Speaking Tips

103 practical speaking tips

Fifteen categories, from preparation to Q&A. Search for what you need right now.

Preparation

  • Decide your one core message before writing a single line.
  • Research more than you will use; extra knowledge shows.
  • Write your speech the way you talk, not the way you write essays.
  • Rehearse standing up, out loud, at full volume.
  • Rehearse at least five complete run-throughs before the day.
  • Memorise only the opening and the closing word for word.
  • Print your notes in large font with wide spacing.
  • Visit the venue or stage beforehand if you can.

Voice

  • Warm up with humming and tongue twisters before speaking.
  • Drink room-temperature water; avoid cold drinks before a speech.
  • Vary pitch at least once in every sentence.
  • Slow down 20% on your most important line.
  • Use a two-second pause after a powerful statement.
  • Project towards the back wall, not the front row.
  • Breathe from the diaphragm, not the chest.
  • Finish every word — do not swallow the last syllable.

Confidence

  • Arrive early so nothing feels rushed.
  • Do three slow breaths right before you walk up.
  • Stand still for two seconds before your first word.
  • Wear something you feel comfortable and neat in.
  • Focus on serving the audience, not on being judged.
  • Never announce your nervousness to the audience.
  • Remember the audience wants you to succeed.
  • Keep a small win list of past speeches you got through.

Storytelling

  • Open with a scene, not a summary.
  • Use real names, places and small details.
  • Give the story a problem and a turning point.
  • Keep stories under 90 seconds unless they are the speech.
  • End the story with the lesson, not the moral lecture.
  • Use dialogue — it makes stories feel live.
  • Connect every story back to your core message.

Stage Presence

  • Walk up with purpose and a level chin.
  • Own the centre of the stage before moving.
  • Move only to signal a change of idea.
  • Do not hide behind the podium the whole time.
  • Face the audience even when referring to a screen.
  • Hold your final position for two seconds after your last line.
  • Thank the audience calmly and exit without rushing.

Body Language

  • Keep hands visible, between waist and chest.
  • Match gestures to meaning — size, direction, contrast.
  • Avoid pockets, crossed arms and fidgeting with paper.
  • Plant your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Smile within the first five seconds.
  • Hold eye contact for a full sentence per person.
  • Let your face show the emotion your words describe.

Vocabulary

  • Learn one useful word a day and use it three times.
  • Prefer the clear word over the impressive word.
  • Keep a notebook of phrases you hear and like.
  • Learn synonyms so you never repeat a word twice in a line.
  • Read a newspaper editorial aloud each week.
  • Check pronunciation before using a new word on stage.

Research

  • Use at least two independent sources per claim.
  • Prefer official reports and recognised institutions.
  • Note the year of every statistic you quote.
  • Never invent figures to make a point sound stronger.
  • Keep a one-page source sheet for questions afterwards.
  • Say 'approximately' when your data is rounded.

Time Management

  • Rehearse with a visible timer every single time.
  • Plan for 90% of the limit, never 100%.
  • Know which paragraph you will cut if you run late.
  • Mark a halfway checkpoint in your script.
  • Do not speed up at the end — cut instead.
  • Practise your closing separately so it is never rushed.

Competition Strategy

  • Read the rubric before you write the speech.
  • Match the topic interpretation the judges asked for.
  • Choose a distinct angle — judges hear the obvious one all day.
  • Rehearse in the clothes and shoes you will wear.
  • Watch earlier participants to gauge the room and volume.
  • Note one improvement after every competition, win or lose.
  • Treat feedback from judges as free coaching.

Q&A Sessions

  • Repeat the question so everyone hears it.
  • Pause before answering; thinking looks confident.
  • Answer in one sentence, then support it.
  • Say 'I don't know, I'll find out' when you don't know.
  • Never argue with a questioner — acknowledge, then respond.
  • End the Q&A with a short closing line of your own.

Anchoring

  • Prepare link lines between every segment.
  • Confirm the pronunciation of every name in advance.
  • Keep two fillers ready for technical delays.
  • Keep energy high but never louder than the event.
  • Coordinate cues with the backstage team beforehand.
  • Keep a printed running order in hand.

Debate

  • Prepare both sides of the motion.
  • Signpost each argument clearly.
  • Take notes on the opponent's exact words for rebuttal.
  • Attack the argument, never the person.
  • Concede a small point to win credibility.
  • Save one strong piece of evidence for rebuttal.
  • Close by restating the motion in your favour.

MUN

  • Read your country's real policy and voting record.
  • Use formal third person: 'the delegate of…'.
  • Keep the opening address under one minute.
  • Bring evidence with sources you can cite when challenged.
  • Propose solutions, not just complaints.
  • Stay diplomatic even in heated debate.
  • Never fabricate national statistics or fictional claims.

Everyday Communication

  • Speak in complete sentences in ordinary conversation.
  • Listen fully before you plan your reply.
  • Ask one good question in every class.
  • Explain something you learned to someone else the same day.
  • Record a two-minute voice note about your day.
  • Read aloud for ten minutes every day.
  • Introduce yourself clearly: name, class, one interesting line.