Speech Writing Format
A speech for an assembly or competition: the title, a greeting to the audience, an introduction, the main points and a closing line.
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[greeting to the audience]
I, [your name and class], am here to speak to you on the topic ‘[topic]’.
[your speech — one paragraph per line]
Thank you.
What is a Speech Writing?
A speech is a piece of writing meant to be spoken aloud to an audience — at a school assembly, a competition, a farewell or a function. The speech writing format follows the order of a real occasion: the topic, a greeting to the audience, an introduction of yourself and your subject, the main points, a conclusion and a word of thanks. A speech that skips the greeting or the introduction sounds abrupt, and one without a clear ending leaves the audience unsure whether you have finished.
Students write speeches for the morning assembly, for elocution and debate competitions, for Independence Day, Republic Day, Teachers’ Day and Children’s Day programmes, and for farewell and welcome functions. Speech writing is also a task in many school English papers, where you write a speech for a given occasion and audience. Outside school, people give speeches as chief guests, at office functions, retirements and weddings, and at meetings of clubs and housing societies. In every case the audience hears the speech only once, so it has to be clear the first time.
The parts of a speech are much the same everywhere; what varies is the length, the greeting and the marks. CBSE, ICSE and the State boards decide whether speech writing is in your paper, its word limit and its marks, and they change these between syllabuses, so check the current syllabus and sample papers for your board and class. For a competition, the organisers set the time limit and the rules on topics. Schools also differ in how they want the audience greeted, for example whether the chief guest is named.
A speech is not an article or an essay read aloud. A reader can go back over a sentence; a listener cannot, so a speech uses shorter sentences, repeats its key idea and speaks directly to ‘you’ and ‘we’. It is not a debate either: in a debate you argue for or against a motion and answer the other side, while a speech can simply inform, inspire or thank. And a written speech is only half the work; practise saying it aloud before the day.
What to put in a Speech Writing
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Topic | For example: The Importance of Reading Books |
| Opening greeting | For example: Good morning, Principal, teachers and my dear friends. |
| Your name and class | For example: Maya Lopez of Grade 10 |
| Your speech | One paragraph per line |
| Closing line | For example: Thank you. |
How to write a speech
Write the topic as the title
Type the topic exactly as it was given — ‘The Importance of Reading Books’ or ‘Say No to Single-Use Plastic’ — and the form uses it as the title and again in your introduction. If you choose your own topic, make it narrow enough to cover in the time you have: ‘Why Every Student Should Play a Sport’ is easier to speak on well than ‘Sports’. Capitalise the main words of the title.
Greet the audience in order
Open by greeting everyone present, from the most senior down: ‘Good morning to our respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends.’ At a competition, greet the judges too; at a function, the chief guest first. Match the time of day and the occasion, and type the greeting just as you will say it. A greeting sets a polite tone and gives the audience a moment to settle before you begin.
Introduce yourself and the topic
Next, say who you are and what you will speak about. The form writes this line for you — ‘I, Ananya Rao of Class X-B, am here to speak to you on the topic …’ — so type your name and class in the same pattern: ‘Ananya Rao of Class X-B’. In an exam, use the name the question gives you. Then, in your first paragraph, say why the topic matters to this audience.
Build the body around two or three points
Give each main point its own paragraph, typed on a new line in the form, and support it with an example, a short story or a fact you are sure of. Speak to the audience directly — ‘Have you ever…?’, ‘Let us…’ — and use signposts such as ‘first’, ‘another reason’ and ‘finally’ so listeners can follow. Keep sentences short enough to say in one breath, and cut anything you would stumble over.
Conclude, then thank the audience
In your last paragraph, sum up your main idea in a sentence and leave the audience with something to do or remember: an appeal, a promise or a memorable line. Then add the closing line — usually ‘Thank you.’ or ‘Thank you for listening.’ — which the form places at the end. Do not trail off with ‘That’s all’. Read the speech aloud to time it, and in an exam keep within the word limit.
Speech writing example
A sample speech for a school assembly, set out in the format the form produces: the topic, the greeting, the introduction, the main points and the closing line.
Speech for the morning assembly: Say No to Single-Use Plastic
Say No to Single-Use Plastic
Good morning to our respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends.
I, Ravi Kumar of Class IX-A, am here to speak to you on the topic ‘Say No to Single-Use Plastic’.
Think of the last packet of chips you bought. The snack lasted five minutes. The wrapper may last for many years after that — in a drain, in a lake or in the stomach of a stray cow.
Single-use plastic is anything we use once and throw away: carry bags, straws, cups and wrappers. It is cheap and convenient, which is exactly why there is so much of it. After every function in our own school, the bins overflow with plastic plates and bottles.
The good news is that the change starts with us. Carry a cloth bag and a steel water bottle. Say no to straws. Let us ask the canteen to serve snacks on paper or leaf plates, and make our next Annual Day plastic-free.
Friends, plastic does not go away. Our habits can — starting today.
Thank you.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the greeting and launching straight into the topic sounds abrupt to the audience and, in an exam, leaves out one of the set parts of the format.
- Writing long, complex sentences that look impressive on paper leaves the speaker out of breath and makes the speech hard for listeners to follow.
- Reading out a list of facts with no examples, questions or stories loses the audience quickly, however important the topic is.
- Ending with ‘That’s all I have to say’ instead of a clear closing thought and thanks leaves the audience unsure whether you have finished.
- Running well past the time or word limit, at a competition or in an exam, can cost marks and, at an assembly, eats into the next speaker’s time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the format of speech writing?
A speech has six parts: the topic as the title; a greeting to the audience, such as ‘Good morning to our respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends’; an introduction of yourself and the topic; the body, with two or three main points; a conclusion that sums up and appeals to the audience; and a closing line of thanks. For an exam, follow the layout and word limit in your board’s current sample papers.
How do you start a speech?
Start by greeting the audience, from the most senior person down: the chief guest, the Principal, the teachers, then your friends. Then introduce yourself and the topic: ‘I, Ananya Rao of Class X-B, am here to speak to you on the topic …’. Follow with a hook that makes the audience listen — a question, a short story or a striking example — and say why the topic matters to them.
How do you end a speech?
Sum up your main idea in one or two sentences, then leave the audience with something to act on or remember: an appeal, a promise, a question, or a short quotation you are sure is accurate. Finish with a clear closing line such as ‘Thank you.’ or ‘Thank you for listening.’ Avoid trailing off with ‘That’s all’; the audience should know without any doubt that you have finished.
How long should a school speech be?
It depends on the time you are given. For a morning assembly or a competition, the teacher or the organisers usually set a time limit, so write to fit it and time yourself reading aloud at a relaxed pace. For an exam answer, the word limit is set by your board — CBSE, ICSE or your State board — and can change between years, so check the current syllabus and sample papers.
How do you greet the audience in a speech?
Greet everyone present in order of seniority, and match the time of day: ‘Good morning to our respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends.’ At a competition, add the judges — ‘respected judges’ — and at a function, greet the chief guest first, by name if you know it. Keep the greeting to one or two lines; a long list of names delays your opening and tires the audience.
What is the difference between a speech and a debate?
A speech presents one speaker’s ideas on a topic to inform, inspire or thank the audience. A debate argues for or against a motion, and each speaker must answer the points made by the other side. Both open with a greeting and an introduction, but in a debate you state clearly whether you are for or against the motion, and you end by restating your stand.
How do you write a speech for the morning assembly?
Choose a topic that suits the whole school, such as kindness, reading, cleanliness or a day being observed that week. Greet the Principal, teachers and students, introduce yourself and the topic, and make two or three points with everyday examples. Keep it short enough for the time your teacher gives you, end with a simple appeal, and practise it aloud so that you can look up at the audience.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.