Persuasive speech topics

A persuasive speech asks the audience to change what they think or what they do. The topic matters more than people expect: a good one gives you a clear side, real reasons and an action the audience can take. A weak one leaves you arguing something nobody disagrees with. The list below is a starting point. Pick one, make it your own, then use the structure further down to build the speech and put it on cue cards.

How to choose a topic

Run each idea through four quick checks before you commit.

1. Do you care about it? Conviction is persuasive. If you are bored by the topic, the audience will be too.
2. Is there a real other side? "Bullying is bad" has no opponent. "Schools should ban phones in class" does, which gives you something to answer.
3. Does the audience have a stake in it? A topic about your school, town or age group lands better than a distant one.
4. Can you ask for something specific? Sign a petition, try a habit for a week, vote a certain way. A clear ask makes the ending strong.

120 persuasive speech topics

Each group has fifteen ideas. Many work either way round, so you can argue for or against. Adjust the wording to fit your school, workplace or country.

School and students

Topics your classmates live with every day, so the audience already cares.

• Schools should start later in the morning
• Homework should be limited on weekends
• Every student should learn to cook before leaving school
• School uniforms do more good than harm
• Students should have a say in how their school spends money
• Exams should count for less than coursework
• Every school should teach basic money skills
• Learning a second language should be compulsory
• Group projects should be marked individually
• Schools should have a four-day week
• Students should grade their teachers once a year
• Libraries are more important than ever
• Gap years should be encouraged
• Schools should teach first aid to every student
• Recess and lunch breaks should be longer

Fun and light-hearted

Good for a first speech or a class that needs a laugh. You still need reasons and evidence.

• Pineapple belongs on pizza
• Cats make better pets than dogs (or the other way round)
• Breakfast food should be allowed at any time of day
• Everyone should learn to juggle
• Board games beat video games for a night in
• Socks with sandals deserve a comeback
• Cereal is a soup
• The book is always better than the film
• Naps should be part of the working day
• Everyone should have a theme song
• Summer is the best season
• Dessert should come first
• Hot dogs are sandwiches
• Karaoke is good for you
• Every town needs more public benches

Easy topics for beginners

Clear sides, plenty of everyday examples and little research needed.

• Everyone should drink more water
• Reading for twenty minutes a day is worth it
• People should walk or cycle short trips
• Everyone should learn to swim
• Volunteering should be part of growing up
• Handwritten letters are worth sending
• Families should eat dinner together
• Everyone should learn a musical instrument
• Adopting a pet is better than buying one
• People should spend more time outdoors
• Saying thank you more often changes a workplace
• Everyone should know how to change a tyre
• Making your bed every morning is a good habit
• Public transport is underrated
• Everyone should try public speaking

Technology and social media

Topics with lots of current examples. Check your facts are recent.

• Phones should be banned during lessons
• Social media platforms should verify users’ ages
• Screen time limits help teenagers
• Students should be allowed to use AI tools for homework
• Video games can teach real skills
• Everyone should learn basic coding
• Online friendships are real friendships
• People should take a regular break from social media
• Influencers should label every paid post clearly
• Smart speakers are worth the privacy trade-off
• Self-driving cars should be allowed on public roads
• Children under 13 should not have smartphones
• Devices should be built to be repaired
• Passwords should be replaced by passkeys
• Streaming has been good for music

Health and wellbeing

Personal and practical. Use trusted health sources and avoid giving medical advice.

• Sugary drinks should carry warning labels
• Schools should teach mental health skills
• Teenagers need more sleep than they get
• Everyone should learn CPR
• Workplaces should offer flexible hours
• Junk food advertising aimed at children should be restricted
• Physical education should be offered every day
• Blood donation is something everyone eligible should try
• Vaping should be treated like smoking
• Walking meetings are better than sitting meetings
• Cooking at home is worth the time
• Talking about mental health should be normal at work
• Organ donation should be opt-out
• Energy drinks should not be sold to under-16s
• Gyms should offer free sessions to beginners

Environment and animals

Big issues made local. Focus on one change the audience can make or support.

• Single-use plastic bags should be banned
• Schools should have vegetable gardens
• Fast fashion costs more than it saves
• Cities should plant more trees
• People should eat less meat
• Zoos do more good than harm for conservation
• Food waste should be collected separately
• Every home should compost
• Car-free days in city centres are worth trying
• Bottled water should be phased out where tap water is safe
• Buying second-hand should be the first choice
• Cats should be kept indoors at night
• Light pollution deserves more attention
• Electric buses should replace diesel buses
• Rewilding unused land helps wildlife

Society and policy

More serious topics. Present the other side fairly before you answer it.

• Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
• Should public transport be free?
• Should national service be introduced?
• Should museums be free to enter?
• Should the minimum wage rise each year automatically?
• Should cities ban cars from their centres?
• Should tipping be replaced by higher wages?
• Should junk food be taxed?
• Should everyone learn a trade as well as academic subjects?
• Should a four-day working week become standard?
• Should university be free?
• Should voting be compulsory?
• Should libraries open in the evenings?
• Should every new building include solar panels?
• Should parents get longer paid leave?

Sport

Easy to find examples and easy for an audience to picture.

• Esports should count as a sport
• Children’s sport should focus on fun before winning
• Video replays improve fairness
• Women’s sport deserves equal coverage
• Every school should offer a free sports club
• Heading the ball should be limited in youth football
• Sport stars should speak out on social issues
• The Olympics should add new sports
• Professional athletes are paid fairly
• Running is the best sport for beginners
• Mixed teams should be more common
• Big events should prove they are sustainable
• Rest days matter as much as training days
• Team sport builds better friendships
• Ticket prices for local games should be capped

Turn a topic into a claim

A topic is a subject. A claim is the sentence you want the audience to agree with by the end. Narrow the topic until it is specific, arguable and possible to cover in your time limit.

Then list two or three reasons that support the claim, and the single strongest argument against it. Planning your answer to that objection is what makes the speech feel fair rather than one-sided.

Fact, value and policy

Persuasive claims usually fall into one of three types. Knowing which one you have tells you what kind of evidence you need.

• Fact: something is or is not true. "Video games can improve problem-solving." You need research and examples.
• Value: something is good, bad, better or worse. "Board games beat video games for a family night." You need clear criteria and comparisons.
• Policy: something should be done. "Our school should start at 9:30." You need the problem, the solution and why it is practical.

Most class assignments ask for a policy speech because it ends naturally with a call to action, but a value speech is often easier for a first attempt.

Monroe's motivated sequence

This classic five-step outline works for almost any persuasive speech, and each step fits neatly on one or two cards. The template in the editor follows the same order.

1. Attention Open with a question, a short story or a surprising detail that connects the topic to the audience.
2. Need Show the problem. Give one or two pieces of evidence and explain who it affects.
3. Satisfaction Present your solution and answer the strongest objection.
4. Visualisation Describe what changes if they agree, or what happens if nothing changes.
5. Action Ask for one specific thing, then finish with a line they will remember.

For a ready-made example, read the sample persuasive speech for class, then see how to start a speech for more opening ideas.

Putting it on cue cards

A persuasive speech works best when you look at people, so keep the cards short. Write your first sentence and your final call to action in full; everything in between can be key words.

• One step per card: attention, need, satisfaction, visualisation and action.
• Put evidence in bold so names, numbers and sources are easy to find.
• Add delivery marks such as [PAUSE] after a key fact or [SLOW] before the ask.
• Number the cards in case you drop them.