High School English: Speaking Fall 2024 Answer Key

Persuasive Speech Outline

[Activity 1]
a) Match up the terms for the different parts of a persuasive paragraph on the left with
their speaking equivalents on the right.

Persuasive Paragraph Persuasive Speech

Keywords (Writing) Keywords (Speaking)
point introduction sentence rephrased thesis statement
specific detail sentence thesis statement
topic sentence linking sentence
relation sentence case studies/evidence
concluding sentence main point

b) Place the parts of a persuasive speech listed on the screen in their places on this outline.
• attention-grabber/hook
Introduction • brief background of the topic
• thesis statement/topic sentence
• 1st main point/1st point introduction sentence
Body I • case studies/evidence/specific detail sentences
• linking sentence/relation sentence
• 2nd main point/2nd point introduction sentence
Body II • case studies/evidence/specific detail sentences
• linking sentence/relation sentence
• rephrased thesis statement/concluding sentence
Conclusion • brief review of case studies/evidence
• reverse hook/memorable remarks

c) Which part of a persuasive speech looks like it will be the hardest to accomplish?
Explain why you feel this way with your group members.
Student answers will vary

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High School English: Speaking Fall 2024 Answer Key

[Activity 2] We will look at five of the most common types of hooks/attention grabbers.
Attention-Grabber/Hook:
An effective attention grabber (also called a hook) should be related to the topic that you will be
presenting about. It should also state the importance of your topic. There are various ways for you
to attract the attention of your audience. Drawing your audience into your speech makes them
more interested in what you will be discussing within your speech.

a) quotations
- this is one of the simplest ways to engage your audience
- your quote MUST be connected/related to your topic in some way
- your quote can directly state your topic or hint at it
- you should explain your quote’s connection/relevance to your topic to your audience
What was the 10-year-old girl asking her audience to think about? Why is she giving a speech?
The 10-year-old girl is trying to persuade her audience to “be kind”. The audience can
understand her purpose based upon the quote that she chose to use and how often she
repeated “to be kind”.

b) arousing curiosity
- you can use ONE statement to provide a hint to your audience about your main topic
- you can also use a SERIES of statements to hint at your main topic
- your statements MUST hint or directly help your audience to either guess or think about
your main topic
- you can also use a riddle: “There are 1 billion of us in the world, and we are one of the
biggest contributors to global warming. Every year in the United States we kill more people
than sharks and poisonous spiders combined. What are we?” Cows
What is the 11-year-old boy asking his audience to think about? Why is he giving a speech?
The 11-year-old boy is trying to persuade his audience to be curious. The audience can
understand his purpose based upon the examples, anecdotes, and word choices that he made.

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High School English: Speaking Fall 2024 Answer Key

c) guided questions
- when you give a speech, your questions should be rhetorical, meaning you do not expect
the audience to answer—in fact, your question, or series of questions, should only
encourage them to think more or become more curious about your topic
- your questions need to be guided questions—you need them to be connected or relevant
to your topic or claim—they also should not be too general or too specific
- you must PAUSE after each question—this is to enable your audience to think and
process what you just asked them—just giving an answer kills audience interest
What is the 7-year-old girl asking her audience to think about? Why is she giving a speech?
The 7-year-old girl is trying to persuade her audience to think about how adults shape
children from a young age. The audience can understand her purpose based upon her
questions and her “assistant’s” help.

d) telling a story
- you should use this type of hook to help your audience become more emotionally engaged
and interested in your speech; this is perhaps one of the most effective attention-
grabbers/hooks
- you can use personal anecdotes (short stories), or other stories that are based on another
person’s experiences, or you can tell a hypothetical (imaginary) story
What is the 8-year-old boy asking his audience to think about? Why is he giving a speech?
The 8-year-old boy is trying to persuade his audience that children should be allowed to
enjoy recess for one hour instead of just thirty minutes. The audience can understand his
purpose based upon the statistics he stated and the brain activity examples that he used.

e) shocking statistics
- you should use this hook to show how serious your topic is or emphasize your issue
- you should round up numbers or use percentages if they are too large
- you should only use a few statistics throughout your speech—too many and it will become
confusing for your audience to keep them straight
- speak slowly and carefully—if you speak too fast, your audience will not clearly hear
your statistics, and you will not be able to effectively engage them

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High School English: Speaking Fall 2024 Answer Key

What is the 13-year-old boy asking his audience to think about? Why is he giving a speech?
The 13-year-old boy is trying to persuade his audience that cellphone addiction is becoming
a more serious issue. The audience can understand his purpose based upon the statistics that
he uses at the beginning of his speech and his overall tone.

[Activity 3] Making Your Own Hook

Select and check ONE topic from the list below. Then, look over the list of hooks that we saw
in class today. Pick either one hook or combine a couple of them together to create a hook
for the topic that you selected from the list below. Once you have finished making your hook
for your topic, you will present it in front of your group of classmates.

List of Topics Selection

Benefits of morning exercise

Wearing school uniforms

Cellphone use in school

Harmful effects of social media

Benefits of dormitory life

Your Hook