Speech Writing Class 11: Format, Structure and Model Speeches

What Speech Writing is about

Weightage: Section B (Grammar and Creative Writing, 23 of the 80 theory marks): Q8, a speech of 120-150 words on verbal or visual cues, one of two, 5 marks (format 1, content 2, expression 2).Source: CBSE English Core (301) syllabus 2026-27, Class XI question paper design

Key concepts

Format of a speech

NCERT section CBSE syllabus Q8 (format)

1. Title (centred): the topic, e.g. 'Mental Health Matters'.
2. Salutation to the audience, in order of seniority: 'Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends,' or 'Honourable chief guest, ...'
3. Greeting and introduction: 'A very good morning to all of you. I, Riya Sen of Class XI-B, stand before you to speak on ...'
4. Body: the main points.
5. Conclusion with an appeal and thanks: 'Thank you.'
No date, no signature, no 'Yours sincerely'. The format mark covers title, salutation, self-introduction with topic, and the closing thanks.

Worked example

Write the opening two lines for a morning-assembly speech on 'Kindness to Animals' by Kabir of Class XI.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Salutation in order of seniority.
2. Greeting, name and class, and the topic.

Answer: Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends,
A very good morning to all of you. I, Kabir of Class XI-A, would like to speak today on a cause close to my heart: kindness to animals.

Structure of the body

NCERT section CBSE syllabus Q8 (content)

Within 120-150 words, a clear plan is:

• Hook (1-2 lines): a question, a striking fact, a quotation or a short situation that grabs attention.
• Point 1: the problem or importance — what the issue is and why it matters now.
• Point 2: causes or effects — two or three reasons, with an example.
• Point 3: solutions / what we can do — practical steps for this audience (students, residents, parents).
• Conclusion: a one-line summary and an appeal, then thanks.

Use one short paragraph per stage so the examiner can see the organisation.

Worked example

Plan the body (in note form) of a speech on 'Screen Time and Teenagers'.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Hook: 'How many hours did you spend on your phone yesterday?'
2. Problem: average screen time rising; sleep and studies affected.
3. Effects: eye strain, poor posture, less outdoor play, anxiety from social media.
4. Solutions: screen-free meals, app timers, one hour of sport daily, phones out of bedrooms.
5. Appeal: 'Let us own our phones, not be owned by them.'

Answer: Hook → problem → effects → three solutions → appeal and thanks.

Using verbal and visual cues

NCERT section CBSE syllabus Q8 (verbal/visual cues)

The question may give verbal cues (phrases such as 'rising pollution / health problems / role of students') or a visual (a cartoon, a chart, a photograph). Content marks depend on using every cue and developing it:

• turn each cue into a sentence or two in the body
• if a chart shows figures, quote one or two key numbers and say what they mean
• if a picture shows a situation, describe it briefly in the hook and draw the message from it
• do not drift into points unrelated to the cues

Worked example

Cues: 'exam stress / comparison with others / talk to someone / balanced routine'. Show how each cue becomes content.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Exam stress → hook and the problem: 'Every year, thousands of students lose sleep before exams.'
2. Comparison → cause: 'We judge ourselves by others' marks.'
3. Talk to someone → solution 1: parents, teachers, counsellors.
4. Balanced routine → solution 2: sleep, exercise, short breaks.

Answer: Each cue appears once, in order, as part of the problem, cause or solution.

Expression: language for listeners

NCERT section CBSE syllabus Q8 (expression)

Two of the five marks are for expression: accuracy, fluency, and suitable style. Techniques that work:

• direct address: 'friends', 'you', 'all of us'
• rhetorical questions: 'Can we afford to waste another drop?'
• signposts: firstly, moreover, on the other hand, finally
• rule of three: 'clean air, clean water, clean minds'
• short sentences mixed with longer ones; active voice
• a quotation or proverb used once, correctly
• a call to action in the conclusion

Avoid slang, text-message abbreviations and heavy jargon.

Worked example

Improve this conclusion: 'So that is all about pollution and we should do something about it. Thanks.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Restate the main idea briefly.
2. End with a specific appeal and a memorable line, then thanks.

Answer: Friends, the air we breathe is a gift we share. Let us walk, cycle and plant trees, and let us start today, not tomorrow. Remember: a greener city begins with us. Thank you.

Marking scheme and word limit

NCERT section CBSE English Core syllabus 2026-27, Q8

5 marks: Format 1 (title, salutation, introduction with topic, closing thanks), Content 2 (relevant, well-developed points that use the cues, logically organised), Expression 2 (grammatical accuracy, vocabulary, fluency, style suited to a spoken address). Word limit: 120-150 words for the speech; formal lines such as the title are usually not penalised, but do not pad. Very short answers lose content marks; very long ones risk expression and time.

Worked example

A speech has excellent points and no grammar errors but starts straight with 'Pollution is a big problem' and ends without thanks. Estimate the marks.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Format missing (title, salutation, introduction, thanks): 0 of 1.
2. Content and expression may earn 2 + 2.

Answer: About 4 of 5; the format mark is lost.

Speech Writing in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Speech Writing: Opening, Body and Closing with Model Speeches

Speech Writing: key facts

Marks

Format 1 + Content 2 + Expression 2 = 5

120-150 words; one of two.

Format

1. 1.Title
2. 2.salutation
3. 3.greeting, name, class, topic
4. 4.body
5. 5.conclusion
6. 6.Thank you

No date or signature.

Body plan

1. 1.Hook
2. 2.importance/problem
3. 3.causes/effects
4. 4.solutions
5. 5.appeal

One short paragraph per stage.

Spoken style

Direct address + questions + signposts + rule of three + call to action

Short, active sentences.

How the school exam asks Speech Writing

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Speech Writing

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• T-S-I-B-C

  Title, Salutation, Introduction, Body, Conclusion with thanks: 'Today Students Inspire, Bravely Conclude'.

  Use it when: Format.

• Hook first

  Question, fact, quotation or story in the first two lines.

  Use it when: Opening the body.

• PCS

  Problem, Causes/effects, Solutions.

  Use it when: Body plan.

• End with action

  Last line = what the audience should do now, then 'Thank you'.

  Use it when: Conclusion.

Speech Writing: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

Where students lose marks in Speech Writing

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Writing an article instead of a speech

  A speech needs salutation, self-introduction, direct address and thanks.

  Wrong working

  Title, then three paragraphs in the third person, no greeting or thanks

  Right working

  Salutation, 'I, ... of Class XI, would like to speak on ...', 'you/we' throughout, 'Thank you.'

  ✓Do this: Check the four format items before writing the body.

  Usually costs: 1 mark (format) and some expression

• ✗Mistake: Ignoring some of the cues

  Content marks depend on developing the given cues.

  Wrong working

  Cues: causes, effects, role of students — speech covers only causes

  Right working

  One short paragraph each for causes, effects and the role of students

  ✓Do this: Tick off each cue in your plan.

  Usually costs: 1 mark (content)

• ✗Mistake: Long, unplanned answer

  Over 150 words usually means repetition and errors.

  Wrong working

  A 260-word speech repeating the same appeal three times

  Right working

  A planned 140-word speech with one appeal at the end

  ✓Do this: Plan five lines of notes, then write.

  Usually costs: 1 mark (expression)

• ✗Mistake: Letter or notice elements

  Date, 'Yours sincerely' and signatures do not belong in a speech.

  Wrong working

  Date: 4 Nov 2026 ... Yours sincerely, Aman

  Right working

  End with the appeal and 'Thank you.'

  ✓Do this: Keep formats separate.

  Usually costs: 1 mark (format)

Practice questions on Speech Writing

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level

   Which of these does NOT belong in a speech? (a) salutation (b) self-introduction (c) 'Yours faithfully' (d) 'Thank you'

   Hint

   Letter ending.

   Answer

   (c) 'Yours faithfully'

2. Q2 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

   Write a speech in 120-150 words for the morning assembly on 'Say No to Food Waste'. Cues: wedding feasts / school canteen / hunger in our country / simple steps.

   Hint

   Problem from the first two cues, contrast with hunger, three steps.

   Answer

   Model points: format lines; hook ('How much food did you leave on your plate yesterday?'); waste at feasts and in the canteen; contrast with people who sleep hungry; steps: take small helpings, carry leftovers home, share surplus through food banks; appeal 'Waste not, want not'; thanks.

3. Q3 · 1 mark · Short answerHarder exam level

   Write only the opening (salutation, greeting and introduction, about 40 words) for a speech at a residents' meeting on keeping the colony park clean.

   Hint

   Audience: residents, not teachers.

   Answer

   Respected President of the Residents' Welfare Association, members and dear neighbours,
   Good evening. I am Sana Iqbal of House 14, a Class XI student, and I would like to speak about our colony park and how we can keep it clean and safe for everyone.

4. Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level

   Rewrite this line in a spoken style using direct address and a question: 'Road accidents are increasing among teenagers who ride without helmets.'

   Hint

   Speak to the listener.

   Answer

   Friends, how many of us have seen a classmate ride without a helmet? Every such ride risks a life, and accidents among teenagers are rising.

5. Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

   You are a student leader. A picture shows a crowded street with garbage piled near a 'Swachh Bharat' board. Write a speech in 120-150 words for a community cleanliness drive, using the picture as your hook.

   Hint

   Irony of the board; causes; actions; appeal.

   Answer

   Model points: format; hook describing the irony of garbage beside a cleanliness board; causes: careless dumping, too few bins, no segregation; effects: disease, smell, blocked drains; actions: segregate waste, use bins, join the Sunday drive, report dumping; appeal 'A clean street is everyone's job'; thanks.

6. Q6 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   A speech on 'Online Safety for Teens' has these points in order: solutions, a quotation, the problem, the introduction, thanks. Reorder them and say why the order matters.

   Hint

   Listeners follow a logical path.

   Answer

   Introduction → quotation (as hook) → problem → solutions → thanks. Listeners cannot re-read, so the speech must move from attention to problem to solutions to the final appeal.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.What is the word limit for the speech?Show answer

   120-150 words.

2. 2.How are the 5 marks divided?Show answer

   Format 1, content 2, expression 2.

3. 3.What comes right after the salutation?Show answer

   A greeting and a self-introduction with the topic.

4. 4.How does a speech end?Show answer

   With a conclusion and appeal, then 'Thank you'.

5. 5.Name two techniques that suit spoken English.Show answer

   Rhetorical questions and direct address (also signposts, rule of three).

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Q8: speech, 120-150 words, verbal/visual cues, one of two, 5 marks.
• ☐Format: title, salutation, greeting and self-introduction with topic, body, conclusion, thanks.
• ☐Body: hook, problem, causes/effects, solutions, appeal.
• ☐Use every cue; quote a figure if data is given.
• ☐Spoken style: you/we, questions, signposts, short sentences.

Speech Writing: frequently asked questions