PERSONAL

SPEECHES

EULOGYS
Year 9 General English
Writing a eulogy
 What is a eulogy?
A speech, delivered at a
funeral, that is designed to
honour the life of the
deceased.
 1. Decide on
the tone
• Serious?
• Lighthearted?
• Doesn’t need to be entirely somber, you
can use humour.

The tone can also be partially determined by

the way the deceased passed away.

If you're giving a eulogy about a teenager who

met an untimely death, then your tone would
be more serious than it would if you were
giving a eulogy about a grandparent who
happily lived to see his ninetieth birthday.
 2. Consider the
audience
• Don't make any jokes or comments about
the deceased that would be a mystery to
the majority of the crowd

• Focus on the positive

• Be honest

• Avoid talking negatively about the

deceased; allude to it gently, as in “He had
his demons, which were a constant battle.”

• Do not offend, shock or confuse the

audience.
 3. Briefly
introduce
yourself

Even if most people in the audience know

you, just state your name and give a few
words that describe your relationship to the
deceased. If you're related to the deceased,
describe how; if not, say a few words about
how and when you met.

For anybody who doesn’t know me, Harold

Stringham was my grandfather.
 • Touch on a few key points,
such as what his family life
was like, what his career
achievements were, and
what hobbies and interests
mattered the most to him.
4. State
• Mentioning this information
while praising or
basic remembering the deceased.
information • Write down the names of
the family members
especially closed to the
about the deceased.
deceased • Make sure you say
something specific about
the family life of the
deceased - this would be
very important to his family.
My grandfather, Harold Stringham,
was a great man. He was dearly loved
by his wife, five children and twelve
grandchildren. Although he came
from simple beginnings, Harold
worked his way through university
and had a long and successful career.
Hard work and determination
characterised this strong and loving,
father, grandfather and husband.
He was born to Samuel and Anne-
Marie Stringham on a small farm in
Harvey, Western Australia. It was a
beautiful April day in 1924. Anne-
Marie recorded in her diary that all of
their relatives and neighbours from
the surrounding farms had gathered
to greet the baby boy. Perhaps as his
father and mother looked over the
first sproutlings and blossoms of
springtime, they were reminded of the
life and growth awaiting their new
son.
 5. Use specific
examples to describe
the deceased

Use specific examples to describe the

deceased

At the time of the tragic car wreck that took

his life, Harold was a healthy 83 years old.
Unlike many men of his age, who are
confined to wheelchairs or depend upon
assisted living, Harold went jogging and
swimming every day. He cherished his
independence and continued to take an active
role in administering the family business.
 6. Be concise and
well-organised
• Outline the eulogy using dot-points

• Brainstorm all the possible areas

– personality traits, interests, biographical info

• Cover each area in a logical order

– beginning, middle, and end

• Avoid rambling or, conversely,

speaking down to people

• Simplify your vocabulary

• Your eulogy should be 3-5 minutes in

length

• Less is more.
 7. Get feedback
Once you're written the eulogy and feel fairly
confident in what you've written, have some close
friends or family members who know the
deceased well read it to make sure that it's not
only accurate, but that it does well with capturing
the essence of the deceased.

They'll also be able to see if you've said anything

inappropriate, forgotten something important, or
wrote anything that was confusing or difficult to
understand.

• You can also ask your friends or family

members to edit your eulogy. Though it
doesn't need to have perfect grammar since
no one else will be reading it, your friends or
family members can help you add smoother
transitions or remove unnecessary repetition.
DELIVERING YOUR EULOGY
 1. Rehearse the
eulogy

• Read the final copy of your eulogy aloud

several times

• Read it to someone as practice

• If you have inserted humor, get feedback

from someone about its appropriateness and
effectiveness

• Rehearsing the eulogy will also help you learn

to control your emotions and not get choked
up

• Memorise as much of the speech as you can

• Your words will sound more heartfelt if you're

not reading every sentence right off the page.
 2. Relax

• Calm yourself by remembering everyone

in attendance is there to support you

• Have a glass of water with you on the

podium to help you maintain your
composure

• Remember that everyone will appreciate

your efforts and admire you for having
written and delivered a eulogy

• You're there to convey your heartfelt

feelings about the deceased and that's it.
 3. Use a
conversational
tone
• Deliver your eulogy to the audience as if
they were friends

• Make eye contact

• Pause and go slowly

• Connect with your audience

• Remember to sound like yourself, not some

formal version of yourself

• Use a conversational tone

• Do not use inappropriate language or too

much slang.