How to Give a Great Impromptu Speech

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Oratorical Contests and certain classes will often ask for impromptu speeches to be made. With this guide, even those with the most absolute stage-fright will succeed.

Steps

1. Get used to talking in front of other people. The truth is that even the most calm of speakers still shake when they get up there. Sitcom-Stars still get nervous on live episodes.
   
2. Remember your audience. Always make eye-contact with them. Not only will this help the audience not fall asleep, but it will also make you more confident. If your eyes fall upon that one teenage boy who's goofing off and totally not listening, ignore him.
   
3. Try and get the audience involved. If you've ever had to listen to someone who mumbles through the whole thing, doesn't look up, and is just plain boring, you know how horrible that is. Try and get your audience pumped up.
   
4. Try and twist your topic. If you get a topic about something that you can't relate to, try and morph it into something that's only vaguely related, but still related enough to make sense.
   
5. Incorporate Humor. Everyone loves to laugh!
   
6. If you're facing a more serious impromptu speech, you have to be confident about yourself. Chest out, back straight, eyes ahead. It will give you an air of significance and make you a little intimidating, as well.
   

Tips

• Be passionate about whatever your topic is. You have to embrace what you're talking about with arms wide open.
  
• Take advantage of an eager audience. Remember, once you have the audience, you have the judges/teachers.
  
• Try to read lots of books on a wide variety of topics, that way you'll have loads of examples to incorporate into speeches
  

Warnings

• Make sure there's nothing about your appearance that could possibly embarrass you. Have a trusted friend (or better yet, a mirror) tell you if you have anything stuck in your braces/teeth. Make sure there's no toilet paper on your shoe, etc.
  
• Be careful to not say something offensive. Not only can it harm you standings in competition, it can also make you look like a bad person.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Mentally Prepare for a Speech
  
• How to Be Brave In Front of a Group of People
  
• How to Prepare and Deliver a Speech Effectively
  
• How to Stop Shaking when Making a Speech
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Give a Great Impromptu Speech. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.