persuasive speech examples ted talks

Tap into the power to persuade by using these 6 techniques of clear and compelling speech

Share this idea.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Politicians and other public figures deploy particular rhetorical devices to communicate their ideas and to convince people, and it’s time that we all learned how to use them, says speechwriter Simon Lancaster.

This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.

There is a secret language of leadership — and it’s one that anyone can learn, says UK speechwriter Simon Lancaster in a TEDxVerona talk . He has made a career out of crafting addresses, remarks and talks for top politicians and CEOs of international corporations such as Nestle and Unilever, and continues to do so . Refreshingly, rather than clinging Gollum-like to what he’s learned and knows, he believes everyone should have access to the same tools that he and his colleagues use.

By tools, he’s not talking about special software or databases — he’s referring to rhetoric. Rhetoric has its roots in ancient Greece ( think: Aristotle ) as clear, convincing speech was seen as an essential component of communication and participation in a democracy. Instruction in rhetoric remained part of the curriculum in many secondary schools in Europe and the US until the 19th century.

“The reason we all used to learn rhetoric at school was because it was seen as a basic entry point to society,” explains Lancaster, who is based in London. “How could society be fair, unless everyone had equal ability to articulate and express themselves? Without it, your legal systems, your political systems, your financial systems are not fair.”

Yes, the power to persuade is just that — power.

Lancaster states there is only one school in England that still teaches rhetoric: Eton, the alma mater of 20 Prime Ministers (including current officeholder, Boris Johnson). He adds, “It should be of intense concern to all of us that education in this has been narrowed to a very small … elite.”

While Lancaster can’t send the world to Eton, he can share the 6 rhetorical building blocks needed to speak persuasively. Here they are:

Building block #1: Breathless sentences or phrases

Barack Obama gave an acceptance speech for the ages in 2008 after he was first elected president of the US. He spoke vividly of the challenges that lay ahead for the country: “Even as we celebrate tonight, we know that the challenges tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: Two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.”

Lancaster wants us to pay special attention to the last part of that sentence, the “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century” part. Yes, it’s a stressful mouthful — not just because of the content but because of how it’s delivered. Short, staccato phrases like these mimic how we speak when we’re anxious and in a hurry. This technique helps communicate urgency to an audience.

Building block #2: Speaking in 3s

What’s the other rhetorical trick underlying “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century”? The rule of 3.

Humans are accustomed to things coming in 3s: whether it’s judges on American Idol , bowls of porridge in a fairy tale , or sides in a triangle. Our minds and ears have been trained by speeches (Abraham Lincoln’s “government of the people, for the people, by the people”); slogans (reduce, reuse, recycle); and book titles ( Elizabeth Gilbert ‘s memoir Eat, Pray, Love ). “You put your argument in 3s, it makes it sound more compelling, more convincing, more credible. Just like that,” says Lancaster.

Recall British PM Winston Churchill’s stirring triplet from the speech he delivered to Parliament on June 4, 1940 : “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight on the fields and in the streets.” Besides the rule of 3, he gave the line additional rhetorical firepower by repeating the opening clause.

Lancaster explains, “When we are emotional about things, our perspective distorts, and this then manifests in our speech. So this is the authentic sound of passion.” Doing this can catch an audience in the speaker’s enthusiasm.

Building block #3: Balanced statements

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” It’s a line from president John F Kennedy’s inspiring 1961 inaugural address , and one that’s stood the test of time. Why? Its balanced construction, says Lancaster. “If the sentence sounds as if it’s balanced, we imagine that the underlying thinking is balanced and our brain is tuned to like things that are balanced.”

Grouping balanced statements in 3s further amplifies the effect:

“We’re looking to the future, not the past.

We’re working together, not against one another.

We’re thinking about what we can do, not what we can’t.”

Building block #4: Metaphor

According to Lancaster, people use a metaphor once every 16 words on average ( side question: Where do statistics like this even come from? ). He declares, “Metaphor is probably the most powerful piece of political communication.”

Metaphors are rich in imagery and awake immediate feelings in people, so it follows that politicians love them and sprinkle them like birdseed (“like birdseed” is a simile, not a metaphor , and similes are other strong rhetorical tools to have in your kit). At times, they can employ them to point us to an ideal or aspiration. For example, in his farewell address , president Ronald Reagan movingly invoked America, h/t to John Winthrop, as a “shining city upon the hill.”

Too often, however, metaphors are used to manipulate, incite and denigrate. Politicians and talking heads could have called the 2015-16 refugee encampment in Calais, France, a “refugee camp” or “refugee settlement.” Instead, they deployed this loaded word: “jungle.” Lancaster says,“It’s planting in your mind the idea that migrants are like wild animals to be afraid of, that they are dangerous, that they represent a threat to you. This is a very dangerous metaphor because this is the language of genocide; it’s the language of hate.” Unfortunately, media outlets picked up “Calais jungle” and used it as their shorthand identifier of the camp, extending the metaphor’s reach.

Building block #5: Exaggeration

In the same way that we get breathless when they’re speaking with passion, our speech distorts in another significant way. We exaggerate. So when we’re sitting down to a meal after having eaten little that day, we tell our family and friends: “I love this pizza.” But when we say things like this to each other, we also realize it’s a bit of distortion: We do not love the pizza in the same way that we love our children or parents or the planet, and everyone present knows that.

Similarly, politicians and leaders might say things like “I’ve waited my whole life to say these words” or “I will work to achieve this with all my heart and soul.” These utterances are indeed over the top, but because they’re acceptable and even welcome since they echo how we speak.

Building block #6: Rhyming

Starting from childhood, many of us are taught concepts through rhymes — such as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “i before e except after c.” With their musicality, they’re a pleasing informational snack that sticks in memories like a musical earworm .

Rhymes can seem corny, but sprinkled in at the right time, they can be incredibly potent. We all  remember the pithy “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” from defense attorney Johnnie Cochran during O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial.

Rhyming’s appeal comes “down to what linguists talk about as the processing fluency of language — how easy is language to swallow?” says Lancaster. “If you speak using long words and long sentences, it’s like giving someone a steak and asking them to swallow it. Whereas if you give them something pithy, like a rhyme, it’s like asking them to just sip on some Prosecco.”

These six tricks can help us speak directly to people’s instinctive, emotional and logical brains, and they are extremely effective, says Lancaster. There’s no need for us to be in the public eye to use them in order to sway others or make our words stay in people’s minds. Even if we never employ them in our own lives, it’s equally important for us to recognize them. Politicians, con artists and advertisers utilize them to win votes, spread opinions, or sell products people don’t need. By being alert to these rhetorical devices, we can be better citizens and consumers.

To learn more about rhetoric, watch this:

Watch Simon Lancaster’s TEDxVerona talk here:

About the author

Daryl Chen is the Ideas Editor at TED.

• how to be a better human
• public speaking
• simon lancaster

TED Talk of the Day

How to make radical climate action the new normal

3 strategies for effective leadership, from a former astronaut

Feeling unseen by your boss? Here’s what you can do 

Let’s stop calling them “soft skills” -- and call them “real skills” instead

There’s a know-it-all at every job — here’s how to deal

The 7 types of people you need in your life to be resilient

Perfectionism holding you back? 3 ways to shift the habit

The unseen forces that can cause your great new idea to crash and burn

Have you quietly quit? Your next step: Go to the neutral zone

6 ways to give that aren't about money

A smart way to handle anxiety -- courtesy of soccer great Lionel Messi

How one scientist is growing miniature brains in her lab

A simple trick to help you speak in public without showing your nerves

One effective way to manage stage fright: Make it a habit

A political party for the whole world -- and you're invited to join

How to give more persuasive presentations: A Q&A with Nancy Duarte

Stepping onto the TED or TEDx stage — or speaking in front of any group of people, for that matter — is truly nerve-wracking. Will you remember everything you wanted to say, or get so discombobulated that you skip over major points? Will the audience be receptive to your ideas, or will you notice a guy in row three nodding off to sleep?

Presentation expert Nancy Duarte , who gave the TED Talk “ The secret structure of great talks ,” has built her career helping people express their ideas in presentations. The author of  Slide:ology  and  Resonate , Duarte has just released a new book through the Harvard Business Review:  The HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations .

What would you say are the three keys to giving a great presentation?

The number one thing, I think, is to be audience-centric. To take the time to think through who the audience is and develop all your material from a place of empathy toward them. You’re asking them to adopt your idea, which means they may have to abandon a belief they hold as true — and that’s hard. So, know your audience — take a walk in their shoes. What keeps them up at night? How are they wired to resist your message? Most presenters are consumed with preparing their content rapidly, which makes the material about their own narrow perspective. By flipping that paradigm to an audience-centric approach, your material will resonate and the audience can feel a deeper connection to you and your material.

Number two, you need to understand your role in the presentation. So many people feel like they’re the central figure — kind of like the hero of the story — because they’re the one talking the most. But in reality, your role is that of a mentor — you should be giving the audience a magical gift or a special tool, or helping them get unstuck in some way. You have to defer to your audience. When you put your idea out there for an audience to contend with — if they reject your idea, your idea will die. You have to think of it as, “The speaker needs the audience more than the audience needs the speaker.” Then you’ll start to approach a material with your audience in mind – you’ll have more of a stance of humility than one of arrogance. That will help you create the kind of movement needed to get your idea to spread.

And then the third thing — wrap your content in story. A story serves like the sugarcoating on the outside of a pill in some ways — it just makes it go down easier. If you look at preliterate generations for thousands and thousands of years, stories would pass down for generation after generation after generation — and stay almost completely intact. Yet, a lot of people can’t remember the last presentation they sat through. So, using principles of story — the tension and release that happens in a story — that’s what will help persuade the audience toward your idea.

What do you feel like you learned from giving your own TED Talk?

I learned so much. Being the “Presentation Lady,” I knew I couldn’t suck at it. The hardest part was getting [my talk] to fit within this finite amount of time. So I trimmed and trimmed, keeping in mind that you still have to nail why this is important to the audience. I had a person coach me and point out places where I could trim. “You took too long here, and that made this part of emphasis too long.” I worked with the timer counting up until I knew I was within the time window — then what I did was work with the timer counting down so I’d know, “When I’m a fourth of the way through, I should be on this slide. When I’m halfway through, I need to be on this slide.” I created markers in my mind so I would know how I was running on time. Sure enough, I finished the talk and I had six seconds left on the clock.

It was a great experience for me because I hadn’t gone through it myself. I’d coached people through it but — wow — to actually be a victim was interesting. I learned the power of rehearsing. If you rehearse really, really, really well — it looks improvisational. Some people rehearse to a point where they’re robotic, and they sound like they have memorized their presentation and didn’t take it to the next level. Going from sounding memorized and canned to sounding natural is a lot of work.

So, the classic advice for stage fright is to imagine the audience in their underwear. What do you recommend people do to calm their nerves?

I don’t usually get nervous, but when I got on [the TED] stage, I was nervous because it’s pretty high stakes. I recommend doing some breathing exercises — breathe in as deep as you can, and then take a couple more big gasps. Then, release it really slowly. That calms my heart down. But my favorite piece of advice isn’t my own — it’s from a guy named Nick Morgan. He said, “What you need to do right before you walk on stage is think of someone that you love dearly.” Doing that, I felt the chemistry in my whole body change. My shoulders relaxed and my heart melted. That feeling of affection makes your body calm itself down. That’s a really great way to stop stage fright.

What is the best way to start creating a presentation?

My best advice is to not start in PowerPoint. Presentation tools force you to think through information linearly, and you really need to start by thinking of the whole instead of the individual lines. I encourage people to use 3×5 note cards or sticky notes — write one idea per note. I tape mine up on the wall and then study them. Then I arrange them and rearrange them — just work and work until the structure feels sound. And from that sound structure, you start to fill it in using a presentation tool.

[For visuals], I think people tend to go with the easiest, fastest idea. Like, “I’m going to put a handshake in front of a globe to mean partnership!” Well, how many handshakes in front of a globe do we have to look at before we realize it’s a total cliche? Another common one — the arrow in the middle of a bullseye. Really? Everyone else is thinking that way. The slides themselves are supposed to be a mnemonic device for the audience so they can remember what you had to say. They’re not just a teleprompter for the speaker. A bullseye isn’t going to make anyone remember anything. Don’t go for the first idea. Think about the point you’re trying to make and brainstorm individual moments that you’re trying to emphasize. Think to the second, the third, the fourth idea — and by the time you get to about the tenth idea, those will be the more clever memorable things for the audience.

One thing that is really different about giving a TED Talk is the fact that you know it will be filmed. How do you think about the difference between live presentations and ones that will exist on video?

On stage, it feels really awkward to do large movements because — normally in life — we’re talking to someone in a more intimate setting and moving your arms really big feels melodramatic. But on the stage, you have to move your body in really big gestures. It feels awkward at first if you’re not used to it, so you have to kind of close your eyes and get used to it. Say things and move largely. Take big bold steps forward, big bold steps backward. You have this grand stage and people don’t use the space enough. I think one of the great things that Jill Bolte Taylor did was how she used her body. Her arms stretched all the way up when she talked about nirvana. Then she when she talks about her whole soul feeling constricted, she brings her hands down and folds her arms down in front of her. She’s using her body as a prop. That’s an important way to create meaning.

Also, with video, a tech rehearsal is important. Your audience on video is exponentially larger than the people in the room. So by familiarizing yourself with the cameras, you can at least look in that general direction. You know how you’re supposed to look around the audience — look and hold for five seconds, look and hold for five seconds? You should look at the camera as if it’s a human. Get used to seeing that circular lens as a face. Feel like it’s a person you’re talking to, because that audience on camera needs to feel like they’re there and that you’re looking right at them.

To me, presentations are the most powerful device. You can’t really name a movement that didn’t start with the spoken word. TED was once this exclusive, amazing event where ideas were exchanged, but you’ve moved to treating presentations as a media type. You guys have been so refined at it, that what it’s done is created a movement. What TED has done is made a platform for introverts, for scientists, for inventors — to share their ideas in a way that’s clear and appeals to a broad audience so that their ideas spread and get adopted. It’s completely changed how people present. It’s created this desire to be excellent in communication.

When you look at even how businesses communicated in the ’30’s, ’40’s and ’50’s — they were so much clearer and well-crafted. I recently went to the Stanford Library and I got a bunch of old GE Board meetings from, like, 1957. And I thought, “These are so beautiful!” Their presentations referenced history, they quoted things, they crafted their words in such a beautiful way. Then PowerPoint entered into the mix and suddenly there wasn’t any desire to craft anymore. I think TED Talks have brought the desire for the craft back.

Your new book is from the Harvard Business Review. Is it intended for someone who is in business, or for anyone?

All of my books are for anyone who has an idea that they need to communicate! I loved working with Harvard Business Review and I think because of the publisher, business professionals may be more interested in this book. But anyone with an idea can benefit from it. It’s a guidebook, so that people can think, “Oh, I need to know how to do this specific thing. I’m going to go get this book and find that one thing.”

Want more advice on giving talks? Our curator Chris Anderson is writing the official TED guide to public speaking —to be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in spring 2016. Titled Talk This Way! , it will be packed with insights on what makes talks work.

• Subscribe to TED Blog by email

Comments (58)

Pingback: How to give a great speech (Hint: be authentic) « Broadside

Pingback: Before You Speak, Learn To See | Echo Hub » Posts

Pingback: Links of the Week: Week of Nov 5-11 « Creating Communication

Pingback: TED Blog | How to give a persuasive presentations: A Q&A with Nancy Duarte « Simpsonville New Home News

Pingback: TED Blog | How to give a persuasive presentations: A Q&A with Nancy Duarte « arnoneumann

My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

13 All-Time Best TED Talks

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Hello and welcome to my TED talk.

You probably know what TED is already – one of the most popular conferences worldwide , offering inspirational lectures on a broad range of topics… does that ring any bells?

While some associate conferences with dull, stale and business-y individuals talking about boring things on stage, TED is as far from that as you can get. It has a charming heart, fueled by passion and made up of exceptional individuals who strive to make a positive change in the world. With so much content produced by TED, though, which of these are the best TED talks?

As a religious follower of TED over the past few years, I decided to dig a bit deeper into the topic and lay them out for you. Chances are these will inspire your next great idea and convince you that nothing is impossible – given you approach something in the right way.

By the end of this article you will know:

• What are the best TED talks?
• What are the best TED talks of 2020?
• What is TED conference?
• Are TED talks worth it?
• What does the acronym TED stand for?
• And much more curiosities

In this article:

Which are the most influential TED Talks?

1. do schools kill creativity, 2. this is what happens when you reply to spam email, 3. your body language may shape who you are, 4. how great leaders inspire action, 5. the power of vulnerability, 6. how to speak so that people want to listen, 7. inside the mind of a master procrastinator, 8. the next outbreak we’re not ready, 9. my philosophy for a happy life, 10. looks aren’t everything. believe me, i’m a model., 11. what makes a good life lessons from the longest study on happiness, 12. why people believe they can’t draw, 13. 10 things you didn’t know about orgasm, 1. how we must respond to the coronavirus pandemic, 2. why covid-19 is hitting us now — and how to prepare for the next outbreak, 3. what coronavirus means for the global economy, 4. it’s ok to feel overwhelmed. here’s what to do next, 5. how the pandemic will shape the near future, 6. the perks of being a pirate, some final words.

As I dove deep into uncharted Internet territory, looking far and wide to answer this question, I stumbled upon some curiosities regarding TED. There is a chance that you, like myself, are interested in whimsical trivia and statistics, so I will share some with you:

• TED was established in February 1984 , but became an annual conference from 1990 .
• An average TED talk is 18 minutes or under 18 minutes long – which is backed by strategy and neuroscience.
• The conference covers a broad spectrum of topics – from tech, business and innovation, to culture, feminism and spirituality.
• It produces content in more than 100 languages .
• TED.com currently hosts over 2,400 talks , with new additions daily.
• There are 3,400 Youtube TED talks on the official TED channel.
• The TedX Youtube channel hosts over 90,000 videos , with new additions daily.
• Hans Rosling, a Swedish physician, holds the record for the most TED talks given by a single person – a whopping 8 .
• There are more than 10,000 TedX events given out as of 2020.

Now that was refreshing, wasn’t it? With so many dazzling and insightfully good TED talks to pick from, one can get crosseyed and confused easily. This is why I took it upon myself to look into the creme de la creme of the best TED talks ever.

Ready? Hold your breath, because we are diving in.

13 Best TED Talks of All Time

TED talks are built on delivering fresh ideas, by original thinkers and writers, which aim to leave behind a better world. So out of all these inspiring talks, it is very difficult to compile a list of the best of the best. This is why I have focused on view count as a metric – the talks with the most audience surely have something in them that makes them stand out.

Speaker: Sir Ken Robinson Views: 65.9M Category: best TED talks for middle school parents

All kids have tremendous talent. This is the main point that TED speaker Sir Ken Robinson argues for in one of the best TED talks ever made. In his eyes, however, education systems around the world are ruthlessly squandering that talent, which leads to its eventual death. Robinson is firm in his belief that creativity nowadays is just as important as literacy in the context of education, and should be cultivated the same way.

It’s no secret that math, science and literacy have been the focus of schools worldwide for the past who-knows-how-many-years. Children are discouraged from doing dance, art or theatre because “the money is not there”. But should this continue to be this way? If you ask Robinson – definitely not.

Through anecdotes and personal stories, the author and educationalist beautifully states that creativity is the freedom to willingly make mistakes, try out new things and be brave – which are all qualities that children possess. Children don’t lack creativity, but rather grow out of it, are educated out of it, he preaches with his soothing British accent. For me, this is the greatest speech on TED ever.

Speaker: James Veitch Views: 60.2M Category: best short TED talks

Do you know how much gold you’d need if you want to start running an illegal distribution business? 2kg? 9kg? How about 25kg? This, of course, is if witty comedian James Veitch and his alleged communication with the scammer Solomon is to be believed. Even if it’s not, this TED talk is cleverly funny and is bound to make your day a bit brighter.

That being said, spam makes up 45% of our emails . Of course, you rarely click on spam, unless you are above a certain age and want to check out that cool offer you got sent, only to find out that your laptop is now infected with viruses. Yes, I am talking about my dad. On average, spammers receive 1 response to every 12.500.000 emails . People often bash them, but at the end of the day, spamming is a tough and ungrateful job.

Curiously enough, this one is among the most popular TED talks, even though it’s entirely built on humour.

Fun fact – using emojis in online negotiations can bring you more value. That is, if you know how to use them. 😉

Social psychologist Amy Cuddy uses this peculiar fact to introduce the broader topic of the importance of body language to the audience. According to her, our body language doesn’t only influence other people – it influences us as well. In fact, communication consists of 7% spoken words, 38% tone of voice, and 55% body language .

Cuddy’s experiment with low and high power body poses can be positively implemented in many fields – including tough job interviews. She has a “fake it till you make it approach”, which can impress others and give you the needed confidence to see difficult situations through. Cuddy also talks a lot about the connection between hormones, body language, and the importance of presence. This is a great TED talk for teens, who may be struggling with showing their confidence to the world.

Speaker: Simon Sinek Views: 50.8M Category: Best TED talks on leadership

Apple, Martin Luther King, the Wright brothers – what do these seemingly unrelated subjects have in common? It’s easy, they don’t think like you and I. They are innovators – they don’t get discouraged and have strong beliefs. They have dreams and the passion to see their dreams become a reality.

They start with Why?

Starting with Why? is the key component of the Golden Circle , a concept defined by leadership expert Simon Sinnek. It’s also the name of his bestselling book. The Golden Circle consists of three seemingly simple questions – Why? How? and What?, and is integral to making a company stand out from the rest. Everyone knows what they do, some know how they do it, very few know why they do it. And as it turns out, this is key. Sinnek explains all of this in one of the best TED talks for business there is.

People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. People are drawn to purpose, cause, and belief. To inspiration. That is why you have to show them why you get out of bed in the morning and why they should care about that.

Speaker: Brené Brown Views: 48.9M Category: most inspiring TED talks

Brene Brown delivers an extremely touching and human TED talk which explores the importance of human connection. From a neurobiological standpoint (Brown is a researcher-storyteller), this is the meaning of human life.

Brown defines shame as the fear of disconnection. It is the question that each of us has asked ourselves at one time or another – is there something about me that other people will see that will make me not worthy of connection?

Some, however, don’t perceive vulnerability as a flaw, but rather as a necessity. Being vulnerable is the personification of strength and the ultimate courage to love with our whole hearts, even though there is no guarantee that we will receive anything in return. To call your doctor, to tell her you love her first, to surrender – and see what’s on the other side, head held high.

One of the best motivational TED talks of all time, you wouldn’t want to miss out on this one.

Speaker: Julian Treasure Views: 42.8M Category: best audio TED talks

Ever felt like you are speaking logically and soundly, but no one seems to listen? Julian Treasure is here to lend a helping hand and explain why that might be. In this brisk and practical talk, he outlines 7 habits to try and stay away from, if you want to have meaningful conversations , where you have people’s attention. He also pinpoints 4 powerful cornerstones that can enhance our speech further . They spell out the word HAIL – can you guess what each letter stands for?

Finally, Treasure opens the toolbox of our voice and offers some good ideas on keeping track of our register, timbre, prosody, pace, pitch, and volume. This is one of the most famous TED talks because of how practical and easy to implement it is.

Speaker: Tim Urban Views: 40.1M Category: best TED talks for college students

Master procrastinator Tim Urban tells a tale of laughter and woe – in what is one of the funniest TED talks out there. He introduces the audience to the deities living in his brain – the Rational-Decision Maker, who tries to sail the ship and achieve goals within a set timeframe, by spreading out the workload evenly. And the Instant Gratification Monkey, which solely exists to have fun and take the easy way out. Naturally, these two are in a constant struggle, with the Monkey prevailing most of the time, which kind of works… occasionally.

Luckily, procrastinators have a guardian angel – the Panic Monster, which keeps the procrastinator out of trouble and allows for them to do a substantial amount of work in very little time.

Procrastination is a serious issue – according to some surveys, 85-95% of students have problems associated with it . This is why this talk can be deemed among the best TED talks for students. Urban thinks that everyone is a procrastinator, as we are all procrastinating something. However, we should see the bigger picture, since before we know it, we might have procrastinated our lives away.

Speaker: Bill Gates Views: 36.3M Category: best prophetic TED talk

Bill Gates should consider scratching a lottery ticket, because apparently he can predict the future. In this 2015 TED Talk he talks about how the next big thing that humanity should be scared about isn’t nuclear war – it’s influenza. Here, he is talking in the context of Ebola, which was a big thing in 2015 – it had a 50% fatality rate .

This is one of the greatest TED talks, as it shows how credible the organization really is. Apparently, Bill was very well aware of what would happen in 2020, because in his prophetic talk he warns us that the world isn’t prepared to handle an outbreak such as this, and we should be wary. Turns out governments shouldn’t have skipped this great talk, as his words, more or less, came true.

Speaker: Sam Berns Views: 35.1M Category: best motivational TED talks

In this touching and inspiring talk, then 17-year-old Sam Berns shares his philosophy for leading a happy life. Sam is the star of the HBO documentary “Life According to Sam”, which was considered to be nominated in the Documentary Feature category of the 86th Oscars .

Berns suffers from progeria, an extremely rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder, but he doesn’t let it dictate his life. Of course, there are some limitations to what he can and can’t do, but ultimately he chooses what to focus on, preferring to look at the bright side of things, rather than the grim one.

Unfortunately, Sam passed away in 2014 due to complications of his illness, but he delivered one of the most inspirational ted talks to this date. His simple philosophy can inspire people everywhere – being brave isn’t supposed to be easy.

Speaker: Cameron Russell Views: 34.7M Category: best TED talks for women

Cameron Russell, a Victoria’s Secret model, is here to share that being superficial often yields nothing good. She answers some of the most asked questions she gets about her modeling career and builds up to the conclusion that even though models seem perfect on the outside, they are often some of the most insecure people on the planet.

58% of college-aged girls feel pressured to be a certain weight . This presentation is especially good for them to hear, as Cameron talks with conviction and passion, hoping that her message comes across as intended. No wonder this is one of the most viewed TED talks of all time – women and body image have a complicated relationship and social pressure isn’t doing them good – even though Russell says that all the images we see in magazines are simply a skillful construct.

Speaker: Robert Waldinger Views: 34.1M Category: best psychology TED talks

What is the key ingredient to keeping us healthy and happy as we move through life? Many say that fame and fortune are the things that will greatly contribute to their happiness – but psychiatrist Robert Waldinger disagrees. In what is one of the most inspirational TED talks of all time, he explains the findings of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which lasted for 75 years and tracked the lives of 724 men.

As it turns out, the secret to living a long and happy life is quite simple – maintaining good relationships. Quality close relationships make us thrive, and it has been discovered that loneliness kills. Waldinger shares some insight on how to best implement the study findings in our own lives and ensure that we are living mindfully and rich – metaphorically speaking.

Speaker: Graham Shaw Views: 32.6M Category: highest rated TED talks

Many people believe they can’t draw – I am guilty of that myself. Graham Shaw, however, doesn’t agree and argues that that has to do more with your limiting beliefs than your actual skills. He proceeds to show several easy cartoons that anyone can replicate and that the technique for each gets coded within our memory for future use.

This is the best example of what a TED talk stands for – it’s positive, easy to replicate immediately in our lives, and inspires people to keep an open mind.

Speaker: Mary Roach Views: 31.4M Category: best curious TED talk

It’s a bit curious how this is one of the most watched TED talks of all time – but then again, who isn’t guilty of being curious about the mysterious orgasm? Mary Roach treads through the matter effortlessly with her signature wit and humorous nature – and it makes for an informative listen.

It’s a bit funny how this one made it into the top TED talks of all time, but who am I to judge? People like what they like and there is no shame about it. Be sure to watch this fascinating talk for some fresh ideas and funny stories.

5 Most popular TED Talks of 2020 (+ a bonus)

It should come as no surprise that the best TED lectures this year are dedicated to COVID-19. A speaker who appeared in the above list appears not once, but two whole times – can you guess who this influencer is?

And since this whole COVID talk is making us globally anxious, I included a small bonus at the end of the list, which is something different but still communicates valid and important points.

So, without further ado – let’s see which the Best TED talks 2020 are.

Speaker: Bill Gates Views: 7.3M

Bill Gates is one of the most Famous TED talk speakers when it comes to viruses, and no, I don’t mean computer ones. Here he gives his insights into the COVID-19 pandemic and argues why self-isolation and testing are of the utmost importance. He also discusses which medical advancements are promising, and what the world has to do to end this crisis.

Speaker: Alanna Shaikh Views: 3.1M

One of the great TED talks regarding COVID gives a brief rundown on the virus – where did it come from, how did it spread so fast, and most importantly – what’s next? Global health expert Alanna Shaikh talks about all this and follows the spread of the virus, discussing why it’s not effective to restrict travel and highlights the much needed medical reforms worldwide to prepare for what’s coming. “We need to make sure that every country in the world has the capacity to identify new diseases and treat them,” she says.

Speaker: Ray Dalio Views: 2.1M

Another one of the top TED talks of 2020 is corona-related. Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, offers wide-spectrum insights on the best ways to recover from the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic – and use the opportunity to reconstruct the systems that help cultivate our economies. “I’m a capitalist. I believe in the system. I believe you can increase the size of the pie and you could divide it well,” he says.

Speaker: Elizabeth Gilbert Views: 1.7M

Fear and anxiety are common shared feelings amidst the pandemic. Author Elizabeth Gilbert offers a safe haven of understanding and hope by reflecting on how to stay present in the moment, accept negative emotions, and trust in the endurance of the human spirit. This is one of the more recent TED talks, and takes a different angle on the COVID-19 pandemic. “Resilience is our shared genetic inheritance,” Gilbert says.

Speaker: Bill Gates Views: 1M

Bill Gates is at it again with one of the hottest TED talks topics of the year, discussing the best and worst scenarios that COVID-19 could cause in the months ahead. He further explains what the challenges are to reducing virus transmission, speaks about promising vaccine candidates, and even takes a second to consider conspiracy theories revolving around himself. He also makes an appeal to fellow philanthropists, whose action is needed now more than ever.

Speaker: Tom Nash Views: 2M

Harrr. I am so glad this one made it into the top TED talks of the year. DJ and self-proclaimed pirate Tom Nash is here to bushwack our hearts with his charm and humor, while pondering on how facing adversity due to disability welcomed pragmatism, patience and ambition into his life in enlightening ways. “We all have unique weaknesses,” he says. “If we’re honest about what they are, we can learn how to best take advantage of them.” One of the most popular TED talks of the year (which isn’t centered around COVID) will make you smile and reminisce a bit about life.

The staggering combined view count of the best TED talks listed above is more than 550 million. I find it exhilarating that so many people are curious about the world that surrounds them and want to learn more and to feed new information into their brains. Knowledge is seductive and powerful, and in today’s day and age anyone can easily access it on the Internet. So make it count.

Which were your favorite TED talks from the list? Let us know!

Q: What is the best TED talk ever?

A: If you ask me, Sir Ken Robinson’s “Do schools kill creativity?” is absolutely awe-inspiring and deservedly stands on top of the most watched TED talks of all time. If you want to watch something different, you can always check out this playlist – TED actually have quite a few handy playlists that collect videos on similar topics. It’s useful if you don’t know where to start, or have very specific interests.

Q: What TED talk should I watch?

A: Any pick from this list should be a good place to start. The talks listed here are among the best TED talks of all time, the ones which people found great worth and inspiration in. After you get acquainted with the different topics that TED showcases, you can browse here to find more personalized content, suited to your taste.

Q: Are TED talks worth watching?

A: Definitely. TED’s entire philosophy is based on delivering innovative and inspirational content that is meant to ignite creative minds and spark a flame in their hearts. There are so many TED talks topics that it is virtually impossible to not find something you like – you can start with the ones listed in the article, as they are the most viewed TED talks of all time. Furthermore, TED talk science states that 18 minutes is the optimal time to assimilate new knowledge – and you’d be lying if you say you don’t have 18 minutes to spend in your day.

Q: What is TED short for in TED talks?

A: TED stands for: T echnology, E ntertainment and D esign. The conference’s early focus was mainly on technology and design, which was consistent with its Silicon Valley origins. However, given the conference’s 34-year lifespan, it has evolved and now welcomes a broad range of TED talk categories, including science, politics, culture and academia.

Q: What is a TEDx Talk?

A: TEDx talks are independent TED events which can be organized by anyone who obtains a licence from TED. As of October 2017, the TEDx archive surpassed 100,000 talks . TEDx events are quite versatile and can include films and live presentations as well. Understandably, TEDx talks 2020 are all held online.

169 Five-Minute Topics for a Killer Speech or Presentation

10 Portable Microphones and Speakers for Presentations to Buy in 2022

Leave a Comment

I accept the Privacy Policy

Reach out to us for sponsorship opportunities

Vivamus integer non suscipit taciti mus etiam at primis tempor sagittis euismod libero facilisi.

© 2024 My Speech Class

.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} best practices The art of rhetoric: What you can learn from highly persuasive speakers

by TED Masterclass Team • August 11, 2021

You can’t always get what you want, but there is a way to increase your chances of a “yes.” We’re talking: persuasion.

Also known as the art of rhetoric, it’s a centuries-old practice that is still relevant today. TED-Ed’s video about rhetoric , written by Camille Langston, shows that this practice is present in many well-known speeches, including those of powerful politicians, such as Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill, and activists like Martin Luther King Jr. While it takes a certain amount of chutzpah to convey our ideas — and persuade others of them — using rhetoric isn’t a skill or a secret reserved only for oratory luminaries. You can master the language of persuasion, too. And it’s not as complicated as you might think (we promise!).

The three components of rhetoric

Langston simplifies the art of persuasion to three main components which are present in all persuasive endeavors: ethos, pathos, and logos. While ethos is important in presenting yourself as an authority of the point you wish to convey, pathos and logos center around the audience. Pathos works to tug at your audience’s heartstrings, whereas logos appeals to the analytical left side of the brain. This isn’t to say, though, that you should resort to smoke and mirrors to play with others’ emotions. Too often, people equate rhetoric to manipulation , which isn’t the aim of the craft.

In any rhetorical situation, it’s important to stick to the truth, even when you want to state an unpopular opinion. While this leaves your ideas at the whims of your audience’s different backgrounds and thought processes, using rhetoric can help you make a good case for your argument and perhaps convince others to see things in a new light. And if you aren’t successful, what might arise is an opportunity for conversation, in which you and your audience can arrive at an understanding.

Putting rhetoric into practice

All that said, how can you actually use rhetoric? Here are five tips on ways you can apply rhetoric, verbally or in writing, to level up your skills. With practice, you can present your point successfully and, maybe even get what you want.

• Introduce yourself. It’s crucial that your audience know why you are sharing your viewpoint. Are you a respected authority with the credentials to prove it? Or if you’re unable to quantify your experience, you can share personal stories, struggles or insights that contextualize why you arrived at your idea. This will not only lend you an air of expertise, but also show your audience that you’ve taken careful consideration of the matter at hand.
• Unlearn your prejudices. Whether you’re just beginning the process of preparing a presentation or applying the finishing touches, keep in mind that there are always multiple sides to a story. Try to pinpoint any blindspots you might have. It helps to put yourself in the shoes of people who might have opposing viewpoints and think about why they might believe something different as truth. You might also want to conduct research, or consult someone who can give you another perspective.
• Make your audience a top priority. The main intention of persuasion may be to get what you want, but it should never be at the expense of anyone else. While it might be difficult to please everyone, it’s important to consider how your viewpoint might affect your audience. Could your viewpoint give rise to any unwanted consequences? Or even convince people to believe that something harmful is true? Alternatively, ask yourself what’s in it for your audience when stating your opinion.
• Support your statement. There are many nuances to what might be considered as fact. But, in any case, ensure you have the data to support your claims. Use reliable statistics, figures, or charts, and avoid any jargon that might muddle your statement. Remember, your audience is a top priority, so you want to present your points with the utmost clarity. Otherwise, this might alienate your audience’s views from your own — which doesn’t make a good case for what you’re trying to say either.
• Leave room for compromise. Not all disagreements are bad, and if any arise from your statement, that’s okay. There’s always room for healthy discourse. That said, it’s important to create an atmosphere of safety, where your audience can air out concerns or questions that might’ve arised. And if you’re open to hearing other perspectives, even if they don’t necessarily conform to your own, you may actually come to a better conclusion in the end.

Whether you’re looking to persuade your colleagues, friends, or family, rhetoric will come in handy. Like any skill, though, it requires time and practice to master.

If you want to learn more, visit TED Masterclass . There, you can learn all the most important information about the art of rhetoric, among other communication tips.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

.

, .

, , .

15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

Powerful speech opening lines set the tone and mood of your speech. It’s what grips the audience to want to know more about the rest of your talk.

The first few seconds are critical. It’s when you have maximum attention of the audience. And you must capitalize on that!

Instead of starting off with something plain and obvious such as a ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good Morning’, there’s so much more you can do for a powerful speech opening (here’s a great article we wrote a while ago on how you should NOT start your speech ).

To help you with this, I’ve compiled some of my favourite openings from various speakers. These speakers have gone on to deliver TED talks , win international Toastmaster competitions or are just noteworthy people who have mastered the art of communication.

After each speaker’s opening line, I have added how you can include their style of opening into your own speech. Understanding how these great speakers do it will certainly give you an idea to create your own speech opening line which will grip the audience from the outset!

Alright! Let’s dive into the 15 powerful speech openings…

Note: Want to take your communications skills to the next level? Book a complimentary consultation with one of our expert communication coaches. We’ll look under the hood of your hurdles and pick two to three growth opportunities so you can speak with impact!

1. Ric Elias

Opening: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”

How to use the power of imagination to open your speech?

Putting your audience in a state of imagination can work extremely well to captivate them for the remainder of your talk.

It really helps to bring your audience in a certain mood that preps them for what’s about to come next. Speakers have used this with high effectiveness by transporting their audience into an imaginary land to help prove their point.

When Ric Elias opened his speech, the detail he used (3000 ft, sound of the engine going clack-clack-clack) made me feel that I too was in the plane. He was trying to make the audience experience what he was feeling – and, at least in my opinion, he did.

When using the imagination opening for speeches, the key is – detail. While we want the audience to wander into imagination, we want them to wander off to the image that we want to create for them. So, detail out your scenario if you’re going to use this technique.

Make your audience feel like they too are in the same circumstance as you were when you were in that particular situation.

2. Barack Obama

Opening: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”

3. Seth MacFarlane

Opening: “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electoral equipment.” (It was raining)

How to use humour to open your speech?

When you use humour in a manner that suits your personality, it can set you up for a great speech. Why? Because getting a laugh in the first 30 seconds or so is a great way to quickly get the audience to like you.

And when they like you, they are much more likely to listen to and believe in your ideas.

Obama effortlessly uses his opening line to entice laughter among the audience. He brilliantly used the setting (the context of Trump becoming President) and said a line that completely matched his style of speaking.

Saying a joke without really saying a joke and getting people to laugh requires you to be completely comfortable in your own skin. And that’s not easy for many people (me being one of them).

If the joke doesn’t land as expected, it could lead to a rocky start.

Keep in mind the following when attempting to deliver a funny introduction:

• Know your audience: Make sure your audience gets the context of the joke (if it’s an inside joke among the members you’re speaking to, that’s even better!). You can read this article we wrote where we give you tips on how you can actually get to know your audience better to ensure maximum impact with your speech openings
• The joke should suit your natural personality. Don’t make it look forced or it won’t elicit the desired response
• Test the opening out on a few people who match your real audience. Analyze their response and tweak the joke accordingly if necessary
• Starting your speech with humour means your setting the tone of your speech. It would make sense to have a few more jokes sprinkled around the rest of the speech as well as the audience might be expecting the same from you

4. Mohammed Qahtani

Opening: Puts a cigarette on his lips, lights a lighter, stops just before lighting the cigarette. Looks at audience, “What?”

5. Darren Tay

Opening: Puts a white pair of briefs over his pants.

How to use props to begin your speech?

The reason props work so well in a talk is because in most cases the audience is not expecting anything more than just talking. So when a speaker pulls out an object that is unusual, everyone’s attention goes right to it.

It makes you wonder why that prop is being used in this particular speech.

The key word here is unusual . To grip the audience’s attention at the beginning of the speech, the prop being used should be something that the audience would never expect. Otherwise, it just becomes something that is common. And common = boring!

What Mohammed Qahtani and Darren Tay did superbly well in their talks was that they used props that nobody expected them to.

By pulling out a cigarette and lighter or a white pair of underwear, the audience can’t help but be gripped by what the speaker is about to do next. And that makes for a powerful speech opening.

6. Simon Sinek

Opening: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”

7. Julian Treasure

Opening: “The human voice. It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world. Probably the only one that can start a war or say “I love you.” And yet many people have the experience that when they speak people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world?”

How to use questions to open a speech?

I use this method often. Starting off with a question is the simplest way to start your speech in a manner that immediately engages the audience.

But we should keep our questions compelling as opposed to something that is fairly obvious.

I’ve heard many speakers start their speeches with questions like “How many of us want to be successful?”

No one is going to say ‘no’ to that and frankly, I just feel silly raising my hand at such questions.

Simon Sinek and Jullian Treasure used questions in a manner that really made the audience think and make them curious to find out what the answer to that question is.

What Jullian Treasure did even better was the use of a few statements which built up to his question. This made the question even more compelling and set the theme for what the rest of his talk would be about.

So think of what question you can ask in your speech that will:

• Set the theme for the remainder of your speech
• Not be something that is fairly obvious
• Be compelling enough so that the audience will actually want to know what the answer to that question will be

8. Aaron Beverley

Opening: Long pause (after an absurdly long introduction of a 57-word speech title). “Be honest. You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

How to use silence for speech openings?

The reason this speech opening stands out is because of the fact that the title itself is 57 words long. The audience was already hilariously intrigued by what was going to come next.

But what’s so gripping here is the way Aaron holds the crowd’s suspense by…doing nothing. For about 10 to 12 seconds he did nothing but stand and look at the audience. Everyone quietened down. He then broke this silence by a humorous remark that brought the audience laughing down again.

When going on to open your speech, besides focusing on building a killer opening sentence, how about just being silent?

It’s important to keep in mind that the point of having a strong opening is so that the audience’s attention is all on you and are intrigued enough to want to listen to the rest of your speech.

Silence is a great way to do that. When you get on the stage, just pause for a few seconds (about 3 to 5 seconds) and just look at the crowd. Let the audience and yourself settle in to the fact that the spotlight is now on you.

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about starting the speech off with a pure pause that just makes the beginning so much more powerful. It adds credibility to you as a speaker as well, making you look more comfortable and confident on stage. 

If you want to know more about the power of pausing in public speaking , check out this post we wrote. It will give you a deeper insight into the importance of pausing and how you can harness it for your own speeches. You can also check out this video to know more about Pausing for Public Speaking:

9. Dan Pink

Opening: “I need to make a confession at the outset here. Little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal.”

10. Kelly McGonigal

Opening: “I have a confession to make. But first I want you to make a little confession to me.”

How to use a build-up to open your speech?

When there are so many amazing ways to start a speech and grip an audience from the outset, why would you ever choose to begin your speech with a ‘Good morning?’.

That’s what I love about build-ups. They set the mood for something awesome that’s about to come in that the audience will feel like they just have to know about.

Instead of starting a speech as it is, see if you can add some build-up to your beginning itself. For instance, in Kelly McGonigal’s speech, she could have started off with the question of stress itself (which she eventually moves on to in her speech). It’s not a bad way to start the speech.

But by adding the statement of “I have a confession to make” and then not revealing the confession for a little bit, the audience is gripped to know what she’s about to do next and find out what indeed is her confession.

11. Tim Urban

Opening: “So in college, I was a government major. Which means that I had to write a lot of papers. Now when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this.”

12. Scott Dinsmore

Opening: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”

How to use storytelling as a speech opening?

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” Steve Jobs

Storytelling is the foundation of good speeches. Starting your speech with a story is a great way to grip the audience’s attention. It makes them yearn to want to know how the rest of the story is going to pan out.

Tim Urban starts off his speech with a story dating back to his college days. His use of slides is masterful and something we all can learn from. But while his story sounds simple, it does the job of intriguing the audience to want to know more.

As soon as I heard the opening lines, I thought to myself “If normal students write their paper in a certain manner, how does Tim write his papers?”

Combine such a simple yet intriguing opening with comedic slides, and you’ve got yourself a pretty gripping speech.

Scott Dismore’s statement has a similar impact. However, just a side note, Scott Dismore actually started his speech with “Wow, what an honour.”

I would advise to not start your talk with something such as that. It’s way too common and does not do the job an opening must, which is to grip your audience and set the tone for what’s coming.

13. Larry Smith

Opening: “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.”

14. Jane McGonigal

Opening: “You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”

How to use provocative statements to start your speech?

Making a provocative statement creates a keen desire among the audience to want to know more about what you have to say. It immediately brings everyone into attention.

Larry Smith did just that by making his opening statement surprising, lightly humorous, and above all – fearful. These elements lead to an opening statement which creates so much curiosity among the audience that they need to know how your speech pans out.

This one time, I remember seeing a speaker start a speech with, “Last week, my best friend committed suicide.” The entire crowd was gripped. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.

They were just waiting for the speaker to continue to know where this speech will go.

That’s what a hard-hitting statement does, it intrigues your audience so much that they can’t wait to hear more! Just a tip, if you do start off with a provocative, hard-hitting statement, make sure you pause for a moment after saying it.

Silence after an impactful statement will allow your message to really sink in with the audience.

Related article: 5 Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention When You’re Losing it!

15. Ramona J Smith

Opening: In a boxing stance, “Life would sometimes feel like a fight. The punches, jabs and hooks will come in the form of challenges, obstacles and failures. Yet if you stay in the ring and learn from those past fights, at the end of each round, you’ll be still standing.”

How to use your full body to grip the audience at the beginning of your speech?

In a talk, the audience is expecting you to do just that – talk. But when you enter the stage and start putting your full body into use in a way that the audience does not expect, it grabs their attention.

Body language is critical when it comes to public speaking. Hand gestures, stage movement, facial expressions are all things that need to be paid attention to while you’re speaking on stage. But that’s not I’m talking about here.

Here, I’m referring to a unique use of the body that grips the audience, like how Ramona did. By using her body to get into a boxing stance, imitating punches, jabs and hooks with her arms while talking – that’s what got the audience’s attention.

The reason I say this is so powerful is because if you take Ramona’s speech and remove the body usage from her opening, the entire magic of the opening falls flat.

While the content is definitely strong, without those movements, she would not have captured the audience’s attention as beautifully as she did with the use of her body.

So if you have a speech opening that seems slightly dull, see if you can add some body movement to it.

If your speech starts with a story of someone running, actually act out the running. If your speech starts with a story of someone reading, actually act out the reading.

It will make your speech opening that much more impactful.

Related article: 5 Body Language Tips to Command the Stage

Level up your public speaking in 15 minutes!

Get the exclusive Masterclass video delivered to your inbox to see immediate speaking results.

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Final Words

So there it is! 15 speech openings from some of my favourite speeches. Hopefully, these will act as a guide for you to create your own opening which is super impactful and sets you off on the path to becoming a powerful public speaker!

But remember, while a speech opening is super important, it’s just part of an overall structure.

If you’re serious about not just creating a great speech opening but to improve your public speaking at an overall level, I would highly recommend you to check out this course: Acumen Presents: Chris Anderson on Public Speaking on Udemy. Not only does it have specific lectures on starting and ending a speech, but it also offers an in-depth guide into all the nuances of public speaking. 

Being the founder of TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides numerous examples of the best TED speakers to give us a very practical way of overcoming stage fear and delivering a speech that people will remember. His course has helped me personally and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn public speaking. 

No one is ever “done” learning public speaking. It’s a continuous process and you can always get better. Keep learning, keep conquering and keep being awesome!

Lastly, if you want to know how you should NOT open your speech, we’ve got a video for you:

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

Lost Voice? Here’s How to Recover Sore Throat and Speak Again

7 Keys to Emcee Like a Pro: Unlock Your Hosting Potential

8 Ways to Rise Above the Noise to Communicate Better

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

Inspiring Young Minds

Creating meaningful lessons that engage students and inspire learning

Top 5 Ted Talks to Teach Persuasive Writing

Have you ever watched a ted talk and been so profoundly moved by a speaker, that you decide to immediately act on the topic of discussion i watched my first ted talk 6 years ago, not knowing it’s purpose, and walked away feeling moved and inspired. as educators, we look for ways every day to inspire our students to have an impact on the world for the greater good. i felt that incorporating ted talks into my teaching would not only show my students how others have made a positive contribution to society, but also how important it was to share their message with the world. what better way to teach students how to use persuasive writing in the world, than through a ted talk, when planning my persuasive writing unit last year, i decided that rather than simply giving my students topics to write about, i would show them a ted talk video about each topic instead. i was excited to find that there were many similarities between the structures of a ted talk and the persuasive writing form of writing and i could use these videos as an engaging tool to teach students i had a graphic organizer for each aspect of persuasive writing: (including a good hook in the introduction, tailoring your argument to a specific audience, addressing possible counter-arguments, including statistics or research to support your view, appealing to the audience’s emotions and providing a strong conclusion) and these aspects were all included in a ted talk check out the graphic organizers i used for a closer look, my students really appreciated seeing the connection that persuasive writing had to real life examples found in ted talks. it provided them with a ‘purpose’ for their writing and this motivated students to produce their very best pieces, here are the 5 best ted talks to teach persuasive writing to kids if you’d like to learn more about how to incorporate ted talks with persuasive writing, you can find it in my persuasive writing unit .  follow my blog for more useful teacher tips and my inspire to learn store for some useful teaching resources, 1.    kids need recess – simon link, https://youtu.be/kh9gbyuga1y, 2.    homework overload – mikel garmendia, https://youtu.be/d_qmpv9v9to, 3.    what adults can learn from kids – adora svitek, https://youtu.be/v-bjojzb7ly, 4.    individualization, failure and fun – cordell steiner, https://youtu.be/p-djw4uj7ri, 5.    kindness – orly wahba, https://youtu.be/yn9vxuplc5g, share this:.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

TED is supported by ads and partners 00:00

Rediscovering Rhetoric - Persuasion from a Heart of Love