Basic Types of Speeches

Complete with the following words: various data, solid, started, basic humor, practical, informal,
wedding, educate, actual, visual aids, entertain, trick, supper, statistics, benefits, persuade,

Demonstrative Speech

The purpose of a demonstrative speech is to …educate………………the audience on something. It can

include …visual aids………………………………. that add to the demonstration and describe
in …practical……………… terms how to do something. Demonstrative speeches are similar to informative
speeches but informative speeches normally do not include …actual……………………. demonstrations.

If you give a talk on how to start a blog, how to write a cover letter, or even how to make money on the
Internet, these can be considered demonstrative speeches. Asking yourself “how” and “why” questions
is a great way to get this type of speech …started………………….and, of course, visual aids are a necessity
for any type of demonstrative speech or presentation.

Entertaining Speech

If you’ve ever been to a ……wedding…………….. reception or banquet — and who hasn’t? — you are
already familiar with an entertaining type of speech. The main purpose of a best man’s speech or an
after-dinner speaker is to …entertain…………… the crowd and most speakers do that through illustrations,
funny stories, and …basic humor……………... Entertaining speeches are …informal…………………… and
usually very short; they are speeches that provide a lot of enjoyment and pleasure for the audience.

Informative Speech

People who give informative speeches are there to present the audience with new information on a
particular subject. They present …statitics………………. and facts about topics such as social and economic
changes in the community but they do not use visual aids in the speech.

Instead, they rely on educational information, facts, and ……various data………………………. so that the
audience actually learns something. If you’ve ever been to a museum and had a tour guide, you’ve
enjoyed the …benefits……………….. of an informative speech. Any time that a talk is given to give the
audience details and information on a certain topic, this is an example of an informative speech.

Persuasive Speech

Persuasive speeches are there to …persuade……………………. the audience that an opinion expressed by
the speaker is the right one. Whether you’re discussing what to eat for …supper……………… or which
political point makes the most sense, these are examples of persuasive speeches. Most people, in an
attempt to persuade the audience that their point of view is the right one, use …solid………… facts to
back up their argument. This is one of the best ways to make sure that your persuasive speech does
the…trick……………., which means that using research and statistics to develop your argument is always
more likely to make people come to your side.