MC script and run sheet for events
Cue cards for the master of ceremonies at a conference, gala, awards night, fundraiser or community event: welcome, housekeeping, introductions, segues, break notices, thanks and the close.
Speech8 cardsAbout 5 min to speakBeginnerCommunity
Icebreaker speech for a speaking club
Cue cards for your first prepared speech at a public speaking club: a four to six minute personal introduction with an opening hook, three short life chapters, what you hope to gain and a warm close.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Choose a theme
An icebreaker works best with one thread running through it. Pick one:
- Places I have lived
- Three objects that tell my story
- Turning points
- Things people would not guess about me
My theme: [theme]
- 2
Opening hook
[A short, vivid line that sets up your theme.]
e.g. If you looked in my bag right now, you would find [three objects], and each one explains a part of who I am.
Pause, smile, look around the room.
- 3
Chapter 1: where I come from
[Where you grew up or an early memory that shaped you.]
One detail: [a sound, smell, person or saying from that time].
- 4
Chapter 2: what I do
[Your work, study or main occupation, in plain words.]
What I enjoy about it: [one thing].
A funny or surprising moment: [short story].
- 5
Chapter 3: what I love
[A hobby, passion, cause or the people who matter to you.]
Why it matters to me: [reason].
- 6
Why I joined
I joined this club because [honest reason: nerves at work meetings, a goal, a new country, a friend's suggestion].
In a year I would like to be able to [specific speaking goal].
- 7
Close
[Return to your theme or opening line.]
e.g. So that is what is in my bag, and now you know a little more about the person carrying it. Thank you.
Stay still for a second before walking back.
- 8
Before you speak
- Time it at home: aim for [4 to 6] minutes
- Know the timing lights: green, amber, red
- Say your opening line three times aloud on the way
- Ask your evaluator to watch for: [one thing you want feedback on]
How to use this template
Many public speaking clubs ask new members to give an 'icebreaker' as their first prepared speech. It is a short talk, usually four to six minutes, that introduces you to the group and gives you a first experience of speaking with a timer and an evaluator. This template helps you avoid the most common mistake, which is listing facts about yourself in date order. Instead, you choose one theme and tell three short chapters through it, with a specific detail or story in each. A card on why you joined gives the club something to support, and the close returns to your opening idea so the speech feels complete. The final card is a checklist for the meeting itself.
Tips
- Pick stories you are comfortable sharing with a friendly group of near strangers; you do not need to reveal anything personal you would rather keep private.
- One small, specific detail in each chapter is more memorable than a list of achievements.
- Practise standing up, out loud, at least three times. Speaking is a physical skill as much as a mental one.
- Look at a different friendly face for each chapter to share your eye contact across the room.
- If you lose your place, pause, glance at your card and carry on; the audience will rarely notice.
- Tell your evaluator one thing you would like feedback on, such as pace or eye contact, so their comments are useful.
Make it fit
- For an online club meeting, raise your camera to eye level and keep your cards just under it.
- If English is not your first language, speak a little slower than feels natural and choose simple words you can say with confidence.
- For a shorter two to three minute introduction at a new job or class, use the hook, one chapter and the close.
- If the club follows a set project guide, check its objectives and timing and adjust the chapters to match.
- For a club that meets in another language you are learning, keep the same structure and write a few key phrases phonetically on each card.
Updated October 28, 2026