The word “impromptu " means to be done without planning or organization. Similarly, an impromptu speech is a speech given with limited or no preparation. Typically, speakers are given 2-minutes of preparation time to give a 5-minute speech.

It's one of my favorite types of speeches of all time because there's so much freedom in how you choose to structure the speech, what to say, and how you deliver the speech. Whether it be Socratic seminars, job interviews, or even meeting new people, speaking on the spot is a great skill to have and will prepare you for the unexpected.

Saanvi Sundaram | Photography

Now that you’ve learned what an impromptu speech is, I will walk you through the steps in constructing the speech:

The first step is choosing a topic.

There are two ways to create an impromptu simulation:

1) Write down several topics on slips of paper, then draw three topics without looking and randomly choose one slip.

2) Generate topics on RateSpeeches.com: http://www.ratespeeches.com/t=Impromptu-Speech-Topics

RateSpeeches | Impromptu Speech Topics Generator

Step 1

Write your topic on a notecard or sticky note.

Jot down the first thoughts that come to mind. If you can’t think of any ideas, look at the topic through a metaphorical lens. For instance, if your topic is “sunshine” think about the word’s implied meaning - happiness.

Step 2

Claire Wang | Photography

Choose your top three ideas/arguments and structure them in order of increasing importance; you want to make sure that the most important point gets heard last to make a memorable impression on your audience. Soon, the timer will be up and it’s now time for you to speak.

Step 3

Introduce your speech with an AGD, also known as an attention getting device. Your AGD can be funny, sad, surprising, or a personal anecdote; its purpose is to catch your audience’s attention. Deliver your intro with the feelings that your AGD is meant to convey; for example, if you begin with a joke, make sure your facial expressions and tone are humorous. Since your prep time is limited, choose an intro style that you know you can pull off.

Step 4

Aditi Khanolkar | Photography

After saying the intro, dive right into your first point. Since you aren’t reading a script, talk as if you were having a conversation or telling a story. Spend around 1 minute explaining your first point. Then, transition to the next point either by saying “my second point is…” or saying a topical introduction of the second argument. After finishing your three arguments, end the speech with a tie-back to your AGD, making your speech come around full-circle.

Make sure to also include movement when delivering your speech. Using hand gestures emphasizes the important parts of your speech, and following the speaker’s triangle (walking around before starting your next argument) adds dynamism to your performance.

Step 5

Nethra Pai | Photography

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