication skills and to help you prepare for those future life surprises.

While this may seem like a cruel trick from a student's point of view, it actually builds confidence and is great preparation for life.

Rarely will you be asked to stand and deliver a speech with no warning and no time to organize your thoughts. This would be unusual in the classroom unless the teacher is attempting to make a point about the importance of preparedness.

At some point in your life, however, you may be asked to speak without notice. There are a few things you can do to avoid panic and embarrassment.

• Grab a pen and a piece of paper. If you have a few moments before your speech is expected to begin, grab a writing utensil and something to write on, whether it's a napkin, envelope, or the back of a receipt you have on hand, and jot down a few thoughts .
• Highlight a few interesting or significant points.  Keep in mind, your impromptu speech doesn't have to be long. A little-known fact about effective speeches is that if you start with a good line and then end with a really great punch, the speech will be perceived as a total success. So the beginning and ending markers are critical. The middle portion of your speech should relate to the event you're attending or the class assignment, but if you have to choose one great moment, your ending line is particularly important. If you can walk away gracefully, your speech will be a hit, so keep your big zinger for last.
• Try to memorize key points. If you have time before your speech, create an outline of the major themes or points and commit it to memory with a memorization trick, like an acronym. Don't try to remember the entire speech in detail like this; just remember important points.
• Hijack the topic.  There is an old trick that politicians use when they're being interviewed on TV, and once you realize this, you can use it yourself. They think of questions ahead of time (or topics to discuss), prepare some talking points, and talk about those, despite the topic or question they're given. This is a handy trick when you're facing a hard question or asked to discuss a topic with which you're unfamiliar.
• Remember you're in charge of this time.  Your goal is to deliver a one-sided conversation, off the cuff, so you are in complete control. Relax and make it your own. If you want to make this a funny story about your pesky little brother who always bothers you during homework time, then do it. Everyone will applaud your effort.
• Feel free to acknowledge that you have not prepared for a speech. If you are speaking in front of friends or family, it may ease your nervousness to express your lack of preparation. This should not be an attempt to garner pity, but rather a way to put yourself and your audience at ease. Then, take a deep breath before you begin speaking. Zone out the audience or choose someone specific to focus on, whichever makes you more comfortable.
• Begin with your introductory sentence, elaborate, then start working your way to your ending sentence.  Fill in the middle space with as many points as you can, elaborating on each one as you go. Just concentrate on the zinger you've reserved for the end.
• As you deliver your speech, concentrate on diction and tone.  If you are thinking about this, you won't be thinking about the eyes watching you. Your mind can't think about too many things at once, so think about breathing, enunciating your words, and controlling your tone, and you'll maintain more control.

What to Do If You Draw a Blank

If you suddenly lose your train of thought or draw a complete blank, there are a few you can do to keep from panicking.

• Pretend you're pausing on purpose. Walk back and forth slowly, as if you're letting your last point sink in.
• There is always a jokester or friendly person who will stand out in the crowd. Make eye contact and try to draw a response from him or her while you think.
• If you need more time to think, you may want to ask the audience a question. Have a few prepared ahead, like "Do you have any questions," or "Can everyone hear me okay?"
• If you still can't remember what you were going to say, make up a reason to pause the speech. You can say, "I'm sorry, but my throat is very dry. Can I please get a glass of water?" Someone will go to get you a drink, and you will have time to think of two or three points to talk about.

If these tricks don't appeal to you, think of your own. The goal is to have something ready for every possible scenario ahead of time. If you know you may be asked to give an impromptu speech soon, try going through the entire preparation process with a few common speech topics .

When caught off guard, many people can suffer extreme anxiety about speaking off the cuff. That's why the best speakers are always prepared.

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12 effective impromptu speech tips you should use

• Filed under: Featured articles , Public speaking articles , Public speaking tips and tricks , Speaking tips , Speech delivery , Speech preparation

An impromptu speech is something most people are afraid of even more than public speaking . There’s hardly any time to prepare, and, sometimes, this speech must be longer than just a few minutes.

So, what is an impromptu speech? An impromptu speech is a speech which is given without any thorough preparation. It is five- to eight-minute speech with a characteristically short preparation time of a couple of minutes.

This can be frightening, but it’s not the hardest of things. Today, I’ll give you 12 good tips you can use in the future. That said if you want even more information about impromptu speech and public speaking then definitely check out this list of the best public speaking books I have compiled for you.

Table of Contents

12 impromptu speech tips (short version)

Video: 12 effective impromptu speech tips you should use

Why give an impromptu speech? Here are the reasons:

• The actual speaker is running late or you have to give a speech totally last moment instead of the actual speaker.
• At a meeting , you are unexpectedly asked to give a longer overview of what’s happening.
• You are forced (or decide for yourself) to take part in a discussion (e.g., parents’ meeting).
• A cheering speech at a birthday party or other similar event (e.g., colleague’s birthday).
• An unexpected (or even agreed beforehand) interview .
• You must unexpectedly introduce yourself at an event or talk about your area of activity .
• Unexpected questions during a Q&A session following your presentation.

Remember that the better public speaker you are, the more people will be pointing in your direction, because no-one wants to go out there. So, get ready to be teased, „James, we all know you can do it so well…“

12 impromptu speech tips that will make you shine

1. a good speech has a structure.

There are several speech structures, but I use the one called the FAT system.

• F = Feeling . Express how you feel about the subject of your speech
• A = Anecdote . Tell a story related to it. If it’s funny, even better.
• T = Tie back . Link the story to the subject.

F = Feeling

Share your feelings about the subject. If it makes you sad, show it. If it makes you happy, express it with all your nature.

A = Anecdote

The anecdote doesn’t necessarily mean making a joke. Indeed, if your story is funny and related to the subject, that’s just great. Keep in mind that the make-a-point-tell-a-story approach usually works well.

T = Tieback

When you’re done with your story, keep in mind that now is the time to link it to the subject. For example: if your topic is „Your Favourite Car Brand“ and you told a good story about which bad (or good) cars you’ve come across, now is the time, to sum up, the topic pointing out why you chose a particular car brand.

2. Practice giving a speech

Mark Twain once said, „It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech“. In other words, it can be practiced. The more you practice and the more topics you go through, the easier it will be .

You can practice alone or with your friends. One of the ways to do it with your friends is to play a game. Scroll down for instructions!

As a side note, I wrote an article (with 10 effective tips) about how to practice a speech. You can read it here.

3. Go on stage and give speeches whenever you get an opportunity

The more experience you gain, the better you will be able to handle unexpected situations. You’ll also learn how to deal with tricky questions and smarty pants.

Recommended books

How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations

Jeremy Donovan

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Nancy Duarte

Confessions of a Public Speaker

Scott Berkun

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Carmine Gallo

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

Atul Gawande

The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything... Fast!

Josh Kaufman

By the way, I did my MA thesis on the fear of public speaking, in which I also studied the way in which the level of the fear of public speaking and the frequency of its occurrence is related. It revealed that the people who do public speaking more often suffer from the fear of public speaking significantly less than those who do it rarely.

Have a look at the figure below:

4. Believe you can do it

If you only focus on the idea of potentially failing, you focus on the wrong thing . You’re not the most important person at the moment of giving a presentation. Your listeners are. Anyway, if you don’t believe in yourself, why should I as a listener? Oftentimes, the audience is your allie , and you should keep that in mind at all times.

Why is the audience your Allie ? Because the better you do, the more they will benefit from your presentation.

5. You could mention it’s an impromptu speech

An impromptu speech is just like any other speech, that is, it’s not a good idea to start your speech with an excuse. If the listeners are aware of the situation anyway, it might be worth mentioning. Do it in a brief and professional manner and avoid futile apologies.

Briefly explain why the speech is improvisation and get to the subject. If you use the above-mentioned FAT structure, it’ll be much easier for you to give a good speech.

6. Don’t forget about humor

For example: if you mention that it’s an impromptu speech, make a joke about the situation . Already today, it would be a good idea to think of a funny story or two about yourself for such occasions.

At the same time, keep in mind that if you’re not particularly good at making jokes , don’t try to overdo it . Equally important, never say „I’m going to tell you a funny story“ because you set the expectations high. Just say that you’re going to tell a story, and if the audience finds it funny, great success!

7. Think of universal introductions or stories to use in the future

Getting started with a story is always a good idea, especially, if it’s a personal one. For example, you can start with a story of how you had to give a speech once and what went wrong.

Sometimes, it may happen that you have to give a speech so unexpectedly that there’s no time whatsoever to think of a story introducing the subject. In this case, after making an introduction, you can make a transition in the form of a joke about yourself.

For example, you could say, „Some of you will wonder how this story is related to my presentation. It’s not, really… I just had to give a speech so unexpectedly that this story was the first thing that sprang to mind. Speaking of the subject… (and you go on with the actual subject)“.

But there’s a lot more to it so I wrote a complete guide on how to make a speech introduction that grabs the attention which you can read here.

8. If you get stuck, pretend it’s a meaningful pause

Remember that one speaker from Ancient Greece once summed up the fundamental truths about public speaking tips:

• Speak clearly to be heard.
• Stand straight to be seen.
• Be quiet to be enjoyable.

Take your time and try to avoid unnecessary voiced sounds during the pause – most people won’t even realize there’s something going on.

9. Customize the topic and make it your statement

Sometimes, it’s the only solution. For example: if I’m unexpectedly asked to talk about maths for 15 minutes, I have to admit this is a subject I don’t know anything about.

So I have a couple of stories about how I wasn’t very good at maths at school and that there’s one thing I’m very good at when it comes to maths. Calculating percentages by cross-multiplying. Then, I’ll be talking about how it really helped me in practice and how the audience could use it.

To sum it up, if the subject is something you don’t know much about, you will adjust it a little and change the focus , talking about it from a perspective you feel more confident about.

10. In relation to your speech, find answers to the following five questions:

• What (or about what)?

For example: if you have to talk about the fact that you’re afraid to speak publicly, your speech could answer the following questions:

• Who are you?
• What have you done to cope with it and what could others learn from it?
• When did you succeed (or fail) in relation to the subject (add a short story here)?
• Where could your tips be used?
• Why is it important at all?

It’s essentially the same as the FAT structure but explained from another angle.

11. Turn your presentation into a Q&A session

If you have no idea what to say in the beginning, go for a Q&A session. For example, your topic is „How to Give a Speech“, but you don’t have any good idea. So you start with something like „Dear all, today, we’ll be talking about how to give a speech. How many of you have given an impromptu speech or done public performances unexpectedly? Yes, Paul, what were the circumstances?“

This way, you’ll get hints from the listeners about what you could talk about, and you can smoothly go over to your speech.

But if you say „Today, we’ll be talking about how to give a speech. First of all, you’ll be able to ask a few questions about what you find most important when it comes to our topic“, the questions asked by the listeners will give you an idea of what you should talk about.

Keep in mind that you have to encourage your listeners as they may be too shy to ask questions. If no-one asks a question, go back to one of the tips above.

12. Don’t blab all the time

To be brief is always a good thing . The longer you talk, the greater the likelihood that your speech becomes somewhat boring , and, as a result, the listeners lose interest.

An impromptu speech developing game you can play with your friends

It’s quite common to play different games in larger or smaller groups. The game I recommend is suitable for groups of all shapes and sizes.

• Beginner : On a piece of paper, each participant puts down a topic they are able to talk about for a minute or two, without preparation.
• Advanced : On a piece of paper, each participant puts down a completely random topic.
• Put all the topics together. Now, in turns, you pick one topic and start talking about it for about a minute or two, without preparation. If you pick the topic written by you, you put it back and pick a new one.

When one participant is finished, the next participant picks a new topic and starts with their speech.

• Other listeners shouldn’t interrupt the speaker during their speech.
• It is advisable to give feedback, especially by the person who has come up with the topic.

How does this game improve giving an impromptu speech?

First, you get used to talking about topics you don’t know anything about at a first glance.

Second, you get a wealth of experience in terms of how to customize a topic. For example: if you pick a topic entitled „My Trip to Spain“, but you’ve never been to Spain, you’ll be talking about „What I Could Do on my Next Trip to Spain“.

Third, you get feedback from other people about how you did. Pretty soon, you’ll discover that you’re actually much better than you think.

Finally, the more you play this game, the more comfortable you will feel in different situations . You will learn from experience, right?

An impromptu speech can be frightening, but it’s not the hardest of things. It’s all in your head, and you can start fixing it now.

Have a look at my 12 impromptu speech tips and think of the situations where you can use one or the other. And then… go on stage. First thing. The more you practice public speaking , the better you get.

Related questions

What is a persuasive speech? The main objective of a persuasive speech is to make your listeners do what you want them to do. For example, „buy my product“, „vote for me“, „believe what I’m talking about“, and so on. ( full article here)

What is the elevator pitch? An elevator pitch is a well-thought, meaningful, and repeatedly practiced brief (about 30-60 seconds long) overview of who you are, what you offer, and how your partner can benefit from it ( full article here ).

What is audience analysis? Audience analysis gives you the opportunity to get as much information about the background of your listeners as possible. Using this information, you can prepare your message so that it builds on the interests, needs, and expectations of your listeners. ( full article here )

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• Tags: Art of public speaking , Effective speaking , Good speech , Impromptu presentation , Impromptu speaking , Impromptu talk , Making a speech , Prepare a speech , Presentation skills tips , Presentation techniques , Speech skills , Speech tips , Writing a speech

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I have been teaching public speaking at Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences

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10 top tips for delivering an impromptu speech

No time to prepare take heart – and take note..

For many of us it’s the worst-case scenario – suddenly having to deliver an impromptu presentation. Being asked to speak in public is a major challenge for many leaders. Being asked to speak spontaneously as well as publicly can catapult the task straight into the very-difficult, to-be-avoided-at-all-times-I’d-rather-die category. The negative possibilities appear grave – your brain freezes, you mumble incoherently, or you appear to lose all gravitas.

Yet these scenarios happen all the time – introducing yourself at networking events, giving a toast at a company party, unexpectedly being pulled into a meeting to give an update, having a colleague directly turn to you in the middle of a presentation for input or being asked an unexpected question on a panel.

While you may wish for thorough preparation, giving an  extemporaneous  speech can mark you out as an excellent communicator. It’s how you handle yourself when you are least prepared that often demonstrates your leadership and influencing abilities.

Here are 10 top tips for performing – and presenting – under unexpected pressure.

• Be confident – look up, breathe deeply, say to yourself something positive – ‘I’m going to be fine’.
• Focus on the audience – Every presentation, including impromptu ones, need to be audience centric. The audience will be on your side – focus on what will be useful to them.
• Less is more – Avoid the tendency to ramble. An audience is far more likely to listen if you stay on target and are succinct. In fact, they’ll love you for it. Keep it short and to the point. Remember the Power of 3 – stick to three key points.
• Have a structure – Tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them. In the main section use a simple structure. For example:
• Past / Present/ future
• Cause / Effect / Remedy
• Before / The Event / The Result
• Primacy and recency – The audience will remember the first and last things you say. Make sure these are therefore powerful and linked to your key message.
• Talk conversationally – imagine you are speaking to your best friend and let yourself be authentic and natural.
• Personalise your speech & have a relevant story . Share from personal experience. No need to research, no need to investigate, and no need to memorise anything. When in doubt about what to say, just tell a story from your past related to the situation. Stories are memorable.
• Demonstrate powerful body language – Stand tall on both feet, resist the urge to slump or fiddle, use big gestures, smile and get eye contact with your audience.
• Use a credible voice tone – Go slowly! Hurrying will increase any feelings of unease you have. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Deliver your words slowly and use pauses.
• Turn your impromptu session into a Q&A session – For lengthier impromptu speeches re-frame the session as a Q&A session, which are probably easier for you to answer individually and breaks a session up into a series of very small impromptu interventions. Also, the content comes directly from the audience, so you are guaranteed to deliver what they are seeking.

Whilst we can still enjoy the famous tongue-in-cheek Mark Twain quote ‘it usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech’, you now know what to do when confronted by the dreaded impromptu business presentation. Now all you have to do is practise on the edge of discomfort.

Appeared in Management Today – April 2018

Previous post authenticity: how to be genuine when you present, next post how to engage an audience in 3 minutes flat, contact jeremy:.

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80+ Impromptu Speech Topics & 7 Ways to Nail One

What is an impromptu speech.

An impromptu speech is one delivered without prior notification and preparation. For certain persons who may not be easily open to giving public speeches, an impromptu speech may be a total scare in general. However, there are ways to make sure that impromptu speeches are not as scary as it may come off, all it just needs is a little confidence and you are good to go.

How to give a killer impromptu speech?

Imagine you are in a meeting at work and your boss suddenly asks for your opinion, or about the process and challenges that you are facing on your project and the support you need to overcome them. This has happened to me, and imagine that it did happen to you also, and if you are not prepared both in terms of having actually prepared for that meeting (knowing you’d have to speak), and in terms of how to handle such situations (speak in front of others), then it’s really hard to not play the fool.

Rest assured, because after you read the tips that will be shared below, you will be more prepared to handle such situations and in some cases, you might just be able to deliver a memorable speech and inspire someone without much ‘preparation.’

Related Article: 10 Types of Speech – Learn to Choose the right type of speech for achieving the desired Result

6 Great Tips to Help You Nail Your Next Impromptu Speech Presentation

Here are some of the amazing tips you need to ace your impromptu speech presentation. I will be sharing some impromptu speech examples, because I believe it will be easier for you to visualize what an impromptu speech might look like.

1. Seek the truth (Avoid Lying)

When you say your truth, you can never run out of what to say, since it also happened to you, or is something you have analyzed. This way, you can easily begin to make the same analysis on the stage without having to blab on it.

2. Share an Experience / Speak from Experience

With experience, you don’t need research, studying or memorization. You already have ample knowledge of the subject and hence, you have no need for research or assistance. This way, the speech becomes easier to share as it is already all in your head. Take for instance, when you are called to talk about examinations. Surely, this is something you have had to undergo in the past, so, you most definitely have a story to tell.

3. Always practice for a few Scenarios

Though the above setting may not be applicable in an official scenario, there are still certain vital points worthy of note when called upon to give an impromptu speech. For instance, in the example given before, if called up for a project meeting, you could very well go prepared to answer any questions related to project progress, risks, challenges, and support required (mention what you remember).

4. Pen it down 

Especially when you’re someone who isn’t so good at giving speeches off the top of your head, this will help marvelously.

Let’s say you were told 10 min before that you are supposed to give an impromptu speech, your next course of action should be to immediately you take advantage of the heads up – write out the important points of the speech you’re about to give.

If the speech is about effieciency at work to improve output, then , write out the key points on the “How to” of the topic allocated to you.

5. Memorize

6. take charge of your impromptu speech.

Never forget to tell your audience the speech was impromptu. With this, you have a clean slate with your audience. You are the master of your time and so, you can choose how you maneuver your audience.

Start your speech in a charming way, tell a story (that relates to the occasion), in the while keep thinking of your ending structure. For instance, on that project meeting you could start by telling the story of how your team was busy dealing with contractors, and some challenges that they faced (while you think of the best support you’d like to have, and who should give such support).

Own your time and you will own your impromptu speech, regardless of whether you got a heads up or not.

7. Make a Strong Conclusion

Going back to our project meeting example, you could, for example, you could end your impromptu speech by saying:

With this ending, you gave your audience a closure for the story you told them initially, as well as managed to bring in the urgency of the support you asked for and implications of not getting it right away. Since that meeting might include several other topics, projects, it would be best to schedule another time to discuss in detail with the stakeholders on how to proceed, and that gives you more time to prepare for the next time and ace your presentation.

S ituations when you may be called upon to give an impromptu speech 

Relevant formula for acing an impromptu speech, the fac formula.

Give a thruthful opinion on a subject matter. It may be based on your personal belief or opinion, or also based on experience. which ever form it takes, make sure such feeling is honest and truthful to the best of your knowledge. Basically, you have to espouse originality and honesty in showing your feelings for a place or subject.

– CORRELATION

link you the anecdote with the topic proper. After sharing the story, you can then talk about how the subject is then important to you.

AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE WORKINGS OF THE FAC FORMULA

I’m called upon to give an impromptu speech as the best man of a friends wedding. The first step following the FAC formula is to share my truth about the groom or the bride or whoever I am to represent.

I, however, have to make sure I am shedding light  on the positive and not the negative. I may talk about how  beautiful the wedding is and how well planned the procession in general has been. On the anecdote, I will proceed on sharing my encounter with the groom, probably how I first met him. On correlation, I will add that based on the anecdote I just shared, the bride is surely the soul mate of the groom as she completes and compliments his flaws, etc.

80+ Impromptu Speech Topics and Examples

Impromptu speech topics on improving work performance, impromptu  speech ideas on wealth and finance , impromptu speech topics for the office , impromptu speech topics on good communication .

Impromptu speeches are surely not as hard as they sound. Just know your onion and stick to your truth, trust me on this, you will be fine. All you need is 5 minutes of confidence, and even your audience will have no option than follow up your speech. It is never a big deal; you just have to own up that speech and present it like a pro. remember, leadership is not always planned.

Thank you so much for reading this far, please check out my other post including 10 types of speech , and the following series with tips on how to deliver each one of them, with examples and topics. I am sure you will find them insightful (motivational speech, persuasive speech, informative speech, and the list goes on).

Part II . 9 Tips for Writing and Amazing Informative Speech and 120+ Topic Ideas

Part III. 5 Quick Tips on how to Give an Effective Motivational Speech

Part VII. Explanatory Speech: 7 Key Tips to Help You Deliver an Effective Speech

Part VIII. 5-Step Strategy for an Effective Debate and Speech Delivery

Part XI. 80+ Impromptu Speech Topics & 7 Ways to Nail One

Part XII. 13 Ways to Effectively Deliver Pitching Presentations

Similar Posts

Why a speech outline is important, 5 quick tips on how to give an effective motivational speech, why mastering public speaking skills will improve your life – 4 examples., 12 body language mistakes to avoid during a presentation, explanatory speech examples: 7 steps to an effective speech, rhetoric: definition, types of rhetoric, 38 rhetorical devices and examples.

How to Make an Impromptu Speech: 5 Strategies for Success

December 13, 2022

“So, Justine. What’s the status of your project?” If your name is Justine, you might have just panicked a little bit. Certainly, you can identify. We’ve all been in situations — at a meeting or a social gathering — when all eyes turn to us. They expect us to say something.

Worry not! Public speaking coach Lisa Kleiman, the founder of Speaktopia, has five strategies you can use on Yoodli to improve your public speaking, especially impromptu speaking. Impromptu speaking is all about confidence, and you can build that confidence by practicing in Yoodli’s pressure-free environment.

You can’t possibly have a ready response in every situation, but you can have a ready structure to use in any scenario. Continue reading to learn how to make an impromptu speech with Kleiman’s winning strategies.

Strategy #1: The 5 Ws

Speaking with or to people is easier when you have some sort of connection — some knowledge about what you’re like, what you know, or what you care about. They’re more likely to listen to you if they feel a bond with you.

If you’re called on to speak with or to people you’ve just met, that connection isn’t there — yet. But, you can make that connection by using the 5 Ws strategy . It involves asking questions:

• Who … ?
• What … ?
• Why … ?
• Where … ?
• When … ?

Here’s an example of how to make an impromptu speech using the 5 Ws strategy. Let’s say that you’re asked to lead a team discussion about the work-from-home policy — right now. You could try to articulate the policy and share how you think it’s working. You might assume that everyone already knows what it is and not state it. If you’re wrong in your assumption, some people will be confused. Is anyone still listening to you at this point?

Now let’s say that you know how to make an impromptu speech with the 5 Ws strategy. You start off by asking, “Who has clarity about what our current policy is?” The question engages your audience, getting them to think and respond. It also helps you know whether you need to review the policy. Then you ask, “What kind of feedback have you received about the policy?” Again, they’re thinking and responding. You’re getting information that helps you know which direction to take the discussion.

This strategy helps you establish a bond with your audience at the beginning because it instantly engages you in a conversation. This works even when you’re speaking in front of a large audience. Although it’s less of a dialogue, you can ask for a show of hands or use rhetorical questions to get them to listen and engage.

You can practice this impromptu speaking strategy with the “Record Speech” feature on the free Yoodli app. Click on “Not sure what to say? Try with a fun prompt.” See what W questions you can come up with!

Strategy #2: P.R.E.P.

Sometimes you’re prepared to speak, but you’re not ready for the curve balls that get thrown at you in the form of questions or remarks. Suddenly, your prepared speech turns into an impromptu speech. The P.R.E.P. strategy works for any kind of speech. Here’s how it works:

• Point —  Make a singular point.
• Reasoning —  Share the reasoning behind your point. This is the why to your what .
• Evidence —  Share a concrete example or two that supports your point and your reasoning.
• Point —  Circle back to your point and summarize it.

Here’s an example of how to make an impromptu speech using the P.R.E.P. strategy. You’re asked what you think should be added to the budget next quarter.

• Point —  “I think we should hire a part-time assistant for Charles.”
• Reasoning —  “I see Charles doing a lot of tasks that anyone can do, and he should be freed up to do what only he can do as the Development Director.”
• Evidence —  “I saw this dynamic at the last organization I worked for. When the director was released of administrative tasks, she was able to spend a lot more time meeting with potential donors, and contributions went up and eventually covered the cost of the assistant and more.”
• Point —  “A part-time assistant for Charles should be a budget priority for us if we want to see long-term growth in contributions.”

Strategy #3: S.E.E.

If you can appeal to someone’s logic or their emotions, you’re doing well. What if you could appeal to both? You’re likely to win them over to your idea. It’s great when you have a chance to prepare for a specific scenario, but sometimes you won’t get that chance. Still, you can be prepared with a strategy. The S.E.E. strategy is easy to remember and will help you appeal to your audience’s logic and emotions in impromptu situations.

Here’s what it stands for:

• Statement —  Make a simple statement.
• Evidence —  Provide evidence (facts) to support your statement and appeal to your audience’s reasoning.
• Emotion —  Provide something (perhaps a story about a person) to support your statement and appeal to your audience’s emotions.

Here’s an example of how to make an impromptu speech using the S.E.E. strategy. You’re asked whether you think the company should have a holiday party this year.

• Statement —  “We definitely should have a company holiday party.”
• Evidence —  “Our team surveys indicate that it’s a significant morale boost and a major team bonding experience, and research shows that morale and bonding directly impact productivity.”
• Emotion —  “You know Derrick? He used to show up at 9:00 every day, leave at 5:00, and barely talk to anyone in between. At last year’s party, he really came out of his shell when we brought out the karaoke machine. Now he’s taking on leadership roles with a confidence he (and we) never knew he had!”

You can practice this strategy with Yoodli’s free Interview Practice tool . Pick a question such as “Describe your leadership style” or any others that catch your eye.

Strategy #4: The 3 Ts

You’re probably familiar with the Introduction/Body/Conclusion communication structure. That’s essentially what the 3 Ts strategy is.

Here’s how it works:

• Tell them what you’re going to tell them. This buys you time and allows you to clarify what question your answering.
• Tell them. This is the meat of your response. After your introduction, you can go into detail.
• Tell them what you told them. This is a summary and a chance to give them a takeaway or a call to action.

Here’s an example of how to make an impromptu speech using the 3 Ts strategy. Let’s say that you’re asked to give a brief update on your project.

• Tell them what you’re going to tell them. “Sure, I’d be happy to give a quick progress report on my video project.”
• Tell them. “I’ve captured the raw footage, and I’m now in the editing process. I expect that to take a couple more days, and then I’ll get some feedback on it before finalizing it.”
• Tell them what you told them. “I’m on track with the video project, and your feedback will be helpful in a couple of days, so I’ll reach out then.”

Strategy #5: C.A.R.

Sometimes you’re asked on the spur of the moment to address a problem. The C.A.R. strategy for impromptu speaking is a great way to handle this. It lets you demonstrate that you have a good grasp of the problem and that your solution is worth exploring. Here’s how it works:

• Challenge —  State the problem.
• Action —  Offer a solution.
• Result —  Cast a vision for the post-problem future.

Here’s an example of how to make an impromptu speech using the C.A.R. strategy. Your teammate comes to you, clearly anxious, and says that your team project is due tomorrow and it’s not on track to be completed.

• Challenge —  “So, the project is due at tomorrow’s 3:00 meeting, and we still need to gather the sales data and get it into the presentation.”
• Action —  “I can put my current task on hold and get the first quarter data, and I’ll ask Cate to get second quarter. If you’re comfortable prepping the template from the last presentation and plugging in the data we give you, that should be all we need.”
• Result —  “The boss is going to love the presentation, and we’ll breathe easy when it’s done!”

Practice These Strategies

Now that you know how to make an impromptu speech with Kleiman’s five strategies,

it’s time to practice each one with your own AI speech coach at Yoodli. It will help you improve your speaking skills and overcome anxiety about being called on to speak.

If you’re feeling a little competitive, you can try one of the Yoodli impromptu speaking warmup exercises to beat your own high score. Get a daily streak of five, and you’ll see noticeable improvement.

If you haven’t done so already, sign up for free and take advantage of the practical tools and fun games. Yoodli’s AI analytics can train you to take whatever comes at you and respond with confidence and clarity.

Start practicing with Yoodli.

Getting better at speaking is getting easier. Record or upload a speech and let our AI Speech Coach analyze your speaking and give you feedback.

                                      LIVE 1-HOUR CLASSES AVAILABLE 

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• Storytelling

How to Give an Impressive Impromptu Speech

An Impromptu speech is a talk that you give on the spot with no preparation.

The speech could be as professional as a project update or as casual as a toast at a wedding. Either way, you are expected to say something smart, witty and charming.

While it might feel like torture even to the most second C-level executive, giving an extemporaneous speech is the mark of an excellent communicator and leader.

Impromptu Speech Situations You Must Be Ready For

It’s not how you handle yourself when you are prepared, that demonstrates your leadership, it’s how you handle yourself when you are least prepared. Most of the presentations you give will be prepared, yet some will not, and these unplanned events will have a bigger impact on your personal brand.

It’s how you handle yourself when least prepared that demonstrates your leadership

Here are just some examples of them

• Introducing yourself at networking events.
• Filling in for a late speaker.
• You are asked to give a toast at a company party.
• You get asked a question you did not prepare for while on a panel.
• Job interview questions from left field.
• You are interviewed by a reporter.
• You get pulled into a meeting to give an update.
• There is unexpected push back on your ideas at a company meeting.
• Say a goodbye speech to a departing employee.
• Your college refers to you in the middle of a presentation for input.

The Best 3 Impromptu Speech Tips I Ever Got

The first company I interned for during my college years threw me a goodbye party. I was happy until the manager asked if I had a few words for the team.

Then I opened my mouth, and gibberish came out. It sounded like I was speaking in tongues, “Ahh, Ahh, blah, blah, blah…”

Later, my manager at that time gave me three tips about talking on the spot that I carry to this day: “Stick to the truth, share from personal experience, and practice out loud.”

Stick to the truth, share from personal experience, and practice out loud.

1. Stick to the truth. No need to embellish, exaggerate or stretch the truth. The truth is always good enough.

For example, if you feel happy to have your colleagues in a meeting, then don’t say that you feel “super excited.” Saying that you feel happy is good enough. At least when you tell the truth, you will be authentic.

Now, telling the truth does not mean that you divulge company secrets. You stick to your truth at the moment. If you don’t know, then you say you don’t know; if you are not sure, then you say you are not sure.

Sticking to the truth will save you from a lot of mental anguish.

2. Share from personal experience. When you speak from personal experience, then you are referring to things that you intimately know. No need to research, no need to investigate, and no need to memorize anything.

When in doubt about what to say, just tell a story from your past related to the situation. That will make your contribution unique and valuable.

For example, someone asks you about the future of self-driving cars. Instead of making up stuff, just talk about the time you were in Mountain View, and you saw one of the Google’s self-driving cars for the first time.

Wait, you never saw that. No problem. Talk about the last time you were talking with your spouse about self-driving cars.

Wait you never did that. No problem. Talk about the first time you heard about self-driving cars.

You get the idea here. No need to make up anything, just look back in your memory to the closest experience with the topic and share that.

3. Practice out loud. Thinking on your feet is like dancing, you can’t learn it by thinking about it.

There are two ways to practice impromptu speaking:

1. On your own. Choose a different random topic every day and speak out loud about it. What you say does not have to be perfect, or eloquent, or enlightening. The important thing is to speak out loud. I do this when I am stuck in traffic. I pick a random topic and then I just speak on it for a minute or so. Don’t overdo it. Just once a day is enough.

2. Speak in a group. Practicing in front of a group and getting professional feedback is the best way to learn impromptu speaking. I know that this option is harder than practicing on your own for many reasons. Not finding the right group, not finding the time are just a few. However, it is not impossible. You can try out different speaking classes or join a Toastmasters group in your area until you find one that resonates with you. It will be worth it.

Quick and Dirty Impromptu Formula You Can Use Right Away

In an impromptu speech, the structure king. Without a present and practiced structure, you will ramble on and make no point at all. In fact, the structure will be the king, queen, and general combined to martial and lead your content in a concise and relevant way.

Structure is king!

There are many other formulas that I use for impromptu speaking, however, here I want to share with you an excellent one.

It’s called FAT.

F = Feeling

Share your honest feeling about the topic, circumstance or person. If you feel excited to be there then, that’s the impression that you share (remember to stay close to the truth)

A= Anecdote

Share a relevant story. Most of the time, I share my first experience with the topic. For example, if it’s a car, then I share a story about my first car in college. If it’s a person, then I share my first experience meeting the person. It does not have to be that way.

T = Tie Back

After you are done with the anecdote, make sure you tie it back to the topic you are talking about. Example, if you are doing a toast for a departing coworker, and you share the story of the first time you meet her, you can tie back by saying, that after that event, you knew that she was destined for big things and that she will be missed when she leaves.

When you get asked to speak about someone or something, you can always rely on the FAT formula.

Here is an example of an impromptu speech using the FAT method.

Scenario: you are asked to thank a group of interns that worked with your department for the summer.

I want to thank Michael, Amey, and Kira for working with our department over the summer. Their work is greatly appreciated, and I don’t know how we would have done it without them (only say it this way if it’s the truth).

A: Anecdote

I remember your first day. You were all quiet, taking notes and probably thinking oh my god what a mess . Then surprised us all by your initiative and how quickly you learned. With your help, we caught up on our financial audit.

T: Tie back

We were so thankful to have you this summer and wanted to wish you the best in your academic career next year. I know some of you will be graduating, and I look forward to hearing from you. I hope you would consider coming back to work with us 🙂 Good luck!

Ok, that was the FAT method. Easy right?

You don’t have to remember any content, all you have to remember is a structure. The takeaway is that it can be used for many different scenarios. Weddings, eulogies, goodbyes, updates, answers, etc.

Extemporaneous and Impromptu speaking is a great skill to have. I say a skill because it is something you learn and develop over time. Impromptu speaking is something you get good at with practice and feedback. Start practicing today and leave an impromptu comment below.

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How to Ace the Impromptu Speech

Several readers sent in questions related to impromptu speeches, including Matthias K.:

I’m pretty comfortable when I have days or even weeks to prepare a speech, but I REALLY struggle when I’m asked to speak at a moment’s notice. Do you have any tips for impromptu speaking?

In this article, you’ll find a set of tips that will make you shine the next time you are asked to speak on the spur of the moment.

Impromptu Speech Scenarios

Impromptu speaking may not be as glamorous as prepared speaking, but it is an equally vital skill simply because there are so many scenarios where you find yourself speaking without more than a few moments of preparation. It’s no surprise that “impromptu speaking sessions” are found within Toastmasters meetings , college communications courses, and public speaking seminars.

Consider just a few situations where you find yourself speaking off the cuff:

• The scheduled speaker is unavailable (or late), and you’ve been asked to fill in.
• You are sitting on a panel answering questions from the audience.
• You are fielding questions after your own talk (yes, your Q&A session is impromptu speaking)
• You are being interviewed on television, radio, webinar, or telephone.
• You are invited (at the last moment) to say a few words at a company gathering.
• You are asked to provide a brief status report for your project at a department meeting.
• You are motivated to join the debate at the parent association meeting for your child’s school.
• You decide to give an unplanned toast at an event with family or friends.

It’s also worth noting the irony that the better you are at giving prepared speeches, the more often you will be invited to speak with no time for preparation at all. Your friends and colleagues will recognize your speaking skill, and when they need “someone” to say a few words… you’ll be that someone!

Winning Strategies for Impromptu Speeches

Although you may only have a few seconds to prepare for any particular impromptu situation, you certainly can prepare yourself to be ready when called upon.

Here are a few strategies you can use:

Anticipate situations where you may be called upon to speak. For example, if you are attending an engagement party for a close friend or family member, there’s a reasonable chance that you might be asked to speak. Similarly, if one of your close colleagues is scheduled to speak (e.g. your boss, your peer, or your report), it’s also reasonable to assume that you will find yourself speaking. As you head to the event, do a few mental exercises, trying to guess what you might be asked to speak about, and how you would respond. Even if your guess isn’t accurate, it’s amazing how those prior thoughts will help you think on your feet when you are asked to speak.

Wrap your response around a simple template, or framework. If you practice this a few times, you will find that your mini-speeches are much more polished and coherent. A few easy frameworks include:

• P.R.E.P. (Point. Reason. Example. Point) – Start off by clearly stating your point. Share the primary reason (or reasons, if you have more time). Then, share an example (preferably in story form) where your main point or reason is supported. Finally, conclude by summarizing your central point again. The template works well in many situations, and is easily adapted.
• Issue, Pros vs. Cons, Conclusions  – Start off by framing the issue. Talk about the benefits, and then talk about the drawbacks. Conclude with your recommendation.
• 5W – In this pattern, you cover your topic by addressing the Who, What, When, Where, and Why elements. For example, if you’ve been asked to speak briefly about a fundraising initiative, you could talk about [1] who started it, and who is involved now; [2] what the goals are; [3] when it started, and the schedule for the future; [4] where does it take place; and [5] why are you involved. This template works nicely, largely because the “why?” comes last, because this is often the most critical information.

Turn your impromptu session into a Q&A session. In situations where you are asked to fill in when the schedule speaker is absent, it may not be wise to launch into a 45 minute impromptu speech. Even the most accomplished speakers are prone to meander in that situation. Instead, reframe the session as a Q&A session, which breaks it up into a series of very small impromptu speeches that are probably easier for you to answer individually. Plus, the content comes directly from the audience, so you are guaranteed to deliver what they are seeking.

Use personal stories. Storytelling is an essential skill for prepared speaking, but it is equally useful for impromptu speaking as well. Stories are emotional, real, and interesting. If you stick to personal stories, you’ll find that it is much easier to speak (even without preparation) because the events happened to you.

Avoid the tendency to go on, and on, and on.  Craft a coherent message, and then be quiet. Rambling on will only weaken your overall speech. If you must fill more time, shift into a Q&A.

Go easy on yourself. We all want to speak perfectly every time, but demanding perfection from yourself in an impromptu speech is setting the bar too high. The audience (probably) recognizes that you’ve been thrown in at the last minute, and they will understand.

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

Do you have any proven strategies for mastering the impromptu speech?

Please share in the comments .

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21 comments.

Great ideas – and I like the simple structures PREP, I-P&C-C, 5W – quick tools to put structure into your talk 2 minutes before standing up.

The real challenge is closing an impromptu speech – so often the lack of preparation of a good opening leaves it difficult to do a great closing – and you end up with a tepid “well… that’s it… thanks”

Always try to be prepared for the “Impromptu Speech.”

A Police Chief once told me he takes it as a given that when attending Chamber and other events, the emcee will usually say, “And let’s hear a few words from our city’s Top Cop. Come on up here, Chief!”

I like your idea, Andrew, of the Q&A Session. If you don’t know the answer, or just want to involve more people, the answer to the question can be thrown back to the audience.

Thanks for the Post!

I have always been an impromptu speaker. I loose my confidence when I prepare my speech. Which I do well, but at times, I miss out on important issues and also I can’t time my speech

At one point in my career, I was constantly confronted with impromptu speaking situations–the speech literally being planned between chair and podium.

The challenge was how to make the speech coherent and focused with no time to labor over an outline.

One speaker suggested simply picking an object on the way…and using the elements of that object as points for the speech. We might use an object that has an obvious connection with the topic, say a “ball point pen” used for points on communication, but that is not necessary, a shoe or a flower arrangement could be used as well.

So, it begins, “this common shoe tells us everything we need to know about time management…..” –first, like a good shoe, it has to fit you and your distinctive personality… –second, like the sole, it must both protect you from the dynamics of the outside world, and give you traction… –Finally, like the shoe in its totality, you must use it or it cannot fulfill its function no matter how well designed…

This actually works so well, I have used it to create outlines for writing and prepared speeches…a structured brain storming.

God bless and Merry Christmas

hi thanks so much for addressing an issue I had requested for too, only not so articulately.

If it is impromptu it is a not really a speech. It is more you giving your off the cuff thoughts about something. By the very nature of being unprepared you can be prepared for them. But you can learn to be good communicator and share your well organized thoughts about something *whenever* you are asked.

An “impromptu speech” is no different than a coworker or a spouse asking you your opinion about something.

The ‘template’ advice is spot on Andrew. A well structured speech will always sound professional. To what you’ve said here I’d add that when time to prepare is short, make best use of it by working out the opening (an arresting attention getter) and the close (something they’ll always remember). Somehow you’ll be able to speak your way from one to the other!

excellent suggestion! Will give it a go 🙂

I always enjoy your write ups. Impromptu speaking is the monster in many people’s nightmares. . . Your suggestions are very valid.

Nice! I remember my speech teacher getting me to use the 5W’s when doing impromptu speeches years ago. I’ve never been as strong with impromptu side of things in comparison to prepared speeches, so thanks for sharing your excellent strategies! Will use.

I really have a hard time getting my confidence. I thank you for sharing this knowledge and may help any body who wants to be a good public speaker. May God Bless You!

hi your articles are really great.they will be helpful during the public speaking competitions

I have an impromptu speaking competition coming up. I get any topic in the world from the adjudicator and have 5 minutes of preparation. I must speak for at least 2 minutes. I had a practice round yesterday, but it went really badly. My topic was ‘Know Your Limits’ and it came out a bit disastrous. Do you have a fully formed plan or something I could follow in regards to any topic that could come up? Thank you.

Hey Ashley, I realize you posted your comment months ago, but I also have an impromptu speaking competition coming up in days, just like yours. You must have finished your competition by now, and I was wondering whether you have any tips you could give me? I have the same problem you do. Thanks.

If you start with an intro Attention Getter – grab your audience Thesis – what is my topic Preview of Points – then talk about each point specifically then conclude with Review – what did i just talk about Thesis – what was the topic and a Tieback to the attention getter

This helps my students succeed. At least a minute of talking with an introduction and conclusion and a minute on each point, you have a minimum of a 4 minute speech! Just think, process and come up with points about your topic and you will do great!

I find the articles very interesting and informative.

I SOMETIMES EXPERIENCE SOME CHALLENGES WHEN REQUESTED TO GIVE AN IMPROMPTU SPEECH. I WOULD BE GLAD TO SUBSCRIBE SO THAT I CAN EQUIP MYSELF WITH SKILLS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING.

IMPROMPTU 1 Pick topic from here and now–I usually talk about talking impromptu 2 Quickly pick ending to guide your talk–I usually invite them to give an impromptu talk soon.

Love these tips. Spot on!

I have developed this website for practicing impromptu speech with an active time. Please feel free to use it impromptuspeech.net

This was helpful for a project in working on for the next few days

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4 Blog Links

How to Ace the Short, Impromptu Speech | EFL Tips - Resources for EFL Students — Jan 19th, 2012

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Useful resources to help you get ready for the contests « Toast of CIBC Toastmasters Blog — Sep 12th, 2012

Donn King's Corner » Blog Archive » Prepare to speak without preparation — Nov 12th, 2012

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45 Impromptu Speech Topics and Ideas

October 29, 2017 - Dom Barnard

Impromptu speeches are a great way to practice quick thinking and concise speaking – you usually have only a couple of minutes to  prepare a speech  lasting around five minutes. Even in this shorter form of speech, you still need to have a structure to what you are saying to ensure your message is understood by everyone.

If you struggle with lack of confidence, practicing with these impromptu speech topics can be a great way to build confidence for all types of speeches and conversations, whether you’re talking to someone at a business networking event or speaking at a wedding.

What is an impromptu speech?

For an impromptu speech, you’ll generally have 1-3 minutes of preparation for a speech lasting 5-8 minutes. Tougher speech events can reduce this preparation time down to 30 seconds and require you to plan your speech mentally, without any paper to write notes on.

Impromptu speeches are often given as part of university and college debates.  Oxford Union event  shown above.

These types of speeches are usually found in public speaking courses, speaking organisations such as Toastmasters and  debating competitions  (both professional and student based).

They are a great way of testing a range of communication skills, from organisation to clarity to creativity, and are becoming a popular way to practice general public speaking skills.

Practice Impromptu Speaking

Practice your impromptu speaking skills by talking about a series of random slides for 30 seconds each. Receive feedback on your performance. Learn More

Tips for picking an impromptu speech topic

Here are some quick tips and considerations for picking an impromptu speech.

• Pick a topic you are familiar with, have knowledge of and want to talk about. Personal experience on that topic is a bonus as you’ll be able to speak more naturally about it.
• Your organisational skills will be tested to come up with a powerful introduction and conclusion in your preparation to back up your argument.
• Pick a topic where the scope is limited (or you can easily limit it) as you’ll only have 5 minutes to discuss it.
• Your goal is to either inform or  persuade your audience  so choose a topic that suits these criteria

Impromptu speech topics

There are a huge amount of topic to choose from so we’ve compiled a short list of interesting topics below, some of which will hopefully inspire you or give you talking points you hadn’t previously considered.

• A non-biased news site is impossible
• The Romain Empire was the most important empire to have existed
• Keyboards will be replaced by speech-to-text technology in 10 years
• Performance enhancing drugs should be allowed in sport
• Colour affects the way people feel
• Poor health begins in the mind
• Team sports build strong individuals
• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
• Poverty is a state of mind
• What characteristics make an ideal villain?
• How would you describe an average person?
• In what situation is lying a good idea?
• Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?
• Pets are for people who don’t have children
• Real learning doesn’t occur in a classroom
• It is better to be influential than rich
• Do violent video games contribute to youth violence?
• School uniforms removes individuality
• Children should not watch television
• Art is not important to the future of the human race
• Future conflicts will be confined to online hacking
• Social customs are a waste of time
• My biggest concern for the future is…
• Climate change is a natural occurrence
• What is the most important skill for starting a business
• Space exploration advances the human race
• Parents are the most influential factors in our lives
• Sports people salaries are justified by viewing figures
• Reading fiction is a waste of time
• Going to university / college is not necessary anymore
• Facebook makes society less happy
• Anyone can be a millionaire if they work hard enough
• No extra-terrestrial species have found us because…
• Translation technology will replace the need to learn a language
• Colonizing Mars is necessary to ensure human survival
• Presidential / Prime Ministers time in office should be lengthened
• Social circles and friends are the most important factors for happiness
• Real wealth is not measured in money or possessions
• The minimum wage should be doubled
• Should adults have the right to carry a concealed handgun?
• Is sexual orientation determined at birth?
• Junk food’s popularity relies on marketing
• Both snooker and darts are sports
• Being a vegetarian is healthier than eating meat
• Renting a house is better than buying

Use any of these topics for your next impromptu speech or just as personal practice to improve your communication skills.

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How to Organize Your Five-Minute Impromptu Speech: Building Your Introduction (Part 1)

What do five minutes feel like to you? You could tell us that it’s made of up 300 seconds, in which time corn on the cob could be microwaved, a round of commercials could be played, and one kilometer be could run – at least for some of us. But the experience of five minutes is relative. It feels a lot longer if you’re waiting in traffic, than if you’re running late for class. So in this article, you’ll learn what five minutes should feel like when making an impromptu speech, by breaking down the different parts of your speech in order to create a structure that’s both organized and timely. All organized speeches have a beginning, middle, and end, also known as the introduction, body, and conclusion. Knowing how to plan the content of these parts is key to reaching a five-minute impromptu speech, especially because of the limitations you’re under with only two minutes of prep time. Why is this important? Two reasons. One: without keeping track of your time, you may end up finishing early and leaving out essential analysis. Two: many of us have a tendency to ramble and go off-topic, confusing both you and your audience in the process. So, as you map out the structure of your speech, you’ll learn how much time to allow for each part, and what content should be included to reach that timing. Let’s start with impromptu introductions, which require five key ingredients. First, the hook. All good speeches should create a strong first impression. For impromptu, hooks generally come in the form of a personal or well-known anecdote that’s related to the meaning of your prompt and thesis. If you choose a famous story, consider picking something simple that you know well, like the plot of a fable you’ve been taught or a movie you’ve watched. These anecdotes are the quickest to think of and can often be told smoothly without much preparation. For instance, if we suddenly asked you to retell the tale of Snow White, or your vacation last summer, you probably remember quite well what happened. In total, you should spend approximately 40 seconds on your hook, which is about six sentences. Second, the transition sentence or sentences. It’s important to link your hook to the prompt so the audience can see how they relate together. This link should be approximately one to two sentences, no more than ten seconds. For instance, let’s say the last sentence of your hook is, “The story of Snow White ends as a happy one, as the princess wakes up after true love’s kiss from her Prince Charming.” You wouldn’t want to immediately follow it with, “This quote by Stephen King says, “The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool.” Why? Because the audience wouldn’t understand how Snow White is related to “innocence” or “liars.” So, ask yourself, what do the story and the quote have in common? Well, if you recall, Snow White was too innocent, trusting the old lying granny who sold her the apple. Let’s try to use this information to link the hook and the quote together. Your transition might be: “Fairytales such as these don’t exist, with innocent people often getting hurt rather than living out their ‘happily ever after.’” Notice how this sentence makes the connection between the hook and prompt by comparing how fairytales are different from real life. Third, the prompt and your interpretation. Even with a transition sentence, it’s helpful to add a dependent clause before you present your prompt. A dependent clause is a group of words that cannot be used alone; they instead provide additional information for the independent clause, which in this case, is your prompt. Avoid directly saying things like, “the prompt I got today is…” Be a little bit more subtle in your language. You could do this one in of two ways. One: link specific parts of the hook directly to the prompt. You could say something like this: “Snow White’s trusting actions are exactly what Stephen King described in his quote…” Two: If your transition sentence is already clear, use a conventional phrase like: “This brings me to today’s quote…”, or “Which is why we see in today’s quote…”, or “This story is fitting with today’s quote…” You can of course replace the word “quote” with proverb, word, or picture, depending on what type of prompt you’re given. Now for your interpretation. If your prompt is a quote or proverb, spending a sentence to explain its meaning is enough. Elaborate on who or what the prompt refers to and what kind of tone it sets. If there are any hidden meanings, then you might add an extra sentence or two. For word prompts, take more time to describe or define it, giving an example of how this word is commonly used. For picture prompts, read off any text, and describe the picture and its purpose. In total, introducing the prompt and your interpretation of it should take about 20 seconds. Fourth: the thesis statement, which its main objective is summed up in one clear, concise, and debatable sentence. This should take no more than five seconds. Finally, your roadmap (also called the preview), which outlines your speech’s three main points. Usually, in other speeches, your roadmap would include your three claims. However, because most impromptu speakers don’t have time to fully brainstorm these claims during prep, it’s common practice to simply introduce the three stories you plan to talk about in two or three sentences, which is your final 15 seconds. The best way to make this short and simple is to create story titles for each example or to refer to the names of the people or groups you plan to talk about. And there you have, five key parts and their timeline for building a one-minute and 30-second introduction. In the second part of this article, you’ll see an example of a good introduction, and then we’ll break down body paragraphs and conclusions.

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Impromptu Speech

Speech generator.

If delivering a speech can get nerve-racking for some people, just imagine if they are to deliver an impromptu speech. When we know we are to deliver a speech, we would often go out of our ways just to plan, rehearse, and practice for days, even weeks for some, just to make sure we could ace it. However, when we are asked to deliver a speech on the spot, that’s when things would get challenging for us.

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Even though the moments when you would be asked to deliver an impromptu speech could be unexpected, there are some moments when you are most likely to deliver one and such moments are weddings, award presentations or recognition, and even project updates in your workplace. Whatever it is, people would expect that you would be able to deliver an impromptu speech that is smart, witty, insightful, and informative, especially if it’s a formal setting.

If you are not really good at making an impromptu speech but you would always find yourself to be asked to deliver one, then you have to ace your game and surprise everyone who has already witnessed your countless nail-biting situations with the help of the impromptu speech examples that we have compiled here in this article. We have also included some tips on how to deliver an impromptu speech that will surely be of help when you are asked to deliver another impromptu speech.

What is Impromptu Speech? – Definition An impromptu speech is a type of speech that is given without prior preparation or notice . It requires the speaker to quickly organize their thoughts and ideas on a given topic and deliver a coherent and persuasive presentation on the spot. Unlike prepared speeches, where the speaker has time to research, plan, and rehearse, impromptu speeches are spontaneous and demand a high level of quick thinking, adaptability, and the ability to articulate thoughts clearly and effectively under pressure. Impromptu speaking is a valuable skill in various contexts, including everyday conversations, business meetings, interviews, social gatherings, and competitive speaking events. It tests a speaker’s ability to think on their feet, use language creatively, and engage with an audience without the safety net of prepared materials. Mastering impromptu speaking can enhance one’s communication skills, confidence, and ability to handle unexpected situations gracefully.

Tips on giving an impromptu speech

• Stay Calm and Composed : The key to successful impromptu speaking starts with your mindset. Take a deep breath, stay calm, and approach the task with confidence. Remember, your audience is more forgiving than you think.
• Listen Carefully : If you’re given a topic or question, listen carefully to understand it fully. Clarify if necessary before you start speaking to ensure your response is relevant.
• Structure Your Thoughts Quickly : Organize your speech with a clear beginning, middle, and end. You might use the simple structure of stating your main point, supporting it with a few details or examples, and then concluding by summarizing your point.
• Use the PREP Method : Point, Reason, Example, Point (PREP) is a straightforward formula for organizing your thoughts. State your main point, give a reason why it’s important, provide an example or evidence, and restate your point.
• Draw on Personal Experience : Personal stories or examples can make your speech more engaging and relatable. Don’t hesitate to draw on your own experiences when relevant.
• Keep It Simple and Clear : Avoid trying to cover too much in a short speech. Focus on one or two key points that you can discuss clearly and succinctly.
• Engage Your Audience : Make eye contact, use gestures for emphasis, and modulate your voice to keep the audience engaged. Showing enthusiasm for your topic can also help captivate your listeners.
• Practice Active Listening : Improve your impromptu speaking skills by practicing active listening in daily conversations. This helps you become better at formulating quick and coherent responses.
• Embrace Silence : It’s okay to take a moment to collect your thoughts before responding or to pause briefly during your speech. These pauses can actually improve your speech’s clarity and pacing.
• Learn from Every Experience : After each impromptu speech, reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Continuous self-reflection and practice are key to becoming a more effective speaker.
• Stay Informed : Being well-read and informed about a variety of topics can provide you with a wealth of material to draw from when asked to speak spontaneously.
• Practice Under Pressure : Challenge yourself by practicing impromptu speeches in different settings or under time constraints. This can help build your confidence and improve your quick-thinking skills

Impromptu speech frameworks

Impromptu speech frameworks are structured approaches that help speakers organize their thoughts quickly and deliver a coherent speech on the spot. These frameworks provide a guideline for arranging your points, making it easier to speak confidently and clearly under pressure. Here are several effective frameworks for impromptu speaking:

PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point)

Point : Start by stating your main point or argument. Reason : Explain why this point is important or relevant. Example : Provide an example or evidence to support your reason. Point : Conclude by restating your main point, reinforcing your argument.

PEEL (Point, Explain, Evidence, Link)

• Point : Begin with the main point you intend to make.
• Explain : Elaborate on your point, providing more detail.
• Evidence : Offer evidence, examples, or anecdotes to support your explanation.
• Link : Conclude by linking back to your main point, showing how the evidence supports it.

What? So What? Now What?

What? : Describe the situation or topic you’re addressing. So What? : Discuss the importance or impact of the situation/topic. Now What? : Suggest a course of action or a conclusion based on the discussion.

5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and How

This framework is especially useful for informative or explanatory speeches. Address each of the “5 Ws” to cover the topic comprehensively, followed by “How” to explain processes or solutions.

Problem-Solution-Benefit

Problem : Start by describing a problem. Solution : Propose a solution to the problem. Benefit : Highlight the benefits or positive outcomes of implementing the solution.

Cause-Effect-Solution

Cause : Explain the cause of a particular issue or situation. Effect : Describe the effects or consequences of this cause. Solution : Offer solutions to mitigate the cause or address its effects.

Compare and Contrast

This framework involves comparing two or more ideas, situations, or objects, highlighting similarities and differences. It’s effective for persuasive speeches or when making a choice between options.

Past-Present-Future

Past : Start by discussing the history or background of your topic. Present : Describe the current state or relevance of the topic. Future : Predict future trends or implications related to the topic.

Three-Point Structure

Choose three main points you want to make about your topic. This straightforward structure is flexible and can be adapted to most topics, providing clarity and depth without overwhelming the audience.

Impromptu Speech Samples

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Situations You’d Likely Deliver an Impromptu Speech

As mentioned above, the moments you’d be asked to deliver an impromptu speech is unexpected but there are certain moments and events wherein you would most likely be asked to deliver one. With that, we have listed down some of the situations that you would most likely get asked an impromptu speech:

• The scheduled speaker had informed that he or she would not be able to make it at the last minute and you have been asked to fill in for him or her.
• When you are one of the panelists in a contest, a report or status update, or a project presentation and when you are the one doing the project presentation or a status update and that one of the panelists would ask you questions.
• When you would initiate a question-and-answer session after your prepared speech (the answers you reply to the questions thrown at you by the audience is considered as an impromptu speaking).
• When you would be asked to be interviewed, be it on television, radio, seminars or webinars, or even phone interviews.
• When you would be asked to say a few words or a toast at any kind of gathering, be it among your friends, family members, colleagues, or company.
• When you would join a debate in school or even in your workplace or even when your teacher in class would decide that he or she is going to hold a debate on the spot.

Winning Tips and Strategies for Creating and Delivering Impromptu Speeches

If there is one thing you cannot do with impromptu speeches, it’s the fact that you can never prepare them. However, you can always prepare yourself for when you would be encountering such moments. With that, we have listed down some tips and strategies you can use when you would be asked to deliver a speech right on the spot:

Anticipate the possible situations where you might be called upon to deliver an impromptu speech. We have already listed down the possible and common situations and events above and you could also add on some more situations especially if you have already countless experiences when you would just be caught off guard because you are, again, asked to deliver an impromptu speech. Even though you can never prepare an impromptu speech because you can never know what would happen in a situation, having the knowledge of these situations will enable you to at least prepare and compose yourself.

If you are a prominent person or an individual people have high regard for, just expect that you will always be asked to speak even if you know it yourself that you are not good at public speaking, especially if it is an impromptu one. This is why you should make it a point to have a personal impromptu speech structure that can serve as your default template, framework, or guide when you are asked to deliver an impromptu speech. Having such structure decreases the chances of you rambling in front of your audience since you would already have something to follow in your head.

If you could not think of any personal impromptu speech structure, you could make use or get inspired with some of this easy impromptu speech structure or framework:

• P.R.E.P. which stands for Point, Reason, Example, Point. This structure is easy to follow: you can start off by clearly stating your points, followed by sharing the reasons or your defense as to why you have these points, followed by examples that would illustrate and explain to the audience why you made those points and the reasons for those points, and lastly, end your impromptu speech with the summary of your central point again.
• Issue, Pros vs. Cons, Conclusions.  Here is another easy structure that you can follow. You start off by talking about the issue. Then, you follow it by talking about the benefits people can get from it, followed by talking about its drawbacks, and finally end it with your recommendations.
• Answering the 5Ws and 1H.  This structure is centralized in addressing and answering the 5Ws and 1H questions or the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How elements or questions.

Turn your impromptu session into a question-and-answer session. Having a Q and A session always works wonders especially when you are only tasked to fill in for the absence of a scheduled speaker. Most of the time, a scheduled speaker would be given at least 30- to 45-minute speech but in your case where you are only given the task to fill in his or her time without preparation, it would not be wise to dive into having a 30- to 45-minute impromptu speech. Even if you are fully aware and knowledgeable about the topic that you will be making an impromptu speech out of, it is still not easy to prepare a speech about it right on this spot. If you would re-frame the time with a Q and A session, you would be able to easily break up the given time into a series of very small but extremely manageable impromptu speeches which makes it easier for you to answer and generate an impromptu speech out of. The best part of it is that the questions would come directly from the audience, which means that the answers you give to them is something they wanted to hear.

Using your personal stories also works wonders as well because even if you are not really a good speaker to begin with, you would suddenly be an expert at it especially if you would be creating an impromptu speech using your emotional, real, and interesting personal stories. This is because it is much easier for you to speak about the things that happened based on personal experiences.

Most of all, just go easy on yourself. You may be a good speaker but if you are too tensed and you put so much pressure on yourself, you can still go downhill. Don’t aim too much for perfection and just strive to deliver a message that your audience will get insights from. Your audience could probably recognize that you are only asked to give a speech right on the spot and they will surely understand.

Do you feel like you could take on every moment that you’d be asked to deliver an impromptu speech after reading this article? You may also be interested in  Commercial Speech Examples in PDF.

Benefits and Opportunities of Impromptu Speech

• Enhanced Communication Skills : Regular practice of impromptu speaking sharpens your ability to express thoughts clearly and concisely, improving overall communication skills.
• Quick Thinking : Impromptu speaking fosters quick thinking and mental agility, enabling you to formulate and articulate ideas on the spot.
• Confidence Building : Facing the challenge of speaking without preparation builds self-confidence, not just in public speaking situations but in everyday interactions as well.
• Adaptability : It teaches adaptability, allowing you to adjust your message based on the audience, setting, or feedback you receive in real-time.
• Listening Skills : Effective impromptu speaking often requires active listening, especially when responding to questions or comments, thus enhancing your listening abilities.
• Persuasion Skills : As you learn to construct arguments and convey messages spontaneously, your ability to persuade and influence others improves.
• Stress Management : Over time, engaging in impromptu speaking can help you manage stress and anxiety associated with public speaking and other high-pressure situations.
• Creativity and Innovation : The need to think on your feet can boost creativity, encouraging innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.

Opportunities

• Leadership : Strong impromptu speaking skills are invaluable in leadership roles, where the ability to communicate effectively and make decisive comments is crucial.
• Career Advancement : Effective communication is a key competency in the workplace. Proficiency in impromptu speaking can open doors to promotions and other career opportunities.
• Networking : Impromptu speaking skills can enhance your networking abilities, making it easier to engage in conversations, make connections, and leave a positive impression.
• Public Speaking : For those interested in public speaking, debate, or politics, impromptu speaking serves as a foundational skill that can lead to more formal speaking engagements and opportunities.
• Educational Benefits : Students can benefit significantly from impromptu speaking, improving their academic presentations, classroom participation, and overall learning experience.
• Social Interactions : On a personal level, the confidence and skills gained from impromptu speaking can enrich social interactions, making you a more engaging and persuasive communicator in social settings.
• Crisis Management : In professional settings, the ability to speak eloquently and calmly during unexpected situations is invaluable, especially in crisis management roles.
• Personal Satisfaction : Mastering impromptu speaking can bring a deep sense of personal achievement and satisfaction, knowing you can handle spontaneous speaking challenges with poise.

How to Build Impromptu Speaking Skills

Building impromptu speaking skills is a valuable endeavor that can enhance your communication abilities across many areas of life. Here are steps and strategies to improve your impromptu speaking skills:

1. Understand the Basics

• Familiarize yourself with the structure of impromptu speeches and common frameworks, such as PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point) or the 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How).

2. Practice Regularly

• Engage in daily practice by giving short, impromptu speeches on random topics. Use a list of prompts or have someone suggest topics.
• Join clubs or groups that practice public speaking, such as Toastmasters International, where you can practice impromptu speaking in a supportive environment.

3. Embrace Opportunities to Speak

• Seize every opportunity to speak in public, whether it’s answering questions in a meeting, giving a toast, or participating in discussions. The more you practice in real situations, the more comfortable you’ll become.

4. Read Widely and Stay Informed

• A broad knowledge base will give you more material to draw from during impromptu speeches. Stay informed about current events, and read widely across different subjects.

5. Listen and Observe

• Pay attention to effective speakers and analyze what makes their impromptu speeches work. Notice their structure, how they engage their audience, and how they handle unexpected questions.

6. Think on Your Feet

• Practice thinking on your feet by putting yourself in situations that require quick thinking. Activities like debating or even improvisational comedy can improve your ability to come up with ideas quickly.

7. Focus on Clear Structure

• Even in impromptu situations, strive to have a clear beginning, middle, and end to your speeches. A clear structure helps keep your thoughts organized and makes your speech more coherent to your audience.

8. Develop Your Listening Skills

• Good impromptu speaking often involves responding to others. By developing your listening skills, you can more effectively tailor your responses to what has been said.

9. Work on Delivery

• Practice using effective body language, making eye contact, and modulating your voice to add interest and emphasis to your speeches.

10. Record and Review

• Record your practice speeches and review them to identify areas for improvement. Pay attention to your ums and ahs, pacing, clarity, and how well you stick to your structure.

11. Seek Feedback

• Get feedback from peers, mentors, or through public speaking groups. Constructive criticism can help you identify strengths and areas for improvement.

12. Embrace Mistakes

• Understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process. Each mistake is an opportunity to improve. Reflect on what went wrong and how you can do better next time.

13. Challenge Yourself

• Gradually increase the complexity of your speech topics or the pressure of your speaking situations to continue pushing your boundaries.

14. Stay Positive

• Maintain a positive attitude toward impromptu speaking. View it as an opportunity to improve and showcase your skills rather than something to fear.

15. Reflect and Adjust

• After each impromptu speech, take a moment to reflect on what went well and what didn’t. Use these insights to adjust and improve for next time.

How to Give a Great Impromptu Speech

• Listen and Understand the Topic
• Structure Your Speech
• Use a Familiar Framework
• Open Strong
• Focus on Key Points
• Use Personal Experiences
• Engage Your Audience
• Conclude with Impact
• Practice Active Listening
• Embrace Pauses
• Learn from Every Experience
• Stay Informed
• Practice Regularly

How Do You Prepare for Impromptu Speaking?

To prepare for impromptu speaking, regularly practice speaking on random topics, stay informed about various subjects, and improve your quick thinking and listening skills. Familiarizing yourself with speech structures like PREP can also help.

What Are the Three Parts of an Impromptu Speech?

The three parts of an impromptu speech include the introduction, where you present your main idea, the body, where you expand on your idea with details or examples, and the conclusion, where you summarize and reinforce your main points.

Are Impromptu Speeches Short?

Yes, impromptu speeches are typically short, often ranging from two to five minutes. Their brevity requires the speaker to convey their message concisely and effectively within a limited timeframe.

Why Is Impromptu Speech Difficult?

Impromptu speech is difficult because it requires quick thinking, the ability to organize thoughts rapidly, and confidence in speaking without preparation. The challenge lies in delivering a coherent and engaging speech on the spot.

Is Impromptu Speech a Talent?

While some individuals may naturally excel at impromptu speaking, it is more accurately described as a skill that can be developed and refined with practice, rather than a talent. Continuous practice and learning can significantly improve impromptu speaking abilities.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Create a speech on the importance of teamwork in school projects

Generate a speech encouraging students to participate in school sports.

Deliver an Impromptu Speech on the Benefits of Reading Books over Watching TV.

Create an Impromptu Speech discussing the Pros and Cons of Remote Work.

Generate an Impromptu Speech on Ways to Reduce Environmental Pollution.

Deliver an Impromptu Speech on the Role of Technology in Education.

Create an Impromptu Speech about the Value of Traveling and Experiencing Different Cultures.

Generate an Impromptu Speech on How Volunteering Benefits Both the Volunteer and the Community

Deliver an Impromptu Speech on the Importance of Mental Health Awareness

Create an Impromptu Speech discussing the Future of Renewable Energy Sources.

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Current Issue

Palestinians Will Speak Whether Democrats Want Them to or Not

The party may have successfully prevented Palestinians from addressing the DNC. But it cannot hold back the tide forever.

Anti-war demonstrators march near the United Center where the Democratic National Convention s taking place on August 21, 2024, in Chicago.

Despite months of planning, intensive organizing, and a set of clear demands, the 2024 Democratic National Convention was an undeniable disappointment for the Uncommitted National Movement. The group’s demand for an arms embargo against Israel remains elusive at best, and the Democratic platform makes only passing references to Palestinian statehood and our rights to dignity and security. Perhaps most gallingly, the DNC refused the Uncommitted movement’s request to allow a Palestinian American to speak to the convention for just two minutes.

Not everything was a bust, however. Uncommitted secured the first-ever panel on Palestinian human rights in the DNC’s history, and the demand for a speaker united a variety of interest groups, from organized labor to Black and left-wing Jewish groups, behind it.

Beyond that, the dynamics that were revealed by the events in Chicago—both the major setbacks and the minor victories— are quite useful for those of us who want to look to the future.

It is important to get some key things about the Uncommitted movement and its approach to the convention straight.

First and foremost, while the fight over a convention speaker attracted the most attention, an arms embargo remains the central demand of the Uncommitted movement and of many Palestinian-American and Arab-American voters. As many have pointed out , it is not tenable to say that you are for a ceasefire while also providing the very means for the fire. And in light of a blockade on Gaza which illegally impedes the delivery of food and medicine to civilians, military assistance to Israel almost certainly violates US and international humanitarian law.

Opposition to this flow of weapons is not a fringe view. A CBS poll from June found that 61 percent of all Americans, including 77 percent of Democrats, oppose sending military aid to Israel right now, and recent polls conducted by YouGov and the Institute for Middle East Understanding show that an arms embargo and permanent ceasefire could enthuse key swing- state voters. While it would be incorrect to say that such a policy shift would be uncontroversial, it’s clear that there is a real and growing bloc of Americans who sympathize with the Palestinian plight. Even more than that, they are getting organized.

Second, the request for a speaking slot on the stage of the convention was neither a new demand nor a controversial one. It was submitted a month and a half ago . Uncommitted’s initial request was to give time to Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, an intensive care doctor who bore witness to Israel’s genocidal carnage while volunteering at Gaza’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. In the end, the movement relaxed its request and asked for a Palestinian-American from their list of options to speak on the pain of Palestinians in the war. Despite the symbolic, conservative nature of this request, Democrats still refused—even though they allowed Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, the parents of an Israeli American hostage, to speak (something that Uncommitted publicly supported ).

So where does this leave Uncommitted—and, for that matter, the Democratic Party?

On the one hand, the DNC’s callous treatment of Uncommitted showed just how deep the antipathy toward Palestinians runs within the upper echelons of the party—and reflected the Harris campaign’s calculation that it will pay a very limited political price, if any, for antagonizing the movement. Playing by the rules didn’t work out like some insisted it would because, while the cause of Palestinian liberation is more popular than ever, the Democratic leadership seems to think it’s still 1982. Failure to compel changes by working “within the system” over the last six months or so will no doubt give fuel to those who are looking for reasons to reinforce their cynicism about electoral politics and the Democratic Party as a vehicle for change.

On the other hand, if leading Democrats had intended to suppress virtually all talk of Palestine—and to erase Palestinians themselves from the conversation— they failed. After being denied a speaking slot, Uncommitted’s leadership launched into action and conducted a sit-in outside of the convention with the hope of compelling a reversal. The demand for a speaker garnered the support of various organizations and leading members of the party, from the United Auto Workers and Bend the Arc to every member of the Squad. By the final day of the convention, support was also coming in from some of the relatives of Israeli hostages.

The Nation Weekly

While support for a simple two-minute speech is by no means translatable into support for an arms embargo, it is clear that Democrats miscalculated if they assumed that denying Palestinians a basic right to be heard would go without uproar. By making the decision to put talented State Representative Ruwa Romman (who, full disclosure, is a friend of mine) at the forefront, with a speech that primarily focused on Palestinian suffering and the need to enforce US law toward “friend and foe alike,” Uncommitted showed the party to be not only intransigent but also wildly irrational.

These miscalculations drew numerous comparisons to the 1964 Democratic National Convention’s refusal to listen to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and its leaders as they pleaded for an end to apartheid in the American South. The likes of Fannie Lou Hamer sought to make members of the Democratic coalition decide if they were for equality or Jim Crow. Similarly, Uncommitted wants to make Democrats confront the results of their party’s policy on Palestine and decide if not another bomb will go to killing civilians or if they will continue to support apartheid in Palestine.

Is that enough? Of course not—particularly given the urgent need to end the genocide this minute. Will it change the trajectory of this election? It’s impossible to say. But it is something that can be built upon, and various strategies will continue to be used while navigating this hostile political terrain.

There is a deeper lesson to take from the DNC: that, whether the Democratic Party likes it or not, the movement for Palestine is growing stronger and stronger.

Prior to the impromptu sit-in, Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote a moving piece in Vanity Fair on the struggle to make Palestinian liberation matter at the DNC. Coates ended his piece with a nod to Edward Said, writing that “the Palestinian permission to narrate was still under consideration.”

While that’s true for the leaders of the Democratic Party, the broader picture tells a different story. Palestinians are narrating their suffering and their aspirations no matter how much leading Democrats would like them to stop, and more of the party’s base is listening with each passing day.

It’s not just the likes of Rashida Tlaib and Ruwa Romman anymore; thousands of Arab Americans are more politically engaged than ever before and organizing around the issue of Palestine. Those who are familiar with the rhetoric and promises of both Republican and Democratic presidents past won’t be satisfied with vague references to dignity, security, and Palestinian self-determination in an acceptance speech, either. It’s time for the Harris-Walz campaign, and a future Harris-Walz administration, to prove that it’ll be different.

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This is not an issue that will go away, even if Harris does manage to tamp it down over the next few months. Without an internationally coordinated campaign for Palestinian self-determination, which will require nothing less than the enforcement of international law via an arms embargo and meaningful sanctions on the Israeli state for its settlement of occupied Palestinian territory, it is unlikely that any ceasefire in Gaza will actually be permanent. Without an end to the horrible and oppressive occupation of Palestine, the issue will only become an even bigger stress test on the party’s credibility than it is today. And without an end to the apartheid system that suppresses more than 7 million Palestinians and denies millions more the right to visit and return to their homeland, there will never be meaningful peace.

Equal rights, dignity, self-determination—these are words that sound nice when said the first time, but become hollow if uttered only to escape having to do anything. Until words are turned into action , and until Palestine is free, Palestinians and their allies from all backgrounds will continue to organize—and there is nothing Democratic leadership can do about that.

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Y.L. Al-Sheikh

Y.L. Al-Sheikh is a Palestinian American writer and organizer active in the Democratic Socialists of America and in international solidarity work between Israel/Palestine and the United States.

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Speech to Building Nations 2024 - Modernising New Zealand's PPP Model

INTRODUCTION

What an honour to be running the anchor leg of this incredible conference, and to be able to update you on some of the work I’ve had the privilege of doing across two of the best portfolios for a civil engineer – Infrastructure and RMA Reform. 

New Zealand’s infrastructure issues are well understood and have been well canvassed, and you’ve heard about a lot of the work this government is doing to get these big wheels turning from my colleagues over the last two days.

We are working incredibly hard attacking multiple fronts, and I want to wrap this conference up by running through a some of the work I’m doing to get things moving faster.

Refreshing New Zealand’s PPP framework to better engage private enterprise is a critical part of this.

If we can deliver infrastructure faster, we will get the benefits from our investments sooner.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

I could harp on all day about the issues our resource management system presents to delivering the infrastructure New Zealand needs, but I won’t. I know I don’t need to tell you about the issues you are experiencing every day. 

However, it would be remiss of me not to touch on some of what we are doing to help unshackle us from the RMA’s grip so we can get on with building.

Replacing the Resource Management Act

A system so broad, so complex, so allergic to growth, cannot stand. 

We cannot go on thinking every activity needs a consent, and that every consent requires reinventing the wheel in terms of what conditions might be appropriate to apply, when most things have been done before. 

Fundamentally, we need to restore property rights and a presumption of the ability to build stuff and provide for human welfare, both now and going forward.  

What about the environment? Well, the environment should get a property right too, to ensure its limits are not exceeded such that it can sustain human welfare into the future. 

Material effects, where there are spillovers affecting these property rights of others, should be managed. However, we must do away with avenues for vexatious objections from remote interests. 

Clearer, quicker, more certain pathways are paramount, and I look forward to being able to share more soon.

Phase 2 relief

In the meantime, we’re stuck trying to make the RMA work better. Minister Chris Bishop announced last week some panel-beating work on the RMA and its instruments. A lot of this is about driving some alignment across the myriad existing national direction instruments. These instruments are so conflicting and incoherent and have led to vastly different applications in plans by understandably confused councils, driving uncertainty for infrastructure providers and applicants, and litigation fears around councils’ planning decisions. They present pieces of a puzzle that do not currently connect. 

Above all this, some pieces of this puzzle are missing altogether, and infrastructure national direction is one such omission. How is it that we have 30 national direction instruments, all pulling in different directions, and nothing properly promoting the benefits of infrastructure? Part of my role in this Phase 2 work is to develop infrastructure national direction to fill this void and help get things built. 

A National Policy Statement for Infrastructure is a critical step in streamlining the consenting pathway for infrastructure. It will provide consistent direction for how plans and decisions can enable and provide for infrastructure in both the natural and built environments, and clear direction to decision-makers to recognise the benefits of infrastructure. It will drive consistency, certainty, and confidence for investment. 

It will cover network infrastructure – like transport and water – and site-specific infrastructure – like ports, hospitals, and waste management sites – and will talk to the separate NPS’ for renewable energy generation and electricity transmission. 

It will cover ancillary activities, like production and storage of bitumen, cement, and asphalt – these things we cannot build infrastructure without. 

It will also pave the pathway for a rolling maul of new infrastructure national standards to codify those many established and acceptable methods and end this insanity of pointless bespokism that locks people up in unnecessary consenting processes. 

This is another thing I look forward to sharing more about soon.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Alongside that enabling resource management work, we are laser focused on providing fit for purpose funding and financing tools to unlock infrastructure delivery, for which the NIA announced yesterday by Minister Chris Bishop will be a front door to access. This work accepts the reality that tapping into private capital, capacity, and capability is a necessity and not a choice, especially given the dire state of the government books we inherited.

Market-led proposals

We cannot afford to have infrastructure companies identify our problems and provide us with solutions on silver platters simply for these ideas to have nowhere to go and fall on deaf ears. 

For example, there was no obvious process to review the Canadian and Superfund proposal for Auckland Light Rail. When I visited Texas, the Cintra toll roads consortium delivered an impromptu presentation of their proposal to upgrade the Northern Busway and State Highway 1 in Auckland in exchange for a concession, which I learned was subject to bureaucratic hot potato that landed nowhere. 

This is why we are working on the market-led proposals process so we can capitalise on these opportunities where appropriate and incentivise world-class and innovative private sector ideas.

Value capture

We cannot afford to have taxpayer and ratepayer dollars subsidising windfalls for those who gain massive uplifts from the value public infrastructure creates. Those property owners in the catchment of the new City Rail Link stations would’ve been gleefully rubbing their hands together. This is why we are working on value capture tools.

Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act

Further, we cannot afford to rely on a front-loading of cost to ratepayers for infrastructure that will provide benefits over long periods. The Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act (IFFA) was designed to address this problem and enable greenfield development, inspired by Milldale, but it’s delivered no further greenfield deals to date. This is why we are looking into ways to make the use of the IFFA more attractive to the developer community as well as to local government.

Public Private Partnerships and strategic leasing

This brings me to what I want to focus on today – Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). 

The Coalition government has signalled an appetite and intent for greater application of private sector capital, capability, and capacity to help deliver on our public infrastructure aspirations.

PPPs are a key tool in this, and, in the true spirit of PPPs, officials and I have been engaging with the private sector on how we can get to a flexible PPP framework that delivers the infrastructure New Zealand needs, sooner, while maximising value for money over the lifetime of an asset. 

It’s reassuring to see strong common themes coming through from this engagement. I want to commend the work of the likes of Infrastructure New Zealand who have done a lot of work with the sector in this space and have delivered a great PPP paper that accommodates options for a range of project types. The amount of work that has gone in from so many in developing models and ideas that address some of the big issues our current system presents has been immense, and we are now in a sprint to have this work completed in the next few months. The conversations I’ve had, and the visits to PPP project sites like Waikeria Prison, have been helpful to my understanding of the opportunities for improvement.

Risk allocation and disputes

We know many in the sector feel they signed up to an undue level of risk on past PPP projects. We understand that frustration and recognise that in some cases it has not been in either the client’s or the contractors’ interest to set the performance and scope bar high, and the price low. 

Nonetheless, we expect public sector agencies to maximise public and taxpayer value in how they manage those existing contracts. And we won’t be losing sight of this baseline requirement as we move into the next wave of PPPs. 

New Zealand’s PPP Framework must recognise that contractual risk allocation incentivises proactive and effective risk management, but that there are some risks we may not be able to efficiently transfer.  

Certain risks may be best retained by the client, if they can’t be accurately priced based on the information available when we enter into a contract, or if they are critical to the client’s accountability for public service delivery. 

However, strong performance incentives will always be a core feature of PPP procurement. Rather than defaulting to taking back risk, we first intend to place an increased emphasis on pre-procurement planning and collaboration to de-risk the project for all parties during the procurement process. 

With reasonable time, cost, scope, and performance parameters agreed, all parties should be expected to be, and happy to be, held to account. This includes validation of the Affordability Threshold at key milestones to ensure it is sufficient to deliver the project outcomes.

Tendering and collaboration

We know that PPPs can be complex and expensive to bid. We are committed to measures that reduce the costs and time required through the procurement process, as well as providing clear guidance on the circumstances where a financial contribution to offset the costs of the procurement process might be expected. 

In making bidding faster and cheaper, we do not want to dilute the engagement and feedback that occurs during the interactive tender process. In fact, we want to enrich the quality of these engagements so that they are not overly constrained by probity concerns and enable exchange of ideas and feedback that lead to the best possible solutions to our infrastructure problems.

Engaged clients

We also want to make sure that we have client-side teams that are appropriately skilled and resourced, supported by centralised expertise through the new NIA announced yesterday. We should not be afraid of funding this capability well as it will lead to greater value from our total project spend. We expect high performance from our contractors, and you should expect the same from your clients.

Strategic leasing

PPPs are not the only long-term performance-based delivery model we are interested in. There will be some circumstances where the Crown does not need to own an asset, and it can procure infrastructure services under simpler strategic leasing arrangements. Strategic leasing guidance will be included alongside our PPP Framework.

The funding piece

While there is a lot to be excited about, we must recognise that PPPs are not necessarily a funding solution, unless we can get the private sector to take significant revenue and demand risk.  

Minister Simeon Brown has spoken about transport revenue opportunities, and tolling is a big opportunity, but in the New Zealand context availability-based PPPs will continue to be an important tool in incentivising high performance and whole of life optimisation of project outcomes. This means fronting up the money will continue to be a key element.

Looking forward

We are excited about the momentum in the prospective PPP pipeline and encourage you to continue engaging with delivery agencies to help shape their projects and set them up for success. 

There are other issues I have not addressed but which are firmly in our sights, such as right-sizing liquidated damages, the potential role of Crown finance, and a Public Sector Comparator that adequately accommodates the whole-of-life benefits a PPP. 

I am expecting final advice on the future New Zealand PPP Framework by the end of September and that we will be publishing our approach to future transactions later in the year.

What all this work reflects is that we have reached another inflection point in New Zealand's history. The 1970s and early 80s were a period characterised by excessive government intervention, mounting red tape and poor productivity. This was followed by a period of de-regulation and rapid growth in private sector investment. That unlocked productivity gains which lasted well into the 2010s before being severely eroded in the last decade. 

By reforming the planning system to make it predictable and simple, and refreshing our infrastructure system and delivery culture, we can make New Zealand attractive for the private sector to invest in public infrastructure again. 

This government’s reforms will restore New Zealand’s productivity and focus on growing our wealth as a nation. I look forward to working with you to achieve that outcome.