Speech
(Factual and Response genres)
A speech is an oral presentation of information or a response

Structure
• Statement to inform the reader of the topic and purpose
• Opening sentence to engage the audience
• Ideas and information organised and linked
• Short chunks of information which the audience can digest
• Pausing for effect and to check audience response
• Ideas not always fully developed as in an essay
• Conclusion may include an example a recommendation


Language features
• Address the audience group (class; ladies and gentlemen)
• Repetition and restatement of ideas
• Personal language (I, you, we)
• Some colloquial language
• Phrases and short sentences or isolated words may be used for effect
• Questions may help to set up a conversation with the audience


More information
More ideas and examples of speeches can be found in
• Targeting text (series), Blake Education, Glebe N.S.W.
• Anderson, M 1997, Text types in English, Macmillan, 1998.
• English Elements (series), Jacaranda Wiley, Milton, Qld.
• Whitfield, M 2001, Targeting writing across the curriculum, Blake Education, Glebe, N.S.W.
• Schill, J 1998, On track: working with texts, Heinemann, Port Melbourne.
• Excel essential skills (series), Pascal, Glebe, N.S.W.

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