3. Rehearsal

Anybody that has to perform in front of an audience needs to rehearse, especially actors and musicians. Even if you are not one of these, you will still benefit from rehearsing your speech thoroughly. As a speaker, you want to sound spontaneous and natural. To achieve that, you need to practice your speech beforehand, as many times as possible. If you practice it many times, in the end you will almost know it by heart and you will sound more natural.

If possible, ask your friends or family members to listen to you and give you their honest feedback. If you cannot find anybody listen to your presentation, you can always record your speech or perform it in front of a mirror. Your friend, or you yourself, should then answer the following questions:

  • Did the speech fit the time limit?
  • Was the main idea easily understood?
  • Did the introduction/opening capture the audience’s attention?
  • Was an identifiable pattern discernible?
  • Were transitional expressions used correctly?
  • Did the conclusion provide a summary and a sense of closure?
We will discuss the elements of delivery in terms of vocal and personal qualities (such as eye contact, voice and body language) in more detail in Unit 9. Remember to speak slowly but at a good pace, making pauses between phrases.