Extempore Tips

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 EXTEMPORE SPEAKING FRAMEWORKS
Wrap your response around a simple template, or framework. If you practice this a few
times, you will find that your mini-speeches are much more polished and coherent. A few
easy frameworks include:

1. P.R.E.P. (Point, Reason, Example, Point) – Start off by clearly stating your point. Share the
primary reason (or reasons, if you have more time). Then, share an example (preferably in
story form) where your main point or reason is supported. Finally, conclude by summarizing
your central point again.

2. Issue, Pros vs. Cons, Conclusions - Start off by stating the issue. Talk about the benefits,
and then talk about the drawbacks. Conclude with your recommendation.

3. 6W – In this pattern, you cover your topic by addressing the Who, What, When, Where,
How and Why elements. For example, if you’ve been asked to speak briefly about a
fundraising initiative, you could talk about [1] who started it, and who is involved now; [2]
what the goals are; [3] when it started, and the schedule for the future; [4] where does it
take place; and [5] why are you involved (6) How will it be carried out

4.Past, Present and Future

In past, present and future, you tell it how it was, how it is now, and how it will be in the
future. Not only does it give you three main points to speak about, but it helps you to
structure what you are saying into a coherent and logical manner.

5. Cause and Effect

State the situation; discuss the causes, and the eventual consequences.

6. Before the Event, The Event, The Result of the Event

 Before Napier was a typical small provincial town filled with ordinary people leading
ordinary lives.Then in 1931 the earthquake (the Event) struck.The result was devastation.
The town was destroyed and people killed but out of the ruins there rose one of world's
finest Art Deco centers.

8. Break the Topic into components

Break the topic into a few simple components and discuss them individually. This approach
can be a combination of the above approaches. So you could speak about something that
happened in the past, discuss the implications for the present, and express an opinion as to
the best strategy in the future.

EXTEMPORE FRAMEWORK
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1. Startling / Grabber Opener – Hook – stats, story, quote etc

2. Link to topic and your stand

3. Introduce topic and your stand

4. 3 points Introduction

5. Transition

6. PREP 1 – Summarise the point into 3 / 4 words

P -point

R – 2/3 lines of reasons why you feel the point is justified

E – example / story / stats – connected to point

P- say the point again in new set of words

7. Transition

8. PREP 2

9. Transition

10.PREP 3

11.Transition

12.Conclusion – Summary of all points, Call for Action, Thank

EXTEMPORE - DO’S AND DON’TS

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 Speech Requirements
1. Speak without stopping or hesitating
2. Powerful audience connector in Introduction
3. State an opinion in your introduction opinion phrases – I feel / I think / I believe
4. Support your view with three reasons or three supporting points in your body
5. Summarize in your conclusion
6. Use transitions
7. Use sign posting – first, next, then, finally
8. Short sentences but complete sentences
9. No repetition of points
10. Link with conjunctions
11. Discourse markers to cover gaps
12. Modulate your voice – confidence, passion, energy, enthusiasm
13. Pronounce properly with effort
14. Control your rate of speech
15. Not too many fillers like ‘uhs’ and filler words – so, and, you know

PREP
Start off by clearly stating your point. Share the primary reason (or reasons, if you have
more time). Then, share an example (preferably in story form) where your main point or
reason is supported. Finally, conclude by summarizing your central point again. The
template works well in many situations, and is easily adapted.

Life Imprisonment vs. Death Penalty - PREP

• P-I believe that Life imprisonment sends of a better message to citizens as compared to
the Death Penalty.
• R-This is because life in prison with no release is a better punishment. The death penalty
is an easy way out for some people who need to be punished for their horribly evil
crimes.
• E- For example, According to Amnesty International, 140 countries have abolished the
death penalty.
• P-Therefore, I strongly think that the Death penalty should be replaced in all countries.
•

SPEAKING GLUE – TRANSITIONS, SIGNPOSTING, CONJUNCTIONS

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 Enumerate points - SIGNPOSTING
 There are three points/ areas I would like to cover / take you through /. elaborate upon
 I’d like to begin by... / To begin with/First of all/Firstly
 Next/afterwards
 Finally/To conclude/In conclusion

TRANSITIONS
Introducing the topic
 Good morning/afternoon/evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Max and I am delighted to be
here today to talk to you about…
 I'd like to talk to you about .......
 I would like to share with you .......
 Today I am here to talk to you about…
 As you all know, today I am going to talk to you about…
 I would like to take this opportunity to talk with you you about / to share my thoughts on…
 I am delighted to be here today to tell you about…
 Today I would like to outline…
 The object/subject of today’s talk is to..

Outline of Talk
 My presentation/talk is divided into three parts/sections...
 I have four main points....................
 There are three areas I’d like to talk about today.........
 Firstly, I will tell you about the present situation, then go onto a description of the problem,
after that I would like to propose a solution and finally an implementation plan

Presenting the Current Situation

 I'd like to begin / Let me begin by / Let me start by describing our present situation.
 As you know ... / You may not know that ...

Expressing Opinions

 I think …/ In my opinion / I believe………./ Personally, I think/ From what I understand / As I

understand it ………

Elaborating
 Let me tell you a little more about it.
 Let me give you some details.
 I’d like to expand more on this. ......
 Let me give you some more details on …..
 Let me elaborate on this by giving you a few examples …..
 Let me explain to you why ..........
 I’d like to point out the reasons for….
 Let me explain the reasons for / Let me tell you why . / Here's what happened

Finishing one subject... ...and starting another

 That’s all I want to say about….Now, let’s move onto the next section / part on …..
 I want to now move onto our next topic which is…..
 Let me turn now to...
 Let's look now at...

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 Let’s now move onto / turn to/ I’d now like to move on/ turn to; I now want to go onto…; This
leads / brings me to…
 So far we have looked at …Now I’d like to…..

Giving Examples
 Let me explain this better through an example… / For instance…
 A good example of this is... To give you an example,... To illustrate this point let me take you through
an example.

 Highlighters
 The key feature is / The key aspect is, the crucial factor is, the main reason is / the critical
element is / the main consideration is / the most serious issue is / What is most important to
recognize is / The real challenge is / The most important point I would like to highlight is / Our
primary concern is ….

Making recommendations
 So what I would suggest is that we… / So I would recommend that the..;
 So I would strongly recommend that we ….. / You might want to consider …….. / You could try ….
 You might want to try …… / You could look at / think about …../ What we need to do is …..
 I suggest that . . . / I would like to propose that . . / Why don't we . . . / What I would like to propose is …. /
What I’d like to recommend is …. / What I’m suggesting is …..

 Summary / Conclusion

 To sum up…
 So to summarise the main points of my talk…
 Just a quick recap of my main points…
 In conclusion / To conclude / To summarize / To sum up
 I’d like to conclude by leaving you with this thought ……
 In conclusion I’d like to say……….
 I’d like to finish.........
 I’d like to wind up by saying...
 Before I finish I’d finally like to say..
 I’d like to conclude by…
 That brings me to the end of my presentation, thank for listening / for your attention.
 Thank you all for listening. It was a pleasure being here today.
 Well that’s it from me. Thanks very much.

CONJUNCTIONS

because as due to since hence

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thus so as a result therefore consequently
although despite in spite of even though and still
instead however nevertheless on the other nonetheless
hand
still instead otherwise alternatively whereas
while furthermore besides moreover in addition
likewise also similarly if unless
even if provided as long as until so that
after before since, when until
immediately there after soon after finally later
previously next then in case in the event of
in order to rather than instead of for example... in fact