A persuasive speech asks an audience to believe something or do something. The outline is where you decide what you are asking for, why anyone should agree, and what you will say to the person who does not. Get that right and the writing is mostly filling in gaps. If you still need a subject, start with the persuasive speech topics list, then come back here.
The fill-in persuasive speech outline
Copy this structure and fill in each line. It works for most class speeches of three to eight minutes.
- I. Introduction A. Attention getter: a question, a short story, a surprising fact you can source, or a vivid picture.
B. Why it matters to this audience.
C. Thesis: one sentence that states your position.
D. Preview: "I'll show you three reasons: ..." - II. Main point 1 A. Claim. B. Evidence (a source, an example, a figure). C. Why this evidence supports the thesis.
- III. Main point 2 A. Claim. B. Evidence. C. Link back to the thesis.
- IV. Main point 3 A. Claim. B. Evidence. C. Link back to the thesis. Save your strongest point for here or for the first slot.
- V. Counterargument and rebuttal A. The strongest objection, stated fairly. B. Your answer, with evidence. C. Why your position still holds.
- VI. Conclusion A. Restate the thesis in new words. B. Sum up the three points in one sentence. C. Call to action: one specific thing the audience can do. D. A closing line that echoes your opening.
What goes in each part
The attention getter
Your first sentence should make the audience curious or make the issue personal. A question they can answer in their heads works well: "How much did you spend on lunch this week?" Avoid opening with "My speech is about". The how to start a speech guide has more openings you can adapt.
The thesis
A persuasive thesis takes a side and could be argued against. "Social media affects teenagers" is a topic, not a thesis. "Schools should ban phones during class time" is a thesis. If nobody could disagree, you are writing an informative speech; the informative speech outline suits that better.
Main points and evidence
Each main point is a reason the audience should accept your thesis. Give each one evidence they can trust: a named source, a real example, an expert's finding, or a clear piece of reasoning. Write the source on your outline so you can say it aloud: "According to the school's own canteen figures...". Never make up a number to sound convincing; one checked fact beats three guesses.
The counterargument
Naming the other side shows you have thought about it and takes away the audience's main reason to disagree. State the objection the way someone who holds it would, then answer it. Words like "That's a fair concern, and here's why it doesn't change the answer" keep the tone respectful.
The call to action
Ask for something small and specific: sign, vote, try, switch, talk to someone. "Think about it" is not an action. Tell people exactly when and how, and make it easy.
Alternative: Monroe's Motivated Sequence
When your speech proposes a solution to a problem, this five-step structure, developed by Alan Monroe, often persuades better than a list of reasons, because it follows the way people come round to a decision.
- Attention Hook the audience with a story, question or striking example.
- Need Show the problem, who it affects and what it costs. Use evidence.
- Satisfaction Present your solution and explain how it fixes the need. Answer the obvious objection here.
- Visualisation Help them picture the future with your solution, or without it.
- Action Tell them exactly what to do next.
Use the reasons outline for "should we believe this?" topics and Monroe's sequence for "should we do this?" topics. Check whether your teacher wants a particular format before you choose.
A worked example outline
This is an original example for a five-minute class speech. Swap in your own topic and evidence.
I. Introduction. A. Hook: "Raise your hand if you bought a plastic bottle of water this week." B. Relevance: we all pay for it, and we all walk past the bins it ends up in. C. Thesis: our school should install filtered refill stations and stop selling bottled water. D. Preview: it saves money, cuts waste and keeps people drinking water.
II. Cost. A. A reusable bottle is a one-off purchase; a bottle a day adds up every term. B. Evidence: work out the yearly cost using the canteen's own price. C. That money stays with families.
III. Waste. A. Bottles fill our bins every lunchtime. B. Evidence: count the bottles in the bins after one lunch, or quote the council's recycling guidance. C. Refill stations show the waste going down.
IV. Health. A. If water is free and cold, people choose it over sugary drinks. B. Evidence: a public health recommendation on water in schools. C. Better concentration in afternoon classes.
V. Objection. A. "Fountains are unhygienic." B. Modern refill stations are filtered, touch-free and cleaned on a schedule. C. The worry is real, the fix is simple.
VI. Conclusion. A. Free, clean water for everyone. B. Cheaper, cleaner, healthier. C. Sign the petition at the canteen this week. D. "Next time you reach for a plastic bottle, picture a full refill station instead."
From outline to cue cards
Your outline is already your card plan. Give each Roman numeral its own note card: introduction, point one, point two, point three, objection and conclusion. Six cards is right for most five-minute speeches. On each card write key words, not full sentences, except for three things you should write in full: your thesis, any quote or figure with its source, and your final line.
- Number every card in a corner so a dropped stack is easy to fix.
- Add delivery notes in brackets: [PAUSE], [SLOW], [LOOK UP].
- Highlight the one word on each card that triggers the whole point.
- Keep evidence on the card for that point, not on a separate sheet.
Open the template in the editor, paste your outline, and the cards split for you. Print several note cards to an A4 or Letter page and cut them out, or print one per card on 3×5 or 4×6 stock. The speech outline builder also sends a filled outline straight into cards. For debates with an opponent, the debate cards guide shows how to prepare rebuttal cards too.
What teachers usually mark
Every class has its own rubric, so read yours first. Most persuasive speech rubrics look at the same things:
- A clear thesis that takes a side and is stated early.
- Organisation: a preview, main points in a logical order, and signposts between them.
- Evidence that is relevant, credible and cited aloud.
- Handling the other side fairly and answering it.
- A memorable conclusion with a specific call to action.
- Delivery: eye contact, pace, volume, and speaking from notes rather than reading.
- Time: finishing within the set limits.
Signposts are cheap marks. Phrases like "My first reason is", "Second", and "Some people argue" tell the marker exactly where you are in the outline.
Timing each section
Most people speak at roughly 120 to 150 words a minute. For a five-minute speech that is about 650 words. A balanced split looks like this: introduction about 45 seconds, each main point about a minute, the objection 45 seconds and the conclusion 30 seconds. For a shorter speech, keep the introduction and conclusion and trim the main points. The 5 minute speech guide converts any time limit into a word count, and the editor shows the speaking time for each card so you can see which section runs long before you rehearse.