different kinds of speeches for special occasions

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18.2 Special-Occasion Speeches

Learning objectives.

Identify the different types of ceremonial speaking.
Describe the different types of inspirational speaking.

A man giving a birthday speech for his friend

M+MD – Birthday Speech – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Many entertaining speeches fall under the category of special-occasion speeches. All the speeches in this category are given to mark the significance of particular events. Common events include weddings, bar mitzvahs, awards ceremonies, funerals, and political events. In each of these different occasions, speakers are asked to deliver speeches relating to the event. For purposes of simplicity, we’ve broken special-occasion speeches into two groups: ceremonial speaking and inspirational speaking.

Ceremonial Speaking

Ceremonial speeches are speeches given during a ceremony or a ritual marked by observance of formality or etiquette. These ceremonies tend to be very special for people, so it shouldn’t be surprising that they are opportunities for speech making. Let’s examine each of the eight types of ceremonial speaking: introductions, presentations, acceptances, dedications, toasts, roasts, eulogies, and farewells.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of speech is called the speech of introduction , which is a minispeech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer or a speaker stands up and says, “This is Joe Smith, he’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Joe’s speech.

Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should be a complete speech and have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion—and you should do it all in under two minutes. This brings up another “few things are worse” scenario: an introductory speaker who rambles on for too long or who talks about himself or herself instead of focusing on the person being introduced.

For an introduction, think of a hook that will make your audience interested in the upcoming speaker. Did you read a news article related to the speaker’s topic? Have you been impressed by a presentation you’ve heard the speaker give in the past? You need to find something that can grab the audience’s attention and make them excited about hearing the main speaker.

The body of your introductory speech should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three body points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Most of the time as an introducer, you’ll only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. That’s all right. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the main speaker’s speech; you just need to know enough to whet the audience’s appetite. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible speaker on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the lectern. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Joe Smith’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Mr. Joe Smith.” We’ve known some presenters who will even add a notation to their notes to “start clapping” and “shake speakers hand” or “give speaker a hug” depending on the circumstances of the speech.

Now that we’ve walked through the basic parts of an introductory speech, let’s see one outlined:

Specific Purpose: To entertain the audience while preparing them for Janice Wright’s speech on rituals.

Introduction: Mention some common rituals people in the United States engage in (Christmas, sporting events, legal proceedings).

Main Points:

Explain that the topic was selected because understanding how cultures use ritual is an important part of understanding what it means to be human.
Janice Wright is a cultural anthropologist who studies the impact that everyday rituals have on communities.
All of us engage in rituals, and we often don’t take the time to determine how these rituals were started and how they impact our daily routines.

Conclusion: I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Wright at the regional conference in Springfield last month, and I am excited that I get to share her with all of you tonight. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Wright (start clapping, shake speaker’s hand, exit stage).

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of common ceremonial speech is the speech of presentation . A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor. Speeches of presentation can be as simple as saying, “This year’s recipient of the Schuman Public Speaking prize is Wilhelmina Jeffers,” or could last up to five minutes as the speaker explains why the honoree was chosen for the award.

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner (as Kanye West did to Taylor Swift during the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, for example http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/435995/taylor-swift-wins-best-female-video.jhtml#id=1620605 ), you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of acceptance . The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. For example, in the above video clip from the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, Taylor Swift starts by expressing her appreciation, gets interrupted by Kanye West, and ends by saying, “I would like to thank the fans and MTV, thank you.” While obviously not a traditional acceptance speech because of the interruption, she did manage to get in the important parts.

There are three typical components of a speech of acceptance: thank the givers of the award or honor, thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and put the award or honor into perspective. First, you want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you. We see this done every year during the Oscars, “First, I’d like to thank the academy and all the academy voters.” Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have families and friends and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you.

Speeches of Dedication

The fourth ceremonial speech is the speech of dedication . A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and possibly those to whom the project has been dedicated. Maybe your great-uncle has died and left your college tons of money, so the college has decided to rename one of the dorms after your great-uncle. In this case, you may be asked to speak at the dedication.

When preparing the speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience that the building is being named after your great-uncle who bestowed a gift to his alma mater. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a preexisting building, you want to explain what is being dedicated and the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project. If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a preexisting structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community where it’s located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast . A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something they’ve done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

When preparing a toast, the first goal is always to keep your remarks brief. Toasts are generally given during the middle of some kind of festivities (e.g., wedding, retirement party, farewell party), and you don’t want your toast to take away from those festivities for too long. Second, the goal of a toast is to focus attention on the person or persons being toasted—not on the speaker. As such, while you are speaking you need to focus your attention to the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Joan for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

The roast speech is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years.

In this clip, watch as Stephen Colbert, television host of The Colbert Report , roasts President George W. Bush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSE_saVX_2A

Let’s pick this short clip apart. You’ll notice that the humor doesn’t pull any punches. The goal of the roast is to both praise and insult in a good-natured manner. You’ll also see that the roaster, in this case Stephen Colbert, is standing behind a lectern while the roastee, President George W. Bush, is clearly on display for the audience to see, and periodically you’ll see the camera pan to President Bush to take in his reactions. Half the fun of a good roast is watching the roastee’s reactions during the roast, so it’s important to have the roastee clearly visible by the audience.

How does one prepare for a roast? First, you want to really think about the person who is being roasted. Do they have any strange habits or amusing stories in their past that you can discuss? When you think through these things you want to make sure that you cross anything off your list that is truly private information or will really hurt the person. The goal of a roast is to poke at them, not massacre them. Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died. (Don’t confuse “eulogy” with “elegy,” a poem or song of mourning.) Unless you are a minister, priest, rabbi, imam, or other form of religious leader, you’ll probably not deliver too many eulogies in your lifetime. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks. Watch the following clip of then-Senator Barack Obama delivering a eulogy at the funeral of civil rights activist Rosa Parks in November of 2005.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRsH92sJCr4

In this eulogy, Senator Obama delivers the eulogy by recalling Rosa Parks importance and her legacy in American history.

When preparing a eulogy, first you need to know as much information about the deceased as possible. The more information you have about the person, the more personal you can make the eulogy. While you can rely on your own information if you were close to the deceased, it is always a good idea to ask friends and relatives of the deceased for their memories, as these may add important facets that may not have occurred to you. Of course, if you were not very close to the deceased, you will need to ask friends and family for information. Second, although eulogies are delivered on the serious and sad occasion of a funeral or memorial service for the deceased, it is very helpful to look for at least one point to be lighter or humorous. In some cultures, in fact, the friends and family attending the funeral will expect the eulogy to be highly entertaining and amusing. While eulogies are not roasts, one goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion. Lastly, remember to tell the deceased’s story. Tell the audience about who this person was and what the person stood for in life. The more personal you can make a eulogy, the more touching it will be for the deceased’s friends and families. The eulogy should remind the audience to celebrate the person’s life as well as mourn their death.

Speeches of Farewell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJrlTpQm0to

In this speech, Derek Jeter is not only saying good-bye to Yankee Stadium but also thanking the fans for their continued support.

When preparing a speech of farewell, the goal should be to thank the people in your current position and let them know how much you appreciate them as you make the move to your next position in life. In Derek Jeter’s speech, he starts by talking about the history of the 1923 Yankee Stadium and then thanks the fans for their support. Second, you want to express to your audience how much the experience has meant to you. A farewell speech is a time to commemorate and think about the good times you’ve had. As such, you should avoid negativity during this speech. Lastly, you want to make sure that you end on a high note. Derek Jeter concludes his speech by saying, “On behalf of this entire organization, we just want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world!” at which point Jeter and the other players take off their ball caps and hold them up toward the audience.

Inspirational Speaking

The goal of an inspirational speech is to elicit or arouse an emotional state within an audience. In Section 18.2.1 “Ceremonial Speaking” , we looked at ceremonial speeches. Although some inspirational speeches are sometimes tied to ceremonial occasions, there are also other speaking contexts that call for inspirational speeches. For our purposes, we are going to look at two types of inspirational speeches: goodwill and speeches of commencement.

Speeches to Ensure Goodwill

Goodwill is an intangible asset that is made up of the favor or reputation of an individual or organization. Speeches of goodwill are often given in an attempt to get audience members to view the person or organization more favorably. Although speeches of goodwill are clearly persuasive, they try not to be obvious about the persuasive intent and are often delivered as information-giving speeches that focus on an individual or organization’s positives attributes. There are three basic types of speeches of goodwill: public relations, justification, and apology.

Speeches for Public Relations

In a public relations speech, the speaker is speaking to enhance one’s own image or the image of his or her organization. You can almost think of these speeches as cheerleading speeches because the ultimate goal is to get people to like the speaker and what he or she represents. In the following brief speech, the CEO of British Petroleum is speaking to reporters about what his organization is doing during the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCfa6AxmUHw

Notice that he keeps emphasizing what his company is doing to fix the problem. Every part of this speech is orchestrated to make BP look caring and attempts to get some amount of goodwill from the viewing public.

Speeches of Justification

The second common speech of goodwill is the speech of justification, which is given when someone attempts to defend why certain actions were taken or will be taken. In these speeches, speakers have already enacted (or decided to enact) some kind of behavior, and are now attempting to justify why the behavior is or was appropriate. In the following clip, President Bill Clinton discusses his decision to bomb key Iraqi targets after uncovering a plot to assassinate former President George H. W. Bush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mpWa7wNr5M

In this speech, President Clinton outlines his reasons for bombing Iraq to the American people and the globe. Again, the goal of this speech is to secure goodwill for President Clinton’s decisions both in the United States and on the world stage.

Speeches of Apology

The final speech of goodwill is the speech of apology. Frankly, these speeches have become more and more commonplace. Every time we turn around, a politician, professional athlete, musician, or actor/actress is doing something reprehensible and getting caught. In fact, the speech of apology has quickly become a fodder for humor as well. Let’s take a look at a real apology speech delivered by professional golfer Tiger Woods.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs8nseNP4s0

When you need to make an apology speech, there are three elements that you need to include: be honest and take responsibility, say you’re sorry, and offer restitution. First, a speaker needs to be honest and admit to doing something wrong. The worst apology speeches are those in which the individual tries to sidestep the wrongdoing. Even if you didn’t do anything wrong, it is often best to take responsibility from a public perception perspective. Second, say that you are sorry. People need to know that you are remorseful for what you’ve done. One of the problems many experts saw with Tiger Woods’s speech is that he doesn’t look remorseful at all. While the words coming out of his mouth are appropriate, he looks like a robot forced to read from a manuscript written by his press agent. Lastly, you need to offer restitution. Restitution can come in the form of fixing something broken or a promise not to engage in such behavior in the future. People in society are very willing to forgive and forget when they are asked.

Speeches for Commencements

The second type of inspirational speech is the speech of commencement , which is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. The most typical form of commencement speech happens when someone graduates from school. Nearly all of us have sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. One famous and well-thought-out commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard University in 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck

J. K. Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

Overall, it’s important to make sure that you have fun when delivering a commencement speech. Remember, it’s a huge honor and responsibility to be asked to deliver a commencement speech, so take the time to really think through and prepare your speech.

Key Takeaways

There are eight common forms of ceremonial speaking: introduction, presentation, acceptance, dedication, toast, roast, eulogy, and farewell. Speeches of introduction are designed to introduce a speaker. Speeches of presentation are given when an individual is presenting an award of some kind. Speeches of acceptance are delivered by the person receiving an award or honor. Speeches of dedication are given when a new building or other place is being opened for the first time. Toasts are given to acknowledge and honor someone on a special occasion (e.g., wedding, birthday, retirement). Roasts are speeches designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Eulogies are given during funerals and memorial services. Lastly, speeches of farewell are delivered by an individual who is leaving a job, community, or organization, and wants to acknowledge how much the group has meant.
Inspirational speeches fall into two categories: goodwill (e.g., public relations, justification, and apology) and speeches of commencement. Speeches of goodwill attempt to get audience members to view the person or organization more favorably. On the other hand, speeches of commencement are delivered to recognize the achievements of a group of people.
Imagine you’ve been asked to speak before a local civic organization such as the Kiwanis or Rotary Club. Develop a sample speech of introduction that you would like someone to give to introduce you.
You’ve been asked to roast your favorite celebrity. Develop a two-minute roast.
Develop a speech of commencement for your public speaking class.

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87 Types of Special Occasion Speeches

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, the student will be able to

Understand the differences between research-based speeches (informative and persuasive) and special occasions speeches.
Identify the types of special occasion speeches.
Use language to create emotional and evocative phrases.
Understand the proper techniques for delivering a special occasion speech.

Types of Special Occasion Speeches

Unlike the informative and persuasive speeches you were required to give, special occasion speeches are much broader and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. However, while the following list of special occasion speeches is long, your instructor will have specific types of special occasion speeches that you will be allowed (or required) to do for class. But since you are like to give many special occasion speeches in your life, we want to cover everything you might need to know to give a good one.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of special occasion speech is the speech of introduction , which is a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer of a speaker stands up and says, “This is Wyatt Ford. He’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Wyatt’s speech.

Speech of introduction

a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech

The body of your speech of introduction should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three main points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Most of the time as an introducer, you’ll only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. That’s all right. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the main speaker’s speech; you just need to know enough to whet the audience’s appetite. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible speaker on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech. The outline can be adjusted; for example, you can give the biographical information first, but these three areas should be covered.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the lectern. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Wyatt Ford’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Dr. Wyatt Ford.” At this point, you as the person introducing the speaker are “handing off” the speaking duties to someone else, so it is not uncommon to end your speech of introduction by clapping as the speaker comes on stage or shaking the speaker’s hand.

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of special occasion speech is the speech of presentation . A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor. Speeches of presentation can be as simple as saying, “This year’s recipient of the Lavache Public Speaking prize is Ryann Curley,” or could last up to five minutes as the speaker explains why the honoree was chosen for the award. An interesting example of a speech presenting an award is this one by Zoe Saldana for J.J. Abrams (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x03cGSszr8Q).

Speech of presentation

a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of acceptance . The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. There are three typical components of a speech of acceptance: 1) thank the givers of the award or honor, 2) thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and 3) put the award or honor into perspective. First, you want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you. We see this done every year during the Oscars, “First, I’d like to thank the Academy and all the Academy voters.”

Speech of acceptance

a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor

Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you. If you know you are up for an award, the odds of your winning are high. In order to avoid blubbering through an accep-tance speech, have one ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

Speeches of Dedication

A fourth special occasion speech is the speech of dedication . A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and possibly those to whom the project has been dedicated. Maybe your great-uncle has died and left your college tons of money, so the college has decided to rename one of the residence halls after him. In this case, you may be asked to speak at the dedication.

Speech of dedication

a speech delivered to mark the unveiling, opening, or acknowledging of some landmark or structure

When preparing a speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience that the building is being named after your great-uncle who bestowed a gift to his alma mater. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a pre-existing building, you want to explain the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project.

If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a pre-existing structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community in which it is located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the ad-vances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast. A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something he or she has done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember

As such, while you are speaking, you need to focus your attention toward the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Gina for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

A roast is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Because of this combination of purposes, it is not hard to argue that the roast is probably a challenging type of speeches to write given the difficult task of simultaneously praising and insulting the person. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years, and if you’ve ever watched one, you’ll know that the roasters don’t pull any punches.

a humorous speech designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored

During a roast, the roaster will stand behind a lectern while the roastee is seated somewhere where he or she is clearly on display for the audience to see, thus allowing the audience to take in his or her reactions. Since half the fun of a good roast is watching the roastee’s reactions during the roast, it’s important to have the roastee clearly visible to the audience.

How does one prepare for a roast? First, you want to really think about the person who is being roasted. Does he or she have any strange habits or amusing stories in their past that you can discuss? When you think through these questions, you want to make sure that you cross anything off your list that is truly private information or will really hurt the person. The goal of a roast is to poke at him, not massacre him.

Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died (Don’t confuse “eulogy” with “elegy,” a poem or song of mourning). Not to sound depressing, but since everyone who is alive will someday die, the chance of your being asked to give a eulogy someday for a friend, family member, or loved one is significant. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks.

a speech given in honor of someone who has died

Take, for example, Tom Arnold’s eulogy of Saturday Night Live actor Chris Farley. During his speech at Farley’s funeral, Arnold noted, “Chris was concerned about his size, and so he made sure that all of us who knew him well saw him naked at least once” (Glionna, 1998). Picturing the heavy-set comedian naked surely brought some humor to the somber proceedings, but Arnold knew Farley (and his audience) well enough to know that the story would be appropriate.

Knowing the deceased and the audience is vital when deciding on the type and amount of humor to use in a eulogy. You can imagine the audience being shocked and possibly offended if someone had suggested picturing Eleanor Roosevelt in the nude during her funeral. But it would be appropriate to tell a funny story about Uncle Joe’s love for his rattletrap car or Aunt Mary’s love of tacky Christmas sweaters. Ultimately, the goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion.

If you are ever asked to give a eulogy, that means you were probably close to the deceased and are experiencing shock, sadness, and disbelief at your loved one’s passing. The last thing that you will want to do (or be in a mental state to do) is figure out how to structure your eulogy. To that end, here are three parts of a eulogy (i.e. main points) you can use to write one without worrying about being original with structure or organizational patterns.

The first thing you want to do when remembering someone who has passed away is remind the audience what made that person so special. So you will want to praise her and her accomplishments. This can include notable achievements (being an award winner; helping with charities), personal qualities (“she was always willing to listen to your problems and help in any way she could”), or anecdotes and stories (being a great mother; how she drove to college to visit you when you were homesick).

The second thing you want to do in a eulogy is to lament the loss. To lament means to express grief or sorrow, which is what everyone at a funeral has gathered to do. You will want to acknowledge that everyone is sad and that the deceased’s passing will be difficult to get through. Here you might mention all the things that will no longer happen as a result of the death. “Now that Grandpa is gone, there won’t be any more Sunday dinners where he cooks chicken on the grill or bakes his famous macaroni and cheese.”

to express grief or sorrow

The final step (or main point) in a eulogy is to console the audience, or to offer comfort in a time of grief. What you must remember (and many people often forget) is that a eulogy is not a speech for the person who has died; it is a speech for the people who are still living to try to help them deal with the loss. You will want to end your eulogy on a positive note. Offer some hope that someday, things will get better. If the deceased was a religious person, this is where you might want to incorporate elements of that belief system. Some examples would include ideas like:

to offer comfort in a time of grief

“Jim has gone home to be with the Lord and is looking down on us fondly today.”

“We may miss Aunt Linda deeply, but our memories of her will live on forever, and her impact on this world will not soon be forgotten.”

Using the Praise-Lament-Console format for eulogies gives you a simple system where you can fill in the sections with 1) why was the person good, 2) why you will miss him or her, and 3) how you and the audience will get through this loss. It sometimes also helps to think of the three points in terms of Past-Present-Future: you will praise the deceased for what he did when he was alive (the past), lament the loss you are feeling now (the present), and console your audience by letting them know that things will be all right (the future).

With regard to a eulogy you might give in class, you generally have two options for how to proceed: you can eulogize a real person who has passed away, or you can eulogize a fictional character (an alarmingly high number of students tend to eulogize Santa Claus for some reason). If you give a eulogy in class on someone in your life who has actually passed away (a relative or close friend), be aware that it is very common for students to become emotional and have difficulty giving their speech. Even though you may have been fine practicing at home and feel good about giving it, the emotional impact of speaking about a deceased loved one in front of others can be surprisingly powerful. Conversely, if you give a eulogy on a fictional character, and if your professor allows that, the one rule you must remember above everything else is that you must treat your eulogy as you would a real eulogy. You wouldn’t make fun of or trivialize someone’s life at an actual funeral, so don’t do that in your eulogy for a serious speech assignment either.

Speeches of Farewell

A speech of farewell allows someone to say good-bye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life. Maybe you’ve accepted a new job and are leaving your current job, or you’re graduating from college and entering the work force. Periods of transition are often marked by speeches of farewell. When preparing a speech of farewell, the goal should be to thank the people in your current position and let them know how much you appreciate them as you make the move to your next position in life. Second, you want to express to your audience how much the experience has meant to you. A farewell speech is a time to commemorate and think about the good times you’ve had. As such, you should avoid negativity during this speech. Lastly, you want to make sure that you end on a high note.

Speech of farewell

a speech allowing someone to say goodbye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life

Speeches of Apology

Speeches of apology have become more and more commonplace. Every time we turn around, a politician, professional athlete, musician, or actor/actress is doing something reprehensible and getting caught. In fact, the speech of apology has quickly become a fodder for humor as well. Let’s take a look at a real apology speech delivered by professional golfer Tiger Woods.

Speech of apology

a speech designed to acknowledge wrongdoing, take responsibility, and offer restitution

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs8nseNP4s0).

When you need to make an apology speech, there are three elements that you need to include: be honest and take responsibility, say you’re sorry, and offer restitution.

First, a speaker needs to be honest and admit to doing something wrong. The worst apology speeches are those in which the individual tries to sidestep the wrongdoing. Second, say that you are sorry. People need to know that you are remorseful for what you’ve done. One of the problems many experts saw with Tiger Woods’ speech is that he doesn’t look remorseful at all. While the words coming out of his mouth were appropriate, he looked like a robot forced to read from a manuscript written by his press agent.

Lastly, you need to offer restitution. Restitution can come in the form of fixing something broken or a promise not to engage in such behavior in the future. Most people are very willing to forgive when they are asked sincerely.

Speeches for Commencements

A speech of commencement (or, as it is more commonly known, a “commencement speech”) is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. These typically take place at graduation ceremonies. Nearly all of us have sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. A famous and well-thought-out commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard University in 2008 (found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck). Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

Speech of commencement

a speech designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them .
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

After-Dinner Speeches

After-dinner speeches are humorous speeches that make a serious point. These speeches get their name from the fact that they historically follow a meal of some kind. After-dinner speakers are generally asked to speak (or hired to speak) because they have the ability both to speak effectively and to make people laugh. First and foremost, after-dinner speeches are speeches and not stand-up comedy routines. All the basic conventions of public speaking previously discussed in this text apply to after-dinner speeches, but the overarching goal of these speeches is to be entertaining and to create an atmosphere of amusement.

After-dinner speech

a humorous speech that makes a serious point

After-dinner speaking is an extremely difficult type of speaking to do well because it is an entertaining speech that depends on the successful delivery of humor. People train for years to develop comic timing, or the verbal and nonverbal delivery used to enhance the comedic value of a message. But after-dinner speaking is difficult, not impossible. What follows is the method we recommend for developing a successful after-dinner speech.

First, use all that you have learned about informative or persuasive speeches to prepare a real informative or persuasive speech roughly two-thirds the length of what the final speech will become. That is, if you’re going to be giving a ten-minute speech, then your “real” informative or persuasive speech should be six or seven minutes in length. This is the “serious message” portion of the speech where you will try to make a point of educating your audience.

Next, go back through the speech and look for oppor-tunities to insert humorous remarks. Once you’ve looked through your speech and examined places for verbal humor, think about any physical humor or props that would enhance your speech. Physical humor is great if you can pull it off without being self-conscious. One of the biggest mistakes any humorist makes is to become too aware of what his or her body is doing because it’s then harder to be free and funny. As for props, after-dinner speakers have been known to use everything from oversized inflatable baseball bats to rubber clown noses. The goal for a funny prop is that it adds to the humor of the speech without distracting from its message.

Last, and probably most important, try the humor out on real, live people. This is important for three reasons. First, the success of humor depends heavily on delivery, and especially timing in delivery. You will need practice to polish your delivery so that your humor comes across. If you can’t make it through one of your jokes without cracking up, you will need to either incorporate the self-crackup into your delivery or forgo using that joke.

Second, just because you find something unbelievably funny in your head doesn’t mean that it will make anyone else laugh. Often, humor that we have written down on paper just doesn’t translate when orally presented. You may have a humorous story that you love reading on paper, but find that it just seems to drone on once you start telling it out loud. Furthermore, remember there is a difference between written and verbal language, and this also translates to how humor is interpreted. Third, you need to make sure the humor you choose will be appropriate for a specific audience. What one audience finds funny another may find offensive. Humor is the double-edged sword of public speaking. On one side, it is an amazing and powerful speaking tool, but on the other side, few things will alienate an audience more than offensive humor. If you’re ever uncertain about whether a piece of humor will offend your audience, don’t use it.

So you may now be asking, “What kind of topics are serious that I can joke about?” The answer to that, like the answer to most everything else in the book, is dependent on your audience and the speaking situation, which is to say any topic will work, while at the same time you need to be very careful about how you choose your topic.

Take, for example, the experience one of your authors had while he was attending a large university. One of the major problems that any large university faces is parking: the ratio of parking spaces to students at some of these schools can be 1:7 (one parking space for every seven students). In addressing this topic at a banquet, a student gave an after- dinner speech that addressed the problem of the lack of student parking. To do so, he camouflaged his speech as a faux-eulogy (fake eulogy) for the yellow and black board on the parking lot gates (see Image 15.1) that was constantly and consistently driven through by students wanting to access restricted parking. The student personified the board by noting how well it had done its job and lamented that it would never get to see its little toothpick children grow up to guard the White House. But underneath the humor incorporated into the speech was a serious message: this wouldn’t keep happening if there were adequate parking for students on campus.

Motivational Speeches

A motivational speech is designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal. Whereas a traditional persuasive speech may want listeners to purchase product X or agree with ideology Y, a motivational speech helps to inspire people in a broader fashion, often without a clearly articulated end result in mind. As such, motivational speaking is a highly specialized form of persuasive speaking commonly delivered in schools, businesses, religious houses of worship, and club or group contexts. The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking (Slutsky & Aun, 1997) lists four types of motivational speeches: hero, survivor, religious, and success.

Motivational speech

a speech designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal

The hero speech is a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society (e.g., military speakers, political figures, and professional athletes). Just type “motivational speech” into YouTube and you’ll find many motivational speeches given by individuals who can be considered heroes or role models.

Hero speech

a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society

The survivor speech is a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcome serious adversity. In the following clip, cancer survivor Becky M. Olsen discusses being a cancer survivor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuo1u_C9_3g). Becky Olsen goes all over the country talking with and motivating cancer survivors to beat the odds.

Survivor speech

a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcame serious adversity

The religious speech is fairly self-explanatory; it is designed to incorporate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives. The final type of motivational speech is the success speech , which is given by someone who has succeeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful.

Religious speech

a speech designed to incorporate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives

Success speech

a speech given by someone who has succeeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful

As stated at the beginning of this section, you will almost certainly be limited by your professor with regards to which of these types of speeches you can give for your special occasion speech in class, but it is not unrealistic to think that you will be called upon at various points in your life to give one or more of these speeches. Knowing the types and basic structures will help when those moments arise.

Exploring Communication in the Real World Copyright © 2020 by Chris Miller is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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16 Special Occasion Speeches

Speaking to Inspire, Entertain, or Honor

In this chapter . . .

Special occasion speeches are the umbrella term for all speeches that don’t fall into either informative or persuasive. As such there is a lot of diversity within speeches of this style. These speeches are often more personal. Additionally, they are more likely to use elements of storytelling and personal reflection. We cover the four ingredients of special occasion speeches, types of speeches in this category, and tips for delivering a special occasion speech.

Sometimes the speaking opportunities that life brings our way have nothing to do with specifically informing or persuading an audience; instead, we are asked to speak during special occasions in our lives. Whether you are standing up to give a speech at an awards ceremony or a toast at a wedding, knowing how to deliver speeches in a variety of different contexts is the nature of special occasion speaking. In this chapter, we are going to explore what special occasion speeches are as well as several types of special occasion speeches ranging from humorous to somber.

In broad terms, a special occasion speech is designed to honor, celebrate, appreciate, acknowledge, commemorate, or eulogize. Like informative or persuasive speeches, special occasion speeches should communicate a clear message, but the manner of speaking used is typically different. The word “special” in the term “special occasion speeches” is subjective in that while some speaking occasions truly are special occasions (e.g., a toast at a wedding, an acceptance speech at an awards banquet, a eulogy at a funeral for a loved one), they can also be given at more mundane events, such as the hundreds of public relations speeches that big companies give every day. The goal of a special occasion speech is to stir an audience’s emotions and make them feel a certain way in response to the situation or occasion. The general purpose of a special occasion speech might be “to inspire,” “to celebrate,” “to honor,” or “to entertain.”

To help us think through how to be effective in delivering special occasion speeches, let’s look at four key ingredients: preparation, adaptation to the occasion, adaptation to the audience, and mindfulness about the time.

Four Key Ingredients of Special Occasion Speeches

Be prepared.

First, the biggest mistake you can make when standing to deliver a special occasion speech is to under-prepare or simply not prepare at all. We’ve stressed the need for preparation throughout this text, and special occasion speeches are no exception. You must think through the speech before you stand up and speak out. If the situation is impromptu, like a toast, even jotting down some basic notes on a napkin is better than not having any plan at all for what you are going to say.

Adapt to the Occasion

Not all content is appropriate for all occasions. Wedding toasts are often humorous. If you are asked to deliver a speech commemorating the first anniversary of a school shooting, then obviously telling a joke wouldn’t be appropriate. Commencement speeches at graduation are usually full of energy as they celebrate and inspire the audience. A eulogy, on the other hand, is typically solemn. Being a competent speaker is about being both personally effective and socially appropriate. Different special speaking occasions require different content, but also appropriate levels of formality, seriousness, tone, and demeanor.

Adapt to Your Audience

Be mindful of the time, types of special occasion speeches, speeches of introduction.

A speech of introduction is a short speech given by the host of an event or ceremony that introduces another speaker and their speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer of a speaker stands up and says, “This is Wyatt Ford. He’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should be a complete speech and have a clear introduction (beginning), body, and conclusion.

For the introduction element of a speech of introduction, think of a hook that will make your audience interested in the upcoming speaker. Did you read a news article related to the speaker’s topic? Have you been impressed by a presentation that you’ve heard the speaker give in the past? You need to find something that can grab the audience’s attention and make them excited about hearing the main speaker.

The body of your speech should be devoted to three main points.

First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech.
Next, tell the audience why the speaker is a credible presenter on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that made them qualified?
Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech. This outline can be adjusted; for example, you can give the biographical information first, but these three areas should be covered.

The conclusion for this type of speech welcomes the speaker to the platform. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Wyatt Ford’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Dr. Wyatt Ford.” At this point, you as the person introducing the speaker are “handing off” the speaking duties to someone else, so it’s common to end your speech of introduction by clapping as the speaker comes on stage or shaking the speaker’s hand.

Speeches of Presentation

First, explain what the award or honor is and why the award is important, significant, or special.
Second, explain what the recipient has accomplished to earn the award. Why is this person the best person for this award? Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight their work.
Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from the winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

First, thank the givers of the award or honor, thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and put the award or honor into perspective. You want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you.
Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on their own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is the time to graciously recognize those individuals.
Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you. If you know you are up for an award, the odds of your winning are high. In order to avoid blubbering through an acceptance speech, have one ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast. A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. Toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something they have done. Often, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

When preparing a toast, the first goal is always to keep your remarks brief. Toasts are usually given during the middle of some kind of festive event (e.g., wedding, retirement party, farewell party), and you don’t want your toast to take away from those festivities for too long. Second, the goal of a toast is to focus attention on the person or persons being toasted—not on the speaker.

As such, while you are speaking, you need to focus your attention on the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Gina for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

Praise. Remind the audience what made that person so special. Praise them and their accomplishments. This can include notable achievements, personal qualities or anecdotes and stories.
Lament. To lament means to express grief or sorrow, which is what everyone at a funeral has gathered to do. You will want to acknowledge that everyone is sad, and that the deceased’s passing will be difficult to get through.
Console. The last step in a eulogy is to console the audience, or to offer comfort in a time of grief. What you must remember (and many people often forget) is that a eulogy isn’t a speech for the person who has died; it’s a speech for the people who are still living to try to help them deal with the loss. You’ll want to end your eulogy on a positive note. Offer some hope that someday, things will get better. If the deceased was a religious person, this is where you might want to incorporate elements of that belief system.

Speeches of Farewell

Speeches for commencements.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make the audience laugh a bit.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

Special Occasion Delivery

Your delivery for a special occasion speech will skew in favor of manuscript speaking rather than extemporaneous. While it’s still vital to establish eye contact with your audience and to not sound like you are reading, it’s also important to get the words exactly right because the occasion is special.

You will need to practice your special occasion speech as much as or even more than you did for your informative or persuasive speeches. You need to know what you are going to say and feel comfortable knowing what is coming next. Knowing your speech will also allow you to counteract the flow of adrenaline into your system, something particularly important given that special occasion speeches tend to be very emotional, not just for the audience, but for you as well. Basically, knowing your speech well allows you to incorporate the emotion that a special occasion speech is meant to convey, something that is hard to do when you read the entirety of your speech. In this way your audience will sense the pride you feel for a graduating class during a commencement speech, the sorrow you feel for the deceased during a eulogy, or the gratitude you have when accepting an award.

Special occasion speaking is the most varied type of speaking to cover; however, there are some general rules to keep in mind regardless of what type you are engaged in. Remember that using good, evocative language is key, and that it’s important that you deliver your speech in a way that both conveys the proper emotion for the occasion as well as allows you to give the speech exactly as you wrote it.

8 Types of Speeches to Captivate Any Audience

The Speaker Lab
May 8, 2024

Words have power. In a speech, words can shift mountains, sway opinions, and light the fire for change. For anyone stepping up to the mic, knowing what kind of speech to deliver makes all the difference in winning over listeners. From informative talks to persuasive pitches, each type of speech serves a unique purpose and requires a specific approach. In this post, we’ll explore the 8 essential types of speeches you need to know to become a master communicator:

Informative speeches
Persuasive speeches
Demonstration speeches
Entertaining speeches
Special occasion speeches
Impromptu speeches
Debate speeches
Acceptance speeches

Let’s get started!

Types of Speeches to Master for Success

Every single day people across the world stand up in front of some kind of audience and speak. While the core purpose of any speech is to deliver a message to an audience, the type of message and manner in which it’s delivered helps us distinguish a given speech from others. As a result, we can categorize speeches based on four main concepts: entertaining, informing, demonstrating and persuading. Let’s take a look at each.

Informative Speech

In an informative speech, the presenter will share information about a particular person, place, object, process, concept, or issue by defining, describing, or explaining. The primary purpose of informative presentations is to share one’s knowledge of a subject with an audience. Reasons for making an informative speech vary widely.

For example, you might be asked to report to a group of managers how your latest project is coming along. Similarly, a local community group might wish to hear about your volunteer activities in New Orleans during spring break, or your classmates may want you to share your expertise on Mediterranean cooking.

Persuasive Speech

A persuasive speech proposes to change a person’s beliefs or actions on a particular issue. The presenter takes a side and gives his/her opinion with factual evidence to support their viewpoint. The topics tend to be debatable and the speech itself should have a convincing tone.

Demonstrative Speech

As the name suggests, a demonstrative speech is the type of speech you want to give to demonstrate how something works or how to do a certain thing. A demonstrative speech utilizes the use of visual aids and/or physical demonstration along with the information provided. Some might argue that demonstrative speeches are a subclass of informative speeches, but they’re different enough to be considered two distinct types. Think of it as the difference between explaining the history and tradition of gumbo as opposed to actually teaching a crowd how to make gumbo.

Entertaining Speech

The core purpose of an entertaining speech is to amuse the audience, and obviously, entertain them. They’re usually less formal in nature to help communicate emotions rather than to simply deliver facts. Some examples include speeches given by maids of honor or best men at weddings, acceptance speeches at the Oscars, or even the one given by a school’s principal before or after a talent show.

Special Occasion Speech

Beyond the four main types of public speeches we mentioned, there are a few other different types of speeches worth exploring, namely, special occasion speeches. Often shorter than other types of speeches, special occasion speeches focus on the occasion at hand, whether it’s a wedding , funeral , awards ceremony , or other special event. The goal is to connect with the audience on an emotional level and deliver a heartfelt message that resonates with the occasion. Personal stories, anecdotes, and expressions of gratitude are common elements in special occasion speeches.

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How to Deliver an Engaging Informative Speech

In an informative speech, the presenter will share information about a particular person, place, object, process, concept, or issue by defining, describing, or explaining. An informative speech’s purpose is to simplify complex theories into simpler, easier-to-digest and less ambiguous ideas. In other words, the goal of this type of speech is to convey information accurately.

Choose a Specific Topic

The first step in delivering an engaging informative speech is to choose a specific topic. Trying to cover too much ground in a single speech can be overwhelming for both the speaker and the audience. By narrowing your focus to a specific aspect of a larger topic, you can provide more in-depth information and keep your audience engaged. For example, instead of trying to explain the entire history of the internet, you could focus on the development of social media platforms.

Simplify Complex Concepts

One of the main goals of an informative speech is to simplify complex theories and concepts into more easily understandable ideas. This requires breaking down information into smaller, more digestible chunks. Use analogies, examples, and visual aids to help illustrate your points and make the information more relatable to your audience. Remember, your goal is to provide a general understanding of the topic, not to overwhelm your listeners with technical jargon or minute details.

Engage Your Audience

Keeping your audience engaged is crucial for the success of your informative speech. One way to do this is by using storytelling techniques to make the information more interesting and memorable. You can also ask rhetorical questions, encourage audience participation, and use humor when appropriate. By making your speech interactive and dynamic, you’ll be more likely to hold your audience’s attention and effectively communicate your message.

Use Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a powerful tool in an informative speech. They help to reinforce your message, clarify complex ideas, and make your presentation more engaging. Some effective visual aids include charts, graphs, images, videos, and physical objects. Just be sure not to rely too heavily on visuals at the expense of your content.

Practice and Refine

As with any type of public speaking, practice is essential for delivering a successful informative speech. Rehearse your presentation multiple times, paying attention to your pacing, tone, and body language. Consider practicing in front of a mirror, recording yourself, or presenting to a small group of friends or colleagues for feedback. Use their input to refine your speech and make improvements before the big day.

Mastering the Art of Persuasive Speaking

Speeches can be delivered to serve various purposes. A persuasive speech proposes to change a person’s beliefs or actions on a particular issue. Accordingly, the presenter takes a side and gives his/her opinion, supporting their argument with factual evidence.

Know Your Audience

The first step in crafting a persuasive speech is to know your audience. Understanding their beliefs, values, and concerns will help you tailor your message to resonate with them. In particular, consider factors such as age, gender, cultural background, and education level when analyzing your audience. This information will guide you in choosing the most effective arguments and examples to support your position.

Use Persuasive Language

The language you use in your persuasive speech can have a significant impact on how your audience receives your message. Use powerful, emotive words that evoke a strong response from your listeners.

Rhetorical devices such as repetition, metaphors, and rhetorical questions can also be effective in persuading your audience. However, be careful not to overuse techniques like pathos , as they can come across as manipulative or insincere if employed too frequently.

Provide Strong Evidence

To convince your audience to adopt your point of view, you need to provide strong evidence to support your claims. Use facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-life examples to bolster your arguments. In addition, be sure to cite credible sources and present the information in a clear, logical manner. Finally, anticipate potential counterarguments and address them proactively to strengthen your position.

Inspire Positive Change

The goal of this type of speech is not only to change minds but also to inspire positive action. Conclude your persuasive speech with a clear call-to-action, urging your audience to take specific steps towards implementing the change you advocate for. In addition, paint a vivid picture of the benefits that will result from adopting your position, and make it easy for your listeners to understand how they can contribute to the cause.

Address Counterarguments

No matter how compelling your arguments may be, there will always be those who disagree with your position. To deliver a truly persuasive speech, you must anticipate and address potential counterarguments. That means acknowledging the validity of opposing viewpoints and then providing evidence to refute them. By demonstrating that you have considered alternative perspectives, you’ll come across as more credible and trustworthy to your audience.

Demonstrative Speeches: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve ever watched a cooking show or a DIY tutorial, you’ve seen a demonstrative speech in action. This type of speech is all about teaching your audience how to do something, step by step. The key to a successful demonstrative speech is to be organized and concise. You need to break down the process into clear, easy-to-follow steps that your audience can grasp and replicate themselves.

Choose a Relevant Topic

When selecting a topic for your demonstrative speech, choose something that’s relevant and useful to your audience. It can be about anything that requires a demonstration, such as cooking a recipe, performing a science experiment, using a software program, or even tying a tie.

Consider your audience’s interests and needs. What skills or knowledge would benefit them the most? Choosing a topic that resonates with your listeners will keep them engaged and motivated to learn.

Plan Your Demonstration

Once you have your topic, it’s time to plan your demonstration from start to finish. Break down the process into logical, sequential steps. Consider the supplies or equipment you’ll need and any potential challenges or safety concerns. Creating an outline can help you stay organized and ensure you don’t miss any crucial steps. Remember, your goal is to make the process as clear and straightforward as possible for your audience.

Prepare Your Materials

Gather all the necessary materials, props, or visual aids you’ll need for your demonstration. Visual aids like props, slides, or even live demonstrations are incredibly helpful in illustrating your points. They can help your audience better understand and remember the steps you’re teaching them. During your speech, make sure everything is in working order and easily accessible.

A great demonstrative speech is not only informative but also engaging. You need to ignite a sense of enthusiasm and curiosity in your audience. Encourage them to ask questions and participate in the demonstration if possible.

In addition, use clear, concise language and maintain eye contact with your listeners. Inject some personality and humor into your delivery to keep things interesting and relatable.

Allow Time for Questions

After your demonstration, allow time for your audience to ask questions or seek clarification. This interaction can help reinforce their understanding and show that you’re invested in their learning.

At the end of your presentation, encourage your listeners to try out the skill or technique themselves. Finally, provide any additional resources or tips that can help them succeed. Remember, your ultimate goal is to empower your audience with new knowledge and abilities.

The Power of Entertaining Speeches

Sometimes, the best way to captivate an audience is simply to entertain them. An entertaining speech can range from a humorous anecdote at a conference to a moving story at a fundraiser. If you want to nail this type of speech, you need to engage your listeners and leave them with a memorable message.

As with any speech, understanding your audience is crucial for an entertaining speech. What kind of humor or stories will they appreciate? What tone and style will resonate with them? Consider factors like age, background, and the event itself. A joke that lands well at a casual gathering might not be appropriate for a formal business meeting.

Use Humor Effectively

Humor is a powerful tool in entertaining speeches, but it must be used skillfully. A well-crafted joke can break the ice, lighten the mood, and make your message more memorable. However, humor can also backfire if it’s offensive, inappropriate, or poorly delivered. Make sure your jokes are tasteful, relevant, and well-rehearsed. If you’re not confident in your comedic abilities, it’s better to err on the side of caution.

Share Personal Anecdotes

Personal stories and anecdotes can be incredibly effective in entertaining speeches. They help humanize you as a speaker as well as create a connection with your audience. As such, choose stories that are relevant to your message and that highlight your unique experiences or perspectives. Use descriptive language and engaging delivery to draw your listeners into the narrative.

An entertaining speech is all about engagement. You want your audience to be actively involved and invested in your message. In order to achieve this, use techniques like rhetorical questions, audience participation, or even props to keep your listeners engaged. Additionally, make eye contact, vary your tone and pace, and use gestures to emphasize key points.

End on a High Note

The conclusion of your entertaining speech is just as important as the beginning. You want to leave your audience with a positive, memorable impression. To accomplish this, consider ending with a call to action, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful quote. Tie your conclusion back to your main message and leave your listeners with something to ponder or act upon.

Captivating Your Audience with Special Occasion Speeches

Not all speeches are about imparting knowledge or persuading opinions. Sometimes, a speech’s primary purpose is to entertain, inspire, or commemorate a special event. This type of speech is known as a special occasion speech. Whether it’s a wedding toast, a eulogy , or an acceptance speech, special occasion speeches require a unique approach. Here are some tips for crafting a memorable and impactful special occasion speech.

Understand the Occasion

Every special occasion has its own unique tone, purpose, and expectations. A wedding toast, for example, is typically light-hearted and celebratory, while a eulogy is more somber and reflective. Before you start writing your speech, make sure you understand the nature of the occasion and the role your speech will play. This context will guide your content, tone, and delivery.

Special occasion speeches are often delivered to a specific group of people who share a connection to the event or honoree. As such, it’s crucial to tailor your speech to resonate with this particular audience. Consider their relationship to the occasion, their background, and their expectations. What stories, anecdotes, or insights will they appreciate and relate to?

Use Appropriate Humor

Humor can be a powerful tool in special occasion speeches, especially in celebratory situations like weddings or retirements. A well-placed joke or funny story can help break the ice, engage the audience, and create a warm, positive atmosphere. However, it’s important to use humor appropriately and tastefully. Avoid jokes that might be offensive, insensitive, or ill-suited to the occasion. When in doubt, err on the side of caution.

Share Personal Stories

Special occasion speeches often revolve around honoring or commemorating a person, relationship, or milestone. By sharing personal stories or anecdotes, you can help bring your speech to life and create an emotional connection with your audience. Choose stories that highlight the qualities or experiences you want to celebrate. In addition, use vivid details and descriptive language to help your audience visualize and engage with your memories.

Express Gratitude

Many special occasion speeches, such as wedding toasts or acceptance speeches, involve expressing gratitude to those who have supported or contributed to the occasion. Accordingly, take time to acknowledge and thank the people who have made the event possible or played a significant role in your life. Be specific in your praise and sincere in your appreciation.

Impromptu Speaking: Tips for Thinking on Your Feet

Imagine you’re at a meeting and your boss suddenly calls on you to share your thoughts on the project. Or maybe you’re at a networking event and someone asks you to introduce yourself to the group. These scenarios can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re not prepared. That’s where impromptu speaking comes in.

Impromptu speeches are delivered without prior preparation or planning. You’re given a topic or question on the spot and must quickly organize your thoughts to deliver a coherent speech. It’s an essential skill that tests your ability to think on your feet and communicate effectively in spontaneous situations.

Stay Calm and Focused

When faced with an impromptu speech, the first thing to do is stay calm. Take a deep breath and focus on the task at hand. Remember, the audience wants you to succeed, so don’t let nerves get the best of you.

Use a Simple Structure

To quickly organize your thoughts, use a simple structure like the P-R-E-P method: Point, Reason, Example, Point. Start with your main point, give a reason to support it, provide an example, and then reiterate your point. This structure will help you stay on track and deliver a clear message.

Draw from Personal Experiences

When you’re put on the spot, it’s easier to draw from personal experiences than to try to come up with something completely new. Share a relevant story or anecdote that supports your point. This will help you communicate emotions and connect with your audience.

Even though you’re speaking off the cuff, don’t forget to engage your audience. Make eye contact, use gestures, and vary your tone of voice. These techniques will help you capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Regularly

Like any skill, impromptu speaking improves with practice. Seek out opportunities to speak on the spot, whether it’s at work, in social situations, or even just with friends and family. The more you do it, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become.

Debate Speeches: Crafting Compelling Arguments

Debate speeches are a common type of speech, especially in school competitions. They involve presenting arguments and evidence to support a particular viewpoint on a topic. Whether you’re a high school or college student, mastering the art of debate can be a valuable skill.

Research Your Topic

The first step in crafting a compelling debate speech is to thoroughly research your topic. Gather facts, statistics, and expert opinions to support your argument. Make sure to use reputable sources and fact-check your information.

Develop Your Argument

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to develop your argument. Choose your strongest points and organize them in a logical manner. Use persuasive language and rhetorical devices to make your case more compelling.

Anticipate Counterarguments

In a debate, you must be prepared to defend your position against counterarguments. Anticipate what your opponent might say and have rebuttals ready. This requires critical thinking and the ability to think on your feet.

The language you use in your debate speech can make a big difference. Use strong, active verbs and vivid imagery to paint a picture in your audience’s mind. Rhetorical questions, repetition, and tricolons (a series of three parallel elements) can also be effective persuasive devices.

Deliver with Confidence

Finally, deliver your debate speech with confidence. Speak clearly, maintain eye contact, and use gestures to emphasize your points. Remember, your delivery is just as important as the content of your speech.

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Delivering Powerful Acceptance Speeches

Whether you’re accepting an award at work or being honored at a community event, an acceptance speech is your chance to express gratitude and share your story. Here are some tips for delivering a powerful acceptance speech.

First, express gratitude. Thank the organization presenting the award, as well as any individuals who have supported you along the way. Be specific in your thanks and show genuine appreciation.

Share a Personal Story

An acceptance speech is a great opportunity to share a personal story that relates to the award or honor you’re receiving. This could be a story of overcoming obstacles, learning an important lesson, or achieving a goal. Your story will help the audience connect with you on a personal level.

Inspire Your Audience

Use your acceptance speech to inspire your audience. Share the lessons you’ve learned or the wisdom you’ve gained. Additionally, encourage others to pursue their dreams and never give up. Your words have the power to motivate and uplift those listening.

Keep It Concise

While it’s important to express gratitude and share your story, it’s also important to keep your acceptance speech concise. Aim for a speech that’s no more than 3-5 minutes long. Be mindful of the time and the event schedule.

Practice and Prepare

Finally, practice and prepare for your acceptance speech. Write out your key points and practice delivering your speech out loud. This will help you feel more confident and prepared when the big moment arrives.

When it comes to rocking public speaking, getting a grip on the different types of speeches is the first step. Then you know whether to share info, sway opinions, show how it’s done, or just give your audience a good time. As a result, you can really make your speeches hit home and stick with your audience.

Remember, no matter what type of speech you’re giving, the key to success lies in understanding your purpose, knowing your audience, and adapting your message accordingly. With practice and persistence, you’ll soon be able to captivate any crowd, no matter the occasion.

So go forth, speak with confidence, and let your voice be heard. The world is waiting for your message!

Last Updated: May 7, 2024

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13 Chapter 13: Special Occasion Speaking

Tammera Stokes Rice, College of the Canyons

Adapted by William Kelvin, Professor of Communication Studies, Florida SouthWestern State College

Figure 13.1: “The 86th Annual Academy Awards ” 1

Introduction

“And, the Oscar goes to…!” You have probably caught those famous last words anytime someone wins at the Academy Awards. You’ve probably also heard speeches given at special occasions like graduations, wedding receptions, birthday parties, funerals, corporate meetings, etc. All of these speeches are very common, so you will probably hear them several times throughout your life. You may even need to present one yourself, so it is important to learn how to prepare them.

Special Occasion Speaking

Unlike informative speeches that inform an audience and persuasive speeches that persuade the audience, a special occasion speech is given by a speaker at a unique or special event that dictates the specific purpose. These speeches are also unique because each one of them is generally shorter in length than informative and persuasive speeches and is presented to a specific audience for a specific purpose. These special occasion speeches will be given in either a topical or chronological (temporal) order.

Nine Types of Special Occasion Speeches

In this chapter, we will cover nine different types of special occasion speeches and provide the guidelines to follow for each of them. Although there are other types, these are the most common speeches and might be part of your course assignments. The nine speeches are a speech of introduction, presentation speech, acceptance speech, toast, eulogy, speech to secure goodwill, dedication speech, commencement speech, and farewell speech.

Speech of Introduction

This is a speech introducing the featured speaker to the audience. Its main purpose is to gain attention and create interest for the upcoming speaker. It is like an informative speech because you are informing the audience about the main speaker, so you will follow the general pattern of informative speeches (topical or chronological/temporal). The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

Make sure your remarks about the main speaker are accurate!
Adapt your remarks for the occasion. If it is a formal occasion, then it requires a formal speech.
Adapt your remarks to the main speaker. Make sure the style and manner of your introduction are consistent with the main speech that will follow.
Adapt your remarks to the audience, so they want to hear the main speaker’s speech that follows your introduction.
Try to create a sense of anticipation. You can build excitement by holding off and giving the name of the speaker at the climax of the introduction.

Example: Introducing Ms. Oprah Winfrey at a Lifetime Achievement Television Awards banquet.

Find a sample online: Stanford University President’s introduction of Oprah in 2008. You can find the full text of the speech from June 15, 2008.

Presentation Speech

This speech is given when someone is publicly receiving a gift, an award, or some other form of public recognition. In this speech, you want to highlight the reason for the award or recognition by providing specific details. These speeches are most often heard at award show ceremonies. You can find videos from the Grammys, Tonys, Oscars, etc., and easily find good samples of presentation speeches. Here are the basic guidelines to follow for this type of speech:

State the reason for the presentation.
State the importance of the award.

Example: Presenting an award for technical merit in a film at the Academy Awards.

Figure 13.2: Academy Awards 2

Acceptance Speech

If there is going to be a presentation of an award, then someone must accept it, right? This speech is given to say thank you for a gift, award, or some other form of recognition. The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

Thank the people responsible for giving the award.
Acknowledge those who helped you achieve the award.
Explain what the award means to you currently and what it might mean to you in the future.

Example: Accepting an Oscar for Best Female Performance in a motion picture or an award for Employee of the Year.

Find a sample online: You can find the full transcript for when the cast and crew of the film CODA accept their award for Best Picture in 2022.

This speech is designed to celebrate a person(s) or an occasion. You will often hear them at anniversary parties, weddings, dinner parties, etc. The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

Place focus on the person(s) you are celebrating.
Avoid inside jokes, so you do not offend or confuse others.
Do not get intoxicated before your speech.
Most cultures have an “ending action,” so incorporate it into the speech. For example, in the United States, we tend to raise our glass as the ending action, so make sure the audience knows your speech has ended by raising your glass and signaling to drink. Make sure you research the cultural significance of the event.

Example: Toasting the couple at their wedding.

Find a sample online: You can find the full transcript of President Obama’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner toast in 2015.

Figure 13.3: Wedding Hands 3

The word eulogy is from Greek origins that means “to praise,” so this tribute speech is given to praise the life of someone who has passed away. The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

Research the history of the person.
Think about who this person was in relation to the audience to have the greatest impact.
Give accolades about the person who passed to showcase the personality and legacy of the individual.
Think about how to incorporate emotional elements and humor to help the audience celebrate their life.

Example: Praising the life of someone dear to you who has passed away.

Find a sample online: You can find the full transcript of the eulogy for Rosa Parks. On October 31, 2005, at the Metropolitan AME Church in Washington D.C., Oprah Winfrey delivered a memorable eulogy of Rosa Parks. In it, she repeatedly stated, “We shall not be moved.” This famous line is indicative of Rosa Park’s refusal to give up her seat on the bus.

Figure 13.4: Rosa Parks 4

Speech to Secure Goodwill

This speech informs the audience about a particular product, company, profession, institution, person, etc. while trying to heighten the image of that product, company, profession, institution, person, etc. Online influencers do this all the time. They are hired by companies to “sell” their products or garner goodwill from new customers. The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

Establish credibility by explaining why the audience should listen to you speak about this product, company, etc. Be transparent about your affiliations and experience. Do you work for the company? Have you tried the product?
Always show the audience how they may benefit from whatever it is you are speaking about.
Stress the uniqueness of it.
This is an informative speech, while slightly hinting at the persuasive speech. Don’t be obvious about trying to persuade by saying “You should buy this product.” Rather, use your language to highlight the benefits of the product.

Example: Giving a speech to local high school seniors about their local community college and its incredible programs. In this example, you are informing the audience of the programs with the hope of getting them to enroll in community college, but the speech is not to persuade them to register. The speech is to tell them about the programs in hopes of their consideration for registering. See, it’s an informative speech with a hint of persuasion.

Dedication Speech

This speech gives special meaning to something being presented to the public. It is usually given at a ceremony of an official opening or the completion of something. You may have heard about a ribbon-cutting ceremony in your town celebrating the opening of a new business, or a new building at your college. Typically, a dedication speech is given by the developer, college president, mayor, etc. The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

You want to state the reason you are giving the dedication.
Explain exactly what is being dedicated.
Tell the audience who is responsible for the item that is being presented.
Explain why this item is significant.

Figure 13.5: Baltimore Holocaust Memorial 5

Example: Elie Wiesel’s dedication speech at the opening of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C.

Find a sample online: You can find the full transcript of Elie Wiesel’s Remarks at the Dedication Ceremonies for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on April 22, 1993.

Commencement Speech

This speech is given to graduating students at a high school, college, university, or military academy. It is generally the main speech at the celebration providing the speaker the opportunity to offer experience and advice to the new graduates. The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

Research the event and people involved.
Consider a chronological (temporal) organizing pattern to recognize students’ journeys.
Make the speech about the audience, not just your own story.
Time the speech so it is appropriate for the event.
Offer a motivational message, guidance, or suggestion.
Congratulate those that finished the training and offer them best wishes.

Example: The Valedictorian at your university giving a speech to the new college graduates at the Commencement ceremony.

Figure 13.6: Florida SouthWestern State College student at Commencement ceremony 6

Farewell Speech

This speech is meant to say goodbye or give tribute to a person because they are retiring or taking a new position. You could give the speech because you are leaving your current position, or someone could give the speech to you because you are leaving the position. The guidelines to follow for this type of speech are:

Provide praise towards the person.
Acknowledge their role in the position.
Describe how they benefitted the group and the challenge of going on without them.
Say “thank yous” where appropriate.
If you are the one leaving, explain how much you care for the group and will miss interacting with them.

Example: Saying goodbye to FSW after working in your position for 28 years.

Find a sample online: You can find the full transcript of Ronald Reagan’s farewell address to the nation on January 11, 1989.

In this chapter, we discussed nine different types of special occasion speeches. Each one is organized for a specific audience within a particular context. They are all unique and the speaker must follow the particular guidelines to make an impact on the audience.

All you need to do is listen to the speeches during an awards show like the Academy Awards, and you will hear introductory, presentation, and acceptance speeches for sure. Always keep in mind that each culture celebrates people in different ways, so be sure to analyze the audience before preparing the content of the speech. If you are the next valedictorian at your college or university or are delivering a speech at a friend’s wedding, we hope that you will reflect on all that you have learned in this chapter so that you deliver a memorable speech!

Reflection Questions

What occasions in your life could you foresee using a special occasion speech? How do you feel about those potential opportunities and why?
How would you begin the process of developing a special occasion speech?
What methods might you use to research the information you need for this type of speech? Offer specific online search strategies as well as other ideas besides searching online.
What stylistic differences might you employ that are different from your previous informative speeches?

Introduction Speech

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Special Occasion Speech Examples & Writing Tips

How to write an awesome special occasion speech: tips & example.

Special occasion speeches are given in a variety of situations: weddings, awards ceremonies, political events, retirement, and many more. Their purpose is to mark the significance of an important event. Usually, they take no longer than 10 minutes, and most such speeches serve the entertainment purpose, though, some of them also have an informative message. In this article, our speechwriters will share the secrets of writing great commencement speeches for college and for important events in your life.

Want to impress everyone with a relevant and emotional special occasion speech? Our experts are here to assist. At SpeechPaths, you can order an acceptance speech, wedding toast, or a commencement speech tailored to your event. The writer will work one-on-one with you until you are satisfied with the text. And if you're in a rush, a 12-hour delivery is available. Contact us to discuss the details of your speech and get a discount!

Examples of special occasion speeches

If you are not sure where to get started with your speech, take a look at two examples for different types of special occasions:

Awards acceptance speech

https://images.surferseo.art/73b198be-5cb0-47a7-8d94-8610927bea85.png

Source: https://www.examples.com/education/special-occasion-speech.html

This speech uses a formal tone, it starts and ends with gratitude. Although the main purpose of acceptance speeches is to thank the committee and those present for an award, this speech is also informative - the speaker expands on the theory of relativity and asks rhetorical questions. You can use such an approach and structure for informative or persuasive speeches.

Best man's speech

https://images.surferseo.art/8faed45b-4048-41fb-a501-949291d54480.png

Source: https://www.sampletemplates.com/business-templates/wedding-speech-example.html

This best man's speech is less formal, a bit humorous, and starts with a touch of vulnerability. It also shares personal stories about the groom and congratulates the couple on their wedding. Such speeches appeal to emotions rather than logic, and their main goal is to amuse and entertain guests. If you write a best man's speech or a toast, try to use a conversational tone and add humor.

Special occasion speech types

Although special occasion speeches share some common traits, the writing style, tone, and content will vary depending on the speech type and the event. The toast of a maid of honor will differ from a retirement speech in a big corporation. Here are the most common special occasion speaking types:

Commencement speech

The commencement speech addresses the class graduating from high school or college. Its purpose is to recognize the achievements of the graduating class, share wisdom, and inspire graduates. A commencement speaker also motivates graduates to pursue great things in life. Usually, such a speech focuses on some central theme - common commencement speech themes include overcoming challenges, maintaining friendships, uncovering your potential, staying true to yourself, etc.

Toasts honor an important event or a person during a celebration. You can deliver a toast to congratulate someone for getting an award, finding a new job, or a marriage. Since a toast signifies a big moment, use it to express gratitude, share joy, and spark emotions in people around you. This type of speech is usually brief, it focuses on a person being toasted, and you may use some humor, but make sure it is easy for everyone to understand.

Commemorative speech

Commemorative speeches pay tribute to an important event, person, or organization in your life. The purpose of this brief speech is to recognize the importance of somebody or something in your life, reflect on its importance and celebrate the moment. Commemorative speeches include retirement speeches, nomination speeches (to recognize someone for an honor), retirement speeches, and a farewell speech when someone leaves a company or a group.

Acceptance speech

Speeches of acceptance are given by a recipient of a prize or a prestigious honor. In such a speech, the speaker thanks everyone who helped them achieve such outstanding results. The keynote speaker also thanks the committee who gave them an award. If this is a political speech, the person also thanks everyone who voted for them. It is also common for the speaker to explain why an award means so much to them.

Tips to write speeches for special occasions

If writing texts for special speaking occasions is new for you, take advantage of this checklist. You can use it for a variety of special occasion speeches ranging from work anniversaries to dedications and weddings:

Understand your special occasion type. An after-dinner speech will differ in many aspects from an awards speech or public relations speech.
Know your audience. To deliver speeches effectively, analyze your audience. Understand their age, background, and subject matter knowledge if you plan to deliver an informative speech.
How much time will you have? Practice with a timer so that you don't exceed the time limit. Being concise is important for getting the audience interested and not boring them.
Is this a formal or informal event? Can you use an informal, conversational tone?
What is the purpose of your upcoming speech - to thank, amuse, entertain, express gratitude, or inform? Does your speech serve this purpose? If you doubt that your speech will meet the purpose, you can show it to our speechwriters and ask for feedback.
Should you speak for yourself, or represent your employer or any other organization?
Does the occasion and the speech type allow humor? If possible, try to make your speech humorous, but make sure your jokes are not offensive to anyone.
Make sure that your speech has a clear structure: an introduction where you introduce yourself and briefly tell what your speech is about, the body section, and a conclusion that tops off everything you've said.

Polishing your special occasion speech delivery

After you've written and polished your text, work on delivering special occasion speeches. A poor delivery can spoil even a flawlessly written speech. Special occasion speeches tend to be concise, so be sure to keep your complete speech to 10 minutes. To strengthen your public speaking skills, follow the tips below:

Practice so that you don't need to read from paper. Whether you deliver a speech commemorating an event, an introductory speech, or a traditional persuasive speech, reading the text won't help you grab the audience's attention.
Work on your vocal delivery. Make sure that you speak loud enough and practice working with a microphone, if necessary. Don't rush and make pauses so that the audience could follow you easily. Record yourself to understand how you sound and improve your delivery, if necessary.
Pay attention to your body language. Deliver the speech's content in front of the mirror, paying attention to your posture, facial expressions, and gestures. Use them to articulate your main points and build an emotional connection with your listeners.

Get help with all types of special occasion speeches

Whether you need a special occasion speech for your class or a real-life situation, it requires much preparation. You need to consider the audience, the type of event, and the timing, and come up with an engaging, heartwarming speech that will impress the audience.

Our website has speech wizards who can prepare a custom speech for your special life events, or help you improve the speech you already have. Contact us for a free quote, and claim your first-time generous discount!

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Types of speeches

The 4 types of speeches in public speaking

Informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion.

By: Susan Dugdale

There are four main types of speeches or types of public speaking.

Demonstrative
Special occasion or Entertaining

To harness their power a speaker needs to be proficient in all of them: to understand which speech type to use when, and how to use it for maximum effectiveness.

What's on this page:

An overview of each speech type, how it's used, writing guidelines and speech examples:

informative
demonstrative
special occasion/entertaining
how, and why, speech types overlap

Graphic: 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive, special occasion

Return to Top

Informative speeches

An informative speech does as its name suggests: informs. It provides information about a topic. The topic could be a place, a person, an animal, a plant, an object, an event, or a process.

The informative speech is primarily explanatory and educational.

Its purpose is not to persuade or influence opinion one way or the other. It is to provide sufficient relevant material, (with references to verifiable facts, accounts, studies and/or statistics), for the audience to have learned something.

What they think, feel, or do about the information after they've learned it, is up to them.

This type of speech is frequently used for giving reports, lectures and, sometimes for training purposes.

Examples of informative speech topics:

the number, price and type of dwellings that have sold in a particular suburb over the last 3 months
the history of the tooth brush
how trees improves air quality in urban areas
a brief biography of Bob Dylan
the main characteristics of Maine Coon cats
the 1945 US bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
the number of, and the work of local philanthropic institutions
the weather over the summer months
the history of companion planting
how to set up a new password
how to work a washing machine

Image: companion planting - cabbage planted alongside orange flowering calendula. Text: The history of companion planting - informative speech topic possibilities

Click this link if you'd like more informative topic suggestions . You'll find hundreds of them.

And this link to find out more about the 4 types of informative speeches : definition, description, demonstration and explanation. (Each with an example outline and topic suggestions.)

Image - label - 4 Informative speech example outlines: definition, description, explanation, demonstration

Demonstration, demonstrative or 'how to' speeches

A demonstration speech is an extension of an informative process speech. It's a 'how to' speech, combining informing with demonstrating.

The topic process, (what the speech is about), could either be demonstrated live or shown using visual aids.

The goal of a demonstrative speech is to teach a complete process step by step.

It's found everywhere, all over the world: in corporate and vocational training rooms, school classrooms, university lecture theatres, homes, cafes... anywhere where people are either refreshing or updating their skills. Or learning new ones.

Knowing to how give a good demonstration or 'how to' speech is a very valuable skill to have, one appreciated by everybody.

Examples of 'how to' speech topics are:

how to braid long hair
how to change a car tire
how to fold table napkins
how to use the Heimlich maneuver
how to apply for a Federal grant
how to fill out a voting form
how to deal with customer complaints
how to close a sale
how to give medicine to your cat without being scratched to bits!

Image: drawing of a very cute cat. Text: 10 minute demonstration speech topics - How to give a cat medicine without being scratched to bits.

Resources for demonstration speeches

1 . How to write a demonstration speech Guidelines and suggestions covering:

choosing the best topic : one aligning with your own interests, the audience's, the setting for the speech and the time available to you
how to plan, prepare and deliver your speech - step by step guidelines for sequencing and organizing your material plus a printable blank demonstration speech outline for you to download and complete
suggestions to help with delivery and rehearsal . Demonstration speeches can so easily lurch sideways into embarrassment. For example: forgetting a step while demonstrating a cake recipe which means it won't turn out as you want it to. Or not checking you've got everything you need to deliver your speech at the venue and finding out too late, the very public and hard way, that the lead on your laptop will not reach the only available wall socket. Result. You cannot show your images.

Image: label saying 'Demonstration speech sample outline. Plus video. How to leave a good voice mail message.

2. Demonstration speech sample outline This is a fully completed outline of a demonstration speech. The topic is 'how to leave an effective voice mail message' and the sample covers the entire step by step sequence needed to do that.

There's a blank printable version of the outline template to download if you wish and a YouTube link to a recording of the speech.

3. Demonstration speech topics 4 pages of 'how to' speech topic suggestions, all of them suitable for middle school and up.

Images x 3: cats, antique buttons, mannequins in a pond. Text: How to choose a pet, How to make jewelry from antique buttons, How to interpret modern art.

Persuasive speeches

The goal of a persuasive speech is to convince an audience to accept, or at the very least listen to and consider, the speaker's point of view.

To be successful the speaker must skillfully blend information about the topic, their opinion, reasons to support it and their desired course of action, with an understanding of how best to reach their audience.

Everyday examples of persuasive speeches

Common usages of persuasive speeches are:

what we say when being interviewed for a job
presenting a sales pitch to a customer
political speeches - politicians lobbying for votes,
values or issue driven speeches e.g., a call to boycott a product on particular grounds, a call to support varying human rights issues: the right to have an abortion, the right to vote, the right to breathe clean air, the right to have access to affordable housing and, so on.

Models of the persuasive process

The most frequently cited model we have for effective persuasion is thousands of years old. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, 384–322 BC , explained it as being supported by three pillars: ethos, pathos and logos.

Image: Fresco from School of Aristotle by Gustav Spangenberg. Text: 3 pillars of persuasion - ethos, logos, pathos

Briefly, ethos is the reliability and credibility of the speaker. How qualified or experienced are they talk on the topic? Are they trustworthy? Should we believe them? Why?

Pathos is the passion, emotion or feeling you, the speaker, bring to the topic. It's the choice of language you use to trigger an emotional connection linking yourself, your topic and the audience together, in a way that supports your speech purpose.

(We see the echo of Pathos in words like empathy: the ability to understand and share the feels of another, or pathetic: to arouse feelings of pity through being vulnerable and sad.)

Logos is related to logic. Is the information we are being presented logical and rational? Is it verifiable? How is it supported? By studies, by articles, by endorsement from suitably qualified and recognized people?

To successfully persuade all three are needed. For more please see this excellent article: Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking and Persuasion

Monroe's Motivated Sequence of persuasion

Another much more recent model is Monroe's Motivated Sequence based on the psychology of persuasion.

It consists of five consecutive steps: attention, need, satisfaction, visualization and action and was developed in the 1930s by American Alan H Monroe, a lecturer in communications at Purdue University. The pattern is used extensively in advertising, social welfare and health campaigns.

Resources for persuasive speeches

1. How to write a persuasive speech Step by step guidelines covering:

speech topic selection
setting speech goals
audience analysis
empathy and evidence
balance and obstacles
4 structural patterns to choose from

2. A persuasive speech sample outline using Monroe's Motivated Sequence

3. An example persuasive speech written using Monroe's Motivated Sequence

4. Persuasive speech topics : 1032+ topic suggestions which includes 105 fun persuasive ideas , like the one below.☺

Image: a plate with the remains of a piece of chocolate cake. Text: Having your cake and eating it too is fair.

Special occasion or entertaining speeches

The range of these speeches is vast: from a call 'to say a few words' to delivering a lengthy formal address.

This is the territory where speeches to mark farewells, thanksgiving, awards, birthdays, Christmas, weddings, engagements and anniversaries dwell, along with welcome, introduction and thank you speeches, tributes, eulogies and commencement addresses.

In short, any speech, either impromptu or painstakingly crafted, given to acknowledge a person, an achievement, or an event belongs here.

You'll find preparation guidelines, as well as examples of many special occasion speeches on my site.

Resources for special occasion speeches

How to prepare:

an acceptance speech , with an example acceptance speech
a birthday speech , with ongoing links to example 18th, 40th and 50th birthday speeches
an office party Christmas speech , a template with an example speech
an engagement party toast , with 5 examples
a eulogy or funeral speech , with a printable eulogy planner and access to 70+ eulogy examples
a farewell speech , with an example (a farewell speech to colleagues)
a golden (50th) wedding anniversary speech , with an example speech from a husband to his wife
an impromptu speech , techniques and templates for impromptu speaking, examples of one minute impromptu speeches with a printable outline planner, plus impromptu speech topics for practice
an introduction speech for a guest speaker , with an example
an introduction speech for yourself , with an example
a maid of honor speech for your sister , a template, with an example
a retirement speech , with an example from a teacher leaving to her students and colleagues
a student council speech , a template, with an example student council president, secretary and treasurer speech
a Thanksgiving speech , a template, with an example toast
a thank you speech , a template, with an example speech expressing thanks for an award, also a business thank you speech template
a tribute (commemorative) speech , with a template and an example speech
a welcome speech for an event , a template, an example welcome speech for a conference, plus a printable welcome speech planner
a welcome speech for new comers to a church , a template with an example speech
a welcome speech for a new member to the family , a template with an example

Speech types often overlap

Because speakers and their speeches are unique, (different content, purposes, and audiences...), the four types often overlap. While a speech is generally based on one principal type it might also have a few of the features belonging to any of the others.

For example, a speech may be mainly informative but to add interest, the speaker has used elements like a demonstration of some sort, persuasive language and the brand of familiar humor common in a special occasion speech where everybody knows each other well.

The result is an informative 'plus' type of speech. A hybrid! It's a speech that could easily be given by a long serving in-house company trainer to introduce and explain a new work process to employees.

how to write a good speech . This is a thorough step by step walk through, with examples, of the general speech writing process. It's a great place to start if you're new to writing speeches. You'll get an excellent foundation to build on.
how to plan a speech - an overview of ALL the things that need to be considered before preparing an outline, with examples
how to outline a speech - an overview, with examples, showing how to structure a speech, with a free printable blank speech outline template to download
how to make and use cue cards - note cards for extemporaneous speeches
how to use props (visual aids)

And for those who would like their speeches written for them:

commission me to write for you

Image: woman sitting at a writing desk circa 19th century. Text: Speech writer - a ghost writer who writes someone one's speech for them

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Speech Writing

Special Occasion Speech

How to Write a Special Occasion Speech: Types, Tips, and Examples

19 min read

Special Occasion Speech Definition

Special occasion speeches are the type of speeches given to mark the significance of a specific event. The particular events include a wedding, a birthday party, graduation ceremony, funeral, farewell, award ceremony, etc.

These speeches are brief and specific to the event. Some special occasion speeches are informative, and some might be inspirational.

What is the Purpose of a Special Occasion Speech?

Special occasion speeches are given on some special occasions according to the context of the event. For example, a toast is given at a wedding, and a eulogy is delivered at a funeral. Hence the purpose of a special occasion speech is determined according to the event.

These speeches use pathos to persuade a group of people by appealing to their emotions. Pathos may be intended to make the audience laugh or make them reflect at a memorial service.

Types of Special Occasion Speech

There are many events, and each event has a particular type of speech to be delivered. People show their gratitude, appreciation, and condolence through their speeches. As the list of events grows, the list of speeches grows simultaneously.

The list of special occasion speeches is very long, so for simplicity, we have grouped them into two different categories:

Ceremonial Speaking
Inspirational Speaking

Let’s discuss these special occasion speech types in detail.

1. Ceremonial Speeches

Ceremonial speeches are given at ceremonies by the observance of formality and decorum. The ceremonies are special occasions that people arrange to celebrate something. There are eight common types of ceremonial speaking. Let's examine them one by one.

An introduction speech is a mini-speech given by the host of an event to introduce the upcoming speaker. This speech is very precise and short, given only to familiarize the audience with the speaker going to deliver a speech.

A good introduction speech could be like this:

This introduction creatively introduced the speaker and her topic while making the audience interested in her speech.

The speech of acceptance is given by a person who has just received an award, a prize, or an honor. The speaker usually starts by thanking everyone and ends with expressing appreciation. The speech of acceptance basically has three main components:

A special thanks to the prize or award giver.
Other special thanks to those who have helped in achieving the goal
The prize or the award needs to be put into perspective.

When you prepare for an acceptance speech , you need to think of the people you want to thank. List down their names in the order you want to thank them.

Acceptance Speech Example

The presentation speech is given while presenting an award, prize, or honor. The basic purpose of the presentation speech is to recognize the person’s accomplishments about the honor or award.

These speeches provide the following components:

Highlights the award’s significance that is being given
Highlights the merits of the award recipient
Enhance the credibility of the award and the event by personalizing the speech

Presentation Speech Example

A speech of dedication is delivered to dedicate something to someone. It is usually given at an inauguration ceremony, a building named after someone, a new shop opens, and so on.

The dedication speeches are intended to highlight the importance of a project and to whom it has been dedicated. When preparing for a dedication speech, you need to consider the following factors:

How you are involved in the dedication
Explain what is being dedicated
Explain who was involved in the project
Explain the importance of the project

Dedication Speech Example

A toast is a kind of brief tribute to a particular person or a specific event. It is designed to appreciate and congratulate the people being toasted. It allows the speaker to recognize the person’s achievements and give the best wishes for the future.

While delivering a toast, keep these key points in mind:

Keep it brief and specific to the event.
Focus attention on the person being toasted
Avoid any inside joke which is not accessible to all of the audience as toasts are public.
End the toast by praising the person being toasted

Toast Speech Example

A roast is an interesting and funny speech because it is designed to praise and humorously insult the person being toasted. It is usually delivered at the end of a banquet to honor a person's life achievements.

Follow these tips to write an interesting toast:

Think about the person who is being roasted.
Look for any amusing story or a strange habit of the person being roasted.
Poke fun at them but avoid targeting a specific person.
Avoid the things that are truly private or might hurt the specific person’s emotions.
Choose the jokes and stories that work best with all of the audience.
Make your speech as humorous as possible.
Leave with a positive note and appreciate the person.

Here are a few funny special occasion speech topics for you:

Roast of the Office Prankster
A Funny Tribute to the Family Tech Guru
A Roast for the Coffee Addict
Roast of the Social Media Star
A Tribute to the Eternal Latecomer

Make sure you follow all these tips so that you can easily write an amazing toast.

A eulogy speech is a special occasion speech given in honor of a person who has died. It is delivered to pay tribute to the departed soul. It is given by the priest, imam, or any other religious leader.

When preparing a eulogy, the speaker needs to do the following things:

Get a lot of information about the departed soul. It will help to personalize the eulogy.
Remind the audience about the deceased person and his/her life achievements
Tell the deceased’s story.
Celebrate the deceased’s life and mourn their death

Eulogies can take various forms, and they often encompass three main types:

Lament Eulogy: Expresses grief, sorrow, and loss, providing a cathartic outlet for those in mourning.
Console Eulogy: Offers comfort and hope to the grieving audience, often with religious or spiritual elements, for strength and healing.

Look at the eulogy speech format in this eulogy example.

Eulogy Speech Example

It allows you to say goodbye to a current part of your life as you are moving to another part. The speeches are very common at college and university farewell parties. The graduating class says farewell to the institute as they are moving forward.

The goal of the farewell speech is to thank and appreciate the people who are currently a part of your life. As you move forward to the next position, pay tribute to the people who have helped you achieve your goals. A farewell speech gives you a chance to commemorate and remember the good times you have had.

Here is a farewell speech example for you.

Farewell Speech Example

After-dinner speech is directed toward a specific group. It aims to entertain yet inform the audience about a particular issue. They are quite tricky because of their dual role, but with practice, anyone can deliver an effective speech.

As the name suggests, these speeches are delivered at dinners after when they are done. A dinner speaker makes a serious point by efficiently using humor to make a significant mark on the audience and occasion.

2. Inspirational/Motivational Speaking

The goal of the inspirational speech is to inspire the audience to believe something or act upon something. It aims to inspire the audience to take a particular action regarding personal or professional growth.

There are two types of inspirational speeches. Let's review each of them.

Goodwill speeches are delivered to build a goodwill relationship with the audience. These speeches seek to introduce an entity or a person to another group, organization, or country. These speeches are informative as well as persuasive in nature.

There are three types of goodwill speeches:

Public Relations Speech - intended to enhance the speaker’s or the organization’s image.
Justification Speech - attempts to defend why a particular action has taken or will be taken.
Speech of Apology - given to accept the mistake, apologize, and ask the audience for forgiveness.

All of the goodwill speeches not just inform the audience but attempt to persuade them at the same time.

Commencement or commemorative speeches are usually given at graduation ceremonies during which the degrees are being awarded to the students. It is a kind of celebration that marks an important milestone in graduates’ lives. It is usually given by a well-known person who is recognized by many i.e. the president of the country.

The commemorative speech has four basic components:

Highlight the importance of the day in the graduates’ lives
Count the accomplishments of the graduating class
Gives best wishes for the future endeavor
Put the light on future goals.

Here we have a good commemorative speech example for you.

Commemorative Speech Example

Special Occasion Speech Topics

As special occasion speeches are event-oriented, you might know about the topic already. Yet, it’s essential to ensure that you choose the best idea and turn it into a memorable talk.

Here are some amazing special occasion speech ideas for you:

Prepare a eulogy for a famous person and remind the audience about his accomplishments.
Give a maid of honor toast at your best friend’s wedding.
Deliver an acceptance speech for winning an award.
Present an employee of the year award.
Give a roast when your best friend is leaving the organization.
Deliver a keynote address at a company’s annual convention.
Deliver the best man speech to a wedding couple
Deliver a commemorative speech to mark an essential milestone in graduates’ lives.
Give a good introduction to the new president of the United States.
Prepare a farewell speech for your exit party.

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Ideas for Special Occasion Speeches

Here are some basic examples of special occasion speeches you can use:

How to Write a Special Occasion Speech?

It is a well-known fact that there is no universal recipe for writing a perfect special occasion speech, yet we want to provide you with the basic process that keeps you inspired.

Here is the step-by-step process of writing a special occasion speech:

1. Special Occasion Speech Outline

The special occasion speech outline is the same for all types of speeches. It has three main components: introduction, body, and conclusion. The outline is the same for every type of speech; the difference is the content it contains.

2. Consider the Special Occasion

As there are eight basic types of special occasion speeches, you need to consider the occasion for which you are preparing your speech. Each type of speech contains different content that is specific to the event.

3. Special Occasion Speech Introduction

No matter what type of special occasion speech you are giving, the introduction needs to be compelling enough that grabs the audience’s attention immediately.

Below are the steps you can follow to write the introduction:

Grab the audience's attention by telling some interesting facts specific to the event you are delivering a speech for.
A thesis statement tells the main purpose of your speech.
Preview the key points of your speech and transition to the body section

4. Special Occasion Speech Body

In the body section, you are allowed to talk about the topic in detail. Present the supporting evidence that enhances the credibility of your thesis statement. Share all the necessary information required to convey the complete message.

The body section could be longer, and it could be short. It all depends on the type of speech you are giving and the time you get to deliver your speech’s content.

5. Special Occasion Speech Conclusion

The conclusion is where you wrap things up. Summarize all of your main points here and close the speech with a compelling message.

Special Occasion Speech Outline Example

There is no one perfect way to write a speech for a special occasion. However, we want to provide you with an example to help you get started.

Here is the special occasion speech outline template for your reference:

Special Occasion Speech Examples

Check out these amazing special occasion speech samples and see how amazing they are written. You can also take help from speech examples to write your speech.

Short Special Occasion Speech Examples

Funny Special Occasion Speech Examples

Award Acceptance Special Occasion Speech - Example

Farewell Special Occasion Speech - Example

Special Occasion Introduction Speech - Example

Graduation Speech for College Students - Example

Tips for Writing Special Occasion Speech

Whether you’re giving a toast at a wedding, delivering an address at an awards ceremony, or speaking at any other special event, these tips will help your words ring true with your audience.

Planning is key when it comes to writing a special occasion speech. Begin by researching the topic and gathering ideas for what to include.

Additionally, you should also set aside enough time to properly write, rehearse, and practice your speech before delivering it.

Think About Your Audience

When writing your special occasion speech, it’s important to consider your audience and their interests.

What do they want to hear? What would make them laugh? Who are they rooting for? Knowing this can help you tailor your content so that it resonates best with your listeners.

Choose Your Words Carefully

The words you choose when writing your special occasion speech can make all the difference between boring platitudes and heartfelt sincerity.

Take some extra time to think through each phrase so that it sounds natural. Also, consider using vivid imagery throughout your speech. This will add another layer of depth while helping bring your message to life for those listening.

Use Humor Sparingly

Humor can add warmth to a speech, but use it carefully. Make sure the humor is in good taste and relevant to the occasion. Avoid anything that could be offensive.

End on a High Note

Conclude your speech with a strong, memorable closing that leaves a positive impression. A heartfelt, sincere closing often works well.

Once all these elements come together effectively then you'll be well on track for creating an unforgettable moment!

All in all, writing a good speech that is specific to the event and the audience is somehow tricky. But you don’t have to worry anymore, as this guide comprehensively covers all aspects and examples of occasional speech writing.

Still feel stuck? Do not worry!

MyPerfectWords.com, your go-to online speech writing service , offers exceptional help, crafting special occasion speeches at budget-friendly rates.

Get custom essay help from us today and wave goodbye to the anxieties of composing a stellar speech.

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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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63 Types of Special Occasion Speeches

Unlike the informative and persuasive speeches you were required to give, special occasion speeches are much broader and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. However, while the following list of special occasion speeches is long, your instructor will have specific types of special occasion speeches that you will be allowed (or required) to do for class. Since you are like to give many special occasion speeches in your life, we want to cover everything you might need to know to give a good one.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of special occasion speech is the speech of introduction , which is a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and their speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer of a speaker stands up and says, “This is Wyatt Ford. He’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Wyatt’s speech.

Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should be a complete speech and have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion—and you should try to do it all in under two minutes. This brings up another “few things are worse” scenario: an introductory speaker who rambles on for too long or who talks about himself or herself instead of focusing on the person being introduced.

The body of your speech of introduction should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three main points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Most of the time as an introducer, you’ll only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. That’s all right. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the main speaker’s speech; you just need to know enough to whet the audience’s appetite. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible presenter on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech. The outline can be adjusted; for example, you can give the biographical information first, but these three areas should be covered.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the platform. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Wyatt Ford’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Dr. Wyatt Ford.” At this point, you as the person introducing the speaker are “handing off” the speaking duties to someone else, so it is not uncommon to end your speech of introduction by clapping as the speaker comes on stage or shaking the speaker’s hand.

Speeches of Presentation

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you. If you know you are up for an award, the odds of your winning are high. In order to avoid blubbering through an acceptance speech, have one ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

Speeches of Dedication

When preparing a speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience about your relationship and your relative’s accomplishments. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a pre-existing building, you want to explain the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project.

If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a pre-existing structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community in which it is located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast. A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating some- one for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast some- one to show your appreciation for something he or she has done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

A roast is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Because of this combination of purposes, it is not hard to argue that the roast is probably a challenging type of speeches to write given the difficult task of simultaneously praising and insulting the person. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years, and if you’ve ever watched one, you know that the “roasters” say some harsh things about the “roastees” even though they are friends.

Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee and the audience knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died (Don’t confuse “eulogy” with “elegy,” a poem or song of mourning). Not to sound depressing, but since everyone who is alive will someday die, the chance of your being asked to give a eulogy someday for a friend or family member is significant. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks.

Knowing the deceased and the audience is vital when deciding on the type and amount of humor to use in a eulogy. It’s doubtful statements like Tom Arnold’s would fit many eulogies. But it would be appropriate to tell a funny story about Uncle Joe’s love for his rattletrap car or Aunt Mary’s love of tacky Christmas sweaters. Ultimately, the goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion.

The first thing you want to do when remembering someone who has passed away is remind the audience what made that person so special. So you will want to praise them and their accomplishments. This can include notable achievements (being an award winner; helping with charities), personal qualities (“she was always willing to listen to your problems and help in any way she could”), or anecdotes and stories (being a great moth- er; how she drove to college to visit you when you were homesick).

“Jim has gone home to be with the Lord and is looking down on us fondly today.”

“We may miss Aunt Linda deeply, but our memories of her will live on forever, and her impact on this world will not soon be forgotten.”

With regard to a eulogy you might give in class, you generally have two options for how to proceed: you can eulogize a real person who has passed away, or you can eulogize a fictional character (if your instructor permits that). If you give a eulogy in class on someone in your life who has actually passed away, be aware that it is very common for students to become emotional and have difficulty giving their speech. Even though you may have been fine practicing at home and feel good about giving it, the emotional impact of speaking about a deceased loved one in front of others can be surprisingly powerful. Conversely, if you give a eulogy on a fictional character, you must treat your classroom assignment eulogy as you would a real eulogy. You wouldn’t make fun of or trivialize someone’s life at an actual funeral, so don’t do that in your eulogy for a serious speech assignment either.

Speeches of Farewell

Speeches of Commencements

A speech of commencement (or, as it is more commonly known, a “commencement speech”) is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. These typically take place at graduation ceremonies. Nearly every one of us has sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. A famous and well-thought-out commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard University in 2008 (found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck). Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them .
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

After-Dinner Speeches

First, use all that you have learned about informative or persuasive speeches to prepare a real informative or persuasive speech roughly two-thirds the length of what the final speech will become. That is, if you’re going to be giving a ten-minute speech, then your “real” informative or persuasive speech should be six or seven minutes in length. This is the “serious mes- sage” portion of the speech where you will try to make a point of educating your audience.

Next, go back through the speech and look for opportunities to insert humorous remarks. Once you’ve looked through your speech and examined places for verbal humor, think about any physical humor or props that would enhance your speech. Physical humor is great if you can pull it off without being self-conscious. One of the biggest mistakes any humorist makes is to become too aware of what his or her body is doing because it’s then harder to be free and funny. As for props, after-dinner speakers have been known to use everything from oversized inflatable baseball bats to rubber clown noses. The goal for a funny prop is that it adds to the humor of the speech without distracting from its message.

Take, for example, the experience one of your authors had while he was attending a large university. One of the major problems that any large university faces is parking: the ratio of parking spaces to students at some of these schools can be 1:7 (one parking space for every seven students). In addressing this topic at a banquet, a student gave an after- dinner speech that addressed the problem of the lack of student parking. To do so, he camouflaged his speech as a faux-eulogy (fake eulogy) for the yellow and black board on the parking lot gates (see Image 15.1) that was constantly and consistently driven through by students wanting to access restricted parking. The student personified the board by noting how well it had done its job and lamented that it would never get to see its little toothpick children grow up to guard the White House. But underneath the humor incorporated into the speech was a serious message: this wouldn’t keep happening if adequate parking was provided for students on campus.

Motivational Speeches

A motivational speech is designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal. Whereas a traditional persuasive speech may want listeners to purchase product X or agree with idea Y, a motivational speech helps to inspire people in a broader fashion, often without a clearly articulated end result in mind. As such, motivational speaking is a highly specialized form of persuasive speaking commonly delivered in schools, businesses, religious houses of worship, and club or group contexts. The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking (Slutsky & Aun, 1997) lists four types of motivational speeches: hero, survivor, religious, and success.

a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech

a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor

a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor

a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember

a humorous speech designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored

a speech given in honor of someone who has died

to express grief or sorrow

to offer comfort in a time of grief

a speech allowing someone to say good- bye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life

a speech designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people

a humorous speech that makes a serious point

a speech designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal

a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society

a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcame serious adversity

a speech designed to incorporate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives

a speech given by someone who has succeeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful

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Speech Crafting →

14 Types of Speeches for All Occasions that You Should Master

Any person can give a speech, which means it’s not hard, right? Technically, it isn’t hard, but, to give a good speech, you need to not only have a general understanding of your audience and your environment but also master the skill of speech-giving to ensure that your speech is effective in relaying your message.

To do this, you will need to learn more about the different types of speeches that exist and in what context each is used. This will help you choose the right speech type that works for you as well as the one that fits the message that you want to put across to your audience.

Pro-Tip: Keep in mind that each speech type has a different purpose.

14 Types of Speeches You Should Master

1. entertaining speech.

Entertaining speeches are among the most common types of speeches. Their objective is to entertain or amuse people.

As compared to more traditional speeches, entertaining speeches are shorter and less formal , in addition to including funny stories, humor or interesting illustrations. These types of speeches are usually used to convey emotions and are common at weddings and birthday parties. An example of such include stand-up comedy.

From the above, one may think it’s simple to crack a few jokes and entertain people but unless you were born with a funny bone, you may need to brush up on some stories and killer jokes (the funny ones).

2. Special occasion speeches

These types of speeches do not have a format set in stone and neither do they fall into any particular speech category. Instead, they aim to fit the context of the environment, which helps you to not only gain your audience’s attention but also communicate the message you want to convey effectively.

Just like entertaining speeches, special occasion speeches do not use any data or statistics and are usually short. This does not mean they are boring though, so you should aim to make your special occasion speech as direct and interesting as you possibly can.

Special occasion speeches can fit any special occasion; be it a birthday party, award show or wedding, hence the name. You may notice that they bear some similarities to entertaining speeches, as their objective is to convey emotions as well, instead of persuading you or teaching you something.

Special occasion speeches may include tributary, ceremonial and introductory speeches. If you have any significant event that you’d like to mark, then this type of speech should be your go to.

A good example of this type of speech would include a speech you can give as a best man . This would help you express how much the groom means to you.

3. Persuasive speech

These types of speeches are given with the sole purpose of convincing the persons listening that your opinion on a certain topic is right.

To successfully convince your audience that you know what you’re talking about, you can use facts and concrete evidence to support your argument. This is what persuades your audience to embrace your opinion while also making your presentation more believable and sensible.

You can also use these types of speeches to help convey your message by making use of emotional triggers. Depending on the context of your presentation, appealing to your audience’s emotions may bring about better results.

A good example of a persuasive speech would be the closing argument that a lawyer gives to the jury in court. The main purpose of a closing argument is to convince the jury to support one’s client and vote in the lawyer’s favor. The closing argument, just like the persuasive speech, highlights any important facts of the case and may appeal to the jury’s emotions, in a bid to help them understand the lawyer’s opinion on the case and their client.

4. Demonstrative speech

Well, this one is pretty easy to explain. From its name, we learn that this type of speech is given when a speaker wants to give a demonstration on how to do a particular thing or educate their audience on how something works. This type of speech is effective in teaching your audience how to do something in the most effective way.

If you plan on giving a demonstration in your presentation, the use of physical demonstrations or visual aids can help your message be better understood by your audience.

These types of speeches are easily confused with informative speeches, so take note of their differences. While informative speeches are more theoretical in their delivery and offer no demonstrations, demonstrative speeches, in being true to their name, teach an audience how to do something in a more practical way, i.e. by giving demonstrations.

It should be noted that a demonstrative speech will only be demonstrative if it includes visual aids. Asking yourself questions like, “what is...?”, “why?” or “how?” may help you get started on your demonstrative speech.

A good example of this would be a Chemistry teacher demonstrating how to mix certain chemicals in the lab.

5. Forensic speech

The American Forensic Association defines a forensic speech as the practice and study of debating and public speaking. The association believes that this type of speech is practiced by many college and high school students.

Before giving this type of speech, students are expected to not only research and learn more about a certain topic but also practice a speech on the said topic before teaching it to an audience. Organizations and institutions of learning like universities will then hold tournaments that allow these students to present their speeches .

This type of speech bears many similarities to the competitions that were held in public forums in Ancient Greece.

6. Oratorical speech

Oratorical speeches are usually delivered by an orator. The objective of this type of speech can be to either give comfort, mourn a loss, address any important issue and how it can be dealt with or celebrate a particular event.

These speeches can also be used to express one’s opinion to the audience without necessarily having to persuade them to embrace their point of view.

Oratorical speeches can either be formal and long in nature, in situations like inaugurations, graduations and funerals, or informal and short in situations like when giving a toast during a retirement day.

A good example of an oratorical speech would be inauguration speeches, e.g. President Joe Biden’s inauguration speech .

7. Explanatory speech

These types of speeches are used to describe a particular thing or situation. These speeches give a break down on how to do something while providing the audience with an elaborate step-by-step process.

These speeches may be confused with demonstrative speeches as they have some similarities but are not, as they do not include visual aids.

A fitting example of an explanatory speech would be a lifestyle and beauty talk show host explaining how to properly cleanse one’s face by giving a step by step process of a proper skin care routine.

8. Informative speech

If you want to teach your audience something about a particular topic or educate them on new information, then informative speeches are the right fit for you. The objective of informative speeches is to break down any complicated theories into easy to understand words that can be communicated accurately and effectively.

These types of speeches can be used when teaching economic or social topics. They differ from persuasive speeches as they depend on statistics, educative studies and information as well as facts instead of relating to an audience’s emotions. These statistics and facts help support any claims that you make during your presentation.

A fitting example of an informative speech would be a museum guide giving an informative speech to a group of individuals in the museum, educating them on various artifacts using historical information.

9. Motivational speech

Are you planning to encourage your audience, give them confidence to better themselves or inspire them? Then you need a good motivational speech.

The objective of these speeches is to improve an audience’s self-esteem and lift their spirits. They can also be used to help motivate an audience or an individual to achieve a certain goal.

These types of speeches are, in a way, persuasive but instead of persuading an audience with logic, you as the speaker, stirs their emotions.

The best example of a motivational speech that moves people would be Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech.

10. Pitch Speech

Ever heard a character in a movie say that they were pitching a new idea to the board? Well this is what they mean. Pitching speeches are used to acquire approval or support for a solution, product or idea.

Salespeople are pretty good at these types of presentations (newsflash, it’s their job!) given that they pitch a product to a consumer and try to sell it to you by informing you, the consumer, about the product’s best qualities and how the product would benefit you.

Take for instance, a salesman trying to sell you a cleaning robot. They’d explain how it would ease your household chores, you wouldn’t have to dust, or vacuum or do your laundry, as it would do it all for you!

11. Debate speech

Debate speeches are speech types that follow a particular set of rules and are in some ways similar to persuasive speeches. The two should not be confused though, as the main objective of debate speeches is to defend your stance on a particular issue.

During a debate, each side is given an equal amount of time to defend their view or opinion. These speeches are improvised as you cannot predict all the arguments other debaters may throw at you (unless you can read minds of course). Debate speeches help you develop your public speaking and critical thinking skills while also improving your research and leadership skills.

These types of speeches are common in mock trials, parliamentary sessions and public forums.

12. Eulogy Speeches

Eulogy speeches, or funeral speeches as they are commonly known, are given to remember, honor or praise a deceased individual in front of an audience at a funeral service. The eulogy can be given by a relation of the deceased or by a minister chosen by the family.

The speaker may write down a heartfelt speech that not only honors the individual but also praises them for their achievements.

One of the most difficult experiences an individual can go through is losing a loved one. If you do find yourself in this situation, finding the right words may be challenging. You are therefore encouraged to speak from the heart .

13. Impromptu Speech

These types of speeches are delivered without any preparation or rehearsal. Impromptu speeches occur when one is called on to speak at an event or any other situation.

This may be stressful and intimidating for individuals who like planning things (like myself). However, once you get over the initial public speaking jitters and brush up on any concepts that are relevant, you’ll be good to go.

14. Farewell Speech

Farewell speeches , as the name implies, are used to say goodbye to people. These speeches have a unique tone to them, as they are encouraging as well as sad. They often trigger emotions both in the speaker and in the audience.

A good example of this would be bidding farewell to your colleagues and friends before you retire after working at company X for 21 years.

Conclusion: On the Different Types of Speeches

From the above, we can see that to give a speech , one needs to not only understand the different types of speeches that exist but also master their purposes and the different settings that they can be used in.

To determine the type of speech to give depending on the occasion, you should consider the message you would like to put across and how you would like to deliver it. After this, you can then think about the effect you would like your speech to have or its desired outcome. This could be, for example, teaching your audience how to use an air dryer or introducing a guest you would like the audience to remember.

Properly understanding the types of speeches mentioned above and possessing the ability to speak effortlessly in public will allow you to grow as a public speaker , which will in turn, make you better at relating with different audiences.

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Prince william asked if kate is ‘getting better’ as he steps out with king charles, queen camilla for d-day anniversary ceremony.

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Prince William proudly displayed five medals on his chest as he joined King Charles and Queen Camilla for the 80th anniversary of the historic D-Day landings .

The Prince of Wales, 41, stepped out with his father, 75, and stepmother, 76, in Portsmouth, England, south of London, on Wednesday to mark the poignant occasion.

However, one beloved royal was notably out of action — Kate Middleton.

According to Hello! magazine, a veteran asked William if Kate was “getting better” amid her cancer battle.

“She’d have loved to be here,” he reportedly replied.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, giving a speech at the 80th anniversary D-Day commemorative event in Portsmouth, England, wearing a suit adorned with five medals

The Princess of Wales, 42, is still continuing her cancer treatment behind closed doors — and is not expected to return to royal duties anytime soon .

Instead, William, the heir to the throne, represented both of them at the ceremony, at which he wore a total of five medals, including the Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, which marked the first time he has worn it.

His other medals included the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal and the King Charles III Coronation medal.

William gave a poignant speech at the ceremony, sharing that he was “deeply honored” to join veterans from the Normandy landing.

“We will always remember those who served and those who waved them off,” he said. “The mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who watched their loved ones go into battle, unsure if they would ever return.”

Princess of Wales, Catherine, sitting on a bench in a personal video message discussing her ongoing cancer treatment

“Today we remember the bravery of those who crossed this sea to liberate Europe. Those who ensured that Operation Overlord was a success. And those who waited for their safe return,” the father of three added.

Wednesday’s ceremony was the first of several events the royals are leading to commemorate D-Day this year.

The senior members of the royal family were also joined by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Hollywood actress Dame Helen Mirren.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, delivering a speech at the 80th anniversary of D-Day commemoration in Portsmouth, England.

Charles also gave a moving speech with Camilla by his side.

“We are all eternally in their debt,” the monarch told veterans and their loved ones in attendance.

“The stories of courage, resilience and solidarity which you have heard today and throughout our lives cannot fail to move us, to inspire us and to remind us of what we owe to that great wartime generation, now tragically dwindling to so few.”

Prince William and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sitting together at the 80th D-Day anniversary event in Portsmouth, Britain

“It is our duty to ensure that we and future generations do not forget their service and their sacrifice in replacing tyranny with freedom,” he added.

On Thursday, Charles, Camilla and William are set to step out in France to remember the sacrifices made by troops on D-Day.

Prince William at a podium giving a reading during the 80th anniversary D-Day commemoration event in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Britain

Later this month, the royal trio is expected to attend Trooping the Colour celebrations at Buckingham Palace.

While Princess Catherine has remained largely out of the public eye since revealing her health woes to the world in March, it’s been reported that she is “considering” making an appearance on the palace balcony on June 15.

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Using AI to decode dog vocalizations

Kate McAlpine

Leveraging a human speech model to identify different types of barks

An open-mouthed dog next to a hand holding a microphone.

Have you ever wished you could understand what your dog is trying to say to you? University of Michigan researchers are exploring the possibilities of AI, developing tools that can identify whether a dog’s bark conveys playfulness or aggression.

The same models can also glean other information from animal vocalizations, such as the animal’s age, breed and sex. A collaboration with Mexico’s National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics (INAOE) Institute in Puebla, the study finds that AI models originally trained on human speech can be used as a starting point to train new systems that target animal communication.

The results were presented at the Joint International Conference on Computational Linguistics, Language Resources and Evaluation.

“By using speech processing models initially trained on human speech, our research opens a new window into how we can leverage what we built so far in speech processing to start understanding the nuances of dog barks,” said Rada Mihalcea , the Janice M. Jenkins Collegiate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, and director of U-M’s AI Laboratory.

“There is so much we don’t yet know about the animals that share this world with us. Advances in AI can be used to revolutionize our understanding of animal communication, and our findings suggest that we may not have to start from scratch.”

One of the prevailing obstacles to developing AI models that can analyze animal vocalizations is the lack of publicly available data. While there are numerous resources and opportunities for recording human speech, collecting such data from animals is more difficult.

A man stands near a railing with a golden retriever on a leash. Behind are large buildings with red tile roofs.

“Animal vocalizations are logistically much harder to solicit and record,” said Artem Abzaliev, lead author and U-M doctoral student in computer science and engineering. “They must be passively recorded in the wild or, in the case of domestic pets, with the permission of owners.”

Because of this dearth of usable data, techniques for analyzing dog vocalizations have proven difficult to develop, and the ones that do exist are limited by a lack of training material. The researchers overcame these challenges by repurposing an existing model that was originally designed to analyze human speech.

This approach enabled the researchers to tap into robust models that form the backbone of the various voice-enabled technologies we use today, including voice-to-text and language translation. These models are trained to distinguish nuances in human speech, like tone, pitch and accent, and convert this information into a format that a computer can use to identify what words are being said, recognize the individual speaking, and more.

“These models are able to learn and encode the incredibly complex patterns of human language and speech,” Abzaliev said. “We wanted to see if we could leverage this ability to discern and interpret dog barks.”

The researchers used a dataset of dog vocalizations recorded from 74 dogs of varying breed, age and sex, in a variety of contexts. Humberto Pérez-Espinosa, a collaborator at INAOE, led the team who collected the dataset. Abzaliev then used the recordings to modify a machine-learning model—a type of computer algorithm that identifies patterns in large data sets. The team chose a speech representation model called Wav2Vec2, which was originally trained on human speech data.

With this model, the researchers were able to generate representations of the acoustic data collected from the dogs and interpret these representations. They found that Wav2Vec2 not only succeeded at four classification tasks; it also outperformed other models trained specifically on dog bark data, with accuracy figures up to 70%.

“This is the first time that techniques optimized for human speech have been built upon to help with the decoding of animal communication,” Mihalcea said. “Our results show that the sounds and patterns derived from human speech can serve as a foundation for analyzing and understanding the acoustic patterns of other sounds, such as animal vocalizations.”

In addition to establishing human speech models as a useful tool in analyzing animal communication—which could benefit biologists, animal behaviorists and more—this research has important implications for animal welfare. Understanding the nuances of dog vocalizations could greatly improve how humans interpret and respond to the emotional and physical needs of dogs, thereby enhancing their care and preventing potentially dangerous situations, the researchers said.

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15.2 Types of Special Occasion Speeches

person holding microphone with pink and blue lights around them

Unlike the informative and persuasive speeches, special occasion speeches are much broader and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. However, while the following list of special occasion speeches is long, your instructor will have specific types of special occasion speeches that you will be allowed (or required) to do for class. Since you are likely to give many special occasion speeches in your life, we want to cover everything you might need to know to give a good one.

Speeches of Introduction

The first type of special occasion speech is the speech of introduction , which is a mini speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and their speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer of a speaker stands up and says, “This is Wyatt Ford. He’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Wyatt’s speech.

Just like any other speech, a speech of introduction should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion—and should be brief. As a speech of introduction, it is important to focus on the person being introduced; the speech should be about them.

For an introduction, think of a hook that will make your audience interested in the upcoming speaker. You need to find something that can grab the audience’s attention and make them excited about hearing the main speaker.

The body of your speech of introduction should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three main points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible presenter on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech. The outline can be adjusted; for example, you can give the biographical information first, but these three areas should be covered.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the platform. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing Wyatt Ford’s advice; please join me in welcoming Dr. Wyatt Ford.” At this point, you as the person introducing the speaker are “handing off” the speaking duties to someone else, so it is not uncommon to end your speech of introduction by clapping as the speaker comes on stage or shaking the speaker’s hand.

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of special occasion speech is the speech of presentation . A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor.

The introduction in a speech of presentation needs to let the audience know what award is being presented, just a brief statement about the award is enough to begin the speech. In the body of the speech, you want to make sure you explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Next, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from the winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of acceptance. The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. In the introduction for this speech, you want to acknowledge the award, then the body of the speech usually shares these three typical components of a speech of acceptance: 1) put the award or honor into perspective, 2) thank those who helped you achieve your goal and tell stories of their contributions, and 3) discuss the work you did to achieve the award. First, you want to put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you.

Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, you want to share the work you put in to achieve this award. If you know you are up for an award, have a speech ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

Speeches of Dedication

When preparing a speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience about your relationship and your relative’s accomplishments. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a pre-existing building, you want to explain the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project.

If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a pre-existing structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community in which it is located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast . A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something he or she has done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

When preparing a toast, the first goal is always to keep your remarks brief. Toasts are generally given during the middle of festivities (e.g., wedding, retirement party, farewell party), and you don’t want your toast to take away from those festivities for too long. Second, the goal of a toast is to focus attention on the person or persons being toasted—not on the speaker.

As such, you need to focus your attention toward the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. The body of the speech should share stories or fun information about the people being toasted and should be appropriate to the occasion. You should avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like “Please join me in recognizing Gina for her achievement,” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same, and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

A roast is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Because of this combination of purposes, it is not hard to argue that the roast is a challenging type of speech to write given the difficult task of simultaneously praising and insulting the person. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years, and if you’ve ever watched one, you know that the “roasters” say some harsh things about the “roastees” even though they are friends.

Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when many people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during the roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee and the audience knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died. Not to sound depressing, but since everyone who is alive will someday die, the chance of your being asked to give a eulogy someday for a friend or family member is significant. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks.

When preparing a eulogy, first you need to know that you were asked because you are an important person in their lives and know about the deceased. The eulogy should be personal and help the audience to appreciate and celebrate the person who passed. Although eulogies are delivered on the serious and sad occasion, it is very helpful to look for at least one point to be lighter or humorous. In some cultures, in fact, the friends and family attending the funeral expect the eulogy to be highly entertaining and amusing.

Knowing the deceased and the audience is vital when deciding on the type and amount of humor to use in a eulogy. It would be appropriate to tell a funny story about Uncle Joe’s love for his car or Aunt Mary’s love of tacky Christmas sweaters. Ultimately, the goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion and to celebrate the person who has passed.

If you are ever asked to give a eulogy, here are three parts of a eulogy (i.e., main points) you can use to write one: praise, lament, and consolation.

The first thing you want to do when remembering someone who has passed away is remind the audience what made that person so special. So you will want to praise them and their accomplishments. This can include notable achievements (being an award winner; helping with charities), personal qualities (“she was always willing to listen to your problems and help in any way she could”), or anecdotes and stories (being a great mother; how she drove to college to visit you when you were homesick).

The second thing you want to do in a eulogy is to lament the loss. To lament means to express grief or sorrow, which is what everyone at a funeral has gathered to do. You will want to acknowledge that everyone is sad and that the deceased’s passing will be difficult to get through. Here you might mention all the things that will no longer happen because of the death. “Now that Grandpa is gone, there won’t be any more Sunday dinners where he cooks chicken on the grill or bakes his famous macaroni and cheese.”

The final step in a eulogy is to console the audience, or to offer comfort in a time of grief. What you must remember is that a eulogy is not a speech for the person who has died; it is a speech for the people who are still living to try to help them deal with the loss. You will want to end your eulogy on a positive note. Offer some hope that someday, things will get better.

“We may miss Aunt Linda deeply, but our memories of her will live on forever, and her impact on this world will not soon be forgotten.”

With regard to a eulogy you might give in class, you generally have two options for how to proceed: you can eulogize a real person who has passed away, or you can eulogize a fictional character (if your instructor permits that). If you give a eulogy in class on someone in your life who has passed away, be aware that it is very common for students to become emotional and have difficulty giving their speech. Even though you may have been fine practicing at home and feel good about giving it, the emotional impact of speaking about a deceased loved one in front of others can be surprisingly powerful.

Speeches for Commencements

A speech of commencement (or commencement speech) is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. These typically take place at graduation ceremonies. Nearly every one of us has sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantage of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

After-Dinner Speeches

After-dinner speeches are humorous speeches that make a serious point. These speeches get their name from the fact that they historically follow a meal of some kind. After-dinner speakers are generally asked to speak because they have the ability both to speak effectively and to make people laugh. All the basic conventions of public speaking previously discussed in this text apply to after-dinner speeches, but the overarching goal of these speeches is to be entertaining and to create an atmosphere of amusement. The speech should have a theme, such as celebrating the accomplishments of the last year, or connecting the audience to a special event that is important to the group.

When creating the speech, go back through and look for opportunities to insert humorous remarks. Once you’ve looked through your speech and examined places for verbal humor, think about any physical humor or props that would enhance your speech. The goal for a funny prop is that it adds to the humor of the speech without distracting from its message.

Just because you find something unbelievably funny in your head doesn’t mean that it will make anyone else laugh. Often, humor that we have written down on paper just doesn’t translate when orally presented. You may have a humorous story that you love reading on paper, but find that it just seems to be too long once you start telling it out loud. You also need to make sure the humor you choose will be appropriate for a specific audience. What one audience finds funny another may find offensive. Humor is the double-edged sword of public speaking. On one side, it is an amazing and powerful speaking tool, but on the other side, few things will alienate an audience more than offensive humor. If you’re ever uncertain about whether a piece of humor will offend your audience, don’t use it.

Take, for example, the experience one of your authors had while he was attending a large university. One of the major problems that any large university faces is parking: the ratio of parking spaces to students at some of these schools can be 1:7 (one parking space for every seven students). In addressing this topic at a banquet, a student gave an after-dinner speech that addressed the problem of the lack of student parking. To do so, he camouflaged his speech as a faux-eulogy (fake eulogy) for the yellow and black board on the parking lot gates that was constantly and consistently driven through by students wanting to access restricted parking. The student personified the board by noting how well it had done its job and lamented that it would never get to see its little toothpick children grow up to guard the White House. But underneath the humor incorporated into the speech was a serious message: this wouldn’t keep happening if adequate parking was provided for students on campus.

Motivational Speeches

A motivational speech is designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal. A motivational speech helps to inspire people in a broader fashion, often without a clearly articulated end result in mind. As such, motivational speaking is a highly specialized form of persuasive speaking commonly delivered in schools, businesses, religious houses of worship, and club or group contexts.

The hero speech is a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society (e.g., military speakers, political figures, and professional athletes).

The survivor speech is a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcome serious adversity.

The religious speech is self-explanatory; it is designed to incorporate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives. The final type of motivational speech is the success speech, which is given by someone who has succeeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful.

a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech

a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor

a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor

a speech delivered to mark the unveiling, opening, or acknowledging of some landmark or structure

a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember

a humorous speech designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored

a speech given in honor of someone who has died

a speech designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people

a humorous speech that makes a serious point

a speech designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal

a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society

a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcame serious adversity

a speech designed to incorporate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives

It’s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century Copyright © 2022 by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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15.3: Types of Special Occasion Speeches

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Unlike the informative and persuasive speeches, special occasion speeches are much broader and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. However, while the following list of special occasion speeches is long, your instructor will have specific types of special occasion speeches that you will be allowed (or required) to do for class. Since you are like to give many special occasion speeches in your life, we want to cover everything you might need to know to give a good one.

Speeches of Introduction

The body of your speech of introduction should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three main points). First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible presenter on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech. The outline can be adjusted; for example, you can give the biographical information first, but these three areas should be covered.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the platform. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Wyatt Ford’s advice, please join me in welcoming Dr. Wyatt Ford.” At this point, you as the person introducing the speaker are “handing off” the speaking duties to someone else, so it is not uncommon to end your speech of introduction by clapping as the speaker comes on stage or shaking the speaker’s hand.

Speeches of Presentation

The second type of special occasion speech is the speech of presentation . A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor.

The introduction in a speech of presentation needs to let the audience know what award is being presented, just a brief statement about the award is enough to begin the speech. In the body of the speech, you want to make sure you explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Next, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, you want to share the work you put in to achieve this award. If you know you are up for an award, have a speech ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

Speeches of Dedication

When preparing a speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience about your relationship and your relative’s accomplishments. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a pre-existing building, you want to explain the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project.

If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a pre- existing structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community in which it is located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast . A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something he or she has done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

As such, you need to focus your attention toward the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keeping your message about them. The body of the speech should share stories or fun information about the people being toasted and should be appropriate to the occasion. You should avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Gina for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

A roast is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Because of this combination of purposes, it is not hard to argue that the roast is probably a challenging type of speeches to write given the difficult task of simultaneously praising and insulting the person. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years, and if you’ve ever watched one, you know that the “roasters” say some harsh things about the “roastees” even though they are friends.

Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when many people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee and the audience knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

When preparing a eulogy, first you need to know that you were ask because you are an important person in their lives and know about the deceased. The eulogy should be personal and help the audience to appreciate and celebrate the person who passed. Although eulogies are delivered on the serious and sad occasion, it is very helpful to look for at least one point to be lighter or humorous. In some cultures, in fact, the friends and family attending the funeral expect the eulogy to be highly entertaining and amusing.

If you are ever asked to give a eulogy, here are three parts of a eulogy (i.e. main points) you can use to write one: praise, lament, and consolation.

The first thing you want to do when remembering someone who has passed away is remind the audience what made that person so special. So you will want to praise them and their accomplishments. This can include notable achievements (being an award winner; helping with charities), personal qualities (“she was always willing to listen to your problems and help in any way she could”), or anecdotes and stories (being a great mother; how she drove to college to visit you when you were homesick).

The second thing you want to do in a eulogy is to lament the loss. To lament means to express grief or sorrow, which is what everyone at a funeral has gathered to do. You will want to acknowledge that everyone is sad and that the deceased’s passing will be difficult to get through. Here you might mention all the things that will no longer happen because of the death. “Now that Grandpa is gone, there won’t be any more Sunday dinners where he cooks chicken on the grill or bakes his famous macaroni and cheese.”

“We may miss Aunt Linda deeply, but our memories of her will live on forever, and her impact on this world will not soon be forgotten.”

With regard to a eulogy you might give in class, you generally have two options for how to proceed: you can eulogize a real person who has passed away, or you can eulogize a fictional character (if your instructor permits that). If you give a eulogy in class on someone in your life who has passed away, be aware that it is very common for students to become emotional and have difficulty giving their speech. Even though you may have been fine practicing at home and feel good about giving it, the emotional impact of speaking about a deceased loved one in front of others can be surprisingly powerful.

Speeches for Commencements

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self- respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

After-Dinner Speeches

After-dinner speeches are humorous speeches that make a serious point. These speeches get their name from the fact that they historically follow a meal of some kind. After- dinner speakers are generally asked to speak because they have the ability both to speak effectively and to make people laugh. All the basic conventions of public speaking previously discussed in this text apply to after- dinner speeches, but the overarching goal of these speeches is to be entertaining and to create an atmosphere of amusement. The speech should have a theme, such as celebrating the accomplishments of the last year, or connecting the audience to a special event that is important to the group.

Take, for example, the experience one of your authors had while he was attending a large university. One of the major problems that any large university faces is parking: the ratio of parking spaces to students at some of these schools can be 1:7 (one parking space for every seven students). In addressing this topic at a banquet, a student gave an after- dinner speech that addressed the problem of the lack of student parking. To do so, he camouflaged his speech as a faux-eulogy (fake eulogy) for the yellow and black board on the parking lot gates that was constantly and consistently driven through by students wanting to access restricted parking. The student personified the board by noting how well it had done its job and lamented that it would never get to see its little toothpick children grow up to guard the White House. But underneath the humor incorporated into the speech was a serious message: this wouldn’t keep happening if adequate parking was provided for students on campus.

Motivational Speeches

A motivational speech is designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal. A motivational speech helps to inspire people in a broader fashion, often without a clearly articulated end result in mind. As such, motivational speaking is a highly specialized form of persuasive speaking commonly delivered in schools, businesses, religious houses of worship, and club or group contexts.

The hero speech is a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society (e.g., military speakers, political figures, and professional athletes).

The survivor speech is a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcome serious adversity.

Query \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Sharice clough to rejoin csd, this time as assistant professor.

The journey of Dr. Sharice Clough (MA-SLP, 2018) from a student to a professional in her field, and soon-to-be faculty member, speaks volumes about CSD’s bragging rights that they’re a department dedicated to cultivating leaders in the field of communication sciences and disorders.

“I’m excited and confident that Sharice will bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a deep commitment to excellence in her new role,” said Eric Hunter, Department Executive Officer and Harriet B. and Harold S. Brady Chair in Liberal Arts and Sciences.

After completing her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at Iowa, Clough embarked on doctoral studies in Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University, followed by interdisciplinary post-doctoral training in the Multimodal Language Department at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

She will join us as an assistant professor in CSD at Iowa in Fall 2026.

Clough investigates acquired neurogenic communication disorders, such as traumatic brain injury, aphasia, and dementia in adults. More specifically, she strives to know more about how people use and comprehend language in rich and dynamic contexts, like those we encounter in daily life.

Real-world communication is interactive , involving a collaborative exchange between individuals. It is also multimodal , containing a variety of communicative cues like speech, gesture, facial expressions, and eye gaze. Her goal is to better understand how these flexible and social language abilities are disrupted by brain injury.

For example, in a recent behavioral experiment, she examined how adults with and without traumatic brain injury adapted their speech, gesture, and eye gaze behavior when talking to groups of listeners with different levels of knowledge based on their prior interactions. These types of social skills underlie the ability to design our communication appropriately and efficiently for different audiences (e.g., talking to a friend versus a group of coworkers).

"Although people with traumatic brain injury can have difficulty with social communication, we tend to assess language in very controlled and isolated contexts in both the clinic and lab," she said. “It’s critical that we incorporate these dynamic and rich properties of language into our practices to create assessments that sensitively detect communication difficulties and treatments that generalize beyond the clinic room into the real world.”

Clough uses a variety of methods to study the cognitive and neural systems that underlie neurogenic communication disorders, such as behavioral testing, eye-tracking, motion tracking, neuropsychological testing, and lesion mapping. In addition to advancing our understanding of the communication abilities of people with acquired brain injury, combining these methods allows her to learn more about the links between language and the brain.

“Iowa CSD is the perfect place to grow my research program and lab. My experiences as a master’s student in the department opened many doors for me and ignited a passion for science and discovery that I’m excited to pass on to future students. Iowa has all the right ingredients and an incredible community of scholars who I’m thrilled to be joining,” she said.

Hunter says he’s eager to see the research, academic, and leadership impacts Clough will undoubtedly have on the CSD program and its students.

“ Iowa CSD leans into its mission to foster a culture of growth and discovery. Our graduates –such as Sharice -- go on to achieve great things, and it’s doubly-fulfilling when those individuals return to give back to the community that supported them,” he said.

NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity working to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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39 Chapter 15: Special Occasion Speaking

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, the student will be able to

Understand the differences between research-based speeches (infor- mative and persuasive) and special occasion speeches;
Identify the types of special occasion speeches;
Use language to create emotional and evocative phrases;
Understand the proper techniques for delivering a special occasion speech.

Chapter Preview

– Understanding Special Occasion Speeches

– types of special occasion speeches, – special occasion language, – special occasion delivery.

Often the speaking opportunities life brings our way have nothing to do with specifically informing or persuading an audience; instead, we are commonly asked to speak during special occasions in our lives. Whether you are standing up to give a speech at an awards ceremony or a toast at a wedding, knowing how to deliver speeches in a variety of different contexts is the nature of special occasion speaking. In this chapter, we are going to explore what special occasion speeches are as well as a number of types of special occasion speeches ranging from humorous to somber.

Special Occasion Speecha speech designed to capture an audience’s attention while deliv- ering a message In broad terms, a special occasion speech is a speech designed to de- signed to address and engage the context and audience’s emotions on a specific occasion. Like informative or persuasive speeches, special occa- sion speeches should communicate a clear message, but the manner of speaking used is typically different. The word “special” in the term “special occasion speeches” is somewhat subjective in that while some speaking occasions truly are special occasions (e.g., a toast at a wedding, an accep- tance speech at an awards banquet, a eulogy for a loved one), they can also be given at more mundane events, such as the hundreds of public relations speeches that big companies give every day. The goal of a special occasion speech is ultimately to stir an audience’s emotions and make them feel a certain way in response to the situation or occasion.

Of all the types of speeches we are most likely to have to give during our lives, many of them will fall into the special occasion category. These often include speeches that are designed to inspire or motivate an audience to do something. These are, however, different from a traditional persuasive speech. Let’s say you’re the coach of your child’s Little League team or a project leader at your work. In both cases you might find yourself deliv- ering a speech to motivate and inspire your teams to do their best. You can imagine how giving a motivational speech like that would be different

from a traditional persuasive speech, focusing on why a group of 50-some- things should change their investment strategy or a group of your peers to vote for a certain candidate for Student Senate.

Be Prepared

First, and foremost, the biggest mistake you can make when standing to deliver a special occasion speech is to underprepare or simply not prepare at all. We’ve stressed the need for preparation throughout this text, so just because you’re giving a wedding toast or a eulogy doesn’t mean you

shouldn’t think through the speech before you stand up and speak out. If the situation is impromptu, even jotting some basic notes on a napkin is better than not having any plan for what you are going to say.

Adapt to the Occasion

Not all content is appropriate for all occasions. If you are asked to deliver a speech commemorating the first anniversary of a school shooting, then obviously using humor and telling jokes wouldn’t be appropriate. But some decisions about adapting to the occasion are less obvious. Consider the following examples:

You are the maid of honor giving a toast at the wedding of your younger sister.
You are receiving a Most Valuable Player award in your favorite sport.
You are a sales representative speaking to a group of clients after a mistake has been discovered.
You are a cancer survivor speaking at a high school student assembly.
You are giving an after-dinner speech to the members of your frater- nity.

How might you adapt your message and speaking style to successfully con- vey your message to these various audiences?

Remember that being a competent speaker is about being both personally effective and socially appropriate. Different occasions will call for different levels of social appropriateness. One of the biggest mistakes entertaining speakers can make is to deliver one generic speech to different groups without adapting the speech to the specific occasion. In fact, professional speakers always make sure that their speeches are tailored for different oc- casions by getting information about the occasion from their hosts. When we tailor speeches for special occasions, people are more likely to remem- ber those speeches than if we give a generic speech.

Adapt to Your Audience

Once again, we cannot stress the importance of audience adaptation enough in this text. Different audiences will respond differently to speech material, so the more you know about your audience, the more likely you’ll succeed in your speech. One of our coauthors was once at a conference for teachers of public speaking. The keynote speaker stood and delivered a speech on the importance of public speaking. While the speaker was good and funny, the speech really fell flat. The keynote speaker basically told the public speaking teachers that they should take public speaking courses because public speaking is important. Right speech, wrong audience!

Be Mindful of the Time

The last major consideration for delivering special occasion speeches successfully is to be mindful of your time. Different speech situations have their own conventions and rules with regard to time. Acceptance speech- es and toasts, for example, should be relatively short (typically under two minutes). A speech of introduction should be extremely brief—just long enough to tell the audience what they need to know about the person being introduced in a style that prepares them to appreciate that person’s remarks. In contrast, commencement speeches, eulogies, and speeches to commemorate events can run ten to twenty minutes in length, depending on the context.

It’s also important to recognize that audiences on different occasions will expect speeches of various lengths. For example, although it’s true that graduation commencement speakers generally speak for ten to twenty minutes, the closer that speaker heads toward twenty minutes the more fidgety the audience becomes. To hold the audience’s attention, a com- mencement speaker would do well to make the closing minutes of the speech the most engaging and inspiring portion of the speech. If you’re not sure about the expected time frame for a speech, ask the person who has invited you to speak.

have specific types of special occasion speeches that you will be allowed (or required) to do for class. Since you are like to give many special occasion speeches in your life, we want to cover everything you might need to know to give a good one.

Speeches of Introduction

Speech of introductiona mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces anoth- er speaker and his or her speech The first type of special occasion speech is the speech of introduction , which is a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and their speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer of a speaker stands up and says, “This is Wyatt Ford. He’s going to talk about stress.” While we did learn the speaker’s name and the topic, the introduction falls flat. Audiences won’t be the least bit excited about listening to Wyatt’s speech.

things are worse” scenario: an introductory speaker who rambles on for too long or who talks about himself or herself instead of focusing on the person being introduced.

For an introduction, think of a hook that will make your audience inter- ested in the upcoming speaker. Did you read a news article related to the speaker’s topic? Have you been impressed by a presentation you’ve heard the speaker give in the past? You need to find something that can grab the audience’s attention and make them excited about hearing the main speaker.

First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Most of the time as an introducer, you’ll only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. That’s all right. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the main speaker’s speech; you just need to know enough to whet the audi- ence’s appetite. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible presenter on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech. The outline can be adjusted; for example, you can give the biographical information first, but these three areas should be covered.

The final part of a good introduction is the conclusion, which is generally designed to welcome the speaker to the platform. Many introducers will conclude by saying something like, “I am looking forward to hearing how Wyatt Ford’s advice and wisdom can help all of us today, so please join me in welcoming Dr. Wyatt Ford.” At this point, you as the person introduc- ing the speaker are “handing off” the speaking duties to someone else, so it is not uncommon to end your speech of introduction by clapping as the speaker comes on stage or shaking the speaker’s hand.

Speech of presentationa brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor Speeches of Presentation

The second type of special occasion speech is the speech of presenta- tion . A speech of presentation is a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor. Speeches of presentation can be as simple as saying, “This year’s recipient of the Lavache Public Speaking prize is Ryann Curley,” or could last up to five minutes as the speaker explains why the honoree was cho- sen for the award. An interesting example of a speech presenting an award is this one by Zoe Saldana for J.J. Abrams (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=x03cGSszr8Q).

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of lit- erature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or compe- tition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

Speech of acceptancea speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of accep- tance . The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. There are three typical components of a speech of ac-

ceptance: 1) thank the givers of the award or honor, 2) thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and 3) put the award or honor into perspec- tive. First, you want to thank the people who have given you the award or honor and possibly those who voted for you. We see this done every year during the Oscars, “First, I’d like to thank the Academy and all the Acade- my voters.”

Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspec- tive. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you. If you know you are up for an award, the odds of your winning are high. In order to avoid blubbering through an acceptance speech, have one ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

Speeches of Dedication

Speech of dedicationa speech delivered to mark the unveiling, opening, or acknowl- edging of some land- mark or structure A fourth special occasion speech is the speech of dedication . A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and possibly those to whom the project has been dedicated.

When preparing a speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience about your relationship and your rela- tive’s accomplishments. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicat- ed. If the dedication is a new building or a pre-existing building, you want

to explain the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project.

If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the struc- ture or designed it. If the project is a pre-existing structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community in which it is located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

Toasta speech designed to congratulate, appreci- ate, or remember Toasts

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast. A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remem- ber. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating some- one for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast some- one to show your appreciation for something he or she has done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

As such, while you are speaking, you need to focus your attention toward the people being toasted, both by physically looking at them and by keep- ing your message about them. You should also avoid any inside jokes between you and the people being toasted because toasts are public and should be accessible for everyone who hears them. To conclude a toast, simply say something like, “Please join me in recognizing Gina for her achievement” and lift your glass. When you lift your glass, this will signal

to others to do the same and then you can all take a drink, which is the end of your speech.

Roasta humorous speech designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored A roast is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Because of this combination of purposes, it is not hard to argue that the roast is probably a challenging type of speeches to write given the difficult task of simultaneously praising and insulting the person. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achieve- ments. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years, and if you’ve ever watched one, you know that the “roasters” say some harsh things about the “roastees” even though they are friends.

Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee and the audi- ence knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

Eulogya speech given in hon- or of someone who has died A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died (Don’t confuse “eulogy” with “elegy,” a poem or song of mourning). Not to sound depressing, but since everyone who is alive will someday die, the chance of your being asked to give a eulogy someday for a friend or family member is significant. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks.

Take, for example, Tom Arnold’s eulogy of Saturday Night Live actor Chris Farley. During his speech at Farley’s funeral, Arnold noted, “Chris was concerned about his size, and so he made sure that all of us who knew him well saw him naked at least once” (Glionna, 1998). Picturing the heavy-set comedian naked surely brought some humor to the somber pro- ceedings, but Arnold knew Farley (and his audience) well enough to know that the story would be appropriate.

of tacky Christmas sweaters. Ultimately, the goal of the humor or lighter aspects of a eulogy is to relieve the tension that is created by the serious nature of the occasion.

Lamentto express grief or sorrow The second thing you want to do in a eulogy is to lament the loss. To lament means to express grief or sorrow, which is what everyone at a funeral has gathered to do. You will want to acknowledge that everyone is sad and that the deceased’s passing will be difficult to get through. Here you might mention all the things that will no longer happen as a result of the death. “Now that Grandpa is gone, there won’t be any more Sunday dinners where he cooks chicken on the grill or bakes his famous macaroni and cheese.”

Consoleto offer comfort in a time of grief The final step (or main point) in a eulogy is to console the audience, or to offer comfort in a time of grief. What you must remember (and many people often forget) is that a eulogy is not a speech for the person who has died; it is a speech for the people who are still living to try to help them deal with the loss. You will want to end your eulogy on a positive note.

Offer some hope that someday, things will get better. If the deceased was a religious person, this is where you might want to incorporate elements of that belief system. Some examples would include ideas like:

“Jim has gone home to be with the Lord and is looking down on us fondly today.”

“We may miss Aunt Linda deeply, but our memories of her will live on forever, and her impact on this world will not soon be forgot- ten.”

Using the Praise-Lament-Console format for eulogies gives you a simple system where you can fill in the sections with 1) why was the person good,

why you will miss him or her, and 3) how you and the audience will get through this loss. It sometimes also helps to think of the three points in terms of Past-Present-Future: you will praise the deceased for what he did when he was alive (the past), lament the loss you are feeling now (the present), and console your audience by letting them know that things will be all right (the future).

With regard to a eulogy you might give in class, you generally have two options for how to proceed: you can eulogize a real person who has passed away, or you can eulogize a fictional character (if your instructor permits that). If you give a eulogy in class on someone in your life who has actu- ally passed away, be aware that it is very common for students to become emotional and have difficulty giving their speech. Even though you may have been fine practicing at home and feel good about giving it, the emo- tional impact of speaking about a deceased loved one in front of others can be surprisingly powerful. Conversely, if you give a eulogy on a fictional character, you must treat your classroom assignment eulogy as you would

a real eulogy. You wouldn’t make fun of or trivialize someone’s life at an actual funeral, so don’t do that in your eulogy for a serious speech assign- ment either.

Speeches of Farewell

Speech of farewella speech allowing someone to say good- bye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life A speech of farewell allows someone to say good-bye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life. Maybe you’ve accepted a new job and are leaving your current job, or you’re graduating from college and entering the work force. Periods of transition are often marked by speeches of farewell. When preparing a speech of farewell, the goal should be to thank the people in your current position and let them know how much you appreciate them as you make the move to your next position in life. Second, you want to express to your audience how much the experience has meant to you. A farewell speech is a time to commemo- rate and think about the good times you’ve had. As such, you should avoid negativity during this speech. Lastly, you want to make sure that you end on a high note.

Speeches for Commencements

Speech of commencementa speech designed to recognize and cele- brate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people A speech of commencement (or, as it is more commonly known,

a “commencement speech”) is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. These typi- cally take place at graduation ceremonies. Nearly every one of us has sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. A famous and well-thought-out commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard Univer- sity in 2008 (found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck). Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commence- ment speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and over- coming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experi- ences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them .
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

After-Dinner Speeches

After-dinner speecha humorous speech that makes a serious point After-dinner speeches are humorous speeches that make a serious point. These speeches get their name from the fact that they historically follow a meal of some kind. After-dinner speakers are generally asked to speak (or hired to speak) because they have the ability both to speak effec- tively and to make people laugh. First and foremost, after-dinner speeches are speeches and not stand-up comedy routines. All the basic conventions of public speaking previously discussed in this text apply to after-dinner speeches, but the overarching goal of these speeches is to be entertaining and to create an atmosphere of amusement.

After-dinner speaking is an extremely difficult type of speaking to do well because it is an entertaining speech that depends on the successful deliv- ery of humor. People train for years to develop comic timing, or the verbal and nonverbal delivery used to enhance the comedic value of a message. But after-dinner speaking is difficult, not impossible. What follows is the method we recommend for developing a successful after-dinner speech.

First, use all that you have learned about informative or persuasive speech- es to prepare a real informative or persuasive speech roughly two-thirds the length of what the final speech will become. That is, if you’re going to be giving a ten-minute speech, then your “real” informative or persuasive speech should be six or seven minutes in length. This is the “serious mes- sage” portion of the speech where you will try to make a point of educating your audience.

Next, go back through the speech and look for opportunities to insert hu- morous remarks. Once you’ve looked through your speech and examined places for verbal humor, think about any physical humor or props that would enhance your speech. Physical humor is great if you can pull it off without being self-conscious. One of the biggest mistakes any humorist makes is to become too aware of what his or her body is doing because it’s then harder to be free and funny. As for props, after-dinner speakers have been known to use everything from oversized inflatable baseball bats to rubber clown noses. The goal for a funny prop is that it adds to the humor of the speech without distracting from its message.

Last, and probably most important, try the humor out on real, live people. This is important for three reasons. First, the success of humor depends heavily on delivery, and especially timing in delivery. You will need prac- tice to polish your delivery so that your humor comes across. If you can’t make it through one of your jokes without cracking up, you will need to either incorporate the self-crackup into your delivery or forgo using that joke.

Second, just because you find something unbelievably funny in your head doesn’t mean that it will make anyone else laugh. Often, humor that we have written down on paper just doesn’t translate when orally presented. You may have a humorous story that you love reading on paper, but find that it just seems to drone on once you start telling it out loud. Further- more, remember there is a difference between written and verbal language, and this also translates to how humor is interpreted. Third, you need to make sure the humor you choose will be appropriate for a specific audi- ence. What one audience finds funny another may find offensive. Humor is the double-edged sword of public speaking. On one side, it is an amazing and powerful speaking tool, but on the other side, few things will alienate an audience more than offensive humor. If you’re ever uncertain about whether a piece of humor will offend your audience, don’t use it.

Take, for example, the experience one of your authors had while he was attending a large university. One of the major problems that any large university faces is parking: the ratio of parking spaces to students at some of these schools can be 1:7 (one parking space for every seven students). In addressing this topic at a banquet, a student gave an after- dinner speech that addressed the problem of the lack of student parking. To do so, he camouflaged his speech as a faux-eulogy (fake eulogy) for the yellow and black board on the parking lot gates (see Image 15.1) that was constantly and consistently driven through by students wanting to access restricted parking. The student personified the board by noting how well it had done its job and lamented that it would never get to see its little toothpick chil- dren grow up to guard the White House. But underneath the humor incor- porated into the speech was a serious message: this wouldn’t keep happen- ing if adequate parking was provided for students on campus.

Motivational speecha speech designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy,excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal Motivational Speeches

A motivational speech is designed not only to make an audience expe- rience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to moti- vate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal. Whereas a traditional persuasive speech may want listeners to purchase product X or agree with idea Y, a motivational speech helps to inspire people in a broad- er fashion, often without a clearly articulated end result in mind. As such, motivational speaking is a highly specialized form of persuasive speaking commonly delivered in schools, businesses, religious houses of worship, and club or group contexts. The Toastmasters International Guide to

Hero speecha motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society Successful Speaking (Slutsky & Aun, 1997) lists four types of motivational speeches: hero, survivor, religious, and success.

Survivor speecha speech given by someone who has sur- vived a personal trag- edy or who has faced and overcame serious adversity The survivor speech is a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcome serious adversity. In the following clip, cancer survivor Becky M. Olsen discusses being a cancer survivor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuo1u_C9_3g). Becky Olsen goes all over the country talking with and motivating cancer survivors to beat the odds.

Religious speecha speech designed to incorporate religious ideals into a moti- vational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives The religious speech is fairly self-explanatory; it is designed to incor- porate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives. The final type of motivational speech is the success speech , which is given by someone who has succeeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful.

Success speecha speech given by someone who has suc- ceeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful As stated at the beginning of this section, you will almost certainly be lim- ited by your professor with regards to which of these types of speeches you can give for your special occasion speech in class, but it is not unrealistic to think that you will be called upon at various points in your life to give one or more of these speeches. Knowing the types and basic structures will help when those moments arise.

Special occasion speaking is so firmly rooted in the use of good language that it makes sense to address it here, drawing from concepts in Chapter

More than any other category of speech, the special occasion speech is arguably one where the majority of your preparation time will be spe- cifically allocated towards the words you choose. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t have used good language in your informative and persuasive

speeches, but that the emphasis shifts slightly in a special occasion speech.

For example, for your informative and persuasive speeches you were required to conduct research and cite your sources in a bibliography or references/works cited page, which took you some time to look up and for- mat. In most cases, that will not be necessary in a special occasion speech, although there may be reasons to consult sources or other persons for in- formation in crafting your speech. So for special occasion speeches, there

is a trade-off. The time you don’t spend doing research is now going to be reallocated towards crafting emotional and evocative phrases that convey the sentiment your speech is meant to impart.

The important thing to remember about using language effectively is that we are not talking about using big words just to sound smart. Do not touch a thesaurus! Good language isn’t about trying to impress us with fancy words. It’s about taking the words you are already comfortable and famil- iar with and putting them in the best possible order. Consider the follow- ing example from the then-president of the Ohio State University, Gordon Gee, giving a commencement address at Florida State University in 1997:

As you look back on your years at Florida State I hope you remem- ber many good things that have happened. These experiences are, for the most part, events of the mind. The memories, ladies and gentlemen, however, are treasures of the heart.

Notice three things about his use of language: first, he doesn’t try to use any fancy words, which he certainly could if he wanted to. Every word in this portion of his speech is one that all of us knew by the time we left elementary school, so again, don’t mistake good language for big words.

Using a five-syllable word when a two-syllable word will work just as well often means a speaker is trying too hard to sound smart. And given that the use of those big words often comes off sounding awkward or inappro- priate, you’re better off just sticking with what you know.

Second, notice how he uses those basic words to evoke emotion and won- derment. Putting the words you know into the best possible order, when done well, will make your speech sound extremely eloquent and emotional. Third, he uses parallelism in this brief snippet, one of the rhetorical tech- niques discussed in Chapter 10. The use of “events of the mind” and “trea- sures of the heart” to compare what is truly important about the college experience is powerful. Indeed, Gee’s commencement address is full of various rhetorical devices, with the twelve-minute speech also containing alliteration, assonance, and antithesis.

Just as the language for special occasion speaking is slightly different, so too are the ways in which you will want to deliver your speech. First and foremost, since you will be spending so much time crafting the perfect language to use and putting your words in the right order, it is imperative that you say exactly what you have written; otherwise, what was the point? To that end, your delivery for a special occasion speech will skew slightly more in favor of manuscript speaking discussed in Chapter 11. While it is still vital to establish eye contact with your audience and to not sound like you are reading, it is also important to get the words exactly right.

You will need to practice your special occasion speech as much as or even more than you did for your informative or persuasive speeches. You need to know what you are going to say and feel comfortable knowing what is coming next. This is not to say you should have your speech memorized, but you need to be able to take your eyes off the page in order to establish and maintain a rapport with your audience, a vital element in special oc- casion speaking because of the emotional component at the core of these speeches. Knowing your speech will also allow you to counteract the flow of adrenaline into your system, something particularly important given that special occasion speeches tend to be very emotional, not just for the audience, but for you as well.

Basically, knowing your speech well allows you to incorporate the emotion that a special occasion speech is meant to convey, something that is hard to do when you read the entirety of your speech. In this way your audience will sense the pride you feel for a graduating class during a commence- ment speech, the sorrow you feel for the deceased during a eulogy, or the gratitude you have when accepting an award.

Special occasion speaking is the most varied type of speaking to cover; however, there are some general rules to keep in mind regardless of what type you are engaged in. Remember that using good, evocative language is key, and that it is important that you deliver your speech in a way that both conveys the proper emotion for the occasion as well as allows you to give the speech exactly as you wrote it.

Sample Outline: Commemorative (Tribute) Speech on Simone Biles

By Kellie Barnes

Specific Purpose: To inspire my audience with the story of Simone Biles.

Introduction: “I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles!” Said Simone, and boy did she earn that kind of recognition! Some of you might hear that name and think of a random gymnast and some of you may hear that name and not know who it is at all; but today, before this class is over, I am going to make sure each and every one of you remember just how great she is and why she deserves to be recognized.

Thesis: A person whom I admire over all other athletes is Simone Biles.

Preview: Simone is special in my eyes because she has overcome some big challenges in her life to get to where she is today. Not only is she a 3-time gymnastics champion, but she made history while doing it.

Simone overcame an extremely rough childhood in Columbus,

Ohio, as both her mother and father were struggling with sub- stance abuse.

Simone’s grandparents took her and her siblings under their wings.
Soon her grandparents were able to adopt all of the grand- children at a fairly young age.
Although Simone didn’t have the best relationship with her mom as a young child, she had plenty of women to step up in her life to fill that gap. Not only did s
She had a grandmother who was basically “Mom” to her.
She has also had the same gymnastics coach since she was 11 years old.

Transition: Although Simone had a rather disheartening childhood, she has emerged to be one of the best in her sport.

In her teens and standing at 4 foot 8 inches, Simone made a tre- mendous name for herself in the gymnastics world. These are just a few of her accomplishments.
Simone was the first female ever to win three worldwide all-around titles.
She has the most World Championship gold medals won by a female gymnast in history with ten.
She is the most decorated World Championship American gymnast with 14 total medals (10 gold, two silver, two bronze).
She became the Olympic Gold medalist in vault, floor, Indi- vidual and Team all-around and Bronze medalist on Beam at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
At just 19 years old, she became the most decorated female gymnast in America.
Right behind her the whole time stood her amazing family and support system.
She is the first African American to become an all- around world champ.
Consequently, she has received many media awards and much attention.
She was named one of the Most Influential People in the World list by TIME magazine.
She was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year 2016.

Transition: Simone was so incredibly grateful that she had people to take her in and support her through all of her success she tried her best to do the same for others who were in need.

Simone started an amazing charity for foster kids as a way for her to give back.
Founded in 2015, Mattress Firm Foster Kids is now effec- tive in 40 states nationwide.
“This is such a personal cause for me because I know first- hand what it is like to be in foster care, the struggles and all,” says Simone.
This cause has given back more than 610,000 items, such as clothes and school supplies, to foster kids and their fam- ilies.

Conclusion: As I sit back and look at the life of Simone Biles I’m amazed with all that she has done in such a short amount of time. At 20 years old she had given back to those in need, rose above many tough challenges in her life, and amongst all of that she is having the time of her life on the

mat, and earning medals and honors while doing so. “I’m out here to prove what I’m capable of” said Simone and in my eyes, she is doing just that.

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18.2 Types of Special Occasion Speeches

A small metal sculpture of Pistol Pete with a label that says "100 Years of Pistol Pete" OSU Alumni Association.

Unlike the informative and persuasive speeches you were required to give, special occasion speeches are much broader and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. However, while the following list of special occasion speeches is long, your instructor will have specific types of special occasion speeches that you will be allowed (or required) to do for class. Since you are like to give many special occasion speeches in your life, we want to cover everything you might need to know to give a good one.

Speeches of Introduction

The body of your speech of introduction should be devoted to telling the audience about the speaker’s topic, why the speaker is qualified, and why the audience should listen (notice we now have our three main points).First, tell your audience in general terms about the overarching topic of the speech. Most of the time as an introducer, you’ll only have a speech title and maybe a paragraph of information to help guide this part of your speech. That’s all right. You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of the main speaker’s speech; you just need to know enough to whet the audience’s appetite. Next, you need to tell the audience why the speaker is a credible presenter on the topic. Has the speaker written books or articles on the subject? Has the speaker had special life events that make him or her qualified? Lastly, you need to briefly explain to the audience why they should care about the upcoming speech. The outline can be adjusted; for example, you can give the biographical information first, but these three areas should be covered.

Speeches of Presentation

When preparing a speech of presentation, it’s always important to ask how long the speech should be. Once you know the time limit, then you can set out to create the speech itself. First, you should explain what the award or honor is and why the presentation is important. Second, you can explain what the recipient has accomplished in order for the award to be bestowed. Did the person win a race? Did the person write an important piece of literature? Did the person mediate conflict? Whatever the recipient has done, you need to clearly highlight his or her work. Lastly, if the race or competition was conducted in a public forum and numerous people didn’t win, you may want to recognize those people for their efforts as well. While you don’t want to steal the show away from winner, you may want to highlight the work of the other competitors or nominees.

Speeches of Acceptance

Second, you want to give credit to those who helped you achieve the award or honor. No person accomplishes things in life on his or her own. We all have family members, friends, and colleagues who support us and help us achieve what we do in life, and a speech of acceptance is a great time to graciously recognize those individuals. Lastly, put the award in perspective. Tell the people listening to your speech why the award is meaningful to you. If you know you are up for an award, the odds of your winning are high. In order to avoid blubbering through an acceptance speech, have one ready. A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short.

Speeches of Dedication

When preparing a speech of dedication, start by explaining how you are involved in the dedication. If the person to whom the dedication is being made is a relative, tell the audience about your relationship and your relative’s accomplishments. Second, you want to explain what is being dedicated. If the dedication is a new building or a pre-existing building, you want to explain the importance of the structure. You should then explain who was involved in the project.

If the project is a new structure, talk about the people who built the structure or designed it. If the project is a pre-existing structure, talk about the people who put together and decided on the dedication. Lastly, explain why the structure is important for the community in which it is located. If the dedication is for a new store, talk about how the store will bring in new jobs and new shopping opportunities. If the dedication is for a new wing of a hospital, talk about how patients will be served and the advances in medicine the new wing will provide the community.

At one time or another, almost everyone is going to be asked to deliver a toast . A toast is a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember. First, toasts can be delivered for the purpose of congratulating someone for an honor, a new job, or getting married. You can also toast someone to show your appreciation for something he or she has done. Lastly, we toast people to remember them and what they have accomplished.

A roast is a very interesting and peculiar speech because it is designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored. Because of this combination of purposes, it is not hard to argue that the roast is probably a challenging type of speeches to write given the difficult task of simultaneously praising and insulting the person. Generally, roasts are given at the conclusion of a banquet in honor of someone’s life achievements. The television station Comedy Central has been conducting roasts of various celebrities for a few years, and if you’ve ever watched one, you know that the “roasters” say some harsh things about the “roastees” even though they are friends.

Second, when selecting which aspects to poke fun at, you need to make sure that the items you choose are widely known by your audience. Roasts work when the majority of people in the audience can relate to the jokes being made. If you have an inside joke with the roastee, bringing it up during roast may be great fun for the two of you, but it will leave your audience unimpressed. Lastly, end on a positive note. While the jokes are definitely the fun part of a roast, you should leave the roastee and the audience knowing that you truly do care about and appreciate the person.

A eulogy is a speech given in honor of someone who has died (Don’t confuse “eulogy” with “elegy,” a poem or song of mourning). Not to sound depressing, but since everyone who is alive will someday die, the chance of your being asked to give a eulogy someday for a friend or family member is significant. However, when the time comes to deliver a eulogy, it’s good to know what you’re doing and to adequately prepare your remarks.

The first thing you want to do when remembering someone who has passed away is remind the audience what made that person so special. So you will want to praise them and their accomplishments. This can include notable achievements (being an award winner; helping with charities), personal qualities (“she was always willing to listen to your problems and help in any way she could”), or anecdotes and stories (being a great mother; how she drove to college to visit you when you were homesick).

“Jim has gone home to be with the Lord and is looking down on us fondly today.” “We may miss Aunt Linda deeply, but our memories of her will live on forever, and her impact on this world will not soon be forgotten.”

With regard to a eulogy you might give in class, you generally have two options for how to proceed: you can eulogize a real person who has passed away, or you can eulogize a fictional character (if your instructor permits that). If you give a eulogy in class on someone in your life who has actually passed away, be aware that it is very common for students to become emotional and have difficulty giving their speech. Even though you may have been fine practicing at home and feel good about giving it, the emotional impact of speaking about a deceased loved one in front of others can be surprisingly powerful. Conversely, if you give a eulogy on a fictional character, you must treat your classroom assignment eulogy as you would a real eulogy. You wouldn’t make fun of or trivialize someone’s life at an actual funeral, so don’t do that in your eulogy for a serious speech assignment either.

Speeches of Farewell

Speeches for Commencements

A speech of commencement (or, as it is more commonly known, a “commencement speech”) is designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people. These typically take place at graduation ceremonies. Nearly every one of us has sat through commencement speeches at some point in our lives. And if you’re like us, you’ve heard good ones and bad ones. Numerous celebrities and politicians have been asked to deliver commencement speeches at colleges and universities. A famous and well-thought-out commencement speech was given by famed Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling at Harvard University in 2008 (found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck). Rowling’s speech has the perfect balance of humor and inspiration, which are two of the main ingredients of a great commencement speech.

If you’re ever asked to deliver a commencement speech, there are some key points to think through when deciding on your speech’s content.

If there is a specific theme for the graduation, make sure that your commencement speech addresses that theme. If there is no specific theme, come up with one for your speech. Some common commencement speech themes are commitment, competitiveness, competence, confidence, decision making, discipline, ethics, failure (and overcoming failure), faith, generosity, integrity, involvement, leadership, learning, persistence, personal improvement, professionalism, reality, responsibility, and self-respect.
Talk about your life and how graduates can learn from your experiences to avoid pitfalls or take advantages of life. How can your life inspire the graduates in their future endeavors?
Make the speech humorous. Commencement speeches should be entertaining and make an audience laugh.
Be brief! Nothing is more painful than a commencement speaker who drones on and on. Remember, the graduates are there to get their diplomas; their families are there to watch the graduates walk across the stage.
Remember, while you may be the speaker, you’ve been asked to impart wisdom and advice for the people graduating and moving on with their lives, so keep it focused on them.
Place the commencement speech into the broader context of the graduates’ lives. Show the graduates how the advice and wisdom you are offering can be utilized to make their own lives better.

After-Dinner Speeches

Just because you find something unbelievably funny in your head doesn’t mean that it will make anyone else laugh. Often, humor that we have written down on paper just doesn’t translate when orally presented. You may have a humorous story that you love reading on paper, but find that it just seems to drone on once you start telling it out loud. Furthermore, remember there is a difference between written and verbal language, and this also translates to how humor is interpreted. Third, you need to make sure the humor you choose will be appropriate for a specific audience. What one audience finds funny another may find offensive. Humor is the double-edged sword of public speaking. On one side, it is an amazing and powerful speaking tool, but on the other side, few things will alienate an audience more than offensive humor. If you’re ever uncertain about whether a piece of humor will offend your audience, don’t use it.

Take, for example, the experience one of your authors had while he was attending a large university. One of the major problems that any large university faces is parking: the ratio of parking spaces to students at some of these schools can be 1:7 (one parking space for every seven students). In addressing this topic at a banquet, a student gave an after- dinner speech that addressed the problem of the lack of student parking. To do so, he camouflaged his speech as a faux-eulogy (fake eulogy) for the yellow and black board on the parking lot gates (see Image 15.1) that was constantly and consistently driven through by students wanting to access restricted parking. The student personified the board by noting how well it had done its job and lamented that it would never get to see its little toothpick children grow up to guard the White House. But underneath the humor incorporated into the speech was a serious message: this wouldn’t keep happening if adequate parking was provided for students on campus.

Motivational Speeches

A motivational speech is designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal. Whereas a traditional persuasive speech may want listeners to purchase product X or agree with idea Y, a motivational speech helps to inspire people in a broader fashion, often without a clearly articulated end result in mind. As such, motivational speaking is a highly specialized form of persuasive speaking commonly delivered in schools, businesses, religious houses of worship, and club or group contexts. The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking (Slutsky & Aun, 1997) lists four types of motivational speeches: hero, survivor, religious, and success.

The religious speech is fairly self-explanatory; it is designed to incorporate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives. The final type of motivational speech is the success speech, which is given by someone who has succeeded in some aspect of life and is giving back by telling others how they too can be successful.

a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and his or her speech

a brief speech given to accompany a prize or honor

a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor

a speech delivered to mark the unveiling, opening, or acknowledging of some landmark or structure

a speech designed to congratulate, appreciate, or remember

a humorous speech designed to both praise and good-naturedly insult a person being honored

a speech given in honor of someone who has died

to express grief or sorrow

a speech allowing someone to say goodbye to one part of his or her life as he or she is moving on to the next part of life

a speech designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a graduating class or other group of people

a humorous speech that makes a serious point

a speech designed not only to make an audience experience emotional arousal (fear, sadness, joy, excitement) but also to motivate the audience to do something with that emotional arousal

a motivational speech given by someone who is considered a hero in society

a speech given by someone who has survived a personal tragedy or who has faced and overcame serious adversity

a speech designed to incorporate religious ideals into a motivational package to inspire an audience into thinking about or changing aspects of their religious lives

Introduction to Speech Communication Copyright © 2021 by Individual authors retain copyright of their work. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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COMMENTS

18.2 Special-Occasion Speeches
Key Takeaways. There are eight common forms of ceremonial speaking: introduction, presentation, acceptance, dedication, toast, roast, eulogy, and farewell. Speeches of introduction are designed to introduce a speaker. Speeches of presentation are given when an individual is presenting an award of some kind.
Types of Special Occasion Speeches
A good rule to remember is: Be thankful, be gracious, be short. Speeches of Dedication. A fourth special occasion speech is the speech of dedication. A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on.
Special Occasion Speeches
In broad terms, a special occasion speech is designed to honor, celebrate, appreciate, acknowledge, commemorate, or eulogize. Like informative or persuasive speeches, special occasion speeches should communicate a clear message, but the manner of speaking used is typically different. The word "special" in the term "special occasion ...
8 Types of Speeches to Captivate Any Audience
In this post, we'll explore the 8 essential types of speeches you need to know to become a master communicator: Informative speeches. Persuasive speeches. Demonstration speeches. Entertaining speeches. Special occasion speeches. Impromptu speeches. Debate speeches. Acceptance speeches.
Speaking for Special Occasions
We won't cover all types of special occasion speeches, but the information below should assist as you approach speaking at different ceremonial events. Speeches of Introduction. The first type of special occasion speech is the speech of introduction, which is a mini-speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker. Few ...
17.3: Types of Special Occasion Speeches
commemorative speech and tribute. Commemorative speeches and tributes are speeches that pay special accolades to an occasion, extraordinary person, event, idea, or monument. The purpose or scope of this speech is to reflect the emotions felt by the audience as well as underscore the reasons for the speaking event.
Chapter 13: Special Occasion Speaking
Chapter 13: Special Occasion Speaking. Tammera Stokes Rice, College of the Canyons. Adapted by William Kelvin, Professor of Communication Studies, Florida SouthWestern State College. define special occasion speeches. explain the types of special occasion speeches. identify the guidelines for delivering a special occasion speech.
15.1 Understanding Special Occasion Speaking
In broad terms, a special occasion speech is a speech designed to address and engage the context and audience's emotions on a specific occasion. Like informative or persuasive speeches, special occasion speeches should communicate a clear message, but the manner of speaking used is typically different. The goal of a special occasion speech is ...
15.1: Understanding Special Occasion Speeches
In this chapter, we are going to explore what special occasion speeches are as well as a number of types of special occasion speeches ranging from humorous to somber. In broad terms, a special occasion speech is a speech designed to designed to address and engage the context and audience's emotions on a specific occasion. Like informative or ...
Special Occasion Speech Examples & Writing Tips
Special occasion speech types. Although special occasion speeches share some common traits, the writing style, tone, and content will vary depending on the speech type and the event. The toast of a maid of honor will differ from a retirement speech in a big corporation. Here are the most common special occasion speaking types: Commencement speech
The 4 types of speeches: overviews, writing guidelines, examples
An overview of each speech type, how it's used, writing guidelines and speech examples: informative. demonstrative. persuasive. special occasion/entertaining. how, and why, speech types overlap. Return to Top.
Special Occasion Speech
The list of special occasion speeches is very long, so for simplicity, we have grouped them into two different categories: Ceremonial Speaking; Inspirational Speaking; Let's discuss these special occasion speech types in detail. 1. Ceremonial Speeches. Ceremonial speeches are given at ceremonies by the observance of formality and decorum.
Types of Special Occasion Speeches
63 Types of Special Occasion Speeches Unlike the informative and persuasive speeches you were required to give, special occasion speeches are much broader and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. However, while the following list of special occasion speeches is long, your instructor will have specific types ...
14 Types of Speeches for All Occasions that You Should Master
The closing argument, just like the persuasive speech, highlights any important facts of the case and may appeal to the jury's emotions, in a bid to help them understand the lawyer's opinion on the case and their client. 4. Demonstrative speech. Well, this one is pretty easy to explain.
17.3: Types of Special Occasion Speeches
Speeches of Dedication. A third special occasion speech is the speech of dedication. A speech of dedication is delivered when a new store opens, a building is named after someone, a plaque is placed on a wall, a new library is completed, and so on. These speeches are designed to highlight the importance of the project and possibly those to whom ...
13 Main Types of Speeches (With Examples and Tips)
Informative speech. Informative speeches aim to educate an audience on a particular topic or message. Unlike demonstrative speeches, they don't use visual aids. They do, however, use facts, data and statistics to help audiences grasp a concept. These facts and statistics help back any claims or assertions you make.
Prince William steps out without Kate to join King Charles, Queen
Prince William gave a poignant speech at the ceremony, sharing that he was "deeply honored" to join veterans from the Normandy landing. AP. Charles also gave a moving speech with Camilla by ...
17.4: General Guidelines for Special Occasion Speeches
stay positive. Regardless of the occasion or speech, stay positive, even if it is to commemorate a sad occasion or remember the loss of an individual. Perlman (1997) suggests taking every opportunity to compliment the speaker. Humorous anecdotes are generally okay if they're positive.
Using AI to decode dog vocalizations
Leveraging a human speech model to identify different types of barks An AI tool developed at the University of Michigan can tell playful barks from aggressive ones—as well as identifying the dog's age, sex and breed. ... The team chose a speech representation model called Wav2Vec2, which was originally trained on human speech data. ...
Types of Special Occasion Speeches
The after-dinner speech is a unique kind of special occasion speech. An after-dinner speech has as its general purpose to entertain, and yet informs an audience about one or more particular issues. These dual roles can make the after-dinner speech a challenge, but with skill and practice, a well-received speech.
18.1 Understanding Special Occasion Speaking
In this chapter, we are going to explore what special occasion speeches are as well as a number of types of special occasion speeches ranging from humorous to somber. In broad terms, a special occasion speech is a speech designed to designed to address and engage the context and audience's emotions on a specific occasion. Like informative or ...
What Is Machine Learning? Definition, Types, and Examples
Machine learning definition. Machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI) that uses algorithms trained on data sets to create self-learning models that are capable of predicting outcomes and classifying information without human intervention. Machine learning is used today for a wide range of commercial purposes, including ...
15.2 Types of Special Occasion Speeches
15.2 Types of Special Occasion Speeches. Unlike the informative and persuasive speeches, special occasion speeches are much broader and allow for a wider range of topics, events, and approaches to be employed. However, while the following list of special occasion speeches is long, your instructor will have specific types of special occasion ...
Voice, Speech, and Language
Diseases and Conditions. Aphasia. Apraxia of Speech. Auditory Processing Disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorder: Communication Problems in Children. Developmental Language Disorder. Dysphagia. Hoarseness. Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis or Laryngeal Papillomatosis.
Mayo Clinic Minute: Types of brain tumors and treatments
Primary brain tumors are those that originate in the brain, like glioblastoma, meningioma, or others. Metastatic brain tumors originate in other parts of the body but migrate to the brain or spinal cord. "Patients that present with brain tumors can present sometimes with a long history of headaches, and the headaches, instead of improving, keep ...
15.3: Types of Special Occasion Speeches
Speeches of Introduction. The first type of special occasion speech is the speech of introduction, which is a mini speech given by the host of a ceremony that introduces another speaker and their speech. Few things are worse than when the introducer of a speaker stands up and says, "This is Wyatt Ford. He's going to talk about stress.".
Sharice Clough to rejoin CSD, this time as assistant professor
These types of social skills underlie the ability to design our communication appropriately and efficiently for different audiences (e.g., talking to a friend versus a group of coworkers). "Although people with traumatic brain injury can have difficulty with social communication, we tend to assess language in very controlled and isolated ...
Message de la Directrice générale de l'OIM à l'occasion de la Journée
L'Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM) fait partie du système des Nations Unies et est la première organisation intergouvernementale à promouvoir depuis 1951 une migration humaine et ordonnée qui profite à tous, composée de 175 Etats membres et présente dans 171 pays.
Chapter 15: Special Occasion Speaking
39. Chapter 15: Special Occasion Speaking. Learning Objectives. After reading this chapter, the student will be able to. Understand the differences between research-based speeches (infor- mative and persuasive) and special occasion speeches; Identify the types of special occasion speeches; Use language to create emotional and evocative phrases;
18.2 Types of Special Occasion Speeches
The complement to a speech of presentation is the speech of acceptance. The speech of acceptance is a speech given by the recipient of a prize or honor. There are three typical components of a speech of acceptance: 1) thank the givers of the award or honor, 2) thank those who helped you achieve your goal, and 3) put the award or honor into ...

18.2 Special-Occasion Speeches

Ceremonial Speaking

Speeches of Introduction

Speeches of Presentation

Speeches of Acceptance

Speeches of Dedication

Speeches of Farewell

Inspirational Speaking

Speeches to Ensure Goodwill

Speeches for Public Relations

Speeches of Justification

Speeches of Apology

Speeches for Commencements

Key Takeaways

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87 Types of Special Occasion Speeches

Speeches of Introduction

Speeches of Presentation

Speeches of Acceptance

Speeches of Dedication

Speeches of Farewell

Speeches of Apology

Speeches for Commencements

After-Dinner Speeches

Motivational Speeches

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16 Special Occasion Speeches

Four Key Ingredients of Special Occasion Speeches

Adapt to the Occasion

Adapt to Your Audience

Speeches of Presentation

Speeches of Acceptance

Speeches of Farewell

Special Occasion Delivery

8 Types of Speeches to Captivate Any Audience

Table of Contents

Types of Speeches to Master for Success

Informative Speech

Persuasive Speech

Demonstrative Speech

Entertaining Speech

Special Occasion Speech

How to Deliver an Engaging Informative Speech

Choose a Specific Topic

Simplify Complex Concepts

Engage Your Audience

Use Visual Aids

Practice and Refine

Mastering the Art of Persuasive Speaking

Know Your Audience

Use Persuasive Language

Provide Strong Evidence

Inspire Positive Change

Address Counterarguments

Demonstrative Speeches: A Step-by-Step Guide

Choose a Relevant Topic

Plan Your Demonstration

Prepare Your Materials

Allow Time for Questions

The Power of Entertaining Speeches

Use Humor Effectively

Share Personal Anecdotes

End on a High Note

Captivating Your Audience with Special Occasion Speeches

Understand the Occasion

Use Appropriate Humor

Share Personal Stories

Express Gratitude

Impromptu Speaking: Tips for Thinking on Your Feet

Stay Calm and Focused

Use a Simple Structure

Draw from Personal Experiences

Practice Regularly

Debate Speeches: Crafting Compelling Arguments

Research Your Topic

Develop Your Argument

Anticipate Counterarguments

Deliver with Confidence

Delivering Powerful Acceptance Speeches

Share a Personal Story