ENG01 - Oral Communication
COURSE OUTCOME 4: “Organizing & Writing an Impromptu Speech”
CITATION & REFERENCES
Lucas, S. E. (2019). The Art of Public Speaking (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Beebe, S. A., & Beebe, S. J. (2018). Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach (10th ed.).
Pearson.
Toastmasters International. (n.d.). Table Topics and Impromptu Speaking Guidelines. Retrieved
from https://www.toastmasters.org
Verderber, R. F., Verderber, K. S., & Sellnow, D. D. (2014). The Challenge of Effective Speaking
(16th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Osborn, M., Osborn, S., & Osborn, R. (2020). Public Speaking: Finding Your Voice (11th ed.).
Pearson.
VOCABULARY
● Spontaneity — the quality of acting or speaking without prior planning or rehearsal; a
defining feature of impromptu speaking.
● Mental Outline — a brief, informal structure a speaker quickly forms in their mind before
speaking, serving as a guide even without written notes.
● Filler Words — unnecessary sounds or phrases (e.g., "um," "uh," "like") used
unconsciously to fill pauses; a common pitfall in impromptu speaking.
● Hook — an opening line or statement designed to immediately capture the audience's
attention.
● Call to Action — a concluding statement that urges the audience to think, feel, or do
something in response to the speech.
● Poise — calm, controlled confidence in one's posture, tone, and manner, especially
valuable when speaking without preparation.
, LESSON 1: Organizing & Writing an Impromptu
Speech
An impromptu speech is one of the most challenging types of public speaking because it must
be organized and delivered almost simultaneously, with little to no time to prepare. Despite
this, a well-organized impromptu speech is still very possible by relying on quick, reliable
structures and confident delivery habits.
STEP 1: Take a brief moment to think. Even a few seconds of silence to gather one's
thoughts is acceptable and far better than launching into a disorganized ramble. Speakers
should use this moment to identify their main point and a simple structure to follow.
STEP 2: Form a quick mental outline. Rather than trying to plan everything, effective
impromptu speakers rely on simple, ready-made formulas to organize their thoughts instantly,
such as:
● The PREP Method:
○ Point — state your main idea or opinion clearly.
○ Reason — explain why you hold that position.
○ Example — provide a specific example, story, or evidence to support it.
○ Point — restate your main idea to close with clarity and impact.
● The Past-Present-Future structure — discusses a topic by explaining its
background/history (past), its current relevance or state (present), and its implications
or outlook (future).
● The Problem-Solution structure — identify a problem related to the topic, then
propose or discuss a possible solution.
STEP3: Open with a strong hook. Begin with a clear, confident opening line — restating
the question or topic, sharing a brief anecdote, or stating an interesting fact — to orient the
audience and buy a moment to settle into the structure.
STEP 4: Develop the body using the chosen structure. Stick to one to three main points at
most (attempting too many points in an unplanned speech often leads to confusion). Support
each point briefly with reasoning, an example, or a personal experience.
COURSE OUTCOME 4: “Organizing & Writing an Impromptu Speech”
CITATION & REFERENCES
Lucas, S. E. (2019). The Art of Public Speaking (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Beebe, S. A., & Beebe, S. J. (2018). Public Speaking: An Audience-Centered Approach (10th ed.).
Pearson.
Toastmasters International. (n.d.). Table Topics and Impromptu Speaking Guidelines. Retrieved
from https://www.toastmasters.org
Verderber, R. F., Verderber, K. S., & Sellnow, D. D. (2014). The Challenge of Effective Speaking
(16th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Osborn, M., Osborn, S., & Osborn, R. (2020). Public Speaking: Finding Your Voice (11th ed.).
Pearson.
VOCABULARY
● Spontaneity — the quality of acting or speaking without prior planning or rehearsal; a
defining feature of impromptu speaking.
● Mental Outline — a brief, informal structure a speaker quickly forms in their mind before
speaking, serving as a guide even without written notes.
● Filler Words — unnecessary sounds or phrases (e.g., "um," "uh," "like") used
unconsciously to fill pauses; a common pitfall in impromptu speaking.
● Hook — an opening line or statement designed to immediately capture the audience's
attention.
● Call to Action — a concluding statement that urges the audience to think, feel, or do
something in response to the speech.
● Poise — calm, controlled confidence in one's posture, tone, and manner, especially
valuable when speaking without preparation.
, LESSON 1: Organizing & Writing an Impromptu
Speech
An impromptu speech is one of the most challenging types of public speaking because it must
be organized and delivered almost simultaneously, with little to no time to prepare. Despite
this, a well-organized impromptu speech is still very possible by relying on quick, reliable
structures and confident delivery habits.
STEP 1: Take a brief moment to think. Even a few seconds of silence to gather one's
thoughts is acceptable and far better than launching into a disorganized ramble. Speakers
should use this moment to identify their main point and a simple structure to follow.
STEP 2: Form a quick mental outline. Rather than trying to plan everything, effective
impromptu speakers rely on simple, ready-made formulas to organize their thoughts instantly,
such as:
● The PREP Method:
○ Point — state your main idea or opinion clearly.
○ Reason — explain why you hold that position.
○ Example — provide a specific example, story, or evidence to support it.
○ Point — restate your main idea to close with clarity and impact.
● The Past-Present-Future structure — discusses a topic by explaining its
background/history (past), its current relevance or state (present), and its implications
or outlook (future).
● The Problem-Solution structure — identify a problem related to the topic, then
propose or discuss a possible solution.
STEP3: Open with a strong hook. Begin with a clear, confident opening line — restating
the question or topic, sharing a brief anecdote, or stating an interesting fact — to orient the
audience and buy a moment to settle into the structure.
STEP 4: Develop the body using the chosen structure. Stick to one to three main points at
most (attempting too many points in an unplanned speech often leads to confusion). Support
each point briefly with reasoning, an example, or a personal experience.
