Speech Writing Format: Steps, Rules and Sample Speeches
Speech writing means preparing the words you will say aloud to an audience, such as students at morning assembly, guests at a farewell or visitors at a school function. In school exams a speech is usually 120–200 words, depending on the class and board, and follows a fixed speech writing format: a greeting to the audience, an introduction of yourself and the topic, the body with your main points, a conclusion and thanks.
A speech is written to be heard, not read. That means shorter sentences, direct address (“you”, “we”), questions and a friendly but respectful tone. This lesson gives the format, the rules, two complete sample speeches and a list of common mistakes.
Speech Writing Format
Title (optional; some boards ask you to write the topic or occasion at the top)
1. Greeting: Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening, respected Principal, Vice-Principal, teachers and my dear friends.
2. Introduction: Introduce yourself (name and class or role) and say what you will speak about and why it matters.
3. Body: Two or three paragraphs with the main points: what the issue is, causes or effects, examples, solutions, your appeal.
4. Conclusion: Sum up, give a message or a call to action.
5. Thanks: Thank you. / Thank you for listening patiently.
Teachers and textbooks differ a little. Some ask for the speech to start with only “Good morning everyone” and others expect the long greeting above; some add a patriotic closing line on national occasions. Follow the form your teacher prefers, but always keep the same five parts.
Rules for Writing a Speech
1. Greet the audience correctly
Choose the greeting for the time of day and the people present. When important guests are present, address them in order of rank: Principal, then teachers, then friends.
✅ Good morning, respected Principal Madam, teachers and my dear friends.
✅ Good evening, honourable chief guest, esteemed parents, teachers and dear students.
❌ Hello everyone, listen to me. (too casual and rude)
2. Introduce yourself and the topic
Say who you are and what you will talk about. In an exam use the name in the question, or a simple one such as Aman Verma if none is given.
✅ I am Aman Verma of Class X-B, and today I would like to speak to you about a habit that affects all of us: too much screen time.
✅ It is a privilege to speak at this farewell on behalf of Class IX.
3. Write the way people speak
- Use short, clear sentences. Long, complex sentences are hard to follow when heard.
- Speak to the audience: you, we, our, let us.
- Ask questions that make people think (How many of us put our phones away at dinner?).
- Use the present tense for facts and appeals, and use the future for what you hope will happen.
4. Plan the body in an order that builds
A strong order: problem → causes or effects → solutions → appeal. For an occasion speech (farewell, Independence Day) use memories or history → present → hopes for the future. One idea per paragraph.
5. End with a message and thank the audience
The last lines are the ones people remember. End with a call to action, a quotation or a strong sentence, and then say thanks. Do not trail off with “That’s all” or “I have nothing more to say.”
6. Respect the word limit
Most exam questions say “in about 150 words”. A good split is introduction 30 words, body 90 words, conclusion 30 words. The greeting and the thanks are usually not counted in the limit, but check your teacher’s rule.
Read your speech aloud once while practising. If you run out of breath or stumble in a sentence, break it into two. For more on structure and delivery, read How to Structure a Powerful Public Speech and How to Overcome Stage Fear.
Useful Phrases for Speeches
| Purpose | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Starting | I stand before you today to… / Today I would like to share a few thoughts on… |
| Making the audience think | Have you ever wondered…? / Let us ask ourselves… |
| Adding a point | Moreover… / Not only that, but… / Another important point is… |
| Giving examples | For instance… / Take the case of… |
| Appealing | I urge each one of you to… / It is high time we… / Let us promise ourselves that… |
| Ending | To conclude… / Let me end by saying… / Thank you for your patient listening. |
Sample Speech 1: Morning Assembly on Screen Time
Question: You are Aman Verma, the school captain. Write a speech in about 150 words to be delivered in the morning assembly on “Too Much Screen Time”.
Screen Time: Are We Using the Screen, or Is the Screen Using Us?
Good morning, respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends.
I am Aman Verma of Class X-B, and today I would like to speak about a habit that most of us share: spending too much time on screens. Ask yourself honestly: how many hours did you spend on your phone yesterday?
Phones and games are useful, but too much screen time makes us tired and short-tempered. It harms our eyes, disturbs our sleep and takes away the time we need for studies, sports and family. Many of us now find it hard to sit with a book for even half an hour.
The solution is in our hands. Let us fix a daily limit, switch off screens an hour before sleep and spend more time playing outdoors. Let us also keep our phones away at mealtimes.
Remember, a screen is a tool. Let us control it before it controls us.
Thank you.
Sample Speech 2: Farewell Speech
Question: You are Kavya Nair, a student of Class IX. Write a farewell speech in about 150 words, to be delivered on behalf of your class to the outgoing Class X.
Good afternoon, respected Principal, teachers, our dear seniors and friends.
I am Kavya Nair of Class IX, and it is both an honour and a sad duty to speak on behalf of my class at this farewell.
Dear seniors, you have been like elder brothers and sisters to us. You helped us find our way on our first day, you led our school teams to victory, and you showed us that hard work and kindness can go together. Your cheerful laughter in the corridors and your leadership in the assembly will be missed more than you know.
Today you stand at the start of a new journey. The board examinations are only the first step. We hope you will carry with you the values you learnt here and make our school proud wherever you go.
We wish you success in everything you do. Please remember us and visit us often.
Thank you, and good luck.
For Independence Day or Republic Day, keep the same format and change the content: begin with greetings and the occasion, recall the sacrifices of freedom fighters in a few lines, speak about our duties as citizens today, and end with a patriotic closing line.
Common Mistakes in Speech Writing
- Forgetting the greeting or the thanks. They carry format marks.
- Writing like an article or an essay. A speech must talk to the audience (you, we).
- Too casual language. Avoid “guys” and slang on formal occasions.
- Reading out the list of points. Use full paragraphs instead of bullet points.
- No introduction of yourself. If the question gives a name and role, use it.
- Weak ending. “That’s all” is not a conclusion. Finish with a clear message.
- Far too long. Marks are lost for crossing the word limit.
✍️ Quick Practice — Speech Writing
- Put these parts of a speech in the correct order: thanks, body, greeting, conclusion, introduction.
- Which is the best greeting for an evening function? (a) Hi everybody (b) Good evening, respected Principal, teachers and dear friends (c) Hello sirs
- Add a question to open a speech on “Save Water”.
- True or false: a speech should be written in long, complex sentences to sound impressive.
- Which closing is better? (a) That is all from my side. (b) Let us save every drop today, so that nobody goes thirsty tomorrow. Thank you.
- Which pronoun makes the audience feel included? (a) they (b) we
- Write one sentence in which the speaker introduces himself as Rahul Singh, captain of Class X.
Answers: 1. greeting, introduction, body, conclusion, thanks. 2. (b). 3. Any suitable question, e.g. “How many of us close the tap while brushing our teeth?” 4. False; short, clear sentences are best for speaking. 5. (b). 6. (b) we. 7. “I am Rahul Singh, the captain of Class X, and today I would like to speak to you about…” (any correct introduction).
Summary
A speech has five parts: greeting, introduction, body, conclusion and thanks. Write short, clear sentences, speak to the audience with “you” and “we”, build your points in a logical order, and end with a message. Keep to the word limit, usually 120–200 words. Compare the format with article writing, which is written to be read, and with notice writing, which is written to inform in a few lines.