USING STORIES WITHIN SPEECHES AND PRESENTATIONS A story can enhance your speech!

Use stories to illustrate points. State the point in addition to telling the story. Make the story relevant to the subject. Select stories to match the age, experience, occupation and intelligence of the audience as well as the nature of the occasion.

Space stories at intervals to change pace and reemphasize your message. Tell about your own troubles or stupidity. Audiences relate to self-effacing humour because they see themselves mirrored.

Eliminate inconsequential detail using the fewest words possible. Write the story to see what words can be eliminated. Keep humourous stories short. The size of the laugh is inversely proportional to the number of words used to get to the punch line. The longer the story, the funnier it must be.

Use specifics rather than general words. For example, say “Lots-of Suds” instead of “detergent.” Truthful and specific stories increase audience attention. When making a story, use people, things and places the audience knows. Use language appropriate to the audience. Example: business people appreciate business-like language. Children like colloquial language. Also, choose the right connotation of words.

Specify the location of a joke or story. Use strong specific nouns, adjectives and verbs. Example: Don’t say “Her head was down.” Say “Her head was nodding and drooping.”

Learn your stories without memorizing them word for word. You don’t want to omit a necessary detail. Use facts from your own life. Use language appropriate to the audience. Example: business people appreciate business-like language. Children like colloquial language.

Use emotional language to hook the listener. Have a quotation ready that makes the same point as your story. If you are running short of time, you can replace the story with a quick quotation.

To draw the audience into your story use introductory words like: “imagine this”, “Have you ever had an experience where?” or “Let me take you with me to.”

Sometimes you can split your story. Start it near the beginning of your talk, but don’t finish it. You will build suspense and anticipation. Go to the body of your speech, and then finish your story at the end of your talk.

Look in different directions and change your voice tone to indicate different characters. Do what the story says. If it says Joe cleared his throat, clear your throat at that point.

EXERCISE: A) Use a more specific noun to replace these general nouns: Furniture__________________ Flower______________________ Liquid ____________________ Dog ________________________ Car_______________________ Musician ____________________ Store _____________________ Doctor______________________

B) Substitute a more precise adjective for the underlined word in each sentence. Don’t eat that awful food._______________ She had terrific fingernails. _____________ My old car is unsafe. _____________ His weird underwear kept him from freezing. ___________ I like her great haircut. _____________

C) Substitute a more vivid verb for the underlined verb in each sentence. He used a knife to cut it. _________ The animal came out of the woods. __ When I fell, my classmates laughed. ___________ ____________

D) List more powerful verbs for each sentence to suit the desired connotation. Two boys fought in the hallway. (Suggest anger) __________________________________ (suggest playfulness) __________________________________

The blonde girl walked down the steps. (Make her heavy) ____________________________________________ (Make her shy ) _____________________________________________ (Make her carefree) _____________________________________________ (Make her angry) ____________________________________________

C) Change the following passage to eliminate unnecessary words, and change weak or general words to stronger or more specific words. My teacher is in the habit of coming to class late, but on Thursday he got to class on time. He put down his book, and after making a picture on the board, and putting labels on each part, I saw him give a look out the window, and then he took his leave of the surprised class. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________