Unit

INFORMATIVE SPEECHES
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the unit, you will be able to:

Comprehend different types of informative
speeches
Understand the guidelines of informative
speeches

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 3
 INTRODUCTION

 Informational Speeches
– Speeches that use definitions and descriptions
to explain the topics to their audience, without
trying to convince them.
– The aim of an informational speech is to inform
your audience.

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 4
TYPES OF INFORMATIVE
SPEECHES

 A descriptive speech assists a speaker in

painting a mental picture of a person, a place, a
thing or an event.
 A demonstrative speech describes the
procedures for performing an action.
 An explanatory speech explains a given topic.
 A definition speech describes a theory or a
concept of a topic.

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 5
TYPES OF INFORMATIVE
SPEECHES (cont.)

– Examples of Topics of Informative Speeches

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 6
FIVE ORGANISATIONAL PATTERNS
OF INFORMATIVE SPEECHES

 Chronological
 Cause–Effect
 Problem–Solution
 Spatial
 Topical

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 7
ANATOMY OF AN INFORMATIVE
SPEECH

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 8
ANATOMY OF AN INFORMATIVE
SPEECH (cont.)

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 9
PURPOSES OF YOUR SPEECH

 Three General Purposes

 Specific Purposes
– A specific purpose gives the direction beyond
the general purpose of your speech.
– Your specific purpose answers a question, e.g.:
“What do you want to inform the audience
about?”
English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved
© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 10
PURPOSES OF YOUR SPEECH
(cont.)

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 11
SPEECH TRANSITIONS

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 12
SPEECH TRANSITIONS (cont.)

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 13
SPEECH TRANSITIONS (cont.)

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 14
SPEECH TRANSITIONS (cont.)

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 15
SPEECH ATTENTION-GETTERS

 Four Strategies to Determine Your

Attention-getters
– Target audience
– Purpose of your speech
– Topic of your speech
– Occasion of the speech

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 16
SPEECH ATTENTION-GETTERS
(cont.)

 Types of Attention-getters
– Current reference
– Reference to a subject
– Reference to the audience
– Quotations
– Historical reference
– Anecdotes
– Shocking statements

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 17
SPEECH ATTENTION-GETTERS
(cont.)

– Questions
– Personal stories
– Humour
– Reference to the event

English for Oral Presentations All Rights Reserved

© Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd. (008974-T), 2016 1– 18