Starting a speech from a blank page is hard. Starting from a good example is much easier: you can see how long each part should be, where the jokes or memories go, and how a speech moves from the opening line to the toast or the final thank you. These sample speeches are written to be spoken, not read, and each one is already split into cue cards, one beat per card.
All speech examples
Best man speech for a brother
A best man speech from a younger brother: one childhood story, one story about meeting the partner, thanks and a toast.
Maid of honour speech for a best friend
A speech from a best friend since school: how you met, what she is like, how the couple met, a wish and a toast.
Father of the bride speech
A traditional father of the bride speech: welcome and thanks, a childhood memory, the person she is now, welcoming the partner’s family, and a toast.
50th birthday toast
A short toast for a friend’s 50th: a hook, two stories that show who she is, a wish and the toast.
Retirement farewell speech
A manager’s speech for a long-serving colleague: welcome, their career in brief, a story, what the team will miss, and a toast.
School captain speech
An election speech for school captain, head student or student body president: a hook, experience, two clear ideas and a memorable close.
Eulogy for a grandparent
A eulogy from a grandchild: who they were, their early life, the things the family remembers, what they taught us, and a goodbye.
Persuasive speech for class
A persuasive speech for an English or speaking assessment, arguing that school should start later. Hook, three arguments, a rebuttal and a call to action.
Using a sample without sounding generic
The fastest way to give a forgettable speech is to read someone else’s. Audiences can tell when a story did not happen to you, and a borrowed joke never lands as well as a small, true detail. So treat each example as a frame. Keep the order of the cards, keep roughly the same length for each part, and replace the content with your own people and memories.
Look at what each card is doing rather than what it says. In the best man example, the childhood card shows a trait (fairness, stubbornness, generosity) through one specific moment. In the eulogy, each card covers a different part of a life. In the persuasive speech, each argument gets its own card, followed by a rebuttal. When you know the job of a card, you can write your own version quickly.
Adapting a speech in four passes
- Swap the facts Change every name, place, date and number to the real ones. Do this first so the speech stops sounding like an example.
- Replace the stories For each story card, write down one moment you remember clearly. Tell it in three beats: the set-up, what happened, and what it says about the person.
- Read it aloud and time it Most people speak at around 120 to 150 words a minute when they are relaxed. If you are over time, cut a whole card rather than rushing every card.
- Mark your delivery Add cues such as [PAUSE], [SMILE] or [LOOK AT THEM] where you want to slow down. Bold any name you must not stumble over.
Turning a speech into cue cards
Every example has a “Turn into cue cards” link. It opens the EasyPalmCards editor with the speech already laid out as cards, each with a short heading so you can see where you are at a glance. From there you can rewrite the text, make the font bigger for a dim room, and print the set on ordinary A4 or US Letter paper. Cut along the lines and you have cards that are numbered and in order.
You can also rehearse straight from the same cards. Rehearsal mode shows one card at a time with a timer, so you can check the whole speech fits the time you have and mark the cards that need another run-through. Whatever you call them where you live (cue cards, note cards, index cards, palm cards or prompt cards), the goal is the same: notes you can glance at so you can look up at the people you are speaking to.
Writing from scratch? Use the speech outline builder to plan each section, or read how to write cue cards before you start.