a speech or writing too full of words

Let’s Talk About Trump’s Gibberish

What the former president’s shark tirade says about American politics and media

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Perhaps the greatest trick Donald Trump ever pulled was convincing millions of people—and the American media—to treat his lapses into fantasies and gibberish as a normal, meaningful form of oratory. But Trump is not a normal person, and his speeches are not normal political events.

For too long, Trump has gotten away with pretending that his emotional issues are just part of some offbeat New York charm or an expression of his enthusiasm for public performance. But Trump is obviously unfit—and something is profoundly wrong with a political environment in which he can now say almost anything, no matter how weird, and his comments will get a couple of days of coverage and then a shrug, as if to say: Another day, another Trump rant about sharks .

Wait, what?

Yes, sharks. In Las Vegas on Sunday, Trump went off-script—I have to assume that no competent speechwriter would have drafted this—and riffed on the important question of how to electrocute a shark while one attacks. He had been talking, he claims, to someone about electric boats: “I say, ‘What would happen if the boat sank from its weight and you’re in the boat, and you have this tremendously powerful battery, and the battery’s now underwater, and there’s a shark that’s approximately 10 yards over there?’”

Read: Trump rants about sharks and everyone just pretends it’s normal

As usual, Trump noted how much he impressed his interlocutor with his very smart hypothetical: “And he said, ‘Nobody ever asks this question,’ and it must be because of MIT, my relationship to MIT. Very smart.” (MIT? Trump’s uncle taught there and retired over a half century ago, when Trump was in his 20s, and died in 1985. Trump often implies that his uncle passed on MIT’s brainpower by genetic osmosis or something.)

This ramble went on for a bit longer, until Trump made it clear that given his choice, he’d rather be zapped instead of eaten: “But you know what I’d do if there was a shark or you get electrocuted? I’ll take electrocution every single time. I’m not getting near the shark. So we’re going to end that, we’re going to end it for boats, we’re going to end it for trucks.”

Hopefully, this puts to rest any pressing questions among Americans about the presumptive Republican nominee’s feelings on electric vehicles and their relationship to at least two gruesome ways to die.

Sure, it seems funny— Haha! Uncle Don is telling that crazy shark story again! —until we remember that this man wants to return to a position where he would hold America’s secrets, be responsible for the execution of our laws, and preside as the commander in chief of the most powerful military in the world. A moment that seems like oddball humor should, in fact, terrify any American voter, because this behavior in anyone else would be an instant disqualification for any political office, let alone the presidency. (Actually, a delusional, rambling felon known to have owned weapons would likely fail a security check for even a visit to the Oval Office.)

Nor was the Vegas monologue the first time: Trump for years has fallen off one verbal cliff after another, with barely a ripple in the national consciousness. I am not a psychiatrist, and I am not diagnosing Trump with anything. I am, however, a man who has lived on this Earth for more than 60 years, and I know someone who has serious emotional problems when I see them played out in front of me, over and over . The 45th president is a disturbed person. He cannot be trusted with any position of responsibility—and especially not with a nuclear arsenal of more than 1,500 weapons. One wrong move could lead to global incineration.

Why hasn’t there been more sustained and serious attention paid to Trump’s emotional state?

First, Trump’s target audience is used to him. Watch the silence that descends over the crowds at such moments; when Trump wanders off into the recesses of his own mind, they chit-chat or check their phones or look around, waiting for him to come back and offer them an applause line. For them, it’s all just part of the show.

George T. Conway III: Unfit for office

Second, Trump’s staff tries to put just enough policy fiber into Trump’s nutty verbal soufflés that they can always sell a talking point later, as if his off-ramps from reality are merely tiny bumps in otherwise sensible speeches. Trump himself occasionally seems surprised when these policy nuggets pop up in a speech; when reading the teleprompter, he sometimes adds comments such as “so true, so true,” perhaps because he’s encountering someone else’s words for the first time and agreeing with them. Thus, they will later claim that questions about sharks or long-dead uncles are just bad-faith distractions from substance. (These are the same Republicans who claim that every verbal stumble from Joe Biden indicates full-blown dementia.)

Third, and perhaps most concerning in terms of public discussion, many people in the media have fallen under the spell of the Jedi hand-waves from Trump and his people that none of this is as disturbing and weird as it sounds. The refs have been worked: A significant segment of the media—and even the Democratic Party—has bought into a Republican narrative that asking whether Trump is mentally unstable is somehow biased and elitist, the kind of thing that could only occur to Beltway mandarins who don’t understand how the candidate talks to normal people.

Such objections are mendacious nonsense and represent a massive double standard. As Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post wrote today: “It is irresponsible to obsess over President Biden’s tendency to mangle a couple of words in a speech while Donald Trump is out there sounding detached from reality.” Biden’s mush-mouthed moments fall well within the range of normal gaffes. Had he or any other American politician said anything even remotely like one of Trump’s bizarre digressions, we’d be flooded with front-page stories about it. Pundits would be solemnly calling for a Much Needed National Conversation about the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

It is long past time for anyone who isn’t in the Trump base to admit, and to keep talking about, something that has been obvious for years: Donald Trump is unstable. Some of these problems were evident when he first ran, and we now know from revelations by many of his former staff that his problems processing information and staying tethered to reality are not part of some hammy act.

Worse, the people who once managed Trump’s cognitive and emotional issues are gone, never to return. A second Trump White House will be staffed with the bottom of the barrel—the opportunists and hangers-on willing to work for a reprehensible man. His Oval Office will be empty of responsible and experienced public servants if the day comes when someone has to explain to him why war might be about to erupt on the Korean peninsula or why the Russian or Chinese nuclear forces have gone on alert, and he starts talking about frying sharks with boat batteries.

The 45th president is deeply unwell. It is long past time for Americans, including those in public life, to recognize his inability to serve as the 47th.

What this handout is about

This handout will help you create an effective speech by establishing the purpose of your speech and making it easily understandable. It will also help you to analyze your audience and keep the audience interested.

What’s different about a speech?

Writing for public speaking isn’t so different from other types of writing. You want to engage your audience’s attention, convey your ideas in a logical manner and use reliable evidence to support your point. But the conditions for public speaking favor some writing qualities over others. When you write a speech, your audience is made up of listeners. They have only one chance to comprehend the information as you read it, so your speech must be well-organized and easily understood. In addition, the content of the speech and your delivery must fit the audience.

What’s your purpose?

People have gathered to hear you speak on a specific issue, and they expect to get something out of it immediately. And you, the speaker, hope to have an immediate effect on your audience. The purpose of your speech is to get the response you want. Most speeches invite audiences to react in one of three ways: feeling, thinking, or acting. For example, eulogies encourage emotional response from the audience; college lectures stimulate listeners to think about a topic from a different perspective; protest speeches in the Pit recommend actions the audience can take.

As you establish your purpose, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you want the audience to learn or do?
• If you are making an argument, why do you want them to agree with you?
• If they already agree with you, why are you giving the speech?
• How can your audience benefit from what you have to say?

Audience analysis

If your purpose is to get a certain response from your audience, you must consider who they are (or who you’re pretending they are). If you can identify ways to connect with your listeners, you can make your speech interesting and useful.

As you think of ways to appeal to your audience, ask yourself:

• What do they have in common? Age? Interests? Ethnicity? Gender?
• Do they know as much about your topic as you, or will you be introducing them to new ideas?
• Why are these people listening to you? What are they looking for?
• What level of detail will be effective for them?
• What tone will be most effective in conveying your message?
• What might offend or alienate them?

For more help, see our handout on audience .

Creating an effective introduction

Get their attention, otherwise known as “the hook”.

Think about how you can relate to these listeners and get them to relate to you or your topic. Appealing to your audience on a personal level captures their attention and concern, increasing the chances of a successful speech. Speakers often begin with anecdotes to hook their audience’s attention. Other methods include presenting shocking statistics, asking direct questions of the audience, or enlisting audience participation.

Establish context and/or motive

Explain why your topic is important. Consider your purpose and how you came to speak to this audience. You may also want to connect the material to related or larger issues as well, especially those that may be important to your audience.

Get to the point

Tell your listeners your thesis right away and explain how you will support it. Don’t spend as much time developing your introductory paragraph and leading up to the thesis statement as you would in a research paper for a course. Moving from the intro into the body of the speech quickly will help keep your audience interested. You may be tempted to create suspense by keeping the audience guessing about your thesis until the end, then springing the implications of your discussion on them. But if you do so, they will most likely become bored or confused.

For more help, see our handout on introductions .

Making your speech easy to understand

Repeat crucial points and buzzwords.

Especially in longer speeches, it’s a good idea to keep reminding your audience of the main points you’ve made. For example, you could link an earlier main point or key term as you transition into or wrap up a new point. You could also address the relationship between earlier points and new points through discussion within a body paragraph. Using buzzwords or key terms throughout your paper is also a good idea. If your thesis says you’re going to expose unethical behavior of medical insurance companies, make sure the use of “ethics” recurs instead of switching to “immoral” or simply “wrong.” Repetition of key terms makes it easier for your audience to take in and connect information.

Incorporate previews and summaries into the speech

For example:

“I’m here today to talk to you about three issues that threaten our educational system: First, … Second, … Third,”

“I’ve talked to you today about such and such.”

These kinds of verbal cues permit the people in the audience to put together the pieces of your speech without thinking too hard, so they can spend more time paying attention to its content.

Use especially strong transitions

This will help your listeners see how new information relates to what they’ve heard so far. If you set up a counterargument in one paragraph so you can demolish it in the next, begin the demolition by saying something like,

“But this argument makes no sense when you consider that . . . .”

If you’re providing additional information to support your main point, you could say,

“Another fact that supports my main point is . . . .”

Helping your audience listen

Rely on shorter, simpler sentence structures.

Don’t get too complicated when you’re asking an audience to remember everything you say. Avoid using too many subordinate clauses, and place subjects and verbs close together.

Too complicated:

The product, which was invented in 1908 by Orville Z. McGillicuddy in Des Moines, Iowa, and which was on store shelves approximately one year later, still sells well.

Easier to understand:

Orville Z. McGillicuddy invented the product in 1908 and introduced it into stores shortly afterward. Almost a century later, the product still sells well.

Limit pronoun use

Listeners may have a hard time remembering or figuring out what “it,” “they,” or “this” refers to. Be specific by using a key noun instead of unclear pronouns.

Pronoun problem:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This cannot continue.

Why the last sentence is unclear: “This” what? The government’s failure? Reality TV? Human nature?

More specific:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This failure cannot continue.

Keeping audience interest

Incorporate the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos.

When arguing a point, using ethos, pathos, and logos can help convince your audience to believe you and make your argument stronger. Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience’s emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies.

Use statistics and quotations sparingly

Include only the most striking factual material to support your perspective, things that would likely stick in the listeners’ minds long after you’ve finished speaking. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming your listeners with too much information.

Watch your tone

Be careful not to talk over the heads of your audience. On the other hand, don’t be condescending either. And as for grabbing their attention, yelling, cursing, using inappropriate humor, or brandishing a potentially offensive prop (say, autopsy photos) will only make the audience tune you out.

Creating an effective conclusion

Restate your main points, but don’t repeat them.

“I asked earlier why we should care about the rain forest. Now I hope it’s clear that . . .” “Remember how Mrs. Smith couldn’t afford her prescriptions? Under our plan, . . .”

Call to action

Speeches often close with an appeal to the audience to take action based on their new knowledge or understanding. If you do this, be sure the action you recommend is specific and realistic. For example, although your audience may not be able to affect foreign policy directly, they can vote or work for candidates whose foreign policy views they support. Relating the purpose of your speech to their lives not only creates a connection with your audience, but also reiterates the importance of your topic to them in particular or “the bigger picture.”

Practicing for effective presentation

Once you’ve completed a draft, read your speech to a friend or in front of a mirror. When you’ve finished reading, ask the following questions:

• Which pieces of information are clearest?
• Where did I connect with the audience?
• Where might listeners lose the thread of my argument or description?
• Where might listeners become bored?
• Where did I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically?
• Did I stay within my time limit?

Other resources

• Toastmasters International is a nonprofit group that provides communication and leadership training.
• Allyn & Bacon Publishing’s Essence of Public Speaking Series is an extensive treatment of speech writing and delivery, including books on using humor, motivating your audience, word choice and presentation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Boone, Louis E., David L. Kurtz, and Judy R. Block. 1997. Contemporary Business Communication . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ehrlich, Henry. 1994. Writing Effective Speeches . New York: Marlowe.

Lamb, Sandra E. 1998. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write . Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Speech Writing

The 10 Key Steps for Perfect Speech Writing

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Writing a good speech is tough. Many get stuck not knowing how to organize their thoughts, leading to boring speeches. 

Our guide breaks it down step by step, so you can write speeches that really connect. Plus, we’ve added some topics, examples, and tips to inspire you and give you a kickstart. 

So, let’s start with the basics!

• 1. What is Speech Writing?
• 2. Elements of Good Speech Writing
• 3. How to Write a Speech?
• 4. Speech Writing Format
• 5. Types Of Speech Writing 
• 6. Speech Writing Topics
• 7. Speech Writing Examples
• 8. Speech Writing Tips

What is Speech Writing?

A speech is a verbal presentation given to an audience as a means to express ideas, share information, or persuade others. A speech can serve various purposes such as informing, persuading, entertaining, or inspiring the listeners.

Speech writing is the process of creating a clear and organized script for a spoken presentation. This involves planning the content, choosing the right tone, and structuring the speech so the message is communicated clearly to the audience.

Speech writers carefully choose words , phrases , and rhetorical devices to maximize the impact of the spoken words. They aim to engage, inform, persuade, or inspire the listeners. Good speech writing is a skill that requires careful planning, research, and attention to detail.

Elements of Good Speech Writing

Writing a great speech is all about getting a few things right. Let's break down what makes a speech really work:

• Clear and to the Point: Make sure your message is crystal clear and focused. Know what you want to say and stick to it.
• Know Your Audience: Understand who you're talking to. What do they care about? What do they already know? Customize your speech to fit their interests and level of understanding.
• Start Strong: Grab your audience's attention from the get-go. Use a catchy opening line or an interesting fact to hook them in right away.
• Keep it Organized: A good speech flows smoothly from one point to the next. Divide it into sections—beginning, middle, and end—and make sure each part connects logically to the next.
• Stay on Topic: Don't overload your speech with too much information. Stick to your main message and use examples that support it.
• End Strong: Finish your speech with a bang. Summarize your main points and leave your audience with something to think about or act on.
• Practice Makes Perfect: Rehearse your speech until you're confident. Pay attention to your pace, tone, and body language to make sure you're delivering your message effectively.

Now that you know what elements make a good speech, let’s look into the steps to write one.

How to Write a Speech?

Writing a good speech that engages your audience requires careful planning and execution. 

Whether you're preparing a persuasive presentation or an informative talk the following ten steps will guide you from the initial concept to the final delivery:

Step 1: Define Your Purpose and Audience

Begin by identifying the main objective of your speech. Are you looking to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire your audience? Understanding your purpose will shape the tone, content, and structure of your speech.

Know your audience's demographics, interests, and expectations. Consider factors such as age, education, beliefs, and cultural background. Tailor your speech to resonate with your specific audience.

Step 2: Choose a Topic

Select a topic that aligns with your purpose and audience's interest . Ensure your topic is not too broad or too narrow. You should be able to cover it effectively within your allotted time.

Step 3: Research and Gather Information

Thoroughly research your chosen topic . Utilize reputable sources such as books, articles, academic journals, and trusted websites.

Take detailed notes during your research to have a wealth of information and supporting evidence for your speech.

Step 4: Create a Strong Thesis or Central Message

Your thesis statement is the core message of your speech. It should be clear, concise, and specific. It encapsulates the key idea you want to convey to your audience. This statement will guide the content and structure of your speech.

Step 5: Develop an Outline

Divide your speech into three main sections: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion . Each section serves a distinct purpose.

Outline the main points you want to cover within the body of the speech. Organize them logically, and ensure each point supports your thesis.

Step 6: Write the Introduction

Craft a compelling introduction that captures your audience's attention . Use a hook, such as a relevant quote, story, or question, to pique their interest.

Provide context to help your audience understand the topic, and introduce your thesis statement to set the direction for your speech.

Step 7: Build the Body

In this section, expand on the main points outlined earlier. Each main point should be a clear and distinct idea.

Support your points with evidence, examples, and data. Use transitions to guide your audience smoothly from one point to the next, creating a coherent flow.

Step 8: Craft a Memorable Conclusion

Summarize the key points you've made in the body of your speech. Reiterate your thesis statement to reinforce your central message .

End with a compelling closing statement that leaves a lasting impression on your audience. This can be a call to action, a thought-provoking statement, or a memorable quote.

Step 9: Edit and Revise

Review your speech for clarity , grammar , and coherence . Check for any inconsistencies or unclear language and make the necessary changes.

Step 10: Practice and Rehearse

Practice your speech multiple times to become familiar with the content and the order of your points.

Work on your delivery skills , including tone, pace, and body language. Practicing in front of a mirror or recording yourself can help you identify areas for improvement.

Bonus Step: Get Feedback

If possible, conduct a practice run in front of a small audience. This can be friends, family, or classmates.

Listen to their feedback and address any concerns or suggestions. Incorporating feedback can significantly enhance your speech.

Speech Writing Format

Creating an impactful speech requires following a structured speech format to ensure that your message is conveyed clearly and engages your audience. 

Here is a standard speech writing pattern to guide you through the process:

1. Introduction:

• Hook: Start the speech with a compelling hook, such as a question, quote, anecdote, or startling fact, to grab the audience's attention.
• Provide Context: Give your audience a brief overview of the topic and its relevance.
• Thesis Statement: Present your central message or thesis statement, which sets the direction for the speech.
• Main Points: Divide the body of your speech into two to five main points or sections, each supporting your thesis statement.
• Supporting Evidence: For each main point, provide supporting evidence, data, examples, or anecdotes to make your argument compelling.
• Transitions: Use clear transitions between points to maintain a smooth and coherent flow throughout the speech.

3. Conclusion:

• Summarize Key Points: Briefly recap the main points you've covered in the body of your speech.
• Restate Thesis: Rewrite your thesis statement to reinforce your central message.
• Closing Statement: End with a memorable closing statement that leaves a lasting impression, which can be a call to action, a thought-provoking idea, or a final quote.

To get started, you can check out this speech writing template:

Learn more about speech format in this insightful read to get a better understanding!

Types Of Speech Writing 

There are many types of speeches , and they are combined into different categories. We will take a look at some basic types of speech writing:

Informative Speeches

Persuasive speeches, entertaining speeches, motivational speeches, special occasion speeches.

Now, let's explore each type in more detail:

An informative speech aims to educate or provide information to the audience. These speeches typically focus on facts, data, and explanations.

Examples: Informative speeches can cover a wide range of topics, such as scientific discoveries, historical events, technological advancements, or explanations of complex concepts.

A persuasive speech aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action. These speeches often employ persuasive techniques and emotional appeals.

Examples: Persuasive speeches can address issues like climate change, social justice, political candidates, or consumer choices, urging the audience to support a particular stance or take action.

Entertaining speeches are designed to amuse and entertain the audience. They often include humor, anecdotes, and storytelling.

Examples: Stand-up comedy routines, humorous storytelling, and funny anecdotes are examples of entertaining speeches.

Motivational speeches are meant to motivate and uplift the audience. They often incorporate personal stories, motivational quotes, and themes of resilience and hope.

Examples: Speeches by notable figures like Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" address social change. Others like commencement speeches inspire graduates to embrace the future.

Special occasion speeches are delivered during specific events or celebrations. These speeches can include toasts, eulogies, wedding speeches, and more.

Examples: A eulogy at a funeral, a wedding toast, or a commencement address at a graduation ceremony are all examples of special occasion speeches.

Speech Writing Topics

The topic is the first and foremost thing that you need to write a speech. Here are some amazing speech-writing topic ideas to help you get started.

Persuasive Speech Topics

• The impact of climate change on our future
• Social media and mental health: is it time for regulation?
• The importance of vaccination in preventing disease outbreaks
• The ethics of artificial intelligence and privacy
• The benefits of renewable energy for a sustainable future

Find more persuasive speech topics in our extensive list.

Demonstration Speech Topics

• How to create a delicious and healthy smoothie bowl
• DIY home renovation: painting techniques and tips
• The art of crafting homemade natural soap
• Mastering Yoga: a guided sun salutation sequence
• Gardening for beginners: planting your first vegetable garden

Impromptu Speech Topics

• If I could travel anywhere in the world right now, I would go to...
• The most influential person in my life and why.
• What superpower I wish I had and how I'd use it.
• A book that changed my perspective on life.
• The best piece of advice I've ever received and how it impacted me.

For more inspiring topics check out our impromptu speech topics blog!

Entertaining Speech Topics

• The art of dad jokes: Making people laugh with cheesy humor.
• Embarrassing moments at family gatherings: A humorous take.
• Hilarious autocorrect fails in text messaging.
• The funny side of pets and their quirky behaviors.
• Epic food mishaps in the kitchen: Tales of culinary disasters.

Check out our blog for more entertaining speech topics !

Informative Speech Topics

• The science behind Covid-19 vaccines
• Exploring the history and impact of the internet
• The art of sustainable gardening and urban farming
• Understanding cryptocurrency and blockchain technology
• The wonders of space exploration: mars missions and beyond

Find more interesting topics for informative speeches to get inspired.

Motivational Speech Topics

• “I’m proud of you my son” someday, my dad will say this to me
• Positive thinking boosts your self-confidence.
• It is perfectly fine for a boy to cry.
• Same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt a child
• I will make my parents proud

Looking for more inspirational speech topics? Read our motivational speech topics blog to get inspired!

Speech Writing Examples

When it comes to learning the art of speech writing practical guidance is important. To show effective speech writing techniques and structure, here are some short speech writing examples for students. 

These speech writing samples will help you understand how to craft compelling speeches that resonate with your audience.

Example#2                                   

Here is another example of speech writing class 11:

For additional samples, read through our speech examples blog!

Speech Writing Tips

Follow these tips for writing a speech that not only informs but also inspires and persuades.

• Audience Analysis: Before you start, conduct a thorough audience analysis. Understand their interests, knowledge, and expectations.
• Engaging Speech: Craft an engaging speech that captures your audience's attention from the start. Use rhetorical questions or captivating anecdotes.
• Short Sentences: Keep your sentences concise and easy to follow. Short sentences are more impactful.
• Connect with the Audience: Make your audience feel involved. Use relatable examples and stories to establish a connection.
• Great Speech Structure: Organize your speech with a clear structure, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Rhetorical Questions: Utilize rhetorical questions to stimulate thought and engagement.
• Memorable Sentence Structures: Create memorable sentence structures that stick in their memory and the audience remembers the key message.
• Public Speaking: Remember that public speaking requires practice, so rehearse your speech multiple times to boost confidence and delivery.

Moving towards the end , for effective communication, speech writing is a skill that can empower you to inform, persuade, and inspire your audience. This comprehensive guide has walked you through the essential steps, outlines, and examples to help you craft a compelling and memorable speech.

If you think you are good at speaking but not so good at writing and this thing bothers you a lot, then there is no harm in getting some help. We at MyPerfectWords.com can save you from embarrassment by helping you write an outstanding speech. 

With our custom essay writing help , you'll get a speech that not only communicates your message effectively but also grabs your audience's attention. So request ‘write my speech’ and buy speech today!

In need of instant speech help? Try our free AI tool, Essay Typer , to perfect your speechwriting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good sentence starter for a speech.

In speech writing starting lines play a crucial role. You can start your speech with the following:

• Thought provoking question: "Have you ever wondered what it takes to change the world?"
• A powerful quote: "As Nelson Mandela once said, 'It always seems impossible until it's done.'"
• A surprising fact: "Did you know that every minute, over 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube?"
• An engaging story: "Let me tell you about a young girl who defied all odds to achieve her dreams."

What are the 10 principles of speech writing?

• Clarity: Make sure your message is clear and easily understandable.
• Purpose: Define the main objective of your speech and stick to it.
• Audience Awareness: Understand your audience's demographics, interests, and expectations.
• Structure: Organize your speech into introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Content Relevance: Choose topics and information that are relevant and meaningful to your audience.
• Engagement: Use storytelling, humor, and rhetorical devices to keep your audience interested.
• Authenticity: Speak sincerely to establish trust and connection with your audience.
• Language: Use simple and concise language appropriate for your audience.
• Impact: Deliver a memorable message that leaves a lasting impression.
• Practice: Rehearse your speech multiple times for smooth delivery and confidence.

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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So, Um, How Do You, Like, Stop Using Filler Words?

By Christopher Mele

• Feb. 24, 2017

So, how do you, like, um, stop using verbal fillers that can make you sound, you know, nervous or not so smart?

Is there a name for this?

Communications experts describe “um,” “aah,” “you know” and similar expressions as discourse markers, interjections or verbal pauses.

They often occur when we are trying to think of the next thing we are going to say, Susan Mackey-Kallis, an associate professor at Villanova University who teaches public speaking, said in an email.

When stakes are high or we are nervous — in a job or media interview, or during a speech, presentation or conference call — we tend not to breathe as much and we talk faster, so our words get ahead of our thoughts, Lisa B. Marshall, a communications expert and the author of “ Smart Talk: The Public Speaker’s Guide to Success in Every Situation ,” said in an interview.

In some cases, the phrases are used to signal that you are about to say something and that the person listening should not interrupt, or that you are going to say something you want to emphasize, said Emily Tucker Prud’hommeaux, an assistant professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology and a leader of its Computational Linguistics and Speech Processing Lab .

“In fact, if you listen to someone use ‘like,’ you’ll sometimes notice that the next noun or verb or adjective that comes along sounds more prominent,” she said in an email. “You want the listener to pay attention.”

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How to Build Vocabulary You Can Actually Use in Speech and Writing?

• Updated on Nov 12, 2023

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This post comes from my experience of adding more than 8,000 words and phrases to my vocabulary in a way that I can actually use them on the fly in my speech and writing. Some words, especially those that I haven’t used for long time, may elude me, but overall the recall & use works quite well.

That’s why you build vocabulary, right? To use in speech and writing. There are no prizes for building list of words you can’t use. (The ultimate goal of vocabulary-building is to use words in verbal communication where you’ve to come up with an appropriate word in split second. It’s not to say that it’s easy to come up with words while writing, but in writing you can at least afford to think.)

This post also adopts couple of best practices such as

• Spaced repetition,
• Deliberate Practice,
• Begin with end in mind, and
• Build on what you already know

In this post, you’ll learn how you too can build such vocabulary, the one you can actually use. However, be warned. It’s not easy. It requires consistent work. But the rewards are more than worth the squeeze.

Since building such vocabulary is one of the most challenging aspects of English Language, you’ll stand out in crowd when you use precise words and, the best part, you can use this sub-skill till you’re in this world, long after you retire professionally. (Doesn’t this sound so much better when weighed against today’s reality where most professional skills get outdated in just few years?)

You may have grossly overestimated the size of your vocabulary

Once your understand the difference between active and passive vocabulary, you’ll realize that size of your vocabulary isn’t what you think it to be.

Active vs. Passive vocabulary

Words that you can use in speech and writing constitute your active vocabulary (also called functional vocabulary). You, of course, understand these words while reading and listening as well. Think of words such as eat , sell , drink , see , and cook .

But how about words such as munch , outsmart , salvage , savagery , and skinny ? Do you use these words regularly while speaking and writing? Unlikely. Do you understand meaning of these words while reading and listening? Highly likely. Such words constitute your passive vocabulary (also called recognition vocabulary). You can understand these words while reading and listening, but you can’t use them while speaking and writing.

Your active vocabulary is a tiny subset of your passive vocabulary:

(While the proportion of the two inner circles – active and passive vocabulary – bears some resemblance to reality, the outer rectangle is not proportionate because of paucity of space. In reality, the outer rectangle is much bigger, representing hundreds of thousands of words.)

Note : Feel free to use the above and other images in the post, using the link of this post for reference/attribution.

Many mistakenly believe that they’ve strong vocabulary because they can understand most words when reading and listening. But the real magic, the real use of vocabulary is when you use words in speech and writing. If you evaluate your vocabulary against this yardstick – active vs. passive – your confidence in your vocabulary will be shaken.

Why build vocabulary – a small exercise?

You would be all too aware of cases where people frequently pause while speaking because they can’t think of words for what they want to say. We can easily spot such extreme cases.

What we fail to spot, however, are less extreme, far more common cases where people don’t pause, but they use imprecise words and long-winding explanations to drive their message.

The bridge was destroyed (or broken) by the flooded river.

The bridge was washed away by the flooded river.

Although both convey the message, the second sentence stands out because of use of precise phrase.

What word(s) best describe what’s happening in the picture below?

Image source

Not the best response.

A better word is ‘emptied’. Even ‘dumped’ is great.

A crisp description of the above action would be: “The dumper emptied (or dumped) the stones on the roadside.”

What about this?

‘Took out grapes’.

‘Plucked grapes’ is far better.

If you notice, these words – wash away , empty , dump , and pluck – are simple. We can easily understand them while reading and listening, but rarely use them (with the possible exception of empty ) in speech or writing. Remember, active vs. passive vocabulary?

If you use such precise words in your communication you’ll stand out in crowd.

Little wonder, studies point to a correlation between strength of vocabulary and professional success. Earl Nightingale, a renowned self-help expert and author, in his 20-year study of college graduates found :

Without a single exception, those who had scored highest on the vocabulary test given in college, were in the top income group, while those who had scored the lowest were in the bottom income group.

He also refers to a study by Johnson O’Connor, an American educator and researcher, who gave vocabulary tests to executive and supervisory personnel in 39 large manufacturing companies. According to this study:

Presidents and vice presidents averaged 236 out of a possible 272 points; managers averaged 168; superintendents, 140; foremen, 114; floor bosses, 86. In virtually every case, vocabulary correlated with executive level and income.

Though there are plenty of studies linking professional success with fluency in English overall, I haven’t come across any study linking professional success with any individual component – grammar and pronunciation, for example – of English language other than vocabulary.

You can make professional success a motivation to improve your active vocabulary.

Let’s dive into the tactics now.

How to build vocabulary you can use in speech and writing?

(In the spirit of the topic of this section, I’ve highlighted words that I’ve shifted from my passive to active vocabulary in red font . I’ve done this for only this section, lest the red font become too distracting.)

Almost all of us build vocabulary through the following two-step process:

Step 1 : We come across new words while reading and listening. Meanings of many of these words get registered in our brains – sometimes vaguely, sometimes precisely – through the context in which we see these words. John Rupert Firth, a leading figure in British linguistics during the 1950s, rightly said , “You shall know a word by the company it keeps.”

Many of these words then figure repeatedly in our reading and listening and gradually, as if by osmosis , they start taking roots in our passive vocabulary.

Step 2 : We start using some of these words in our speech and writing. (They are, as discussed earlier, just a small fraction of our passive vocabulary.) By and large, we stay in our comfort zones, making do with this limited set of words.

Little wonder, we add to our vocabulary in trickle . In his book Word Power Made Easy , Norman Lewis laments the tortoise-like rate of vocabulary-building among adults:

Educational testing indicates that children of ten who have grown up in families in which English is the native language have recognition [passive] vocabularies of over twenty thousand words. And that these same ten-year-olds have been learning new words at a rate of many hundreds a year since the age of four . In astonishing contrast, studies show that adults who are no longer attending school increase their vocabularies at a pace slower than twenty-five to fifty words annually .

Adults improve passive vocabulary at an astonishingly meagre rate of 25-50 words a year. The chain to acquire active vocabulary is getting broken at the first step itself – failure to read or listen enough (see Step 1 we just covered). Most are not even reaching the second step, which is far tougher than the first. Following statistic from National Spoken English Skills Report by Aspiring Minds (sample of more than 30,000 students from 500+ colleges in India) bears this point:

Only 33 percent know such simple words! They’re not getting enough inputs.

Such vocabulary-acquisition can be schematically represented as:

The problem here is at both the steps of vocabulary acquisition:

• Not enough inputs (represented by funnel filled only little) and
• Not enough exploration and use of words to convert inputs into active vocabulary (represented by few drops coming out of the funnel)

Here is what you can do to dramatically improve your active vocabulary:

1. Get more inputs (reading and listening)

That’s a no-brainer. The more you read,

• the more new words you come across and
• the more earlier-seen words get reinforced

If you’ve to prioritize between reading and listening purely from the perspective of building vocabulary, go for more reading, because it’s easier to read and mark words on paper or screen. Note that listening will be a more helpful input when you’re working on your speaking skills .

So develop the habit to read something 30-60 minutes every day. It has benefits far beyond just vocabulary-building .

If you increase your inputs, your vocabulary-acquisition funnel will look something like:

More inputs but no other steps result in larger active vocabulary.

2. Gather words from your passive vocabulary for deeper exploration

The reading and listening you do, over months and years, increase the size of your passive vocabulary. There are plenty of words, almost inexhaustible, sitting underutilized in your passive vocabulary. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could move many of them to your active vocabulary? That would be easier too because you don’t have to learn them from scratch. You already understand their meaning and usage, at least to some extent. That’s like plucking – to use the word we’ve already overused – low hanging fruits.

While reading and listening, note down words that you’re already familiar with, but you don’t use them (that is they’re part of your passive vocabulary). We covered few examples of such words earlier in the post – pluck , dump , salvage , munch , etc. If you’re like most, your passive vocabulary is already large, waiting for you to shift some of it to your active vocabulary. You can also note down completely unfamiliar words, but only in exceptional cases.

To put what I said in the previous paragraph in more concrete terms, you may ask following two questions to decide which words to note down for further exploration:

• Do you understand the meaning of the word from the context of your reading or listening?
• Do you use this word while speaking and writing?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to the first question and ‘no’ to the second, you can note down the word.

3. Explore the words in an online dictionary

Time to go a step further than seeing words in context while reading.

You need to explore each word (you’ve noted) further in a dictionary. Know its precise meaning(s). Listen to pronunciation and speak it out loud, first individually and then as part of sentences. (If you’re interested in the topic of pronunciation, refer to the post on pronunciation .) And, equally important, see few sentences where the word has been used.

Preferably, note down the meaning(s) and few example sentences so that you can practice spaced repetition and retain them for long. Those who do not know what spaced repetition is, it is the best way to retain things in your long-term memory . There are number of options these days to note words and other details about them – note-taking apps and good-old word document. I’ve been copying-pasting on word document and taking printouts. For details on how I practiced spaced repetition, refer to my experience of adding more than 8,000 words to my vocabulary.

But why go through the drudgery of noting down – and going through, probably multiple times – example sentences? Why not just construct sentences straight after knowing the meaning of the word?

Blachowicz, Fisher, Ogle, and Watts-Taffe, in their paper , point out the yawning gap between knowing the meaning of words and using them in sentences:

Research suggests that students are able to select correct definitions for unknown words from a dictionary, but they have difficulty then using these words in production tasks such as writing sentences using the new words.

If only it was easy. It’s even more difficult in verbal communication where, unlike in writing, you don’t have the luxury of pausing and recalling appropriate words.

That’s why you need to focus on example sentences.

Majority of those who refer dictionary, however, restrict themselves to meaning of the word. Few bother to check example sentences. But they’re at least as much important as meaning of the word, because they teach you how to use words in sentences, and sentences are the building blocks of speech and writing.

If you regularly explore words in a dictionary, your vocabulary-acquisition funnel will look something like:

More inputs combined with exploration of words result in even larger active vocabulary.

After you absorb the meaning and example sentences of a word, it enters a virtuous cycle of consolidation. The next time you read or listen the word, you’ll take note of it and its use more actively , which will further reinforce it in your memory. In contrast, if you didn’t interact with the word in-depth, it’ll pass unnoticed, like thousands do every day. That’s cascading effect.

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4. Use them

To quote Maxwell Nurnberg and Morris Rosenblum from their book All About Words :

In vocabulary building, the problem is not so much finding new words or even finding out what they mean. The problem is to remember them, to fix them permanently in your mind. For you can see that if you are merely introduced to words, you will forget them as quickly as you forget the names of people you are casually introduced to at a crowded party – unless you meet them again or unless you spend some time with them.

This is the crux. Use it or lose it.

Without using, the words will slowly slip away from your memory.

Without using the words few times, you won’t feel confident using them in situations that matter.

If you use the words you explored in dictionary, your vocabulary-acquisition funnel will look something like:

More inputs combined with exploration of words and use of them result in the largest active vocabulary.

Here is a comparison of the four ways in which people acquire active vocabulary:

The big question though is how to use the words you’re exploring. Here are few exercises to accomplish this most important step in vocabulary-building process.

Vocabulary exercises: how to use words you’re learning

You can practice these vocabulary activities for 10-odd minutes every day, preferably during the time you waste such as commuting or waiting, to shift more and more words you’ve noted down to your active vocabulary. I’ve used these activities extensively, with strong results to boot.

1. Form sentences and speak them out during your reviews

When you review the list of words you’ve compiled, take a word as cue without looking at its meaning and examples, recall its meaning, and, most importantly, speak out 4-5 sentences using the word. It’s nothing but a flashcard in work. If you follow spaced repetition diligently, you’ll go through this process at least few times. I recommend reading my experience of building vocabulary (linked earlier) to know how I did this part.

Why speaking out, though? (If the surroundings don’t permit, it can be whisper as well.)

Speaking out the word as part of few sentences will serve the additional purpose of making your vocal cords accustomed to new words and phrases.

2. Create thematic webs

When reviewing, take a word and think of other words related to that word. Web of words on a particular theme, in short, and hence the name ‘thematic web’. These are five of many, many thematic webs I’ve actually come up in my reviews:

(Note: Name of the theme is in bold. Second, where there are multiple words, I’ve underlined the main word.)

If I come across the word ‘gourmet’ in my review, I’ll also quickly recall all the words related with food: tea strainer, kitchen cabinet, sink, dish cloth, wipe dishes, rinse utensils, immerse beans in water, simmer, steam, gourmet food, sprinkle salt, spread butter, smear butter, sauté, toss vegetables, and garnish the sweet dish

Similarly, for other themes:

Prognosis, recuperate, frail, pass away, resting place, supplemental air, excruciating pain, and salubrious

C. Showing off

Showy, gaudy, extravaganza, over the top, ostentatious, and grandstanding

D. Crowd behavior

Restive, expectant, hysteria, swoon, resounding welcome, rapturous, jeer, and cheer

E. Rainfall

Deluge, cats and dogs, downpour, cloudburst, heavens opened, started pouring , submerged, embankment, inundate, waterlogged, soaked to the skin, take shelter, run for a cover, torrent, and thunderbolt

(If you notice, words in a particular theme are much wider in sweep than just synonyms.)

It takes me under a minute to complete dozen-odd words in a theme. However, in the beginning, when you’re still adding to your active vocabulary in tons, you’ll struggle to go beyond 2-3 simple words when thinking out such thematic lists. That’s absolutely fine.

Why thematic web, though?

Because that’s how we recall words when speaking or writing. (If you flip through Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, a popular book on improving vocabulary, you’ll realize that each of its chapters represents a particular idea, something similar to a theme.) Besides, building a web also quickly jogs you through many more words.

3. Describe what you see around

In a commute or other time-waster, look around and speak softly an apt word in a split second for whatever you see. Few examples:

• If you see grass on the roadside, you can say verdant or luxurious .
• If you see a vehicle stopping by the roadside, you can say pull over .
• If you see a vehicle speeding away from other vehicles, you can say pull away .
• If you see a person carrying a load on the road side, you can say lug and pavement .

Key is to come up with these words in a flash. Go for speed, not accuracy. (After all, you’ll have similar reaction time when speaking.) If you can’t think of an appropriate word for what you see instantaneously – and there will be plenty in the beginning – skip it.

This vocabulary exercise also serves an unintended, though important, objective of curbing the tendency to first think in the native language and then translating into English as you speak. This happens because the spontaneity in coming up with words forces you to think directly in English.

Last, this exercise also helps you assess your current level of vocabulary (for spoken English). If you struggle to come up with words for too many things/ situations, you’ve job on your hands.

4. Describe what one person or object is doing

Another vocabulary exercise you can practice during time-wasters is to focus on a single person and describe her/ his actions, as they unfold, for few minutes. An example:

He is skimming Facebook on his phone. OK, he is done with it. Now, he is taking out his earphones. He has plugged them into his phone, and now he is watching some video. He is watching and watching. There is something funny there in that video, which makes him giggle . Simultaneously, he is adjusting the bag slung across his shoulder.

The underlined words are few of the new additions to my active vocabulary I used on the fly when focusing on this person.

Feel free to improvise and modify this process to suit your unique conditions, keeping in mind the fundamentals such as spaced repetition, utilizing the time you waste, and putting what you’re learning to use.

To end this section, I must point out that you need to build habit to perform these exercises for few minutes at certain time(s) of the day. They’re effective when done regularly.

Why I learnt English vocabulary this way?

For few reasons:

1. I worked backwards from the end result to prepare for real-world situations

David H. Freedman learnt Italian using Duolingo , a popular language-learning app, for more than 70 hours in the buildup to his trip to Italy. A week before they were to leave for Rome, his wife put him to test. She asked how would he ask for his way from Rome airport to the downtown. And how would he order in a restaurant?

David failed miserably.

He had become a master of multiple-choice questions in Italian, which had little bearing on the real situations he would face.

We make this mistake all the time. We don’t start from the end goal and work backwards to design our lessons and exercises accordingly. David’s goal wasn’t to pass a vocabulary test. It was to strike conversation socially.

Coming back to the topic of vocabulary, learning meanings and examples of words in significant volume is a challenge. But a much bigger challenge is to recall an apt word in split second while speaking. (That’s the holy grail of any vocabulary-building exercise, and that’s the end goal we want to achieve.)

The exercises I described earlier in the post follow the same path – backwards from the end.

2. I used proven scientific methods to increase effectiveness

Looking at just a word and recalling its meaning and coming up with rapid-fire examples where that word can be used introduced elements of deliberate practice, the fastest way to build neural connection and hence any skill. (See the exercises we covered.) For the uninitiated, deliberate practice is the way top performers in any field practice .

Another proven method I used was spaced repetition.

3. I built on what I already knew to progress faster

Covering mainly passive vocabulary has made sure that I’m building on what I already know, which makes for faster progress.

Don’t ignore these when building vocabulary

Keep in mind following while building vocabulary:

1. Use of fancy words in communication make you look dumb, not smart

Don’t pick fancy words to add to your vocabulary. Use of such words doesn’t make you look smart. It makes your communication incomprehensible and it shows lack of empathy for the listeners. So avoid learning words such as soliloquy and twerking . The more the word is used in common parlance, the better it is.

An example of how fancy words can make a piece of writing bad is this review of movie , which is littered with plenty of fancy words such as caper , overlong , tomfoolery , hectoring , and cockney . For the same reason, Shashi Tharoor’s Word of the Week is not a good idea . Don’t add such words to your vocabulary.

2. Verbs are more important than nouns and adjectives

Verbs describe action, tell us what to do. They’re clearer. Let me explain this through an example.

In his book Start with Why , Simon Sinek articulates why verbs are more effective than nouns:

For values or guiding principles to be truly effective they have to be verbs. It’s not ‘integrity’, it’s ‘always do the right thing’. It’s not ‘innovation’, it’s ‘look at the problem from a different angle’. Articulating our values as verbs gives us a clear idea… we have a clear idea of how to act in any situation.

‘Always do the right thing’ is better than ‘integrity’ and ‘look at the problem from a different angle’ is better than ‘innovation’ because the former, a verb, in each case is clearer.

The same (importance of verb) is emphasized by L. Dee Fink in his book Creating Significant Learning Experiences in the context of defining learning goals for college students.

Moreover, most people’s vocabulary is particularly poor in verbs. Remember, the verbs from the three examples at the beginning of the post – wash away , dump , and pluck ? How many use them? And they’re simple.

3. Don’t ignore simple verbs

You wouldn’t bother to note down words such as slip , give , and move because you think you know them inside out, after all you’ve been using them regularly for ages.

I also thought so… until I explored few of them.

I found that majority of simple words have few common usages we rarely use. Use of simple words for such common usages will stand your communication skills out.

An example:

a. To slide suddenly or involuntarily as on a smooth surface: She slipped on the icy ground .

b. To slide out from grasp, etc.: The soap slipped from my hand .

c. To move or start gradually from a place or position: His hat slipped over his eyes .

d. To pass without having been acted upon or used: to let an opportunity slip .

e. To pass quickly (often followed by away or by): The years slipped by .

f. To move or go quietly, cautiously, or unobtrusively: to slip out of a room .

Most use the word in the meaning (a) and (b), but if you use the word for meaning (c) to (f) – which BTW is common – you’ll impress people.

Another example:

a. Without the physical presence of people in control: an unmanned spacecraft .

b.  Hovering near the unmanned iPod resting on the side bar, stands a short, blond man.

c. Political leaders are vocal about the benefits they expect to see from unmanned aircraft.

Most use the word unmanned with a moving object such as an aircraft or a drone, but how about using it with an iPod (see (b) above).

4. Don’t ignore phrasal verbs. Get at least common idioms. Proverbs… maybe

4.1 phrasal verbs.

Phrasal verbs are verbs made from combining a main verb and an adverb or preposition or both. For example, here are few phrasal verbs of verb give :

We use phrasal verbs aplenty:

I went to the airport to see my friend off .

He could see through my carefully-crafted ruse.

I took off my coat.

The new captain took over the reins of the company on June 25.

So, don’t ignore them.

Unfortunately, you can’t predict the meaning of a phrasal verb from the main verb. For example, it’s hard to guess the meaning of take over or take off from take . You’ve to learn each phrasal verb separately.

What about idioms?

Compared to phrasal verbs, idioms are relatively less used, but it’s good to know the common ones. To continue the example of word give , here are few idioms derived from it:

Give and take

Give or take

Give ground

Give rise to

Want a list of common idioms? It’s here: List of 200 common idioms .

4.3 Proverbs

Proverbs are popular sayings that provide nuggets of wisdom. Example: A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

Compared to phrasal verbs and idioms, they’re much less used in common conversation and therefore you can do without them.

For the motivated, here is a list of common proverbs: List of 200 common proverbs .

5. Steal phrases, words, and even sentences you like

If you like phrases and sentences you come across, add them to your list for future use. I do it all the time and have built a decent repository of phrases and sentences. Few examples (underlined part is the key phrase):

The bondholders faced the prospect of losing their trousers .

The economy behaved more like a rollercoaster than a balloon . [Whereas rollercoaster refers to an up and down movement, balloon refers to a continuous expansion. Doesn’t such a short phrase express such a profound meaning?]

Throw enough spaghetti against the wall and some of it sticks .

You need blue collar work ethic to succeed in this industry.

He runs fast. Not quite .

Time to give up scalpel . Bring in hammer .

Note that you would usually not find such phrases in a dictionary, because dictionaries are limited to words, phrasal verbs, idioms, and maybe proverbs.

6. Commonly-used nouns

One of my goals while building vocabulary has been to learn what to call commonly-used objects (or nouns) that most struggle to put a word to.

To give an example, what would you call the following?

Answer: Tea strainer.

You would sound far more impressive when you say, “My tea strainer has turned blackish because of months of filtering tea.”

Than when you say, “The implement that filters tea has turned blackish because of months of filtering tea.”

What do you say?

More examples:

Saucer (We use it every day, but call it ‘plate’.)

Straight/ wavy/ curly hair

Corner shop

I’ll end with a brief reference to the UIDAI project that is providing unique biometric ID to every Indian. This project, launched in 2009, has so far issued a unique ID (popularly called Aadhaar card) to more than 1.1 billion people. The project faced many teething problems and has been a one big grind for the implementers. But once this massive data of billion + people was collected, so many obstinate, long-standing problems are being eased using this data, which otherwise would’ve been difficult to pull off. It has enabled faster delivery of scores of government and private services, checked duplication on many fronts, and brought in more transparency in financial and other transactions, denting parallel economy. There are many more. And many more are being conceived on top of this data.

At some level, vocabulary is somewhat similar. It’ll take effort, but once you’ve sizable active vocabulary, it’ll strengthen arguably the most challenging and the most impressive part of your communication. And because it takes some doing, it’s not easy for others to catch up.

Anil is the person behind content on this website, which is visited by 3,000,000+ learners every year. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. More about him here:

Such a comprehensive guide. Awesome…

I am using the note app and inbuilt dictionary of iPhone. I have accumulated over 1400 words in 1 year. Will definitely implement ideas from this blog.

Krishna, thanks. If you’re building vocabulary for using, then make sure you work it accordingly.

Building solid vocabulary is my new year’s resolution and you’ve perfectly captured the issues I’ve been facing, with emphasis on passive vocabulary building. So many vocab apps are multiple choice and thereby useless for this reason. Thanks so much for the exercises! I plan to put them to use!

It was everything that I need to boost my active vocabulary. Thank you so much for sharing all these precious pieces of information.

Anil sir, I am quiet satisfied the way you laid out everything possible that one needs to know from A-Z. Also, thanks for assuring me from your experience that applying this will work.

This post definitely blew me away…. I am impressed! Thank you so much for sharing such valuable information. It was exactly what I needed!

Amazing post! While reading this post, I am thinking about the person who developed this. I wanna give a big hug and thank you so much.

Comments are closed.

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How to write a good speech in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

- an easily followed format for writing a great speech

Did you know writing a speech doesn't have be an anxious, nail biting experience?

Unsure? Don't be.

You may have lived with the idea you were never good with words for a long time. Or perhaps giving speeches at school brought you out in cold sweats.

However learning how to write a speech is relatively straight forward when you learn to write out loud.

And that's the journey I am offering to take you on: step by step.

To learn quickly, go slow

Take all the time you need. This speech format has 7 steps, each building on the next.

Walk, rather than run, your way through all of them. Don't be tempted to rush. Familiarize yourself with the ideas. Try them out.

I know there are well-advertised short cuts and promises of 'write a speech in 5 minutes'. However in reality they only truly work for somebody who already has the basic foundations of speech writing in place.

The foundation of good speech writing 

These steps are the backbone of sound speech preparation. Learn and follow them well at the outset and yes, given more experience and practice you could probably flick something together quickly. Like any skill, the more it's used, the easier it gets.

In the meantime...

Step 1: Begin with a speech overview or outline

Are you in a hurry? Without time to read a whole page? Grab ... The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist And come back to get the details later.

• WHO you are writing your speech for (your target audience)
• WHY you are preparing this speech. What's the main purpose of your speech? Is it to inform or tell your audience about something? To teach them a new skill or demonstrate something? To persuade or to entertain? (See 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion or entertaining for more.) What do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of listening the speech?
• WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic) - You'll want to have thought through your main points and have ranked them in order of importance. And have sorted the supporting research you need to make those points effectively.
• HOW much time you have for your speech eg. 3 minutes, 5 minutes... The amount of time you've been allocated dictates how much content you need. If you're unsure check this page: how many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide . You'll find estimates of the number of words required for 1 - 10 minute speeches by slow, medium and fast talkers.

Use an outline

The best way to make sure you deliver a perfect speech is to start by carefully completing a speech outline covering the essentials: WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW.

Beginning to write without thinking your speech through is a bit like heading off on a journey not knowing why you're traveling or where you're going to end up. You can find yourself lost in a deep, dark, murky muddle of ideas very quickly!

Pulling together a speech overview or outline is a much safer option. It's the map you'll follow to get where you want to go.

Get a blank speech outline template to complete

Click the link to find out a whole lot more about preparing a speech outline . ☺ You'll also find a free printable blank speech outline template.  I recommend using it!

Understanding speech construction

Before you begin to write, using your completed outline as a guide, let's briefly look at what you're aiming to prepare.

• an opening or introduction
• the body where the bulk of the information is given
• and an ending (or summary).

Imagine your speech as a sandwich

If you think of a speech as a sandwich you'll get the idea.

The opening and ending are the slices of bread holding the filling (the major points or the body of your speech) together.

You can build yourself a simple sandwich with one filling (one big idea) or you could go gourmet and add up to three or, even five. The choice is yours.

But whatever you choose to serve, as a good cook, you need to consider who is going to eat it! And that's your audience.

So let's find out who they are before we do anything else. 

Step 2: Know who you are talking to

Understanding your audience.

Did you know a  good speech is never written from the speaker's point of view?  ( If you need to know more about why check out this page on  building rapport .)

Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline.

Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it.   

Writing from the audience's point of view

To help you write from an audience point of view, it's a good idea to identify either a real person or the type of person who is most likely to be listening to you.

Make sure you select someone who represents the "majority" of the people who will be in your audience. That is they are neither struggling to comprehend you at the bottom of your scale or light-years ahead at the top.

Now imagine they are sitting next to you eagerly waiting to hear what you're going to say. Give them a name, for example, Joe, to help make them real.

Ask yourself

• How do I need to tailor my information to meet Joe's needs? For example, do you tell personal stories to illustrate your main points? Absolutely! Yes. This is a very powerful technique. (Click storytelling in speeches to find out more.)
• What type or level of language is right for Joe as well as my topic? For example if I use jargon (activity, industry or profession specific vocabulary) will it be understood?

Step 3: Writing as you speak

Writing oral language.

Write down what you want to say about your first main point as if you were talking directly to Joe.

If it helps, say it all out loud before you write it down and/or record it.

Use the information below as a guide

(Click to download The Characteristics of Spoken Language  as a pdf.) 

You do not have to write absolutely everything you're going to say down * but you do need to write down, or outline, the sequence of ideas to ensure they are logical and easily followed.

Remember too, to explain or illustrate your point with examples from your research. 

( * Tip: If this is your first speech the safety net of having everything written down could be just what you need. It's easier to recover from a patch of jitters when you have a word by word manuscript than if you have either none, or a bare outline. Your call!)

Step 4: Checking tone and language

The focus of this step is re-working what you've done in Step 2 and 3.

You identified who you were talking to (Step 2) and in Step 3, wrote up your first main point.  Is it right? Have you made yourself clear?  Check it.

How well you complete this step depends on how well you understand the needs of the people who are going to listen to your speech.

Please do not assume because you know what you're talking about the person (Joe) you've chosen to represent your audience will too. Joe is not a mind-reader!

How to check what you've prepared

• Check the "tone" of your language . Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
• Check the length of your sentences. You need short sentences. If they're too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.

Check for jargon too. These are industry, activity or group exclusive words.

For instance take the phrase: authentic learning . This comes from teaching and refers to connecting lessons to the daily life of students. Authentic learning is learning that is relevant and meaningful for students. If you're not a teacher you may not understand the phrase.

The use of any vocabulary requiring insider knowledge needs to be thought through from the audience perspective. Jargon can close people out.

• Read what you've written out loud. If it flows naturally, in a logical manner, continue the process with your next main idea. If it doesn't, rework.

We use whole sentences and part ones, and we mix them up with asides or appeals e.g. "Did you get that? Of course you did. Right...Let's move it along. I was saying ..."

Click for more about the differences between spoken and written language .

And now repeat the process

Repeat this process for the remainder of your main ideas.

Because you've done the first one carefully, the rest should follow fairly easily.

Step 5: Use transitions

Providing links or transitions between main ideas.

Between each of your main ideas you need to provide a bridge or pathway for your audience. The clearer the pathway or bridge, the easier it is for them to make the transition from one idea to the next.

If your speech contains more than three main ideas and each is building on the last, then consider using a "catch-up" or summary as part of your transitions.

Is your speech being evaluated? Find out exactly what aspects you're being assessed on using this standard speech evaluation form

Link/transition examples

A link can be as simple as:

"We've explored one scenario for the ending of Block Buster 111, but let's consider another. This time..."

What follows this transition is the introduction of Main Idea Two.

Here's a summarizing link/transition example:

"We've ended Blockbuster 111 four ways so far. In the first, everybody died. In the second, everybody died BUT their ghosts remained to haunt the area. In the third, one villain died. His partner reformed and after a fight-out with the hero, they both strode off into the sunset, friends forever. In the fourth, the hero dies in a major battle but is reborn sometime in the future.

And now what about one more? What if nobody died? The fifth possibility..."

Go back through your main ideas checking the links. Remember Joe as you go. Try each transition or link out loud and really listen to yourself. Is it obvious? Easily followed?

Keep them if they are clear and concise.

For more about transitions (with examples) see Andrew Dlugan's excellent article, Speech Transitions: Magical words and Phrases .

Step 6: The end of your speech

The ideal ending is highly memorable . You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Example speech endings

Example 1: The desired outcome of a speech persuading people to vote for you in an upcoming election is that they get out there on voting day and do so. You can help that outcome along by calling them to register their support by signing a prepared pledge statement as they leave.

"We're agreed we want change. You can help us give it to you by signing this pledge statement as you leave. Be part of the change you want to see!

Example 2: The desired outcome is increased sales figures. The call to action is made urgent with the introduction of time specific incentives.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours. Can you do it? Will you do it? The kids will love it. Your wife will love it. Do it now!"

How to figure out the right call to action

A clue for working out what the most appropriate call to action might be, is to go back to your original purpose for giving the speech.

• Was it to motivate or inspire?
• Was it to persuade to a particular point of view?
• Was it to share specialist information?
• Was it to celebrate a person, a place, time or event?

Ask yourself what you want people to do as a result of having listened to your speech.

For more about ending speeches

Visit this page for more about how to end a speech effectively . You'll find two additional types of speech endings with examples.

Write and test

Write your ending and test it out loud. Try it out on a friend, or two. Is it good? Does it work?

Step 7: The introduction

Once you've got the filling (main ideas) the linking and the ending in place, it's time to focus on the introduction.

The introduction comes last as it's the most important part of your speech. This is the bit that either has people sitting up alert or slumped and waiting for you to end. It's the tone setter!

What makes a great speech opening?

Ideally you want an opening that makes listening to you the only thing the 'Joes' in the audience want to do.

You want them to forget they're hungry or that their chair is hard or that their bills need paying.

The way to do that is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a "hook".

Hooks to catch your audience's attention

Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what specific hook is needed to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech?

Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do, and, or take away, as a result of listening to you?

Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

Choosing the best hook

• Is it humor?
• Would shock tactics work?
• Is it a rhetorical question?
• Is it formality or informality?
• Is it an outline or overview of what you're going to cover, including the call to action?
• Or is it a mix of all these elements?

A hook example

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose future's are not secure.

"How's your imagination this morning? Good? (Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now.

I want you to see your future. What does it look like? Are you happy? Is everything as you want it to be? No? Let's change that. We could do it. And we could do it today.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one ...

No, I'm not a magician. Or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you. And I have a plan to share!"

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Prepare several hooks

Experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, your subject matter and your purpose best.

For many more examples of speech openings go to: how to write a speech introduction . You'll find 12 of the very best ways to start a speech.

That completes the initial seven steps towards writing your speech. If you've followed them all the way through, congratulations, you now have the text of your speech!

Although you might have the words, you're still a couple of steps away from being ready to deliver them. Both of them are essential if you want the very best outcome possible. They are below. Please take them.

Step 8: Checking content and timing

This step pulls everything together.

Check once, check twice, check three times & then once more!

Go through your speech really carefully.

On the first read through check you've got your main points in their correct order with supporting material, plus an effective introduction and ending.

On the second read through check the linking passages or transitions making sure they are clear and easily followed.

On the third reading check your sentence structure, language use and tone.

Double, triple check the timing

Now go though once more.

This time read it aloud slowly and time yourself.

If it's too long for the time allowance you've been given make the necessary cuts.

Start by looking at your examples rather than the main ideas themselves. If you've used several examples to illustrate one principal idea, cut the least important out.

Also look to see if you've repeated yourself unnecessarily or, gone off track. If it's not relevant, cut it.

Repeat the process, condensing until your speech fits the required length, preferably coming in just under your time limit.

You can also find out how approximately long it will take you to say the words you have by using this very handy words to minutes converter . It's an excellent tool, one I frequently use. While it can't give you a precise time, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

Step 9: Rehearsing your speech

And NOW you are finished with writing the speech, and are ready for REHEARSAL .

Please don't be tempted to skip this step. It is not an extra thrown in for good measure. It's essential.

The "not-so-secret" secret of successful speeches combines good writing with practice, practice and then, practicing some more.

Go to how to practice public speaking and you'll find rehearsal techniques and suggestions to boost your speech delivery from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist

Before you begin writing you need:.

• Your speech OUTLINE with your main ideas ranked in the order you're going to present them. (If you haven't done one complete this 4 step sample speech outline . It will make the writing process much easier.)
• Your RESEARCH
• You also need to know WHO you're speaking to, the PURPOSE of the speech and HOW long you're speaking for

The basic format

• the body where you present your main ideas

Split your time allowance so that you spend approximately 70% on the body and 15% each on the introduction and ending.

How to write the speech

• Write your main ideas out incorporating your examples and research
• Link them together making sure each flows in a smooth, logical progression
• Write your ending, summarizing your main ideas briefly and end with a call for action
• Write your introduction considering the 'hook' you're going to use to get your audience listening
• An often quoted saying to explain the process is: Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction) Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending)

TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing.

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To Cut or Not to Cut: Filler Words in Your Speech & Writing

Have you ever muttered something like “em” or “uh” while you paused to think of what to say next? We know you have. This article is about how those interjections detract from the quality of your speech or writing. In fact, they rob your listener or reader of their time. There are two main categories of interjections:

• Crutch words or gap fillers . We use these in our speech to avoid silence or to link different ideas. You’ll find better ways to reach these objectives below.
• Filler words . These are used in writing to make the text more fluent and coherent. They are often helpful, but when used in excess, they can clutter your piece of writing. Read on to learn the difference between the two.
• Top 13 Crutch Words
• Overcoming Crutch Words
• 48 Fillers You Should Drop

Bad & Better Examples

🗣️ crutch words that spoil your speech.

Everybody uses them, even Joe Biden . As a Vice President, he misused the word “literally.” Crutch words are more addictive than cigarettes. Unnecessary gap fillers can ruin your public speaking and business communication.

Top 13 Crutch Words & What They Say About You

• Honestly is used to emphasize your truthfulness. But why do you need it? This word indicates your self-doubt. Some people use it to hide a lie, so this crutch word generally makes your message less trustworthy.
• Actually is the most popular gap filler. It contains no information but tries (in vain) to intensify your statement. This word shows that you like to control everything and that you double-check every fact before believing it.
• Basically adds authority to a poorly conveyed statement. If this is your favorite crutch word, you prefer to make a long story short and summarize, emphasizing what matters the most. After talking for a long time, you sum up your message with this word. Basically, that’s it.
• Like is a meaningful word when used to compare two objects or people. But when used as a filler word, it sounds “teenagish.” If you often turn to this crutch word, you have the spirit of a child, and you like to be expressive.
• At the end of the day. In The English Language Laid Bare , Damp Squid says this is the most irritating phrase out of the two-billion words of the Oxford Corpus. Its synonym, “ultimately,” is also needlessly inserted in conversation. If this empty phrase is your favorite, you enjoy having a backstory even when there is nothing to add.
• Literally usually describes an action or fact that cannot be perceived literally. The speaker’s intention is to be understood in a strict sense. However, in most cases, this word is used with a symbolic statement or exaggeration. If you tend to say this filler word, you like to control how your listeners perceive your message.
• So is painfully close to “well.” When it does not indicate a cause-and-effect relationship, this word just steals your audience’s time. If this is your go-to word, you hesitate too much before starting anything new and take a lot of time to make a decision.
• Well . This crutch word shows that you don’t have much to say or struggle to express yourself. Most likely, public speaking is not one of your strengths. Unlike the other gap fillers, this one does not have an emotional component.
• Look invites the listener to see and understand your point of view. We mostly use it when we feel our listener is not paying attention or is opposed to what we are saying. It is an attempt to reach an agreement. If you use “look” often, you probably try to avoid conflicts and prefer to settle any issues peacefully.
• Awesome is similar to a “like” on Facebook. We answer with this single word to many things that are anything but awesome. If it is your common word, you keep your distance from people and try not to show your emotions. This crutch word often hides a lack of creative thinking.
• Really is equivalent to an extra exclamation point. When used sparingly, it draws the listener’s attention by making a pause in the intonation. If it is your favorite word, you enjoy irony and have a good sense of humor.
• Totally is very similar to “really,” but with a slight difference. Both intend to highlight your credibility (the result is quite the opposite) but “totally” underlines the superiority of your knowledge (not really).
• Great is a milder variant of “awesome.” It indicates your remoteness and lack of interest. Find a more original way to give praise or compliments.

Overcoming Crutch Words: Best Tips

Crutch words irritate listeners. Surprisingly, they irritate speakers as well, as soon as they start paying attention to them. But human communication is a complicated system with multiple factors, which makes it difficult to completely cut out these words. Still, here are four possible ways of reducing the number of times you rely on them.

What is the speed of thought? It takes 50 to 150 milliseconds for our brain to react to simple stimuli. When talking, we sometimes need to formulate our ideas in our mind before saying them. This “let me think” time is often filled with crutch words. If you slow down, you will have more time to come up with the right phrases. Listen to popular public speakers. They pause after each sentence. By the way, such pauses help the audience to analyze what has been said.

• Take a deep breath.

This is another way to slow down. When we speak, we exhale. Our body needs oxygen, so we need to inhale once in a while. Perceive commas and full stops as signs to breathe. Oxygen saturation influences our mental productivity and will help you think faster. With some practice, you can incorporate this method naturally without anyone noticing.

• Know what to say.

Have you noticed that the more nervous you get, the more crutch words you use? When our ideas are disorganized, we are ignorant of where our trail of thought will lead us. This confusion makes us stress out. Try instead to prepare a plan for your speech. That way, if you forget something and start getting nervous, you can review your plan and move to the next point. This strategy isn’t only useful for making your presentation structured; it is also a potent stress-reliever, and all public speakers use it.

Everything gets easier with practice. Many people are afraid of silence and try to avoid it using crutch words, but practice will make you more comfortable speaking. You can train at any public event. For example, you can congratulate someone during a special occasion by saying something more elaborate than just “Wishing you love and health.” Think about what else you can say, and avoid your usual crutch words.

We tend to use crutch words instead of saying, “let me think.” They give us a feeling of security, like a favorite teacup or slippers. The more we get nervous, the more often we employ crutch words. So is it worth it to eliminate them completely?

Our answer is no . Impeccable speech without gap fillers is lifeless and lacks rhythm. However, using these words wisely adds emphasis to specific points and emotionally influences the listener. They make us sound “natural” and relaxed. Plus, it might just be too hard to get rid of them completely.

✍️ Are Fillers Interest Killers? Filler Words in Writing

Fillers are not as harmful as crutch words. We control our writing more effectively than our speech because we can stop to think as long as we need. Still, you should omit some phrases to make your writing more engaging.

Some academic sources insist on using linking phrases, such as “moreover,” “however,” or even “having considered everything mentioned above.” Modern blogging and academia are moving away from this tradition and prefer the concept of concise writing. Fillers distract the reader from the main idea, often wasting their time.

Concise Writing: Why Does It Matter?

Post-modern society has witnessed a tendency to simplify everything it can. We are lost in a sea of unnecessary information. Research has found that we use only 37% of the information taught at school. Of course, there’s also the continuous flow of advertisement and social media updates that inundate us.

That is why information overload is the problem of the 21st century. Some years from now, scientists will probably find a way to decrease its effect, but for now we have only one option – to communicate more concisely. The definition of concise writing is simple: use as few words as possible to convey your message. You can check out a wide variety of free college essay samples in our database to see how a well-written paper without any fillers looks like. Below you will find some advice on how to slim down your word count.

48 Fillers You Should Drop to Write Concisely

If you intend to make your writing concise, avoid these words. We have grouped them into four categories for your convenience. In most cases, these English fillers are superfluous. Sometimes, however, fillers create a necessary rhythm or make the text sound “natural,” so you’ll need to review them on a case-by-case basis.

Redundant Words

Redundant words repeat the meaning of other words in the sentence. If it is possible to say the same thing in fewer words, always do so.

• Absolutely + necessary or essential:

Example: Love was absolutely essential to her happiness.

Revision : Love was essential for her happiness.

Example: The virus will be entirely eliminated.

Revision : The virus will be eliminated.

• Completely:

Example: He was completely sure the girl would say “yes.”

Revision : He was sure the girl would say “yes.”

Example: He could possibly become the next president.

Revision : He could become the next president.

• Brief + moment:

Example: For a brief moment, he remained speechless.

Revision : For a moment, he remained speechless.

• Ask + the question:

Example: I asked her a question about our plans.

Revision : I asked her about our plans.

• Actual + facts:

Example: The policeman submitted the actual facts about the case.

Revision : The policeman submitted the facts about the case.

• Accordingly:

Example: Accordingly, ask before making changes next time.

Revision : Ask before making changes next time.

• ATM machine: (The abbreviation “ATM” stands for “automated teller machine.”)

Example: The ATM machine is around the corner.

Revision : The ATM is around the corner.

Example: He entered in his childhood room.

Revision : He entered his childhood room.

• So or very:

Example: I was so glad to see him.

Revision : I was glad to see him.

• Still remains:

Example: The author still remains the most prominent figure of the 19th century.

Revision : The author remains the most prominent figure of the 19th century.

Nominalizations

Nominalization is when you use a noun instead of a verb or adjective. This practice usually slows the reader down. Since action words – like verbs – are more dynamic, you should try to avoid unnecessary nominalizations. Here are some examples:

• Definition:

Example: Her definition of self-care was getting enough sleep and eating well.

Revision : She defined self-care as getting enough sleep and eating well.

Example: The accuracy of our study was insufficient.

Revision : Our study was inaccurate.

• Description:

Example: Provide a description of the design you prefer.

Revision : Please describe the design you prefer.

• Had a discussion concerning:

Example: They had a discussion concerning the business perspectives.

Revision : They discussed the business perspectives.

• Had a conversation about:

Example: They had a conversation about their relationships.

Revision : They discussed their relationships.

• Have a need for:

Example: I have a need for a day off.

Revision : I need a day off.

• Increase in strength:

Example: Their love increased in strength.

Revision : Their love grew stronger.

• Is aware of:

Example: He was aware of her hatred.

Revision : He realized she hated him.

• Is in love with:

Example: They are in love with each other.

Revision : They love each other.

• Lack the ability to:

Example: I lack the ability to wake up early in the morning.

Revision : I cannot wake up early in the morning.

• Make a decision to:

Example: I couldn’t make a decision to end our communication.

Revision : I couldn’t decide to end our communication.

Example: His reaction offended me.

Revision : The way he reacted offended me.

Vague Words

Vague language is common in colloquial speech, but in writing, it looks unprofessional. Vague words lack solid definitions. Avoid the words below or replace them, following the instructions.

Example: About 100 visitors left reviews.

Revision : Approximately 100 visitors left reviews.

Example: It was almost time to leave.

Revision : They left a few minutes later.

Example: You need to get stronger.

Revision : You need to become stronger.

• Get out of:

Example: The building is on fire; get out of it.

Revision : You need to exit the building because it’s on fire.

• Individual:

Example: Any individual shall have a place of residence.

Revision : Any person shall have a place of residence.

Example: My initial thought was to leave.

Revision : At first, I thought to leave.

• You’re going to have to:

Example: You’re going to have to finish this at home.

Revision : You must finish this at home.

• Make available:

Example: Our service makes available multiple useful features.

Revision : Our service presents multiple useful features.

Example: We left the area.

Revision : We left the country.

Example: Planning is my least favorite aspect of traveling.

Revision : I like to travel, but I do not like to plan.

Example: The situation grew dangerous.

Revision : The uprising grew dangerous.

• Small, big, good, or bad:

Example: He was a good person.

Revision : He was a kind and caring person.

Empty Phrases

Empty phrases mean nothing in the literal sense. By the way, “in the literal sense” is also a meaningless phrase. These words distract the reader from your message and can sound colloquial. In many cases, you can do without them or replace them with a more meaningful construction.

All things being equal:

Example: All things being equal, we will earn twice as much next year.

Revision : If all goes well, we will earn twice as much next year.

• Due to the fact that:

Example: Due to the fact that he is a doctor, he minds his health.

Revision : Since he is a doctor, he minds his health.

• For all intents and purposes:

Example: For all intents and purposes, the protagonist will die in the end.

Revision : In the end, the protagonist will die.

• For the most part:

Example: For the most part, I like Chinese food.

Revision : I like Chinese food.

• For the purpose of:

Example: I go in for sport for the purpose of keeping in shape.

Revision : I go in for sport to keep in shape.

Example: Go ahead and kill that bug.

Revision : Kill that bug.

• Harder than it has to be:

Example: The woman made their relationship harder than it had to be.

Revision : The woman made their relationship harder than necessary.

• Here’s the thing:

Example: I’ll tell you the story. Here’s the thing.

Revision : I’ll tell you the story. Once upon a time…

• I feel/believe that:

Example: I believe that I am capable of doing it.

Revision : I am capable of doing it.

• I might add:

Example: He is handsome, I might add.

Revision : He is handsome.

• Integrate with each other:

Example: The devices must integrate with each other to function correctly.

Revision : The devices must integrate to function correctly.

• In terms of:

Example: His new position was perfect in terms of salary.

Revision : The salary was perfect in his new position.

Example #1: A Bad Cover Letter

In the follow-up to my job application, please kindly consider this cover letter.

First of all, I have been working as a teacher for multiple years. My initial experience started at the nursery school in the local area. However, I also tutored several classes in Junior School. Secondly, during the vacations, I arranged outdoor events for pupils who stayed at home and did not have a chance to travel. Thirdly, my passion to communicate with children is the definition of my work.

In terms of in-class atmosphere, I created a nurturing and friendly environment where all the children felt comfortable. In addition, I rigorously prepared the plans for each day, week, and term. Furthermore, I established strict rules of behavior in the classroom and outdoors and entirely ensured their observance.

I might add that I do my best for the purpose of comprehensive development of children and their successful integration into adult life. I possibly try to integrate contemporary teaching methods with each other to generate my own teaching style.

To conclude, I believe that my skills and knowledge are completely sufficient for the position of Junior School teacher. I feel that my experience will make a good contribution to the tutoring process.

Example #2: A Better Cover Letter

I have been working as a teacher for five years. My working experience started at Dallas Nursery School. I also tutored several classes in Junior School. During the vacations, I arranged outdoor events for pupils who stayed at home. My work is centered around my passion to communicate with children.

I created a nurturing and friendly environment where the children felt comfortable. I prepared specific plans for each day, week, and term. I established rules of behavior in the classroom and outdoors and ensured their strict observance.

I do my best to support the children’s comprehensive development and their successful integration into adult life. I try to incorporate contemporary teaching methods and generate my own personal teaching style.

My skills and knowledge make me a perfect fit for the position of Junior School teacher. My experience will tangibly contribute to the tutoring process.

In the above example, all the filler words were deleted to illustrate how informative and concise your writing can look without them. But you can still use them on occasion to sound natural and spontaneous. The principal criterion here is to write or say every word consciously. Excessive wordiness can hide the meaning you intend to convey. Besides, lengthy texts are read less attentively.

If you can say a phrase with fewer words, be sure to do so. Avoid filler and crutch words as much as possible. Please share your “favorite” words and phrases in the comments below. Which linguistic habit would you like to get rid of?

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How to Use Big Words Without Making a Fool of Yourself

by Guest Blogger | 7 comments

Have you ever used a word for years — like, maybe during your thesis defense or in a high-profile report for work — then realized one day that you had it totally wrong? Those big words you thought were making you look so erudite were, in fact, working against you. Turns out, coif is not the same as coiffure, and you never even realized it.

No one is immune from this, neither journalists nor poets, essayists nor novelists. The problem often stems from our natural inclination as writers to grab hold of an exciting new word and just run with it. Not only do we end up using big words just plain wrong , our enthusiasm leads to overuse as well.

By slowing down just a little bit, recognizing common pitfalls, and inserting some deliberate practice into your vocabulary usage, you can turn this trend around.

6 Big Word Sins You Can Learn to Avoid

We love those flashy mots , but in the pursuit of better craft, we often make our writing worse. Here are five common slipups writers make with big words:

Sin 1: Confusing Similar Words

You’ve probably come across the idea that only the first and last letters of a word are really important , while those between can be jumbled without losing meaning. This idea seems to contain the seeds of truth, which is bad for us writers who don’t parse vocab carefully enough.

At first glance, enervate and energize may look and sound the same, and seem to mean the same thing. Same with meretricious and meritorious. Unfortunately, these word pairs are opposites. To enervate is to drain energy; to energize is to add it. Meretricious means cheap or tawdry; meritorious means worthy or deserving of praise.

If you’re not careful to examine all of a word, you may end up using it wrong. Once you misapply it a few times, it gets cemented in your brain and will be hard to change. No Bueno.

Sin 2: Assuming You Know What Words Mean From Context

As writers, we’re used to absorbing vocabulary from what we read. That’s great, but only if you monitor the process. Otherwise, you can easily become confused. Take the above example of coif and coiffure. To coif is a verb; a coiffure is a hairstyle. You do the first; you have the second.

Luxuriant and luxurious are also frequently confused. Luxuriant doesn’t mean plush; it means lots of it . You have luxuriant hair; you get luxurious haircuts at expensive salons. If you’re not sure, follow my mom’s oft-repeated advice: Look it up .

Sin 3: Using the Word Multiple Times in Close Proximity

This … annoys me … so much. If you use a distinctive word too many times, I promise you readers will notice.

I’ll give you an example. Of late, fantasy authors have fallen in luuuuurve with the word “eldritch,” meaning bizarre or sinister. Now, this is a great word, but it’s not good enough to justify using more than once in a novel. There are other words for “weird and sinister,” starting with either “weird” or “sinister.” Just sayin’.

This can occur with phrases too. I love the Throne of Glass series, but my pet peeve is Sarah J. Maas’ use of “killing fields.” Yes, it’s a cool, if dark, term. But it’s so distinctive that at ten uses per novel, each new reference begins to grate. No matter how excited you are, keep your shiny new word to one instance.

Sin 4: Using Too Many DIFFERENT Words in Close Proximity

Like the above advice, readers notice when your prose or copy is suddenly crammed with four-syllable words. Keeping the big guys to a minimum is a good way to make those you do use stand out, so stick with one or two per page, at a maximum.

If it’s a word most people don’t know (eyeballing you, “eldritch”), give it even more space. Otherwise your readers will find your writing taxing, and they will get tired of it. You’re not James Joyce. Sorry.

Sin 5: Integrating More Than One Word into Your Vocab at a Time

I’m stoked you like the great authors. I do too. But while reading classic lit is a great way to expand our vocab, it’s also a great way to cram our brains full of words with which we’re only half conversant … and biff it in that thesis defense.

When you read a new word, dog-ear that page or write it down. Don’t just absorb it and conclude you “know” what it means. Then look words up carefully and practice (below) to be sure you know how to use them. If you come across many new words in a short amount of time, write them down in a document and reference it when you have some free writing time.

Sin 6: Using the Word in Dialogue When It’s Out of Character

The occasional professor or lair-bound scientist can fairly employ flowery phrasing, but chances are good your medieval heroines and subversive Nazi soldiers don’t have overflowing vocabularies. You can use that fancy five-syllable exclamation, but they probably won’t. Of course, you know your characters better than anyone else, but for the most part, you should keep their language simpler than your prose.

Choose Your Words

Phew, that was a lot of don’ts.

Luckily there is also a DO! Do use deliberate practice to improve your command of new words you stumble across. If you haven’t stumbled in a while, feel free to head to your favorite writing blog or dictionary, both of which commonly suggest new words to use. Stuck for ideas? Check out some of our favorite big words here .

When you encounter a new word you love the sound of, look it up and absorb its meaning. To deepen your understanding, check out a few examples of it in use — dictionary and encyclopedia sites are a handy way to do this, as they often offer sample sentences.

Big and uncommon words can be the perfect things to make your prose sizzle. By avoiding these egregious sins, you'll ensure each one packs a punch. Don't stop using your fancy vocabulary! Just make sure it's working for you, not against you.

What's your favorite uncommon word to use in your writing? What's a word you often see overused or misused?  Let us know in the comments .

Now it’s your turn: Find a word you're unfamiliar with. Flip through a dictionary, or pick one off this list . Then, take fifteen minutes to write three paragraphs, using the new word once in each.

Post your practice in the comments section so we can all see your work and boost our vocabulary skills along with you! And if you post, be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!

Guest Blogger

This article is by a guest blogger. Would you like to write for The Write Practice? Check out our guest post guidelines .

I have to look up so many words! Whenever I read a book, there are words I don’t know. And, this helps me extend my vocabulary. And, yes. As a Mom, I tell my kids, “Go get the dictionary.” And, me too. Thank you for the article.

Thank you for reading! Knowing how to look up words is an actual skill, so it’s always good to teach our kiddos a better way! And I still see words that I don’t know all the time. KNOWLEDGE.

Telling kids to’Go get the dictionary’ whilst ultimately being hard on the tome is a much better choice than simply telling them. Well done!

You’re welcome! I too have to look up so many words. It’s one of the best things in life. 🙂

I love Sin #1 – malapropisms are the beast… I mean, best!

Hahaha and I love that word so much, it’s almost worth it!

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Speechwriting 101: Writing an Effective Speech

Whether you are a communications pro or a human resources executive, the time will come when you will need to write a speech for yourself or someone else.  when that time comes, your career may depend on your success..

J. Lyman MacInnis, a corporate coach,  Toronto Star  columnist, accounting executive and author of  “ The Elements of Great Public Speaking ,”  has seen careers stalled – even damaged – by a failure to communicate messages effectively before groups of people. On the flip side, solid speechwriting skills can help launch and sustain a successful career.  What you need are forethought and methodical preparation.

Know Your Audience

Learn as much as possible about the audience and the event.  This will help you target the insights, experience or knowledge you have that this group wants or needs:

• Why has the audience been brought together?
• What do the members of the audience have in common?
• How big an audience will it be?
• What do they know, and what do they need to know?
• Do they expect discussion about a specific subject and, if so, what?
• What is the audience’s attitude and knowledge about the subject of your talk?
• What is their attitude toward you as the speaker?
• Why are they interested in your topic?

Choose Your Core Message

If the core message is on target, you can do other things wrong. But if the message is wrong, it doesn’t matter what you put around it.  To write the most effective speech, you should have significant knowledge about your topic, sincerely care about it and be eager to talk about it.  Focus on a message that is relevant to the target audience, and remember: an audience wants opinion. If you offer too little substance, your audience will label you a lightweight.  If you offer too many ideas, you make it difficult for them to know what’s important to you.

Research and Organize

Research until you drop.  This is where you pick up the information, connect the ideas and arrive at the insights that make your talk fresh.  You’ll have an easier time if you gather far more information than you need.  Arrange your research and notes into general categories and leave space between them. Then go back and rearrange. Fit related pieces together like a puzzle.

Develop Structure to Deliver Your Message

First, consider whether your goal is to inform, persuade, motivate or entertain.  Then outline your speech and fill in the details:

• Introduction – The early minutes of a talk are important to establish your credibility and likeability.  Personal anecdotes often work well to get things started.  This is also where you’ll outline your main points.
• Body – Get to the issues you’re there to address, limiting them to five points at most.  Then bolster those few points with illustrations, evidence and anecdotes.  Be passionate: your conviction can be as persuasive as the appeal of your ideas.
• Conclusion – Wrap up with feeling as well as fact. End with something upbeat that will inspire your listeners.

You want to leave the audience exhilarated, not drained. In our fast-paced age, 20-25 minutes is about as long as anyone will listen attentively to a speech. As you write and edit your speech, the general rule is to allow about 90 seconds for every double-spaced page of copy.

Spice it Up

Once you have the basic structure of your speech, it’s time to add variety and interest.  Giving an audience exactly what it expects is like passing out sleeping pills. Remember that a speech is more like conversation than formal writing.  Its phrasing is loose – but without the extremes of slang, the incomplete thoughts, the interruptions that flavor everyday speech.

• Give it rhythm. A good speech has pacing.
• Vary the sentence structure. Use short sentences. Use occasional long ones to keep the audience alert. Fragments are fine if used sparingly and for emphasis.
• Use the active voice and avoid passive sentences. Active forms of speech make your sentences more powerful.
• Repeat key words and points. Besides helping your audience remember something, repetition builds greater awareness of central points or the main theme.
• Ask rhetorical questions in a way that attracts your listeners’ attention.
• Personal experiences and anecdotes help bolster your points and help you connect with the audience.
• Use quotes. Good quotes work on several levels, forcing the audience to think. Make sure quotes are clearly attributed and said by someone your audience will probably recognize.

Be sure to use all of these devices sparingly in your speeches. If overused, the speech becomes exaggerated. Used with care, they will work well to move the speech along and help you deliver your message in an interesting, compelling way.

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How to Stop Saying “Um,” “Ah,” and “You Know”

• Noah Zandan

To eliminate filler words, understand the role they play in your speech.

When you get rattled while speaking — whether you’re nervous, distracted, or at a loss for what comes next — it’s easy to lean on filler words, such as “um,” “ah,” or “you know.” These words can become crutches that diminish our credibility and distract from our message. To eliminate such words from your speech, replace them with pauses. To train yourself to do this, take these three steps. First, identify your crutch words and pair them with an action. Every time you catch yourself saying “like,” for example, tap your leg. Once you’ve become aware of your filler words as they try to escape your lips, begin forcing yourself to be silent. Finally, practice more than you think you should. The optimal ratio of preparation to performance is one hour of practice for every minute of presentation.

• Noah Zandan  is the CEO and Co-Founder of  Quantified Communications , a firm that combines data and behavioral analytics to help people measure and strengthen the way they communicate. Quantified Communications works globally with leaders of corporations, government organizations, higher education institutions, sales teams, nonprofits, and hundreds of TED speakers.

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You’re Using Too Many Adjectives (and Other Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid)

Whether you write for a living, functionally as part of your job, or as little as humanly possible because thinking about high school English still sends you into a cold sweat, we can all use a periodic reminder of some writing best practices—and the most common mistakes to avoid.

Lengthy introductions

According to one Microsoft study , the human attention span is eight seconds (less than that of a goldfish’s). This means writers have precious little time to seize a reader’s attention before they’ll abandon ship for more interesting content. Whether it’s an email, presentation, article, or research paper, keep intros concise. After your first draft, go back and cut words (and sentences!) that take readers away from the point. Then, do it again.

Too many adjectives

In a letter to one of his students, Mark Twain advised : “When you catch an adjective, kill it.” He clarified not all adjectives, but most, should be eliminated since, “They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are far apart.” Consider the following sentences:

The young, blonde girl danced around excitedly, her curly, pig-tailed hair bouncing in the chilly wind.

The girl danced excitedly, her pig-tails bouncing in the wind.

The first sentence is weighed down by needless adjectives; the second is easier to read. Moral of the story? Select adjectives carefully, and use them sparingly. Avoid the most banal variety at all costs: happy, sad, good, bad, tall, wide, beautiful, bright, dark, old, and basic colors . Choose more descriptive adjectives ( uncouth instead of rude ) or a more illustrative noun ( jalopy instead of old car ).

Overuse of adverbs

As Stephen King wrote in his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft , “the road to hell is paved with adverbs.” It’s tempting to use adverbs liberally. We may think we’re adding mood or flair when in fact, all we’re adding is unnecessary words (e.g. really, very, actually, quite, literally ). Take a look at the following examples:

She thought it was extremely rude. How could Mark be so incredibly mean?

She thought it was rude. How could Mark be so mean?

In the first example, extremely and incredibly add little meaning, beyond superficially inflating the adjectives they modify. We don’t want to live in an adverb-less world, but replacing weak verb-adverb pairs with more descriptive, standalone verbs will make your writing stronger. For example:

Instead of: The door opened slowly try The door creaked open .

And we love this tip: When editing your work, every time you see the word just , unless you’re using it to mean fair , delete it.

Using passive voice

The pie was made by Alice. Alice made the pie . The first sentence is an example passive voice, in which the subject (pie) is the recipient of the verb’s action (made). The second sentence uses active voice, in which the subject (Alice) acts upon the verb (made). According to Grammarly, “ sentences in the active voice have a strong, direct, and clear tone ” while the passive voice is “subtler and weaker.” There can be a temptation to use passive voice to sound fancier or more literary. Resist, unless there is no other way to write the sentence.

Also, passive voice can sound evasive, like a shirking of responsibility. Consider the following example: A scheduling mistake has occurred, and efforts were made to fix it . (Well, who made the mistake? Who is taking care of it?) It would be more clear and honest to say, in active voice: We made a scheduling mistake, and we are making every effort to fix it .

In the same letter, Twain complimented his student on his use of “plain, simple language, short words, and brief sentences,” encouraging him to stick to that way of writing, without letting “fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in.”

Verbosity can come in the form of excessive prepositional phrases (words like over, with, behind, in , of , or after that show direction, location, or time) and filler words such as here , there , it , and that . Whenever possible, swap prepositional phrases for words that pack a more descriptive punch. For example: Jesse went up the side of the mountain after Jake. Cut out “up” and “of” to make a stronger sentence : Jesse climbed the mountain after Jake .

Similarly, when you see the words here , there , it , and that, ask yourself if they can be cut without altering the sentence’s meaning. Example: Tony thinks that the Red Sox will go to the World Series. Tony thinks the Red Sox will go to the World Series .

Comma splices

Entire books have been written on proper comma usage , but here we’ll focus on one common common mistake: the comma splice. This error happens when two independent clauses are connected with a comma rather than a conjunction or semicolon.

For example: Becky loves Coldplay, she went to their concert.

Both clauses above could exist on their own, and should be connected with a conjunction or a semicolon. (Or separated by a period.)

Becky loves Coldplay, so she went to their concert.

Becky loves Coldplay. She went to their concert.

Becky loves Coldplay; she went to their concert.

Not having a conclusion

Even if it’s just one sentence, offer readers a sense of closure rather than stopping the topic abruptly. How weird would it have been if this article had ended with Becky’s Coldplay drama?

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How to simulate someone talking with a full mouth?

If, for example, someone said : "How are you today?", how would you go about "translating" this into sounding like they were talking with a full-mouth? Like, phonetically.

• creative-writing

• Distantly related question: How do you handle slang with questionable spelling? –  Goodbye Stack Exchange Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 15:25
• Do you want to the reader to get the full meaning of this speech, or there's some ambiguity that has to be resolved later? –  Alexander Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 17:09
• As Thomas Myron mentioned in a comment on Matthew Dave's answer, JK Rowling uses this a few times, and is a pretty good example. It looks like at least one case occurs somewhere in the Order of the Phoenix, but I don't know where. –  Ben Sandeen Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 19:50
• This question would be improved by indicating whether you intend to explain, outside of the quoted speech, that the speaker's mouth is full. Are you looking for a method which makes that apparent without coming right out and saying it? –  Beanluc Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 21:11

6 Answers 6

If you intend to phonetically represent speech with one's mouth full, there's a very easy way to do it; speak with your mouth full. Listen to how it distorts your speech and think about how it alters the phonemes.

That's a good starting point if a phonetic spelling is what you're after.

• 3 I would also like to note that JK Rowling has a passage where Ron speaks with his mouth full and she alters the spelling appropriately. I cannot remember the book or chapter, but if found, it could also help shed some light. That being said, this answer will definitely yield the most complete resource. –  Thomas Reinstate Monica Myron Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 17:06
• 8 "‘Aaah, 'at’s be’er,' said Ron, with his mouth full of mashed potato." Is this what you were referring to? –  klippy Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 17:34
• or "No diddem eentup sechew"? :P –  Ben Sandeen Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 19:48
• 6 Terry Pratchett in general is also pretty good at altering dialogue text based on speech-impeding factors. –  John Doe Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 22:39

For me, phonetically translating mouth-full speaking would deter my focus and make me dwell on words missed and other incomprehensible text which would arise.

Instead, I would focus on the experience of the interaction:

There the three of us sat talking about the business proposal. Sam was focused in reading the details while Eric continued eating and interrupting with questions. Eric asks "So, what are the (munch) proposed (chew) percentage distributions?" Sam responds that she hasn't made it to that section yet all the while Eric gulps his drink and tells her to read faster. He also muttered something else but I was too grossed out by the sputter of potatoes and gravy which was exiting from his mouth.

But, if you are truly set on phonetically spelling mouth-full words then you can write the dialogue and read it out loud while eating and record yourself. This will provide the most realistic result.

However, you might need to provide context to avoid confusing the reader:

For example:

As I entered their office, they greeted me with "Hi, mmph, ghow are you?"

As I entered their office in the middle of lunch hour, they greeted me with "Hi, mmph, ghow are you?"

The former makes you question:

• Did the person have a stroke upon greeting?
• Did the person hold back a sneeze?
• Were they totally caught off-guard at an awkward time?
• Did they hit their funny bone?

• 3 I think both phonetic spelling and your method is unnecessarily distracting, tbh. A better way would be to just say that the words are obscured by their chewing, but OP has commented that they want phonetic spelling, alas. –  Matthew Dave Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 16:20
• Yeah, there's always more than one solution to a problem but I've amended my answer. –  MonkeyZeus Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 16:25
• 1 Very distracting, not good writing at all. Not to mention you shifted tense twice in five sentences. –  Wildcard Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 19:07

Although I don't recommend trying to reproduce the phonetic sound; it is pretty easy to figure out. The tongue cannot touch the palate (roof of the mouth) or the teeth because it is blocked by food; so plosives like "T", "K", palate "G" (like in "Get"), "D" are suppressed. Lip plosives ("P", "B") could still be voiced.

Replace the plosives that cannot be voiced with single apostrophes.

"That's better" would become "'a's be'er". A Word like "dog" that begins and ends with a plosive would be unintelligible; "'o'".

• 'The tongue cannot touch the palate (roof of the mouth) or the teeth because it is blocked by food', that depends where in the mouth the food is, if someone pushes a bolus of chewed food into their check to talk, rather than literally trying to speak with the vault of their mouth full, you get a different set of conditions. –  Spagirl Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 14:56
• 1 @Spagirl Under those conditions; with the food in the cheek, I think visually that is different but audibly not phonetically different than when the mouth has no food at all. Offhand, I cannot think of any sounds that would be different. If the OP wants an audible difference, the food must block a normally used pathway for producing words. –  Amadeus Commented Oct 2, 2018 at 15:47
• 1 @Amadeus, maybe my English isn't what it should be but isn't "G" a "throaty" sound that would maybe sound strained but would get through... meaning "dog" becomes "og"... or even "gog"... try with some food or a spoon on top of your tongue... –  Erk Commented Sep 13, 2021 at 16:43

The easiest way is to state another character guessed that's what they said.

• yeah but I'm trying to work out how I'm going to write it phonetically –  klippy Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 15:19
• 4 @klippy Edit that into the question then. –  J.G. Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 15:27

It depends on what sort of speech you tend to write. Personally, I would approach this like method acting. Write the character's script, make a sandwich, turn on a voice recorder, then read the script with your mouth full.

When listening to the playback, write down what you hear. If it is meant to be unintelligible, don't try to shoehorn your original script in there to make words guessable. Have the narrator indicate why there is confusion and (probably) have the other characters ask for clarification (depending on the power dynamic of the group).

I walked up to her and she greeted me with a "ghffuh mmnet". "What?" came my reflexive response. After she swallowed the bite of what looked to be a deliciously ripe tomato, she clarified herself: "'Just a minute', I said."

The convention to represent any deviation from normal speech in literary writing is by naming the deviation in the accompanying description.

"Wait a minute, I'll just chew and swallow," John mumbled with his mouth full.

Joan couldn't make out what Heather was saying. She had her mouth full and all that came out were strangled noises and some bread crumbs.

"That's it!" Bob shouted / whispered / said with his Southern drawl / Russian accent etc.

Loud speech isn't printed in bold face, whispered speech isn't printed in smaller letters, you do not (commonly) write in dialect (unless you want to limit your audience to those who understand it), and so on. The convention is to write Standard English and to tell the reader in which way the speaker doesn't speak it.

Of course, many writers have attempted to write what they think is "ye olde English" or some other variant of the language, mostly with the unintended effect of irritating their readers. I recommend not to attempt it.

• You mentioned this "convention", but who has determined that is the convention? Or so you mean, that you've observed this? –  ProseFerret Commented Sep 13, 2021 at 8:23
• @Pureferret I'm not sure what you are asking. The word "convention" means that something is done by most people most of the time. Like greeting persons you meet. It is not "determined". It is learned by example. ––– From your reading experience, would you say that what I describe is not the convention??? I very rarely read phonetic representations of incoherent speech, and mostly in Middle Grade novels for humorous effect. In writing for adults it seems exceedingly rare to me. In fact, I cannot remember having encountered it at all, at least not recently. –  user52044 Commented Sep 13, 2021 at 8:32
• I think I ascribed too much authority to the word convention, assuming it was like set of standards. This is a completely valid answer, but I think it's enhances by incorporating what you've just told me in your comment into the answer with an edit –  ProseFerret Commented Sep 13, 2021 at 8:40

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Speech transitions: words and phrases to connect your ideas

June 28, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant.

This can be done using speech transitions because these act as signposts to the audience – signalling the relationship between points and ideas. This article explores how to use speech transitions in presentations.

What are speech transitions?

Speech transitions are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

This makes it easier for the audience to understand your argument and without transitions the  audience may be confused  as to how one point relates to another and they may think you’re randomly jumping between points.

Types of transitions

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different types, here are a few:

Introduction

Introduce your topic:

• We will be looking at/identifying/investigating the effects of…
• Today I will be discussing…

Presentation outline

Inform the audience of the structure of your presentation:

• There are three key points I’ll be discussing…
• I want to begin by…, and then I’ll move on to…
• We’ll be covering… from two points of view…
• This presentation is divided into four parts…

Move from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shift between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Shift between disagreeing points

You may have to introduce conflicting ideas – bridging words and phrases are especially good for this:

• Conversely…
• Despite this…
• However…
• On the contrary…
• Now let’s consider…
• Even so…
• Nonetheless…
• We can’t ignore…
• On the other hand…

Transition to a significant issue

• Fundamentally…
• A major issue is…
• The crux of the matter…
• A significant concern is…

Referring to previous points

You may have to refer to something that you’ve already spoken about because, for example, there may have been a break or a fire alarm etc:

• Let’s return to…
• We briefly spoke about X earlier; let’s look at it in more depth now…
• Let’s revisit…
• Let’s go back to…
• Do you recall when I mentioned…

This can be also be useful to introduce a new point because adults learn better when new information builds on previously learned information.

Introducing an aside note

You may want to introduce a digression:

• I’d just like to mention…
• That reminds me…
• Incidentally…

Physical movement

You can  move your body  and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Emphasising importance

You need to ensure that the audience get the message by informing them why something is important:

• More importantly…
• This is essential…
• Primarily…
• Mainly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Cause and effect

You will have to transition to show relationships between factors:

• Therefore…
• Thus…
• Consequently…
• As a result…
• This is significant because…
• Hence…

Elaboration

• Also…
• Besides…
• What’s more…
• In addition/additionally…
• Moreover…
• Furthermore…

Point-by-point or steps of a process

• First/firstly/The first one is…
• Second/Secondly/The second one is…
• Third/Thirdly/The third one is…
• Last/Lastly/Finally/The fourth one is…

Introduce an example

• This is demonstrated by…
• For instance…
• Take the case of…
• For example…
• You may be asking whether this happens in X? The answer is yes…
• To show/illustrate/highlight this…
• Let me illustrate this by…

Transition to a demonstration

• Now that we’ve covered the theory, let’s practically apply it…
• I’ll conduct an experiment to show you this in action…
• Let me demonstrate this…
• I’ll now show you this…

Introducing a quotation

• X was a supporter of this thinking because he said…
• There is a lot of support for this, for example, X said…

Transition to another speaker

In a  group presentation  you must transition to other speakers:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Gayle will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Gayle”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Simon.”

From these examples, you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

You can  tell personal stories  or share the experiences of others to introduce a point. Anecdotes are especially valuable for your introduction and between different sections of the presentation because they engage the audience. Ensure that you plan the stories thoroughly beforehand and that they are not too long.

Using questions

You can transition through your speech by asking questions and these questions also have the benefit of engaging your audience more. There are three different types of questions:

Direct questions require an answer: “What is the capital of Italy?” These are mentally stimulating for the audience.

Rhetorical questions  do not require answers, they are often used to emphasises an idea or point: “Is the Pope catholic?

Loaded questions contain an unjustified assumption made to prompt the audience into providing a particular answer which you can then correct to support your point: You may ask “Why does your wonderful company have such a low incidence of mental health problems?”.

The audience will generally answer that they’re happy. After receiving the answers you could then say “Actually it’s because people are still unwilling and too embarrassed to seek help for mental health issues at work etc.”

Transition to a visual aid

If you are going to introduce a visual aid you must prepare the audience with what they’re going to see, for example, you might be leading into a diagram that supports your statement. Also, before you  show the visual aid , explain why you’re going to show it, for example, “This graph is a significant piece of evidence supporting X”.

When the graphic is on display get the audience to focus on it:

• The table indicates…
• As you can see…
• I’d like to direct your attention to…

Explain what the visual is showing:

• You can see that there has been a reduction in…
• The diagram is comparing the…

Using a visual aid to transition

Visual aids can also be used as transitions and they have the benefit of being stimulating and breaking-up vocal transitions.

You might have a slide with just a picture on it to signify to the audience that you’re moving on to a new point – ensure that this image is relevant to the point. Many speakers like to use cartoons for this purpose but ensure its suitable for your audience.

Always summarise your key points first in the conclusion:

• Let’s recap on what we’ve spoken about today…
• Let me briefly summarise the main points…

And then conclude:

If you have a shorter speech you may choose to  end your presentation  with one statement:

• In short…
• To sum up…
• In a nutshell…
• To summarise…
• In conclusion…

However, using statements such as “To conclude” may cause the audience to stop listening. It’s better to say:

• I’d like to leave you with this…
• What you should take away from this is…
• Finally, I want to say…

Call to action

Requesting the audience to do something at the end of the presentation:

• You may be thinking how can I help in this matter? Well…
• My aim is to encourage you to go further and…
• What I’m requesting of you is…

Common mistakes

When transitions are used poorly you can annoy and confuse the audience. Avoid:

• Using transitions that are too short – transitions are a key part of ensuring the audience understands your presentation so spend sufficient time linking to your next idea.
• Too many tangents – any digressions should still be relevant to the topic and help the audience with their understanding, otherwise cut them out.
• Incompatible transitions – for example, if you’re about to introduce an example that supports your statement you wouldn’t introduce this by saying “but”. Use transitions that signify the relationship between points.
• Over-using the same transition because this is boring for the audience to hear repeatedly. Ensure that there is variety with your transitions, consider including visual transitions.
• Miscounting your transitions – for example, don’t say “first point”, “second point”, “next point” – refer to your points consistently.

Speech transitions are useful for unifying and connecting your presentation. The audience are more likely to remain engaged since they’ll be able to follow your points. But remember that it’s important to practice your transitions beforehand and not just the content of your arguments because you risk looking unprofessional and confusing the audience if the presentation does not flow smoothly.

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What do you call the practice of using (overly) complex words specific to a subject?

What do you call the practice of using (overly) complex words specific to a subject? I am thinking of scientific or academic fields where the common terminology used in the field is very unapproachable to someone not in the field. The situation I am imagining is when one professor gives a lecture using field specific language and the topic seems very difficult to approach to the lay person. On the other hand, another professor may give a lecture conveying the same information using terminology and phrasing easily understood by outsiders.

Is there a word to describe this difference in style practice?

• single-word-requests

• 1 Gobbledygook , perhaps? "The professor's lecture was complete gobbledygook ." –  Mick Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 18:20
• 1 Good question, the word "arcane" can be handy here. It can be used either pejoratively or positively. "Man, that speaker used a lot of arcane terms from her speciality..." –  Fattie Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 17:19

7 Answers 7

To describe such pedantic style, consider jargon .

From dictionary.com : the language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession, or group, e.g. medical jargon. unintelligible or meaningless talk or writing; gibberish. any talk or writing that one does not understand. language that is characterized by uncommon or, pretentious vocabulary and convoluted syntax and is often vague in meaning.

Example: Use technical terms and Jargon to impress the customer!

• 1 +1! I wish I could select both answers. "Esoteric Jargon" is the phrase I will use –  co_biostat Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 20:47
• Jargon is the language itself. Jargonism would be the corresponding term for the use of it, by a jargonist . –  Nij Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 22:52
• 2 Sure, I agree it is jargon when using specialty specific words. Jargon is also the word used in this scenario in business communication textbooks. However, I think you probably nailed the situation much better with your third word: pedantic . The act of giving an overly complex lecture is pedantic, while the overly complex terminology itself is merely jargon. –  Travis J Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 0:12
• hi @co_biostat - I wish you would deselect the other incorrect answer, and select this one :) "Jargon" means "a specific type of language". (Indeed, exactly what you ask.) "Esoteric" does not, at all, in any way, mean "a specific type of language". "Esoteric" is nothing more than a synonym for "complex". Thus: your question is (correct me if I'm wrong): "What's a term for esoteric language?" or "What's a term for complex language?" The answer is something like "jargon" "technobabble" etc. –  Fattie Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 17:24
• Note that - very simply - the sentence "He used a lot of esotericism" means nothing. You might as well say "He used a lot of complex." Complex/esoteric what? Diagrams? Math? (However, if indeed you are asking for a word for a persson who uses jargon - I don't know. Maybe sesquipedalian.) Cheers! –  Fattie Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 17:27

If the topic is not natively impossible to understand, but the speaker is choosing overly-complex words, consider "sesquipedalian". ("Sesquipedalian" has a negative connotation.)

from vocabulary.com

Sesquipedalian can also be used to describe someone or something that overuses big words, like a philosophy professor or a chemistry textbook. If someone gives a sesquipedalian speech, people often assume it was smart, even if they don’t really know what it was about because they can’t understand the words. Each of those long words is referred to as a sesquipedalia.

If you feel like this choice of overly-complex words is more a product of their education and scholarly background and less a product of their ego, you may use 'erudite', although this doesn't necessarily imply that the lecture was difficult to follow. I believe that 'erudite' is neutral-positive in connotation.

Merriam-Webster:

having or showing knowledge that is learned by studying

If you think that the topic material itself is the primary source for their use of jargon, then you can just call it 'technical'. The following sources refer to this exact type of material as 'technical', and they appear to be using the word 'technical' to describe what you are describing.

blog post about how you should 'clarify' instead of 'dumbing down' technical details

different blog post about how to explain 'technical' things to non-technical people

• 2 For what it's worth, the best adverb to intensify 'technical' in this context is 'overly'. As in, 'he gave an overly technical presentation'. –  Jeutnarg Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 23:44
• 6 Sesquipedalian is a fantastic word of which I was previously ignorant. However is it not self-referential and in itself sesquipedalian? –  BoldBen Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 1:04
• I think the OP is asking for a word that labels the words/language in question , not the speaker. (I could be wrong.) –  Fattie Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 17:25
• @JoeBlow the second two can be applied to either, and sesquipedalian comes with a paired word for the long words themselves: "sesquipedalia" (it's at the end of the block quote) –  Jeutnarg Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 17:26

Consider " esotericism ". The word "esoteric" is defined by oxforddictionaries.com as

Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest

• 1 While the language used within a field of study may seem esoteric to an outsider, I think the term you're actually looking for is jargon . There exist entire dictionaries to describe the jargon of specific fields - and yes, people on the outside would consider this jargon to be very esoteric. –  Terry Wendt Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 2:10
• 1 ...or technobabble . –  KlaymenDK Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 14:30
• I think this describes well what the language is like, but the original question asked about "the practice of using" jargon. –  Andrea Lazzarotto Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 14:41
• A word most people wouldn't understand to describe the very same problem. –  Ski Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 15:14
• I agree that, really, this is not correct. Esoteric is an adjective - like complex - which describes the thing ("language") the OP is indeed asking about. Indeed: the very question the OP is asking is: "What's a term for very esoteric language?" . (The answer being something like jargon, technobabble, etc.) –  Fattie Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 17:22

If the first professor is deliberately using obscure terminology in order to confuse people, then you could call that obfuscation , from the verb obfuscate .

From http://www.thefreedictionary.com/obfuscate : To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand: "A great effort was made ... to obscure or obfuscate the truth" (Robert Conquest). To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore.

If the professor is not deliberately trying to confuse people who aren't expert in the field, then obfuscation is NOT the right word. In that case, as others have already pointed out, jargon is the best word to use. "His explanation was full of jargon, and I was lost immediately. The other guy did a much better job of explaining it."

The most appropriate term for the use of unnecessarily complex language or jargon in order to convey a message is convoluted .

(esp. of expression in speech or writing) having a complicated structure and therefore difficult to understand Convoluted sentences, explanations, arguments, etc. are unreasonably long and difficult to understand:

"His grammar explanations are terribly convoluted."

• Yes. The 'unreasonably' qualifier is significant. 'Convoluted' is mentioned previously, but not highlighted. –  Edwin Ashworth Commented Jan 28, 2023 at 12:26

Officialese is the word that describes jargon not used only by academics but in general by all sorts of posers. Especially in state offices. See Garner on Language and Writing (page 92).

Definitions of "abstruse"

adjective difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge “the professor's lectures were so abstruse that students tended to avoid them” synonyms:deep, recondite esoteric confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle

• 1 As it’s currently written, your answer is unclear. Please edit to add additional details that will help others understand how this addresses the question asked. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center . –  Community Bot Commented Jan 28, 2023 at 7:44

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Too is an adverb.

Too meaning ‘more than enough’

We use too meaning ‘more than enough’ in different positions.

Too before adjectives and adverbs

We use too immediately before adjectives and adverbs:

This coffee is too sweet.

Not: This coffee is too much sweet .

I can’t sleep. It’s too hot.

It happened too quickly, so I just didn’t see it.

Not: It happened too much quickly .

The car was travelling too fast and went out of control.

Too before adjective/adverb + to -infinitive

The water was too cold to swim in.

Two hours is too long to wait .

Too much , too many , too few and too little

When we want to talk about quantities which are more or less than enough, we use too much, too many, too few and too little before a noun:

There’s too much salt in this soup. ( too much + uncountable noun)

There were too many dogs on the beach. ( too many + countable noun)

I don’t like this book because there are too few pictures in it. ( too few + countable noun; more formal than I don’t like this book because there aren’t enough pictures in it .)

The trip was cancelled because there was too little interest in it. ( too little + uncountable noun)

Much , many , a lot of , lots of : quantifiers

Much too and far too

We can use much and far with too for emphasis. Far too is stronger than much too :

Too and very

We use very to add emphasis to an adjective or an adverb, but it does not mean the same as too .

Very much and too much

We often use very much to emphasise verbs such as like, dislike, hope, doubt . We do not use too much in this way with these verbs:

I like it very much because I got it from my husband.

Not: I like it too much …

I doubt very much that Ronan will be able to come to the party.

Not: I doubt too much that …

In speaking, we can use too bad or that’s too bad as a response token to express that we are sorry to hear about something. This is particularly common in American English:

A: The weather forecast says it’s going to rain again on Wednesday . B: Too bad . We were planning to go for a picnic .

A: How’s your mother? B: She’s okay but she’s feeling lonely because she lives on her own now . A: That’s too bad . Does she have many friends living nearby?

Too meaning ‘also’

We can use too to mean ‘also’. It is more common than also in informal situations. We normally use it at the end of the clause:

[in a restaurant, A is the waiter]

A: Have you decided? B: I think I’ll have the soup . C: I’ll have that too .

Catherine decided to join us for dinner, and her husband came along too . (or, more formal, … and her husband also came along .)

In short answers in informal situations, we normally say me too , not I too :

A: I love that colour . B: Me too .

In more formal situations, we can use too immediately after the subject:

You too could have a week in the sun. Visit www.holidaysforyou.com.

Also , as well or too ?

Typical error

We don’t use too to emphasise adjectives and adverbs. We use very :

She was very beautiful. ( very emphasises beautiful )

Not: She was too beautiful .

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