how to give speech for promotion

Epic Promotion Speech Tips Revealed!

Giving a promotion speech is a big moment. It’s your chance to share your path, thank those who’ve been there for you, and outline your future plans. A memorable speech isn’t just about your successes; it’s about expressing gratitude and sharing your vision. We’ve got some great tips to help your promotion speech stand out. It’s important to be genuine, grateful, and personal. Use stories to connect, showing the challenges you’ve overcome and the dreams you’re chasing. This speech is an opportunity to inspire and lead by example.

By focusing on what matters—your journey, the people who’ve supported you, and your goals—you’ll leave a lasting impression. Aim to not only capture attention but to touch hearts and spark motivation. With these strategies, your promotion speech will be more than remembered; it will make a lasting impact.

Understanding the Essence of a Promotion Speech

What makes a great promotion speech.

Creating a compelling promotion speech is an art that requires a delicate balance between professionalism and personal touch. It’s an opportunity to reflect on your past achievements, recognizing the collective efforts of your team, and to look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead with optimism and excitement. Authenticity plays a crucial role in making your speech resonate with your audience; it’s essential that your speech mirrors your personality, showcasing your unique journey, experiences, and vision for the future. This personalized approach ensures that your message is not only heard but felt by those listening.

Crafting Your Promotion Speech

Brainstorming key points.

The process of crafting an impactful speech begins with a deep dive into your past experiences, identifying significant milestones, the individuals who’ve played a pivotal role in your journey, and the valuable lessons that have spurred your growth. This exercise is not solely about highlighting your accomplishments but rather about painting a picture of the journey and the network of support that has been instrumental in your development. By meticulously selecting these elements, you’re laying the foundation for a speech that is both personal and inclusive, resonating with your audience on a deeper level.

Structuring Your Promotion Speech

Constructing an effective speech necessitates a clear and logical structure, starting with a heartfelt expression of gratitude, followed by an insightful exploration of your journey, and culminating in a forward-looking vision for what lies ahead. It’s essential to craft a narrative that is concise yet impactful, ensuring every word and every sentence contributes meaningfully to the overarching message you wish to convey. This careful construction not only aids in maintaining the audience’s attention but also enhances the overall impact of your speech.

Engaging Your Audience

Storytelling techniques.

Integrating stories into your speech is a powerful technique to breathe life into your message. Personal anecdotes serve as bridges, connecting you with your audience on an emotional level, making your promotion speech not just heard but experienced. These stories, whether they depict challenges overcome or moments of triumph, add a layer of relatability and depth to your speech, enhancing its memorability and impact.

Using Humor

Incorporating light humor into your speech can serve as an effective tool to alleviate tension, both for you and your audience. When used appropriately, humor can make your speech more engaging and enjoyable without undermining the seriousness of your achievements or the depth of your message. It’s a delicate balance to strike, but when done correctly, humor can significantly enhance the appeal and effectiveness of your speech.

Mastering Delivery

Voice modulation.

The power of your voice in conveying your message cannot be overstated. Utilizing voice modulation to express passion, gratitude, and confidence is essential in capturing and maintaining the attention of your audience. Practicing variations in pitch and pace not only helps in emphasizing key points but also keeps your speech dynamic and captivating.

Body Language

The non-verbal cues you convey through your body language play a significant role in reinforcing your message and establishing a connection with your audience. Standing confidently, maintaining eye contact, and using gestures judiciously can significantly amplify the impact of your words, creating a more engaging and persuasive speech.

Leveraging Emotional Appeal

The ability to connect emotionally with your audience can elevate your speech from good to extraordinary. Sharing personal challenges you’ve faced and overcome, or expressing genuine appreciation for your colleagues, can create an emotional resonance that makes your speech not just memorable but deeply impactful. This emotional connection fosters a sense of community and shared experience, making your message more powerful.

Concluding Your Speech with Impact

Ending your speech on a high note is crucial for leaving a lasting impression. Reiterating your enthusiasm for the future and your commitment to excellence and leadership ensures that your speech concludes with a clear, motivational message. A strong, impactful conclusion not only resonates with your audience but also encourages positive discussions and reflections long after the speech has ended.

Practical Tips for Rehearsal

Thorough rehearsal is key to delivering a confident and polished speech. Practicing in front of a mirror, recording yourself, or rehearsing with a trusted friend or colleague allows you to become more familiar with your speech, reduce nervousness, and refine your delivery. This preparation ensures that when the moment comes, you can deliver your speech with confidence and clarity.

A promotion speech is an invaluable opportunity to inspire, express gratitude, and lead by example. By crafting a speech that is authentic, engaging, and heartfelt, you can ensure that your message not only resonates with your audience but also leaves a lasting impression. Remember, this speech is a reflection of your journey and a vision for the future. With these comprehensive tips, your promotion speech will not only be remembered but celebrated for its depth, authenticity, and inspirational message.

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Promotion Acceptance Speech

It goes without saying, a promotion is always something employees look forward to. Especially those who have worked for years,  and have been working hard to get to a certain level. So what happens if you are chosen for the promotion? Does one expect to say a few words and thank everyone? It may be to some but a few or some employers expect their employees to make a speech . If this is the case, here are some 3+ promotion acceptance speech examples you can download. 

3+ Promotion Acceptance Speech Examples

1. promotion award acceptance speech.

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2. Reading Promotion Acceptance Speech

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3. Promotion Achievement Acceptance Speech

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4. Promotion Acceptance Reception Speech

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Defining Promotion

Defining the term promotion , this refers to the whole set of activities. The act of inspiring people to do something or to inspire something to happen. Another definition also means to raise someone to a higher rank in a company. To ascend to a better place or role. To be given a better job position than the one they are currently in.

Defining Acceptance

Acceptance means the act of receiving something that has been offered to you. This could be a positive or a negative thing offered. In this case, a promotion on the job. Another meaning could be the action of believing or accepting something that is said to you. Whether this may be a theory or a fact.

Defining the Word Speech

To define the word speech in a simpler one, this means a form of uttering a language or a dialect. The ability to speak or talk. Speech can also mean a formal lecture often given by people during social gatherings.

Importance of Acceptance Speeches

The purpose or the importance of making an acceptance speech is to simply say thank you. To show you are grateful for the opportunity that was given to you. Acceptance speeches are mostly given during social events where you are taking an award or a promotion from work.

Tips for Writing Acceptance Speeches

It is without a doubt that once you accept something whether it is a promotion from a job, or an award for doing a good job, people expect you to make a speech. Writing speeches is easy if you have something to follow or to use as a guide. Here are some tips for you to know how to write a good acceptance speech for that job promotion . 

• Think What You Want To Say : Before you write that thank you speech, think about what you want to say. To whom are you  addressing the speech for. What is the purpose of your speech? Once you have done the thinking, draft your speech.
• Draft and Check: Once you draft your speech . Make sure you add everything that you want to say. Also check the tone of your writing. Do not sound too pompous nor too passive. Make the tone sound professional.
• Write the final piece:  Drafting and checking if your ideas are all in one place, start writing the final piece. This is where you are going to be finalizing and placing your ideas in the right place.
• Revision is Key: After the draft and checking everything is in place, only revise your speech if you think there is something that needs to be done. Revise if you think it’s time consuming, if it’s too short, if the tone of your speech makes you too pompous or too passive.
• Practice: Practice once you are done writing. Ask a friend to help you with this and let them give you feedback.

Tips for Presenting Your Speech

Once you are done writing your acceptance speech, the next thing you are about to do is to present it. So here are some tips you can use to learn how to present your speech .

• Make Eye Contact: The best way to engage with your audiences is to make eye contact. Draw your audience in. Even a single person can make a ripple effect. If you are able to bring one person’s interest with simple eye contact, chances are you will be able to bring the rest of the audience’s attention to you. To do this, eye contact has to be consistent.
• Voice and Tone: Your voice has to be loud enough for everyone to hear. But do not shout. Also avoid whispering as this can cause your audiences to question you. Chances are, they may lose interest if they cannot hear you. Watch your tone as well. When you present your speech, do not sound too proud or too self belittling. Keep everything as professional as possible .
• Share your experience: Share some of your experiences in achieving this promotion to your audience. Let them feel and understand that with all you have done, you were able to be where you are now.
• Share a quote: To lessen the dead air when you make your speech, share a quote or an anecdote that is connected with what you are talking about.
• Copy of Speech: As much as possible, be familiar with your speech. Avoid bringing the whole page of your speech in front. Eye contact is still a must here.

Why should I not be proud about my promotion?

Do not be too proud of the fact you got promoted, rather be professional. Your boss has the right to take away the promotion if he or she sees you are not fit for the promotion. Be professional.

Can I avoid doing a speech when accepting my promotion?

Your boss may want you to make a speech or say a few good words. But in case you need to say something, it’s best to be ready.

Can I share my tips to getting promoted to my fellow employees through my speech?

Yes. It is actually nice to be able to share some ways of getting a promotion to your fellow colleagues.

Do I need to sound engaging in my speech?

Yes. As much as possible, engage with your audience as well.

How can I memorize a speech I just made?

Be familiar with your speech.

Congratulations to the people who have achieved great success, and to those who are still on the run, don’t give up. This introduction can also be a part of your speech as you are encouraging your fellow colleagues. But remember, a good acceptance speech comes from within. Be grateful, be thankful, encourage others and simply have fun.

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5 Tips For A Remarkable Promotion Speech

Isn’t it a nice feeling to be called out by your boss and being told you have been promoted? Of course but only after you get past that feeling that maybe you have somehow goofed up at work and your boss wants to set an example!

The word promotion has a sort of spiritual power to it! The moment people hear this word it somehow has a calming effect on them and puts a smile on their face. Who knew that words could have such power over the mind and the soul! Those mystical ‘yogis’ were right all these years then, chanting away their hymns to glory. But let’s not digress here, let’s talk about promotion.

A promotion is a gala affair for the ‘promotee’, not so much for other people, and a promotion means a promotion acceptance speech ! That’s because every celebratory affair calls for a speech. And a promotion acceptance speech is not just required, it’s the norm!

So how do you present a great promotion speech? It’s obvious that you would be psyched about it, but how do you transfer that enthusiasm that you feel, to your audience? Well, here are 5 tips for a remarkable promotion speech

• Grab Their Attention: When you first start with your promotion speech, try to incorporate humor or anything else like random facts or something about your workplace to grab the attention of your audience ! If in the first thirty seconds of your speech you can do that then, you my friend have won over your audience.
• Recognize People: After the introduction of your promotion speech, it’s best to recognize and thank people who made this possible for you. This is an integral part of a promotion speech. Don’t forget to mention anyone who might have impacted your life even a little bit so as to make this possible for you.
• Make an Impact: To grab the attention of your audience you have to make an impact on them, something that leaves a mark. Since this is very subjective in nature, different people talk about different things, talk about something that made you who you are or maybe talk about your organization.
• Summarize: Before ending your speech, try to summarize each point that you have made and mention a few lines about them. Like you can again talk briefly about the people who helped you achieve this or maybe your organization.
• The Ending: Just like the introduction, the ending of your speech should have a bang! Now you don’t want to ruin it for your audience, especially since you started out so well. So add some humorous quote or something else and let everyone enjoy!

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How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech (With Examples)

• The Speaker Lab
• May 9, 2024

Table of Contents

If you’ve recently won an award — congratulations! There’s a good chance that a lot of hard work and blood, sweat, and tears went into the recognition you’re about to receive. Now, your biggest task is nailing the perfect award acceptance speed. After all, it’s important to show gratitude for the honor while also ensuring that your words will touch hearts and minds and hopefully inspire others to follow in your footsteps. But have no fear — we’re here to help.

From heartfelt gratitude to powerful storytelling, these examples showcase the key elements that make an acceptance speech unforgettable. No matter whether you’re leading a company, launching startups, writing books, teaching students, coaching teams, or giving advice as a consultant—there’s plenty for you to learn when it comes to crafting the perfect acceptance speech.

How to Give A Pitch-Perfect Award Acceptance Speech

Your award is a huge accomplishment that deserves to be celebrated. But before you start popping the champagne, there’s one more thing you need to do: prepare your acceptance speech.

While you could just say thanks and be done with it, doing so is a disservice to those who helped you get where you are. After all, an acceptance speech is so much more than just a simple thank you. It’s an opportunity to not just express your genuine gratitude, but also to acknowledge why the award is important and share the glory with those who helped you along the way.

Express Genuine Gratitude and Emotion

First and foremost, an acceptance speech is a chance to express your heartfelt appreciation for the honor you’ve received. This isn’t the time to be modest or downplay your achievements. Let your emotions shine through and show how much the award means to you.

Take a cue from Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech at the 2010 Oscars. She was visibly moved as she thanked her mother, Helga B., along with all “the moms that take care of the babies and the children no matter where they come from.”

Acknowledge Why It Is Important

Beyond expressing gratitude, your acceptance speech should also acknowledge why the award is significant. What does it represent? Explain how the award is a reflection of your personal principles or highlights where you would like make changes professionally.

For example, when Malala Yousafzai accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, she used her acceptance speech to highlight the importance of education and the ongoing fight for women’s rights. “This award is not just for me,” she said. “It is for those forgotten children who want education. It is for those frightened children who want peace. It is for those voiceless children who want change.”

Share the Glory

Finally, a great acceptance speech shares the spotlight with those who helped make your success possible. This could be your family, your team, your mentors, or even your fans.

When Taylor Swift won Album of the Year at the 2016 Grammys, she made sure to thank her collaborators and supporters. “I want to thank the fans for the last ten years and the recording academy for giving us this unbelievable honor,” she said. “I want to thank all of my collaborators that you see on this stage.”

So as you’re crafting your own award acceptance speech, remember to express genuine gratitude, acknowledge the significance of the honor, and share the glory with those who helped you along the way. With these elements in place, you’ll deliver a speech that not only thanks the right people but inspires and uplifts your audience as well.

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Writing Your Acceptance Speech

You’ve just been honored with a prestigious award and now it’s time to give your acceptance speech. It’s crunch time to create a moment that sticks and sparks motivation in everyone. But where do you even begin?

Crafting an excellent award acceptance speech takes some planning and preparation. You want to strike the right tone, share a meaningful message, and of course, express your heartfelt gratitude. Let’s walk through crafting an acceptance speech that’ll definitely make a mark.

Brainstorm Ideas

Before you start jotting down your speech, take some time to reflect on what this award means to you. Why is it significant? What does it represent in terms of your journey, your values, or your aspirations? Brainstorm some key themes or stories you might want to touch on.

In addition, ask yourself: “What challenges did you overcome? Who helped you along the way? What lessons did you learn? What impact do you hope to make with this recognition?” Your answers to these questions will form the bulk of your acceptance speech.

Write Your Speech

With your brainstorming done, it’s time to start putting pen to paper. Begin with a strong opening line that will grab your audience’s attention. You might share a surprising fact, a thought-provoking question, or even a touch of humor.

As you write the body of your speech, keep in mind the time constraint you’re working with. Most acceptance speeches are fairly short, so you’ll need to be selective about what you include. Focus on a few key points or anecdotes that support your central theme.

Be Specific in Your Speech

When it comes to expressing your gratitude, it’s important to be specific. Don’t just rattle off a generic list of thank-yous. Take the time to acknowledge the individuals or organizations that have played a significant role in your success.

For example, in her Golden Globes acceptance speech , Oprah Winfrey specifically thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as well as several other key individuals by name.

The Power of Storytelling in Your Acceptance Speech

One of the most effective ways to make your acceptance speech memorable is by incorporating storytelling. Share a personal anecdote or experience that relates to your journey or the significance of the award.

Again, consider Oprah Winfrey’s Golden Globes acceptance speech. In it, she opens with a story from her childhood, when she sat on the floor watching Sidney Poitier become the first African American to ever win a Golden Globe. As she states in her speech, “I have tried many, many times to explain what a moment like that means to a little girl…and it is not lost on me that at this moment, there are some little girls watching as I become the first black woman to be given this same award.” With the power of storytelling, Winfrey highlights the men and women who have sought truth and justice no matter the personal cost.

As you craft your award acceptance speech, remember to brainstorm ideas, be specific in your gratitude, and harness the power of storytelling. Remember, just like the acceptance speech examples we’ve looked at, your words have the power to touch hearts and spark change in those listening.

Preparing to Deliver Your Speech

You’ve written a fantastic award acceptance speech, filled with heartfelt gratitude and inspiring stories. Now, it’s showtime. However, public speaking can be nerve-wracking, even for the most seasoned professionals. That’s why the key to a successful speech delivery is preparation. You want to be confident, polished, and engaging when you step up to the podium. Here are some tips to help you get ready for your big moment.

Rehearsing Your Speech

One of the best ways to calm your nerves and boost your confidence is by practicing your speech beforehand. Read it out loud several times, paying attention to your pacing, tone, body language , and emphasis. Consider practicing in front of a mirror or recording yourself so you can see and hear how you come across. In addition, grabbing a buddy or work pal to listen in can provide you feedback for improvement. Remember, the more familiar you are with your speech, the more natural and effortless it will feel when you deliver it for real.

Making Your Speech Memorable

When it comes to making your speech memorable, it’s all about connecting with your audience. Use eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures to engage them and convey your emotions.

You might also consider incorporating a memorable phrase or tagline that encapsulates your message. For example, in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. repeated the phrase “I have a dream” eight times, driving home his vision for a more just and equal society.

Respecting the Audience and the Clock

When delivering your acceptance speech, it’s important to be mindful of your audience and the time allotted. Express your gratitude sincerely, but avoid gushing or going overboard with your thank-yous. Similarly, respect the time limit you’ve been given. A short award acceptance speech is often more impactful than a long, rambling one. Aim to deliver your message concisely and powerfully, leaving your audience wanting more.

As you prepare to deliver your award acceptance speech, remember to rehearse thoroughly, focus on making it memorable, and respect your audience and the clock. With this game plan ready, stepping up to speak will feel a lot less daunting.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls in an Acceptance Speech

As you’ve seen from the examples above, a great award acceptance speech has the power to move and inspire an audience. But what goes into crafting and delivering a truly impactful speech? Here are a few final tips to keep in mind as you prepare for your big moment.

General Guidelines

While it’s important to express your gratitude and share your story, there are a few common pitfalls to avoid in your acceptance speech:

• Don’t ramble or go off-topic. Stay focused on your central message.
• Avoid clichés or generic platitudes. Be specific and authentic in your language.
• Don’t forget to thank the important people, but keep your list of thank-yous concise.
• Avoid inside jokes or references that may not resonate with your entire audience.

By steering clear of these pitfalls, you’ll ensure that your speech is clear, meaningful, and memorable.

Avoid Going Overboard with Emotions in Your Speech

When that award is finally in your hands, feeling a rush of emotions isn’t just common; it’s expected. This is particularly true if the honor marks a major highlight in either your work or personal journey. However, it’s important to strike a balance between showing genuine emotion and maintaining your composure.

While a few tears or a quavering voice can be powerful, going overboard with your emotions may distract from your message or make your audience uncomfortable. Aim to express your feelings in a way that is authentic but still allows you to deliver your speech effectively.

Remember, your award acceptance speech is an opportunity to share your gratitude, your story, and your vision with the world. By avoiding common pitfalls and finding the right emotional balance, you’ll be able to deliver a speech that truly resonates with your audience and leaves a lasting impact.

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Examples of Inspiring Award Acceptance Speeches

Need some inspiration as you craft your own award acceptance speech? Look no further than these powerful examples from some of the world’s most influential figures.

Literature Award Acceptance Speech Example

In his 1962 Nobel Prize acceptance speech , writer John Steinbeck used the opportunity to discuss the purpose of literature. He says, “[A writer] is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement.”

Best Actress Award Acceptance Speech Example

When Emma Stone won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2024 ,  she used her speech to pay tribute to her fellow actors and the power of cinema. “It’s not about me,” she said. “It’s about a team that came together to make something better than the sum of its parts. And that’s the best part about making movies.”

Distinguished Service Award Acceptance Speech Example

In her acceptance speech for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award , Angelina Jolie spoke about the importance of giving back and making a difference in the world. “I have never understood why some people are lucky enough to be born with the chance that I had,” she said, “to have this path in life and why across the world, there’s a woman just like me, the same abilities, the same desires, same work ethic and love for her family, who would most likely make better films and better speeches—only she sits in a refugee camp.”

These are just a few examples of the many inspiring award acceptance speeches out there. When the spotlight hits you for advancing science, creating art masterpieces, or bettering lives, that moment is more than just applause—it’s a platform. Use it wisely; light a fire under others to follow suit and make waves of their own.

FAQs on Award Acceptance Speeches

What do you say in an acceptance speech.

Start by thanking the giver, mention key people who helped along the way, and highlight what this award means to you.

What is an example short award acceptance speech?

“Thank you to everyone who played a part in this award. This honor isn’t just mine; it belongs to all who stood by me. Let’s keep pushing forward.”

How do you format an acceptance speech?

Kick off with thanks, weave in personal stories or a nod to your team, then wrap up on a hopeful note.

What do you say when accepting an award at work?

Acknowledge the recognition with gratitude, shout out those who supported you, and express excitement for future challenges and opportunities.

Crafting an impactful acceptance speech is an art that requires genuine emotion, storytelling, and a touch of inspiration. Through these examples of amazing award acceptance speeches, we’ve shared some great tips on how to say thanks, share your story, and make an impact on your audience.

Remember, your big moment with that microphone isn’t just for saying thanks for the trophy. It’s also about shouting out those that helped you get there and inspiring anyone listening to follow their own path towards success. So, when it’s your turn to shine, make sure you give a speech that’ll stick in people’s minds for years.

• Last Updated: May 8, 2024

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• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Give an Acceptance Speech

Last Updated: May 18, 2021 Approved

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 291,594 times.

Giving an acceptance speech can be a daunting task when you're naturally humble, especially if you've been working so hard earning the accolades that you haven't brushed up on your public speaking skills! Luckily, with the right planning and execution, an acceptance speech can be an opportunity to shine, rather than something that must be suffered through. By following a few basic rules of thumb during the writing and polishing stages of your preparation process and knowing basic standards of speech-giving etiquette ahead of time, you can make your acceptance speech as painless as possible — fun, even!

Sample Speeches

Writing a Great Speech

• As a general rule, the smaller your audience and the more intimately you know its members, the more casual your speech may be.

• "Hello. Thank you for honoring me this evening. As you've just heard, my name is Jane Smith. I joined this company in 2009, and since then, I've worked with the marketing, content, and analytics departments in varying capacities. Earlier this year, I had the honor of collaborating with my boss, John Q. Public, on a new data processing system, which is why we're here today."

• "I'm here today to offer my sincerest gratitude to the dozens of people without whom this experience wouldn't have been possible. I'd also like to briefly discuss the role that the idea of "going the extra mile" has played in setting this company apart from the others in the tech field."

• “As much as I appreciate this award and as grateful as I am for it, the greatest reward I’ve ever been given is the simple opportunity to help generations of kids learn how to think critically about the world around them.”

• "As we leave here today, I'd like to ask the members of the audience to take a moment to think about the importance of educating the children of this generation. Tomorrow's problems demand bright, hard-working individuals to solve them, and the only way we can create these individuals is by acting as a community to support our schools, our teachers, and the countless people that they depend on for their continued strength."

• When you're thanking people, it's a wise idea to end with something along the lines of, "and finally, I'd like to thank everyone else who supported me during my work — there are too many people to list, but I want to thank you all personally." This covers your bases in case you forget anyone who played a minor role in your success.

• As a positive example, consider Jimmy Valvano's phenomenal acceptance speech at the 1993 ESPY awards. Just eight weeks before his premature death from cancer, the famed college basketball coach delivered an immensely moving speech to an ecstatic standing ovation from the crowd. [2] X Research source
• As an example of what not to do, consider Hilary Swank's Oscar acceptance speech for "Boys Don't Cry" in 2000. Swank accepted her award gratefully, doling out thanks to all of her supporters, with the major exception of her husband , whom the cameras famously caught crying tears of joy during Swank's speech. [3] X Research source
• As an oddball example, consider Joe Pesci’s Oscar acceptance speech. After taking the podium at the 1991 Oscars for his work in "Goodfellas," Pesci said simply, "It's my privilege. Thank you." Pesci was both praised and lampooned for his five word speech.

Polishing Your Speech to Perfection

• Knowing the outline of your speech ahead of time is useful for multiple reasons. For instance, not only will this prevent certain technical snafus (for instance, a breeze carrying your speech away) from derailing your speech, but it can also help you deliver your speech more confidently. After all, if you know basically what you need to say ahead of time, what need is there to worry?

• Also, don’t forget that there may be people in the audience who were in the running for the honor you ended up receiving. Because of this, you won’t want to demean the organization that’s honoring you or jokingly imply that you were a bad choice. Maintain respect for yourself, the organization honoring you, and the audience as you accept your award.

• As you practice, time yourself. You may be surprised how much longer (or shorter) your speech is than you thought it would be. If you have a hard time limit for your speech, use the results of your timed practice to edit your speech as necessary.

Delivering your Speech with Dignity

• Rapid heartbeat: Breathe deeply and slowly. Concentrate on someone in the room you're comfortable around, like a friend or family member. Start delivering the words of your speech — you'll naturally relax once you start talking.
• Racing, panicked thoughts: Take deep breaths. Look out into the audience and see the humor in their blank, expressionless faces. Alternatively, imagine that the members of the audience are somehow unimportant or laughable (e.g., that they're all in their underwear, etc.)
• Dry mouth: Bring a bottle of water with you onstage to drink as you need it. Consider also chewing gum before (but not during) your speech. Mimicking the process of eating can have a calming effect on the emotions. In addition, it can stimulate saliva production, preventing a dry mouth.
• Trembling: Breathe deeply and slowly. If necessary, try slowly tensing and releasing the muscles in the trembling body part to work out the excess energy from your adrenaline high.
• Above all, relax . You've prepared, so you have no reason to worry about how the speech will turn out. Worrying will only make it harder to deliver the great speech that you're perfectly capable of giving.

• Hurrying or rushing through your speech.
• Fidgeting or messing with something in your hands
• Swaying from side to side.
• Coughing/sniffling excessively

• If you can remember to do so, try to gradually move your gaze from side to side as you look at your audience. Sweeping your eyes back and forth gives the members of the audience the impression that you're addressing them all individually. If this "sweeping" motion is tricky for you, try randomly picking individuals in the audience to look at for a few seconds at a time as you talk.

Expert Q&A

• Keep any jokes clean and flattering. Don't debase yourself or anyone else. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• When writing your speech, stay mindful of the audience. Your knowledge of the attire and the age group should dictate your vocabulary. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• At all costs, avoid forgetting to mention someone. It is always better to mention groups, or teams, and avoid speaking about individuals, than it is to disregard someone unintentionally. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Lynn Kirkham. Public Speaking Coach. Expert Interview. 20 November 2019.
• ↑ http://www.jimmyv.org/about-us/remembering-jim/jimmy-v-espy-awards-speech/
• ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-acceptance-speech-flubs-422360
• ↑ http://www.cypressmedia.net/articles/article/19/overcome_your_fears_and_become_a_great_speaker
• http://www.sideroad.com/Public_Speaking/acceptance_speech.html
• http://www.write-out-loud.com/acceptance-speeches.html

About this article

To give an acceptance speech, start by introducing yourself, then get right to the main theme of your speech. Keep your words simple, speak slowly and clearly, and try to center at least part of your speech around thanking those who helped you get to where you are. Explain what personal meaning the honor holds for you, then wrap up your speech with a concise, powerful ending! For tips on polishing and practicing your speech, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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7 ways to rock your next acceptance speech

Your audience will thank you if you skirt the predictable – and instead give them something to think about or act upon after the evening is over..

First, the good news:

“Congratulations! You’ve won an award for your outstanding achievements!”

(And now the bad news):

“You’ll have about five or 10 minutes to deliver an acceptance speech after receiving your award.”

Yikes! Five or 10 minutes?

How will you start? What will you say? How will you say it? Whom will you thank? How will you end?

To calm your fears, event planners sometimes make light of their request for your remarks by telling you something like this:

“Don’t worry, Joe. We’ll start out with a video highlighting your accomplishments. So your acceptance speech is really more of a ‘thank you’ to whomever you see fit.”

But is it really?

Unfortunately, we’ve all sat through way too many awards nights where the acceptance speeches have been … well … downright boring. Predictable. Forgettable.

Don’t get me wrong. Winners try. They try really hard. But they get stuck in a loop of what they think an acceptance speech should be. Not what it could be.

When you think about what could be, the possibilities are endless!

Acceptance speeches can be an opportunity to change the way people think by persuading them to consider something they’ve never considered before.

Or, they can be an opportunity to change the way people behave by inspiring them – (based on the road you’ve traveled) – to do something even greater.

Now. Are you feeling a little more jazzed?

Here are seven tips to get you thinking differently about your next acceptance speech.

1. Be truly grateful. And mention others.

So think long and hard about this.

Who in your circle deserves your authentic mention – and more importantly – why ?

A few years ago, when a chief technology officer accepted a competitive business award on his company’s behalf, his humility shone forth. Why? Because he named specific people – and thanked them one by one – for their specific contributions to the company’s success:

• He thanked the awarding organization for taking the time to recognize manufacturing innovation.
• He thanked his 63 employees “for your genius that drives us forward.”
• He thanked his majority partner for “believing in us to invest in us.”
• He thanked his organization’s founder “for risking it all to start the company in 1995.”
• And he thanked his wife “for being my rock on our journey to improve people’s lives with laser processing technology.”

But gratitude’s only part of it.

2. Be a tad unpredictable.

What else might you say to change the thoughts or behaviors of the particular people expected to be in your particular audience?

• Are they clients?
• Potential customers?
• Stakeholders?
• Industry colleagues?
• Business associates?

When planning your acceptance remarks , think strategically about One Big Idea you want to share that has real meaning to the unique audience you will address at the awards event.

Earlier this year, Oprah Winfrey did just that by tying One Big Idea to a current event. When she became the first African-American woman to receive the Cecil B. De Mille Award at the Golden Globes, she indeed thanked people: Dennis Swanson, Quincy Jones, Gayle King and Stedman Graham.

But she did something else.

In the end, Oprah seized the groundswell of the #MeToo movement, passionately inviting entertainers in the audience to be the “magnificent women” and “phenomenal men” fighting hard to become “the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘Me too’ again.”

3. Decide what your acceptance speech needs to do .

If you want to change the way people think , then persuade your audience to consider something they may have never considered before.

In his acceptance speech for a Business Hall of Fame award , Rick Schwartz of Winsupply suggested that business leaders in the audience renew their commitment to our nation’s free enterprise system because it gives people with desire the chance to earn their own success:

I believe that Dayton’s continued prosperity – in every economic, cultural or civic program we undertake – depends on people who believe in free enterprise and are willing to help others participate in it.

As business leaders in Dayton, all of us need to do whatever it takes to create jobs and opportunities for others so they have the chance to work hard, pursue happiness and earn their own success.

• It is this difference that has defined the course of Dayton’s history. • It is this difference that has molded Dayton’s heritage, tradition and success. • It is this difference that helps everyday, ordinary people flourish.

In his acceptance speech for the Julian Marcus Lifetime Achievement Award given by Employment for Seniors, Chad Delligatti of InnoSource told his own story to inspire the audience to “make a choice to advocate for the mature job seeker” over the age of 50 by getting connected – or reconnected – to Employment for Seniors:

A minute ago, I told you the reason I said “yes” to Rocky Parker and decided to help Employment for Seniors in the first place.

It’s because I have a soft heart for people facing difficult circumstances through no fault of their own.

Plus, my company, InnoSource, has human resources expertise that I could bring to the table.

But that’s not the whole story.

Rocky’s 2003 invitation came two years after the September 11 terrorist attacks. By then, 2.5 million people in this country, many over the age of 50, had lost their jobs.

That included members of my family, and fathers of my friends.

So I saw what happens to people over the age of 50 who were displaced, but still wanted to work. In fact, they still needed to work – not only to support their families but also to keep a meaning and a purpose in their lives.

I saw for myself the havoc that a job loss can wreak on breadwinners and families through downsizings and rightsizings, mergers and acquisitions. Circumstances beyond a person’s control.

I felt a deep compassion for these men and women who were stunned, lost, alone and afraid, paralyzed with fear by their own new fork in the road.

Many of them had worked at the same place for 30 years, so they had no resume. No interviewing skills. And often no experience with new technology.

As we know, many people identify themselves based on what they do. So if they lose what they do, they also lose who they are.

That’s why I decided it was worth the fight to help keep Employment for Seniors whole and healthy.

4. Share something about yourself that your audience does not know.

To connect heart to heart with the people in the audience who are coming to cheer you on, give them a window to your world.

Several years ago, when executive Barbara Hayde received a YWCA Dayton Women of Influence Award, she wanted people to know the impact you can have on someone with just a few simple words of encouragement. So she shared this :

Back in the 1980s, when I ran the Dayton operation of Ohio Works – a program that moved women from welfare to work – I hired a young African-American man by the name of Robert E. Johnson.

After a year, I told Robert I wanted to promote him to my second-in-command – quite a well-deserved promotion!

He just stared at me.

His slow-to-arrive response was, “I just don’t think I can do that job.”

I said, “Robert – I know you. When you try hard enough, there isn’t anything you can’t do.”

Today Robert E. Johnson is not only a Ph.D., but he’s the president of Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Not long ago I caught up with Robert, who told me something I’ll never forget.

He said to me:

“You are the reason I have advanced to this point. “You are the person who told me I could do whatever I wanted to do. “Your encouraging words changed my life.”

5. Give your remarks a title that embodies your theme.

Even though the title of your award acceptance speech will never be revealed during the event, coming up with just the right title is still a good idea.

Here’s why:

A title will not only help you solidify that One Big Idea in your head (see tip 2) but also help you focus on your message as you deliver your remarks on the big night.

Here are a few examples of award acceptance speech titles that helped executives get more clarity on their message:

• “When You Come to a Fork in the Road, TAKE IT!”
• “Where Will Our New Leaders Come From?”
• “Aunt Peg Would be Proud”
• “Imagine the Impact You Can Have”
• “We Must Give Everyday, Ordinary People the Chance to Earn Their Own Success”

6. Link your remarks back to the organization and the event.

If you are truly grateful to the organization for bestowing this honor upon you, show it.

Then decide what you can say about one or more of these threads. This is classy and shows profound respect for the people who are putting you in the limelight.

During his acceptance speech for a prestigious civic award, businessman Ron Budzik told a story about Jim “Mac” McSwiney, a mentor of his and CEO at the former Mead Corp. (now MeadWestvaco). Mac had won the same award from the same organization 28 years ago:

In 1985, Mac stood on this stage and accepted the Citizen Legion of Honor award.

I remember that day well, and I remember what Mac spoke about.

Servant Leadership.

It’s a concept that Mac brought to us at Mead – he was just so passionate about it! – and one that continues to encourage and inspire me, in the work that I do alongside so many of you, to help create opportunities for others with very few resources to succeed.

I remember the day Jesse Phillips, one of Dayton’s great business owners and philanthropists, came to Mead seeking a million dollars for a community project.

Mac asked me, “Ron – can we do a million bucks?”

I told him flat out, “Mac – we don’t have it.”

And then Mac said to me, “But Ron – we just can’t walk away from this.”

And we didn’t.

We identified other funders – other leaders willing to step up – and together with the Mead Foundation came up with a million dollars for Jesse’s project.

That was Mac: He’d put you on the spot, persuade you to get engaged and compel you to figure out a solution – no matter what the problem was.

He pushed. And by continuing to ask me, he empowered me …

7. Talk like a real person.

Like any speech, a great acceptance speech requires spending time in thought well ahead of the big event. So devote some time to just thinking. Map out your thoughts. Then draft your script.

When it’s time to rehearse, make it conversational, like you’re chatting over cocktails with a tableful of trusted friends.

Practice in front of your spouse or a colleague – someone who will be honest with you if you’re coming across less than humble, and more like a preachy preacher or an executive droid.

So to wrap up, remember these seven ways to rock your next acceptance speech:

• Be truly grateful. And mention others.
• Be a tad unpredictable.
• Decide what your acceptance speech needs to do.
• Share something about yourself that your audience does not know.
• Give your remarks a title that embodies your theme.
• Link your remarks back to the organization and the event.
• Talk like a real person.

Do you have more ways to rock an acceptance speech? Let’s chat! Email me at [email protected]

P.O. BOX 206 ENGLEWOOD, OH 45322 +1.937.836.6802

Established in 1989, Zumwald & Company, LLC is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise providing speechwriting, speech coaching, executive communications, and speaking and training.

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To innovate one-on-one with brilliant leaders eager to tell stories that not only communicate − but resonate.

Every resonating story told by every brilliant leader inspires an action to lead a change.

We help leaders innovate so they resonate when they communicate. TM

TERESA ZUMWALD CEO, Speechwriter, Executive Speech Coach & Storyteller

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How to Ask for a Promotion

• Rebecca Knight

Make your case, and then be patient.

First, reflect on what you want. Is there a job you covet or do you wish to create a new role? Do you want to move up — or might a lateral move interest you? Answering these questions helps you position your request. Second, build a case. Prepare a memo that outlines your strengths, recent successes, and impact. Next, talk to your boss and make your intentions clear. Beware that asking for a promotion is rarely a “one and done” discussion; rather, it’s a series of ongoing conversations. Your objective is to plant the seed and then nurture that seed over time. Finally, don’t get discouraged if you don’t get what you want right away. Continue to do good work and look for ways to elevate the level at which you operate.

Asking for a promotion can be nerve-wracking. But when you think you’re ready for the next step, it’s important to say so. How do you prepare for that conversation with your boss? What information should you have at the ready? And how exactly do you make your case?

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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Promotion presentation: what it is and how to create one

If you’ve been with a company for a long time, have taken on more responsibility, or have produced outstanding results, you may be eligible for a promotion. However, getting one is a challenging task. You would have to convince your corporate leadership of your worth and demonstrate how you can benefit the organization. And the most effective way to communicate that information is through delivering a well-organized presentation for promotion.

In this article, we will explain what a presentation for job promotion is and share the steps needed to prepare an effective one so you can boost your chances of getting a raise and promotion.

First, let’s start with the basics.

What’s a promotion presentation?

A promotion presentation is a way for an employee to demonstrate to their employer visually and orally why they deserve a higher position within the organization. This type of presentation aims to impress, inform, and persuade the audience, which may include either the employee’s manager or a wider audience comprised of executives, stakeholders, and other decision-makers. There are several ways to give a presentation for promotion, but the most effective is the one employing slides. Speeches and demonstrations are two other less effective delivery methods.

Now that you know what a presentation for promotion is, let’s move on to the most important part: the steps you should follow to prepare one.

How to make a presentation for a promotion?

Our first and foremost recommendation for promotion presentation is to plan what you will say and prepare credible supporting evidence proving that you are hardworking and valuable to the organization so your presentation is well-thought-out and compelling. Remember, being well-prepared makes you more comfortable and confident during the presentation.

These are the steps to take to prepare for your presentation:

1. Identify the best-suited position

Draft a job description for the desired position. It might be a position the organization has available or a new role. If you’re presenting for a promotion to a new role, clearly define your responsibilities. Show how it fits into the department’s organizational structure, who you should report to, and with whom you would collaborate closely. Ensure the position is advantageous to the organization. You can also use this material to demonstrate your qualifications for the promotion as well as your professional objectives.

2. Gather supporting information

Make a list of the reasons why you should be promoted, note down all your accomplishments, and make sure to include the following:

• Awards & achievements
• Customer or coworker testimonials
• Acquired responsibilities
• Problems solved
• Skills developed
• Performance appraisals
• Overall experience
• Hard and soft skills, etc.

When gathering data, find percentages, figures, and facts that illustrate your growth and direct contributions to the organization. Note down the dates of your achievements as well. Include all of this material in a single document you can use as a reference when creating your presentation. You will also need to choose which items on your list will have the most impact and are more valuable to the organization and which ones you can skip.

3. Define your goal

By the end of the presentation, your goal is to persuade your employer that you best fit the position and deserve a promotion. Compose one powerful statement you can give after outlining your accomplishments and qualifications. It can include a summary of accomplishments and what your employer might anticipate if they decide to promote you.

4. Choose a format for your presentation

Identify the presentation type that will best communicate what you want to say. Many experts give preference to a PowerPoint job promotion presentation, and here’s why:

• The visual representation of the material facilitates effective communication with the audience.
• It can be used virtually anywhere, including during an online meeting.
• It allows inserting multimedia formats like images and videos that help communicate information clearly and in an engaging way.
• You can personalize it to your unique style.

Alternative presentation formats include multimedia, video, whiteboard, handouts, speech, or a combination of several formats.

Remember, the presentation format greatly depends on the role you’re trying to get, the data you want to share, and your style of communication. For example, a creative department employee might include lots of unique visuals on slides or base the entire presentation on visuals only. A salesperson, on the contrary, might use a promotion presentation template that allows sharing of stats and charts. Other professionals might use a combination of text and visuals to ensure optimum engagement.

Here is a good promotion presentation example to follow:

5. Organize the talking points

Identify the main points of your promotion interview presentation ppt and the chronological sequence in which you want to present them. Each talking point should be brief and clear as you go from one topic to another. Here’s an excellent example of a presentation’s structure:

• A short bio
• Your education and qualifications
• Employment history within the company
• Your long-term mission, goals & career objectives
• Completed tasks and projects you took part in
• Contributions to the team and contributions
• Strengths, including how you intend to acquire new skills in a new position
• Reasons why you deserve a promotion
• Q&A section

Pro tip: Keep your slides or sections to a maximum of ten to hold your employer’s attention.

6. Include visuals

Where possible, substitute words with visuals to create a memorable and attention-grabbing presentation. For instance, use a chart or graph to demonstrate to your employer how much the sales have increased. Include a screenshot of the company’s website if you redesigned it. Use typefaces and graphics that are easy for your audience to read, and make sure to add color to your presentation.

Pro tip: If presentation design is not your thing, you can save the struggle and enlist the services of a professional PowerPoint and Google Slides design agency like slidepeak.com. Our dedicated team can tailor a compelling presentation for promotion at job ppt to your needs fast and at an affordable price so you can stay focused on polishing your message.

7. Practice as much as you can

Once you’re done with your promotion PowerPoint Presentation, practice it as often as needed to feel at ease and confident. As you rehearse, speak in an optimistic tone so that it comes naturally when you deliver the presentation. Try to appear excited about your future with the organization to inspire the employer. Time yourself and know for sure where you ought to be in your presentation at five, ten, and fifteen minutes. Also, try to limit your presentation to 20 minutes to keep your employer engaged.

8. Schedule a meeting

Last but not least, schedule a meeting to present to your manager, and let them know how long the presentation might last. Inform them of the reason for the meeting so they are not surprised and are more likely to consider your request for a promotion. For instance, say, “I’d like to set up a meeting to discuss my position at the company and my career progression.” Ask them to invite other decision-makers to the meeting as well.

Wrapping up

Creating a presentation for promotion is not easy, but it pays off in the end. It means going outside your comfort zone and working harder to enjoy the gain later.

If you are hesitating to take the first step, don’t worry. Send SlidePeak your “ do my presentation ” request instead. Our dedicated team will be on hand to cater to your every need, ensuring you enjoy a hassle-free promotion presentation design process and are getting one step closer to achieving your career goals!

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15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

Powerful speech opening lines set the tone and mood of your speech. It’s what grips the audience to want to know more about the rest of your talk.

The first few seconds are critical. It’s when you have maximum attention of the audience. And you must capitalize on that!

Instead of starting off with something plain and obvious such as a ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good Morning’, there’s so much more you can do for a powerful speech opening (here’s a great article we wrote a while ago on how you should NOT start your speech ).

To help you with this, I’ve compiled some of my favourite openings from various speakers. These speakers have gone on to deliver TED talks , win international Toastmaster competitions or are just noteworthy people who have mastered the art of communication.

After each speaker’s opening line, I have added how you can include their style of opening into your own speech. Understanding how these great speakers do it will certainly give you an idea to create your own speech opening line which will grip the audience from the outset!

Alright! Let’s dive into the 15 powerful speech openings…

Note: Want to take your communications skills to the next level? Book a complimentary consultation with one of our expert communication coaches. We’ll look under the hood of your hurdles and pick two to three growth opportunities so you can speak with impact!

1. Ric Elias

Opening: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”

How to use the power of imagination to open your speech?

Putting your audience in a state of imagination can work extremely well to captivate them for the remainder of your talk.

It really helps to bring your audience in a certain mood that preps them for what’s about to come next. Speakers have used this with high effectiveness by transporting their audience into an imaginary land to help prove their point.

When Ric Elias opened his speech, the detail he used (3000 ft, sound of the engine going clack-clack-clack) made me feel that I too was in the plane. He was trying to make the audience experience what he was feeling – and, at least in my opinion, he did.

When using the imagination opening for speeches, the key is – detail. While we want the audience to wander into imagination, we want them to wander off to the image that we want to create for them. So, detail out your scenario if you’re going to use this technique.

Make your audience feel like they too are in the same circumstance as you were when you were in that particular situation.

2. Barack Obama

Opening: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”

3. Seth MacFarlane

Opening: “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electoral equipment.” (It was raining)

How to use humour to open your speech?

When you use humour in a manner that suits your personality, it can set you up for a great speech. Why? Because getting a laugh in the first 30 seconds or so is a great way to quickly get the audience to like you.

And when they like you, they are much more likely to listen to and believe in your ideas.

Obama effortlessly uses his opening line to entice laughter among the audience. He brilliantly used the setting (the context of Trump becoming President) and said a line that completely matched his style of speaking.

Saying a joke without really saying a joke and getting people to laugh requires you to be completely comfortable in your own skin. And that’s not easy for many people (me being one of them).

If the joke doesn’t land as expected, it could lead to a rocky start.

Keep in mind the following when attempting to deliver a funny introduction:

• Know your audience: Make sure your audience gets the context of the joke (if it’s an inside joke among the members you’re speaking to, that’s even better!). You can read this article we wrote where we give you tips on how you can actually get to know your audience better to ensure maximum impact with your speech openings
• The joke should suit your natural personality. Don’t make it look forced or it won’t elicit the desired response
• Test the opening out on a few people who match your real audience. Analyze their response and tweak the joke accordingly if necessary
• Starting your speech with humour means your setting the tone of your speech. It would make sense to have a few more jokes sprinkled around the rest of the speech as well as the audience might be expecting the same from you

4. Mohammed Qahtani

Opening: Puts a cigarette on his lips, lights a lighter, stops just before lighting the cigarette. Looks at audience, “What?”

5. Darren Tay

Opening: Puts a white pair of briefs over his pants.

How to use props to begin your speech?

The reason props work so well in a talk is because in most cases the audience is not expecting anything more than just talking. So when a speaker pulls out an object that is unusual, everyone’s attention goes right to it.

It makes you wonder why that prop is being used in this particular speech.

The key word here is unusual . To grip the audience’s attention at the beginning of the speech, the prop being used should be something that the audience would never expect. Otherwise, it just becomes something that is common. And common = boring!

What Mohammed Qahtani and Darren Tay did superbly well in their talks was that they used props that nobody expected them to.

By pulling out a cigarette and lighter or a white pair of underwear, the audience can’t help but be gripped by what the speaker is about to do next. And that makes for a powerful speech opening.

6. Simon Sinek

Opening: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”

7. Julian Treasure

Opening: “The human voice. It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world. Probably the only one that can start a war or say “I love you.” And yet many people have the experience that when they speak people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world?”

How to use questions to open a speech?

I use this method often. Starting off with a question is the simplest way to start your speech in a manner that immediately engages the audience.

But we should keep our questions compelling as opposed to something that is fairly obvious.

I’ve heard many speakers start their speeches with questions like “How many of us want to be successful?”

No one is going to say ‘no’ to that and frankly, I just feel silly raising my hand at such questions.

Simon Sinek and Jullian Treasure used questions in a manner that really made the audience think and make them curious to find out what the answer to that question is.

What Jullian Treasure did even better was the use of a few statements which built up to his question. This made the question even more compelling and set the theme for what the rest of his talk would be about.

So think of what question you can ask in your speech that will:

• Set the theme for the remainder of your speech
• Not be something that is fairly obvious
• Be compelling enough so that the audience will actually want to know what the answer to that question will be

8. Aaron Beverley

Opening: Long pause (after an absurdly long introduction of a 57-word speech title). “Be honest. You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

How to use silence for speech openings?

The reason this speech opening stands out is because of the fact that the title itself is 57 words long. The audience was already hilariously intrigued by what was going to come next.

But what’s so gripping here is the way Aaron holds the crowd’s suspense by…doing nothing. For about 10 to 12 seconds he did nothing but stand and look at the audience. Everyone quietened down. He then broke this silence by a humorous remark that brought the audience laughing down again.

When going on to open your speech, besides focusing on building a killer opening sentence, how about just being silent?

It’s important to keep in mind that the point of having a strong opening is so that the audience’s attention is all on you and are intrigued enough to want to listen to the rest of your speech.

Silence is a great way to do that. When you get on the stage, just pause for a few seconds (about 3 to 5 seconds) and just look at the crowd. Let the audience and yourself settle in to the fact that the spotlight is now on you.

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about starting the speech off with a pure pause that just makes the beginning so much more powerful. It adds credibility to you as a speaker as well, making you look more comfortable and confident on stage. 

If you want to know more about the power of pausing in public speaking , check out this post we wrote. It will give you a deeper insight into the importance of pausing and how you can harness it for your own speeches. You can also check out this video to know more about Pausing for Public Speaking:

9. Dan Pink

Opening: “I need to make a confession at the outset here. Little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal.”

10. Kelly McGonigal

Opening: “I have a confession to make. But first I want you to make a little confession to me.”

How to use a build-up to open your speech?

When there are so many amazing ways to start a speech and grip an audience from the outset, why would you ever choose to begin your speech with a ‘Good morning?’.

That’s what I love about build-ups. They set the mood for something awesome that’s about to come in that the audience will feel like they just have to know about.

Instead of starting a speech as it is, see if you can add some build-up to your beginning itself. For instance, in Kelly McGonigal’s speech, she could have started off with the question of stress itself (which she eventually moves on to in her speech). It’s not a bad way to start the speech.

But by adding the statement of “I have a confession to make” and then not revealing the confession for a little bit, the audience is gripped to know what she’s about to do next and find out what indeed is her confession.

11. Tim Urban

Opening: “So in college, I was a government major. Which means that I had to write a lot of papers. Now when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this.”

12. Scott Dinsmore

Opening: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”

How to use storytelling as a speech opening?

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” Steve Jobs

Storytelling is the foundation of good speeches. Starting your speech with a story is a great way to grip the audience’s attention. It makes them yearn to want to know how the rest of the story is going to pan out.

Tim Urban starts off his speech with a story dating back to his college days. His use of slides is masterful and something we all can learn from. But while his story sounds simple, it does the job of intriguing the audience to want to know more.

As soon as I heard the opening lines, I thought to myself “If normal students write their paper in a certain manner, how does Tim write his papers?”

Combine such a simple yet intriguing opening with comedic slides, and you’ve got yourself a pretty gripping speech.

Scott Dismore’s statement has a similar impact. However, just a side note, Scott Dismore actually started his speech with “Wow, what an honour.”

I would advise to not start your talk with something such as that. It’s way too common and does not do the job an opening must, which is to grip your audience and set the tone for what’s coming.

13. Larry Smith

Opening: “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.”

14. Jane McGonigal

Opening: “You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”

How to use provocative statements to start your speech?

Making a provocative statement creates a keen desire among the audience to want to know more about what you have to say. It immediately brings everyone into attention.

Larry Smith did just that by making his opening statement surprising, lightly humorous, and above all – fearful. These elements lead to an opening statement which creates so much curiosity among the audience that they need to know how your speech pans out.

This one time, I remember seeing a speaker start a speech with, “Last week, my best friend committed suicide.” The entire crowd was gripped. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.

They were just waiting for the speaker to continue to know where this speech will go.

That’s what a hard-hitting statement does, it intrigues your audience so much that they can’t wait to hear more! Just a tip, if you do start off with a provocative, hard-hitting statement, make sure you pause for a moment after saying it.

Silence after an impactful statement will allow your message to really sink in with the audience.

Related article: 5 Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention When You’re Losing it!

15. Ramona J Smith

Opening: In a boxing stance, “Life would sometimes feel like a fight. The punches, jabs and hooks will come in the form of challenges, obstacles and failures. Yet if you stay in the ring and learn from those past fights, at the end of each round, you’ll be still standing.”

How to use your full body to grip the audience at the beginning of your speech?

In a talk, the audience is expecting you to do just that – talk. But when you enter the stage and start putting your full body into use in a way that the audience does not expect, it grabs their attention.

Body language is critical when it comes to public speaking. Hand gestures, stage movement, facial expressions are all things that need to be paid attention to while you’re speaking on stage. But that’s not I’m talking about here.

Here, I’m referring to a unique use of the body that grips the audience, like how Ramona did. By using her body to get into a boxing stance, imitating punches, jabs and hooks with her arms while talking – that’s what got the audience’s attention.

The reason I say this is so powerful is because if you take Ramona’s speech and remove the body usage from her opening, the entire magic of the opening falls flat.

While the content is definitely strong, without those movements, she would not have captured the audience’s attention as beautifully as she did with the use of her body.

So if you have a speech opening that seems slightly dull, see if you can add some body movement to it.

If your speech starts with a story of someone running, actually act out the running. If your speech starts with a story of someone reading, actually act out the reading.

It will make your speech opening that much more impactful.

Related article: 5 Body Language Tips to Command the Stage

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Final Words

So there it is! 15 speech openings from some of my favourite speeches. Hopefully, these will act as a guide for you to create your own opening which is super impactful and sets you off on the path to becoming a powerful public speaker!

But remember, while a speech opening is super important, it’s just part of an overall structure.

If you’re serious about not just creating a great speech opening but to improve your public speaking at an overall level, I would highly recommend you to check out this course: Acumen Presents: Chris Anderson on Public Speaking on Udemy. Not only does it have specific lectures on starting and ending a speech, but it also offers an in-depth guide into all the nuances of public speaking. 

Being the founder of TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides numerous examples of the best TED speakers to give us a very practical way of overcoming stage fear and delivering a speech that people will remember. His course has helped me personally and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn public speaking. 

No one is ever “done” learning public speaking. It’s a continuous process and you can always get better. Keep learning, keep conquering and keep being awesome!

Lastly, if you want to know how you should NOT open your speech, we’ve got a video for you:

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Using a Speech to Promote a Product or Service-Use Public Speaking as Marketing

This is part three of our posts on  How to Use Public Speaking in Your Career . In this session, we are going to show you a few simple ways to use public speaking to promote or market your new product or service. In fact, using a speech to promote a product or service is one of the most effective ways to conduct marketing campaigns for both large and small businesses alike.

Using a Speech to Promote a Product or Service

There are a number of different ways to use a presentation or speech to promote a product or service. We will cover each of these briefly in this post.

Promoting a Product or Service in Personal Meetings and Sales Calls.

• In-Person Marketing Meetings and Seminars.

Webinars to Both Educate the Public and Promote Your Product or Service.

• Paid or Guest Spots on Webinars or Podcasts.
• Use Videos to Promote Your Product or Service.

Below are a few ideas for each of these categories.

The most common type of speech to market a product or service is a sales call or sales presentation. Although this one has been around since commerce began, it is quickly becoming a lost art. As a result,  those who can do this well, are now, highly sought-after in the business world .

Salespeople get a bad rap. Movies typically depict salespeople as dishonest and immoral. However, if a salesperson is dishonest, he or she may survive for a little while, but bad behavior will quickly catch up with the person.  Good salespeople, though, are trusted confidants. They are problem-solvers and educators.  So, if you are giving presentations to individuals or small groups as a way to promote your product, the goal is to educate your audience. Help them solve a problem, and they will buy the solution. Your speech shouldn’t be about you or your product. It should be about the problem(s) your potential buyers are experiencing and how to solve these problems.

In decades past, if you needed a new suit, you went down to the local department store. The salesperson in the store was an expert on suits. The salesperson would be able to educate potential clients on the qualities of each style of suit, what was currently in fashion, and how to care and accessorize each suit.

That leaves a tremendous opportunity for people and companies who understand this need.  For instance, although we have a popular podcast, a YouTube channel, and a ton of social media pages, we still get most of our business from people who have a question, and who can’t get that question answered anywhere else. When someone calls our 800 number (800-975-6151) they are connected with an instructor who actually teaches our classes. We don’t have a room full of telemarketers who are reading off a script. We have professional educators who can answer any question that a potential customer might have. As a result, we are filling a need that almost all of our competitors have neglected.

Sales presentations whether one-on-one or one-to-a-group are becoming a lost art, but they’re a great business model. If you get really good at doing them, you will help your customers make better decisions. And the best results will increase your income.

If you are looking for a  step-by-step process to create a good sales presentation along with examples , visit this post. You may also be intrested in our post about how to design  Bid Presentations . It also has a  Great Sales Presentation Outline .

In-Person Seminars and Conferences

Prior to the video streaming era, in-person seminars were one of the easiest ways to maximize your promotional time. Instead of setting up a series of individual one-on-one sales meetings, you could invite prospective customers to a live seminar. These seminars were often either free or for a nominal fee to encourage audience members to come.

Back when I first started teaching leadership seminars, we promoted a 12-week series of training sessions. Since the class was both a significant investment of both time and income, we typically offered an “introduction” session a week before the series started. We would allow people who were interested in the class, but who hadn’t yet registered, to come and preview the course.

It worked really well. The preview session reduced the risk of making a bad buying decision because the prospective customer could actually see and experience part of the class in advance.

If you are over the age of 35, you may remember the financial planners offering the “free how to retire” seminar at the local Holiday Inn. This was a way for the financial planner to show a group of people how skilled he/she was at helping couples plan for their retirement. By offering part of his/her expertise for free to the public, the financial planner was often able to convert some of those attendees to customers. The sales managers from many companies, big and small, used to invest a tremendous amount of money on TV and radio ads to promote these seminars with the same end goal.

Today, though, getting a group of people to a seminar is much simpler.  With websites like  MeetUp  and  EventBrite , a company can create a seminar or conference with little or no investment.

Here is an example:

A local dentist can create a seminar called, “ How to Whiten Your Teeth Three Shades in Less than Six Weeks. ” (I just made that up. I’m not sure if that is actually possible, but you see how that might get someone’s attention.) The dentist promotes this seminar to every patient who comes in for a month. The dentist might tell his patients that the seminar is $29 per person, but if they bring a friend that is not already a patient, both of them can get in for free. Or, perhaps we could tell attendees that if they post the event to their Facebook page, they could get free admission. Regardless, we make the fee nominal but give attendees ways to come to the event for a discount or for free.

The goal is to  get a room full of potential new customers from your target market  and win them over with your skill as a dentist. The topic of your speech must also be something that captures your audience’s attention, of course. With a room full of your target audience, all you have to do is give a persuasive speech by expertly delivering your key points and providing valuable information.

By the way, according to a Bizzabo, a company that specializes in event marketing,  in-person seminars and conferences  are one of the big trends in recent years. Big companies like Apple started the trend with their huge product roll-outs to Apple enthusiasts. However, other huge companies have followed the trend as well. Last year, I was invited to speak at Transitions Academy. This is a conference where eye doctors, lens manufacturers, and salespeople come to learn about trends in the industry (and about Transitions Lenses). I had a blast speaking there, and the attendees gave positive feedback on the event as well.

Companies have realized that they can  replace the missing education part of the sales process with webinars . However, webinars are a little tricky. If you make them too “salesy,” you will turn off your audience.

Especially in web-based products and services,  webinars have become the go-to education and sales channel  (According to Go-To-Meeting… No pun intended.) They claim that 73% of the top marketers in the world believe that webinars are the best way to market, today. If you recall, since the education function of a sales professional has practically been eliminated in most industries, webinars are a great way both educate the potential customer and move them through a sales process.

Just as a warning,  leading webinars and leading in-person speeches are TOTALLY different skills . Just because you are good at one, doesn’t mean that you will be good at the other. For instance, when I lead an in-person meeting, I typically use few and simple visual aids, because my goal is to build the trust of the audience in me. In a webinar, your visuals are critical to keeping the audience tuned in to the presentation. So, when I speak for 30 minutes in person, I might use three or four slides. But when I lead a webinar, I might go through as many as 20 slides in the same time period.

For details on  How to Design a Good Informational Webinar , click here.

Paid or Guest Spots on Podcasts/Webinars

If you want to really get good at using a speech to promote a product, start a Podcast . However, this is a real-time commitment. If you want to test the waters,  promote yourself as a guest on someone else’s podcast or webinar . It does take a little homework to get one of these guest spots, but there is a tremendous opportunity if you are willing to do the work. An easy way that doesn’t take much effort is to just  Google [Your Industry] with the word “podcast” .

I tried to pick a really obscure subject matter just to show that Google will find anything. I found an article called  12 weird jobs you’ll be surprised to know exist  published by Business Insider. One of the weird jobs is a “Professional Bridesmaid.” If this was your career, you’d likely type “wedding podcast” into Google. When I did, I got  Top 10 Wedding Podcasts .

You’re likely to think, “Oh sure, Doug, weddings — of course there are a bunch of podcasts about weddings.” Okay, another obscure career is “Snake Milking.” I Googled “Snake Podcast” and I found  Best Reptile Podcasts . If you happen to be in either of these industries, I suspect that many of the podcast hosts for these programs would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to have you on as a guest!

Once you know who the host is, you can often easily find the person’s website, fill out a “contact us” form, and wait for a callback.

If you want to move faster on a guest slot, many companies have lists that they will market to and be the host of an impromptu webinar, teleconference or podcast. You can use the same process as we just talked about, but offer a fee to the host. He/she will likely move you to the top of the list.

The final genre for using a speech to promote a product or service is video. I won’t be able to cover everything that you will need to know in order to show the value of video when promoting your product or service. However, let’s cover a few basics.

Practice with Instagram Stories

The live video social media and “stories” are fantastic ways to begin to practice making marketing videos, but they have a short shelf-life. (They go away after 24 hours or so.) So, while you are learning, you won’t be leaving embarrassing videos of yourself all over the internet. (See my embarrassing early video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja_BEMmpcUo). It’s also a good idea to use these kinds of social media platforms to test your main points on the public. This will help give you a reference point for which topics you should put more effort into.

Get Some Help

The best investment that I ever made for The Leader’s Institute ® is hiring a full-time video expert. You don’t have to invest in a full-time person, though. You can contract out most video jobs very easily. Hiring the right people can get you solid advice on filming, lighting, and sound as well.

Don’t Post to YouTube Until It is Perfect

YouTube is hard work to break into, so you only want to put your absolute best stuff on that platform. Use Vimeo, Facebook, or Instagram for anything that looks less professional.

We will be talking a lot about video (especially live video) on future podcasts, so stay tuned and subscribe to the podcast!

You are Your Best Marketing Strategy

In today’s world, there are a tremendous number of ways to share your expertise with others to market your product or service. Using a speech to promote a product is just one of many. But always realize, that you are your best marketing. A fancy proposal, a flash ad, or an expensive business card will not do nearly as much to promote your product or service as you share your expertise with a potential customer!

Podcasts , presentation skills

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How to Make a Middle School Graduation Speech

Last Updated: April 10, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 438,642 times.

We all know giving a graduation speech can be nerve-wracking, but it is also an exciting opportunity. You get to highlight the important moments that your class has experienced over the years. To make a middle school graduation speech, you should write a speech that thanks your teachers, parents, and peers and also highlights some important moments throughout the year. Your speech will be more memorable if you include a few jokes, quotes, or words of advice.

Writing Your Graduation Speech

• You could say something like “Good afternoon Principal Jacobs, teachers, staff, family, and most importantly my fellow graduating class.”

• Encourage your classmates to always remember and cherish the good times you had together.

• For instance, you could say “During the fall charity drive, our class made history by raising over three thousand dollars.”

• Say something like: "I want to thank the teachers, staff, Principal Nolan, and, of course, my parents for a wonderful Lemon Valley experience. Without your support and guidance we would not be where we are today."
• You could add: “I would especially like to thank my classmates for making middle school one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of my life."

Elevating Your Speech

• For example, you should say “We will always remember when Mr. C. made a perfect dunk on the basketball court” instead of “I will always remember when Mr. C. made a perfect dunk of the basketball court.”

• Avoid making insulting jokes that may offend someone in the audience.
• You could tell a quick story that highlights a funny moment from the last year. For example, "Mr. D was so eager to come to school and teach us that one day he wore his shirt inside out."

• That being said, it is okay to give a tribute to someone if they deserve special recognition. For example, perhaps the entire graduating class had the same teacher. In this instance, you can mention that teacher individually.

• Alternatively, you could choose a quote that was hung on your classroom wall and talk about how you can apply this quote to future successes.

• For example, you could quote a piece of advice from a celebrity commencement speech.
• Alternatively, you could say something serious like "The journey ahead may not be easy, and most of us will stumble at some point. The important thing is that we get back up and keep working towards our goals and dreams."

Delivering the Speech

Expert Q&A

• Stay Confident! Never let your audience think you are nervous or shy. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Keep the speech lively. Nobody wants to fall asleep at their own graduation. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• It may help to take a deep breath before starting your speech. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

• Make sure the content in your speech is respectful to all. Thanks Helpful 31 Not Helpful 2
• If you are going to tell a story or joke about an individual, you may want to run it by them first. That way you will not offend them during the graduation ceremony. Thanks Helpful 27 Not Helpful 3
• Do not chew gum while speaking because it may be difficult for people to understand what you are saying. Thanks Helpful 29 Not Helpful 4
• If you want your speech to be a surprise, do not practice with your friends. Thanks Helpful 25 Not Helpful 8

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/speech-introductions
• ↑ http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/graduation-speech-writing-outline.html
• ↑ Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Educational Consultant. Expert Interview. 4 August 2020.
• ↑ http://www.jostens.com/grad/grad_cp_hs_grad_guide_graduation_speech.html
• ↑ https://mitcommlab.mit.edu/be/commkit/public-speaking-how-to-practice/
• ↑ https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/graduation-speech-ideas with https://mitcommlab.mit.edu/be/commkit/public-speaking-how-to-practice/

About This Article

To make a middle school graduation speech, start with a greeting like "Good morning, everyone!" Then introduce yourself, since not everyone in the audience will know you. You can then share some of your favorite memories of middle school by talking about important things that happened or notable school events. Also, include some positive comments about the future, like how excited you are for high school. Before your time is up, thank those people who made middle school a great experience, like your teachers or principal. To learn how to add jokes or famous quotes to your speech, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to give a thank you speech at your promotion party

Gratitude is of vital importance in human life. We need to thank people who have, directly or indirectly, explicitly or implicitly, made a positive change in our life. ‘Thank You’ is the least that we can say. So never shy away from that.

In professional life too, gratefulness is of utmost importance, especially when someone has helped you climb up the career ladder.

It’s your promotion party and you have to give a thank you speech – this situation is something which many people dread, obviously not the first part but the latter!

For giving a thank you speech , you need a little bit of preparation. Here are a few points which will help you do so. (In a previous blog post, we had listed some tips on giving an introduction and thank you speech for your office welcome party).

Prepare your speech

• Write down your speech. Start with a beautiful quotation, to create an effect.
• Think of the people you want to thank, write down their name and rank, preferably in the order of hierarchy. Depending upon the availability of time, thank those who have really contributed to your success, if possible adding anecdotes which go well to create authenticity and personal touch. Remember the most important people should be mentioned first.
• Write the specific reason for thanking them, explaining how they were helpful in your success.
• When the list of people is long and time limited, thank them in a group by calling out their names together and then thanking profusely for their contribution.

Practise your speech

• Rehearsing your speech is very important. Do so in front of the mirror several times and also ensure that you haven’t left out anyone’s name. Even practice it in front of a friend or family member to get an honest feedback.
• Check for the timing. You shouldn’t go beyond the allotted time. Keep it short and crispy – people hate long speeches and tend to stop listening to them. Let it have all the ingredients of a successful speech which is well within the time frame.
• Check for the habitual gestures that you make and try, as far as possible, to avoid them.

Deliver the speech with panache

Writing a beautiful speech is not enough but the way you deliver it makes tremendous difference. Deliver it well and create the impact.

• Dress appropriately. You should wear comfortable clothing.
• Breathe normally. Overcome your public speaking fears. Be calm before delivering the speech.
• Make eye contact with your audience.
• You can read out the script, which may not create great effect or you can create cue cards which you can use to pull things from your memory. The best option is to completely memorize the speech and deliver it in such a way that it sounds coming from your heart.
• Body language matters a lot. People will believe whatever you are saying only if your body language concurs with your speech.
• Sound natural. This might seem difficult for a novice but for people who are used to it can do it well.
• Do not be too fast and avoid repeated phrases, like ‘um’, ‘ah’. It is ok to pause or slow down – some of the best orators in the world take long pauses during their speeches.
• Forgot something or said something wrong? Do not let that stop you completely. If you make a mistake, quickly acknowledge it with an ‘excuse me’ and get back on track.
• Be positive – you might have had your share of troubles with some of the people who helped you to reach high on the ladder of success. But this is not the time to pick the nits. Be polite and speak only positive things. Don’t hold any grudges.
• Be honest – genuinely thank people. So that it sounds honest and sincere. Avoid hyperbole.
• Include humour. People will love it. But timing matters a lot. Do it only if you are confident about yourself.

Make people realize that your promotion was well deserved and that you will do your best, in the interest of the company.

Smile and leave the stage.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” -JFK

ABOUT EAGETUTOR: eAgeTutor.com is the premier online tutoring provider. eAge's world-class faculty and ace communication experts from around the globe help you to improve English in an all-round manner. Assignments and tasks based on a well-researched content developed by subject matter and industry experts can certainly fetch the most desired results for improving spoken English skills. Overcoming limitations is just a click of the mouse away in this age of effective and advanced communication technology. For further information on the online English-speaking course or to experience the wonders of virtual classroom fix a demonstration session with our tutor. Please visit www.eagetutor.com.

-By Chander Madan

Related Topics:

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4.  How to Talk About Your Opinions?

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• • How to improve English with the help of comic strips and books?
• • How to apologize when you forget important dates?
• • How to praise a good performing child in front of the class?
• • How would you ask for "volunteers" to organize a college farewell?
• • How to introduce your colleagues and boss to a newly acquired client?
• • Everything about conjunctions
• • Conversation tips for support executives
• • How to state opinions on various subjects?
• • How to describe your traveling experience by flight?
• • Importance of English for IT professionals
• • How to describe your traveling experience?
• • How to talk about your future plans, aims and aspirations?
• • How to ask for contributions from parents for a social event in school?
• • Parts of Speech: Learn the basics
• • Comparative and Superlative Adjectives- Do you know enough?
• • Prepositions and its use in the English language
• • Introduction to and appropriate use of adverbs
• • Tips to become an advanced English speaker
• • Importance of effective communication skills in accounting
• • Countable v/s uncountable nouns
• • How to communicate cost cutting measures to employees?
• • Question tags: All you need to know about it!
• • How to request for an elaboration?
• • Learn English slang to improve your spoken fluency
• • The art of using ‘verbs’ in the right manner
• • Introduction and appropriate use of adjectives
• • How to explain a billing query?
• • How to describe your gym/ training classes?
• • How to describe the project you are handling or have handled?
• • What is direct and indirect speech?
• • Punctuate the sentence
• • How to explain product features to a customer?
• • How to attend a customer call as support executive?
• • How to build a rapport with your patient?
• • How to explain product features on the phone?
• • How to deal with an adolescent in school?
• • How to remind parents to inculcate good habits in their children?
• • 5 Tips to practice vocabulary
• • How to be a good wedding host?
• • How to diplomatically report a problematic child behaviour to Principal and parents ?
• • How to explain to a customer some confusion in the bill?
• • How to upsell a product over the phone?
• • How to convince a customer to try out a product?
• • How to ask about patient history?
• • Common Phrases for business letters
• • 5 Supplier negotiation tips
• • How to describe your role model?
• • How to ask for help from other school teachers?
• • How to politely refuse an advance or loan request from an employee?
• • How to describe your best Christmas experience?
• • How to describe your best New Year party
• • How to describe your favourite movie?
• • How to talk to people at the grocery store?
• • Use of could, should, would?
• • When to use the articles - a, an, the?
• • Common ‘Singular-Plural’ Mistakes – Part I
• • How to ask for directions and find your way in a foreign country?
• • Talking about life events - Summer vacations
• • How to express your happiness while receiving a certificate?
• • How to describe school you attended in the past?
• • Top 10 tips for an effective meeting
• • 10 common mistakes in English
• • How to explain charges to a guest?
• • How to handle a guest with young children and elderly people?
• • How to talk about a teacher you like very much?
• • Tips to make a first good impression on foreign coworkers
• • How to fill up an immigration form?
• • How to place an order in a fast food restaurant?
• • How to navigate and buy essentials in a supermarket in a foreign country?
• • How to politely accept or decline an appointment request?
• • How to improve your grammar and comprehension for Entrance exams?
• • How to improve your vocabulary for entrance exams?
• • How to take orders in a restaurant?
• • How to converse at the front desk?
• • How to explain the project plan to a group of senior management members?
• • How to grab an internship opportunity?
• • Etiquettes for an international call center
• • How to deal with a nasty employee?
• • How to conduct group discussions for interviews?
• • How to conduct an exit interview?
• • How to communicate with your subordinates to get the maximum output?
• • How to build relationship with a customer for enhancing sales?
• • How to alert your boss about a worrying financial trend like increase in expense?
• • Etiquettes for effective telephone calls
• • How to show around during sightseeing?
• • How to upsell in a restaurant and a bar?
• • How to write a warning letter?
• • Salary negotiation essentials for HR personnel
• • Tips for communication for hotel Industry
• • How to resolve conflict with employees?
• • How to take care of specially abled guests?
• • How to deal with layoffs in your company?
• • How to write an effective financial performance summary?
• • How to welcome and see off your guests?
• • How to talk about local customs and folklore?
• • How to raise a query to the technical team in fluent English?
• • How to make a browsing customer comfortable and convert?
• • How to conduct an HR interview effectively?
• • How to write a termination letter?
• • How to politely respond to unreasonable demands of the customer?
• • How to explain your job profile, technologies you have worked and skill set?
• • How to communicate effectively with foreign or remote clients?
• • Dos and Don’ts of effective sales communication
• • How to speak professionally? – Conversation examples
• • How to create a job description?
• • How to explain issues in a project functionalities?
• • How to request for change in delivery schedule?
• • How to write a loan application for your own business?
• • How to explain local rules and precautions?
• • How to respond to salary queries of employees?
• • How to take reservations by phone?
• • How to effectively make a presentation?
• • How to explain a new technology to a non-techie person?
• • How to explain your strengths, weakness, attitude, and skill sets?
• • How to deal with complaints in the Hotel Industry?
• • How to write a reminder for a delayed payment to a customer?
• • How to write an offer letter?
• • How to take care of inbound calls?
• • How to convert a window-shopper to a real customer?
• • How to motivate a disinterested customer to buy?
• • How to upsell and cross sell?
• • How to make requests for special meals on a flight?
• • The art of handling unhappy customers on a call
• • 5 Negotiation tips and tricks
• • 5 Email marketing etiquette
• • 10 Mistakes to avoid as a retail sales representative
• • How to make an effective sales call?
• • How to ask for a leave from your child’s teacher?
• • How to describe your medical symptoms to the doctor?
• • 5 useful tips to prepare for a call center job
• • How to ask for directions to a coffee shop?
• • How to ask an air hostess about cabin luggage compartment?
• • How to start a cold call?
• • How to make a sales pitch?
• • How to negotiate a higher starting salary?
• • How to deposit or withdraw money in a bank?
• • How to give medicine instructions to a patient?
• • Why is correct ‘Speed’ important in Spoken English?
• • How to give details of a disease to a patient?
• • How to describe your vehicle?
• • How to open a bank account?
• • How to improve your English for a call center job?
• • 5 Benefits of learning English for a Tour Guide
• • How to ask your child’s teacher for notes?
• • How did you decide on a subject for higher studies?
• • How to start a conversation on phone?
• • How to ask your boss for a promotion in fluent English?
• • How to buy a ticket for a movie?
• • How to buy a shirt with the help of a salesperson?
• • How to buy a dress with the help of a salesperson?
• • How to Write a Formal Letter Regarding Leave?
• • How to Describe your Home?
• • How to Ask a Waiter for his Recommendations?
• • Why is Daily Practice Important to Learn a New Language?
• • How to Describe Your Family?
• • How to Describe your Phone and its Features?
• • How to Get the Speed of the Words Right while Speaking?
• • How to Talk About a Particular Problem you are Facing?
• • How to Talk About a Book you’ve Read Recently?
• • How to Introduce your Boss to your Team?
• • How to Complain to the School’s Principal About your Child’s Class?
• • How did you Choose the College you Studied In?
• • How to Talk at a Parent Teacher Meeting?
• • How to Describe an Attire?
• • How to Talk to Other Patients While Waiting at The Doctor’s Clinic?
• • How to Give Directions to Reach your Doctor’s Clinic?
• • How to Talk to a Teacher About the Issue of Bullying?
• • How to Ask your Boss for Help in your Work?
• • The Critical Role of Vocabulary to Learn Fluent English
• • How to Greet your Boss/ People in Office?
• • How to Describe an Experience?
• • How to Talk About Your Opinions?
• • How to Talk about Your College Life?
• • Conversation with a Fellow English Learner
• • How to Talk About Your Child’s School?
• • How to Describe a Television Show you Saw?
• • How to Ask for the Bill in a Restaurant?
• • How to Talk to Your Boss to Change Your Department?
• • How to Seek Appointment with your Doctor’s Receptionist?
• • How to Describe a Meal You Relished to Your Friend?
• • How to Give Directions to Your Friend to Reach a Restaurant?
• • How to Ask for Directions?
• • Why Online Tutoring is Easy and Beneficial?
• • Why English is Considered an International Language?
• • How to Write a Formal Email Regarding a Leave/ Off?
• • How to Tell Your Boss that You are Quitting?
• • How to Talk About Food you Like/ Dislike?
• • How to Talk of an Error in Your Bill to the Manager?
• • Why do We Need to Learn English?
• • How to Describe a Restaurant to Your Friend?
• • How to Stress on Words While Speaking English?
• • How to Describe Your Country?
• • How to Describe Your City?
• • Test your English Skills
• • Learning English through Music - Go the Lyrical Way!
• • How to Make English Learning a Fun Process?
• • How to Maintain Your Social Image?
• • How to Best Describe a Place?
• • How to Learn English Real Fast?
• • A Fun Way to Learn English
• • How Should I Improve My Vocabulary for IELTS?
• • Practice English Speaking While Waiting for an Interview
• • How to use Punctuation Correctly? Part - II
• • Tips for Improving Pronunciation II
• • The Sounds of Syllables
• • How to Improve Communication Skills?
• • How to Use Punctuation Correctly? Part - I
• • The Fun World of Idioms - III
• • Gear up! It’s Test Time
• • Conversation at the Airport Check-in
• • IELTS Preparation – Things to Know
• • How to Structure English Sentences?
• • A Guide on How to Use a Dictionary Effectively
• • The Fun World of Idioms - I
• • How to Carry a Conversation at a Party?
• • How to Overcome the Anxiety of Making Mistakes when Speaking English?
• • Dos and Don'ts of Public Speaking
• • Conversations while Ordering Food
• • Use the Power of Phrases to Improve Your Spoken English Fluency
• • Understanding the Tenses in English – II
• • Start small - The Key to Fluent English Speaking
• • Understanding the Tenses in English
• • How to Face an Interview with Confidence?
• • English Exercises for Beginners
• • How to Improve Your English Writing Skills – II
• • How to Improve Your English Writing Skills
• • Memory Techniques for Learning English - II
• • How to Avoid Common Grammar Mistakes - I?
• • Complete Guide to Comprehensive Reading-II
• • Want to Improve Your Listening Skills? Know the Eight Principles - Part II
• • How to Greet? Learn the Basics
• • A Guide to Comprehensive Reading
• • Want to Improve Your Listening Skills? Know the Eight Principles - Part I
• • Business Communication - Your Key to Success
• • First Timer’s Guide to Improve Spoken English
• • The Pillars of English Speaking
• • Who or Whom: Learn the Right Usage with Examples
• • Memory Techniques for Learning English
• • Tips for Making Small Talk and Breaking the Ice
• • A Beginner’s Guide to Learning English
• • Golden Rules for Improving Spoken English
• • The Tricky World of Homophones
• • English Grammar Made Easy
• • Homophones Decoded
• • How to Avoid Common Grammatical Mistakes
• • How to Respond to a Job Offer Letter?
• • How to Write a Resignation Letter?
• • Question Tag
• • Active and Passive Voice
• • How to Speak Clearly and Fluently?
• • How to Improve my Accent-Call Center Employee?
• • How to Communicate with New Friends?
• • How to attend a meeting?
• • How to Write Various Greeting Messages?
• • How to Prepare for an Interview?
• • How to Communicate on Social Media Platforms?
• • How to Communicate as a Customer Care Executive?
• • How to Anchor a Program?
• • How to write compelling emails in English?
• • How to Talk to Strangers?
• • How to Improve Pronunciation?
• • How to communicate as a telephone operator?
• • How to Communicate as a Receptionist?
• • How to Answer Phone Calls Smartly in English?
• • How to write an application for a loan?
• • How to Write a Cover Letter for a Job?
• • How to make a presentation in front of audience?
• • How to Express Effectively?
• • How to Communicate well in Hospitality Industry?
• • What are Some Etiquettes Used While Eating?
• • What are some phrases for conversation?
• • How to write an application for a leave?
• • How to Raise Concern in Parent Teacher Meeting As a Parent?
• • How to book an airline ticket with travel agent?
• • What are some important email etiquette
• • How to improve English Pronunciation and English Speaking?
• • How To Invite Somebody For a Birthday Party ?
• • How to Write a Resume for a Job?
• • How to learn English through listening?
• • How to improve your Spoken English Skills?
• • How to learn English Online?
• • What are words with similar meaning /opposite meaning to another word known as?
• • What are some common mistakes in preposition?
• • How to chat online with friends?
• • What are vowels and Consonants ?
• • What are some important table manners?
• • Do you know what is the study of speech sound known as?
• • How to impress the interviewer and answer effectively in an interview?
• • Learn Root Words
• • Do you know about the important parts of your body?
• • Do you know what are words with similar pronunciation but with different meaning/spelling known as?
• • What are some Do’s and Don’ts at the Interview?
• • How do you define a word that cannot be figured out by looking up in the dictionary?
• • How to participate in a Group Discussion
• • What are words that confuse you known as?
• • Origin of Species
• • Coevolution
• • Modern Synthesis of Evolution
• • TYPES OF MATRICES
• • SYMMETRIC AND SKEW SYMMETRIC MATRICES
• • Solution of system of linear equations using matrix method
• • PROPERTIES OF DETERMINANTS
• • MULTIPLICATION OF MATRICES
• • MORE ABOUT MATRICES
• • INTRODUCTION TO MATRICES
• • INVERTIBLE MATRICES
• • EQUALITY OF TWO MATRICES
• • DETERMINANTS
• • ADJOINT AND INVERSE OF A MATRIX
• • ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF MATRICES
• • Shortest Distance between two lines
• • Reducing Cartesian Form of a line to Vector Form and vice-versa
• • Modulus and the Conjugate of a Complex Number
• • Argand Plane and Polar Representation of a Complex Number
• • ALGEBRA OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
• • VOLUME OF A SOLID WITH KNOWN CROSS SECTION
• • TAYLOR SERIES
• • TANGENTS AND NORMALS
• • RIEMANN SUM AND TRAPEZOIDAL RULE
• • RATIO TEST
• • RATE OF CHANGE OF QUANTITIES
• • NUMERICAL SOLUTION OF DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS USING EULER’S METHOD
• • Mean Value Theorem
• • MAXIMA AND MINIMA (2nd DERIVATIVE TEST)
• • MAXIMA AND MINIMA (1ST DERIVATIVE TEST)
• • LOCAL LINEAR APPROXIMATION
• • L’HOSPITAL’S RULE
• • INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATION
• • INTERMEDIATE VALUE THEOREM
• • INSTANTANEOUS RATE OF CHANGE AS A LIMIT OF AVERAGE RATE OF CHANGE
• • INDEFINITE INTEGRALS – II
• • INDEFINITE INTEGRALS – I
• • INCREASING AND DECREASING FUNCTIONS
• • GRAPHICAL AND ANALYTICAL REPRESENTATION OF DERIVATIVE
• • FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF CALCULUS
• • DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY A PARTICLE ALONG A LINE
• • DIFFERENTIATION - II
• • DIFFERENTIATION
• • DIFFERENTIATION - I
• • Differentials, Errors and Approximations
• • DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
• • DERIVATIVES OF POLAR AND VECTOR FUNCTION
• • DEFINITE INTEGRALS
• • Continuity
• • COMPARISON TEST
• • AVERAGE VALUE OF A FUNCTION
• • ASYMPTOTIC AND UNBOUNDED BEHAVIOUR
• • AREA OF BOUNDED REGIONS
• • ALTERNATE SERIES TEST
• • LAWS OF SINE, COSINE AND TANGENT
• • Operations on Sets
• • Complement of a Set
• • Ionic Equilibrium in Solutions
• • Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Equilibria
• • Factors Affecting Equilibria
• • Equilibria in Physical Processes
• • Equilibrium in Chemical Processes – Dynamic Equilibrium
• • Buffer Solutions
• • Use of Trigonometric Function to Model Periodic Phenomena
• • UNIT CIRCLE
• • TRIGONOMETRIC RATIOS
• • TRIGONOMETRIC RATIOS OF SOME SPECIFIC ANGLES
• • TRIGONOMETRIC RATIOS OF COMPLEMENTARY ANGLES
• • TRIGONOMETRIC IDENTITIES
• • TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS OF SUM AND DIFFERENCE OF TWO ANGLES
• • TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS OF MULTIPLE AND SUBMULTIPLE ANGLES
• • SIGNS AND GRAPHS OF TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS
• • INVERSE TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS
• • APPLICATIONS OF TRIGONOMETRY
• • Angle between two planes
• • Vector and Cartesian Equations of a Line
• • Various forms of a Plane
• • Direction Cosines and Direction Ratios of a Line
• • METHODS OF FINDING SQUARE ROOT
• • SQUARE ROOT
• • CUBE ROOT (PRIME FACTORIZATION)
• • USE OF EXPONENTS
• • Laws of Exponents
• • CONIC SECTIONS
• • HYPERBOLA
• • ROTATIONAL SYMMETRY
• • TYPES OF ANGLES
• • Potentiometer
• • Thermocouple
• • Parallel Plate Capacitor
• • Sources of Current
• • Resistivity and Conductivity
• • Resistance
• • Kirchhoff’s law
• • Emfs and Internal resistance
• • Safety measures in handling electrical circuits
• • Electricity
• • Magnetic field due to a solenoid
• • Magnetic field
• • Electromagnetic Induction
• • Electric motor
• • Electric Bell
• • Electric Potential
• • Earthing an electric appliance
• • Electric Dipole
• • Rules to determine the direction of a magnetic field
• • Electric Current
• • Equipartition of Energy
• • Degree of freedom
• • Kinetic Theory of Gases
• • Combination of Capacitor
• • Thermodynamics
• • Thermal conductivity
• • Stefan’s law
• • Volumetric Expansion
• • Thermal Expansion
• • Newton’s law of cooling
• • AC and DC current
• • Heat and Temperature
• • Linear Expansion
• • Gas Equation
• • Heat transfer
• • Charle’s law and Boyle’s law
• • Heat engines
• • Specific Heat
• • Enthalpy and Entropy
• • Thomson effect
• • Isothermal Process
• • Carnot engines
• • Isochoric processes
• • Thermoelectricity
• • Isobaric Process
• • Adiabatic Processes
• • Seebeck effect
• • Wind Energy
• • Solar Energy
• • Nuclear Energy
• • Geothermal Energy
• • Fossil Fuels
• • Peltier Effect
• • Voltage and Current
• • Young’s Double Slit Experiment
• • Dielectrics
• • Types of Diffraction
• • Total Internal Reflection
• • Faraday’s law of Electrolysis
• • Spherical Mirror
• • Electrolysis
• • Snell’s Law
• • Scattering
• • Refractive Index
• • Refraction
• • Reflection
• • Real and Virtual images
• • Polarization
• • Interference of Light
• • Focal Length of Mirrors
• • Dispersion
• • Diffraction of Light
• • Diffraction Grating
• • Parallelism
• • Degrees of Comparison
• • Subject Verb Agreement
• • Punctuation
• • Run-on and Fragments
• • Comparison of Adjective
• • Infinitive
• • Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
• • Interjection
• • Conjunctions
• • Parts of Speech
• • Sentences
• • Comma Splice
• • Non-Random Mating
• • Genetic Drift
• • Modes of Speciation
• • Bottlenecks and Founder Effects
• • Causes of Mutations and Gene Flow
• • Artificial Selection
• • Recombination
• • Hardy-Weinberg Principle
• • Sex and Genetic Shuffling
• • Adaptation & Fitness
• • Sexual Selection
• • Patterns of Evolution
• • Reproduction Isolation
• • Origin of Life
• • Speciation
• • Big Bang Theory
• • Dinosaurs
• • Natural Selection
• • Introduction of Microorganism
• • Intracellular Components
• • Cell Membranes
• • Cell Difference
• • The Citric Acid Cycle
• • Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
• • Oxidative Phosphorylation and Electron Transport
• • Introduction to Cell Respiration
• • Glycolysis
• • What is Mitosis?
• • What is Meiosis?
• • Fermentation
• • Cell Reproduction
• • Mutualism
• • Solving Fractions
• • Microevolution
• • Fractions - An Introduction
• • Macroevolution
• • Evolution and Darwin
• • Evolution and Lamarck
• • Solving Decimals
• • Evolution and Heredity
• • What is Evolution?
• • Gene Cloning Application in Medicine
• • Introduction to Decimals
• • Human Genome Project
• • Polymerase Chain Reaction
• • Nucleosomes
• • Introduction to Lines and Angles
• • Structure and Synthesis of RNA
• • Overview of RNA
• • Solution of a Linear Equation
• • Introduction to Linear Equations
• • DNA and Technology
• • Graphical Method of Solution of a Pair of Linear Equations
• • DNA Biological Functions
• • History of DNA Research
• • Graph of a Linear Equation in Two variables
• • DNA Interactions with Proteins
• • Algebraic Methods of Solving a Pair of Linear Equations
• • Central Dogma of Biology
• • DNA Modifying Enzymes
• • DNA Genetic Recombination
• • General characteristics of DNA
• • Properties of DNA
• • What is DNA?
• • Solving Integers
• • Properties of Integers
• • DNA Translation
• • Genetic Code
• • Comparing and Ordering of Integers
• • Introduction to Exponents
• • Stages in Nitrogen Cycle
• • Introduction to cubes and cube roots
• • Slope (Gradient) of a line
• • Relation to the Environment
• • Section formulae
• • Point of intersection and concurrency of lines
• • Biological -Interactions
• • Distance form of a line
• • Distance between two points
• • Important Microbes in Ecosystem
• • Different forms of the equation of a straight line
• • Co-ordinate axes and co-ordinate planes
• • Area of a Triangle
• • Human Vs Natural Food Chains
• • Replication of DNA
• • Post transcriptional RNA Processing
• • DNA Transcription
• • Structure of Nucleic Acids - RNA
• • Structure of Nucleic Acids – DNA
• • Adaptations of the Organism
• • Factors Affecting Population Size
• • Evolution of Predation
• • Eutrophication
• • Energy Flows and Material Cycling
• • Energy Flow through the Ecosystem
• • Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity Crisis
• • Ecosystem Productivity
• • A Seral Community
• • Ecological Role
• • Ecological Pyramids
• • The Ecological Niche
• • Ecological Impact of Farming
• • Environmental impact of Pesticides
• • Environmental Impact of Fertilizers
• • Decomposers
• • Food Webs
• • Biosphere
• • Biological Magnification
• • What Is an Atom?
• • Laws of Chemical Combination
• • Solid Wastes
• • Global Warming
• • Environmental Issues
• • Water Pollution
• • Air Pollution
• • Deforestation
• • Food Chains and Food Webs
• • Phosphorous Cycle
• • Oxygen Cycle
• • The Nitrogen Cycle
• • The Water Cycle
• • The Carbon Cycle
• • Biogeochemistry
• • Biogeochemical Cycles
• • Biodiversity
• • Behavioral Ecology
• • ECOLOGY – An Introduction
• • Trigonometric Equations
• • Introduction To Algebra
• • Integers – An Introduction
• • Gaseous State And Gas Laws
• • Intermolecular Forces Vs Thermal Energy
• • How do you write Chemical Formulas?
• • Electroplating
• • Electrochemical cell
• • Electric circuit
• • Electric Charge
• • Coulomb’s law
• • Conductor and Insulator
• • Degree And Radian Measure
• • Algebraic Expressions
• • Adjectives
• • What Is a Molecule?
• • What Is Thermal Energy?
• • Study Finds That Online Education Beats the Classroom
• • Contraception Methods
• • Function and Mechanism in implantation
• • Implantation
• • Stages of Lactation
• • Lactation
• • Fertilization and Cleavage
• • Causes of Mutation
• • Kinds of Gene Mutation
• • What is a Gene Mutation and how do mutations occur?
• • Genes and Diseases
• • Human Genetic Variation
• • Chromosomal Aberrations
• • Location of a Gene
• • What is a Chromosome?
• • Gene and Gene Organisation
• • Functional structure of a Gene
• • Complications in Child birth
• • Stages in Child birth
• • Parturition
• • Risk factors and Complications in Pregnancy
• • Embryonic and Fetal Development
• • Diagnosis and Physiology of Pregnancy
• • Pregnancy
• • Mendalian Inheritance
• • Mendel's Laws
• • Examination, Treatment and Prevention of Menopause
• • Menopause
• • Characteristics of Menstrual Cycle
• • Mendel’s trait and Probability of Inheritance
• • Phases of Menstrual Cycle
• • Menstrual Cycle
• • Hormonal controls and the functioning of the female reproductive system
• • The Human Ovaries
• • Position and Function of Cervix
• • Anatomy and Histology of Cervix
• • Function of Fallopian Tube
• • Hygiene and Signs of Vaginal disease
• • Anatomy and Functions of Vagina
• • Inheritance patterns through Generations
• • Sex Determination System
• • What are the layers found in Uterus?
• • Genetic Disorder
• • Anatomy and Function of Uterus
• • Autosomal Recessive Genetic Disorder
• • Autosomal dominant and X linked Genetic Disorder
• • Human Female Reproductive System
• • Human Male External Genital Organs
• • What are Genes?
• • Human Male Internal Genital Organs
• • Phases And Significance Of Meiosis
• • Meiosis and process involved in it
• • Mitosis and its Phases
• • Check Point In Cell Cycle
• • Cell Cycle And Its Stages
• • Reproductive System
• • Cell Division
• • Transport Across The Membrane
• • Anatomy Of The Cell
• • Cell and Cell Theory
• • Cell Organelles and Their Functions
• • Example Pages and Menu Links
• • Does the PDF icon render pictures and special characters?
• • I installed with my own language, but the Back-end is still in English
• • Is it useful to install the sample data?
• • What is the purpose of the collation selection in the installation screen?
• • Is it possible to change A Menu Item's Type?
• • Support and Documentation
• • My MySQL database does not support UTF-8. Do I have a problem?
• • Only one edit window! How do I create "Read more..."?
• • What happened to the locale setting?
• • Common words that confuse you
• • Love idioms- let us learn a few!
• • Points to remember while avoiding nosy people – Part one
• • Common English Mistakes to Avoid In a Job Application

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How to Propose a Toast to Commemorate and Celebrate

There are occasions when you may be asked to say a few words to commemorate an event or a person. Giving a speech at such an occasion, especially if the mood is festive, would not only be entirely unwelcome and a bore but also not appropriate for the context.

So, what can you do? Give a toast of course!

By definition, proposing a toast involves wishing a person or people future success, happiness and health and asking others to raise their glasses and join in a drink.

Toasts are diverse in that they can be given at retirement parties , awards dinners, weddings, birthdays, thanksgiving ceremonies and engagement parties, among others. They can be made over festive beverages such as wine, sparkling cider or champagne, as well as any other beverages.

If you are ever called upon to share a few words to add a personal touch to any social gathering, here are a few tips to help you propose a toast that will not only mark the special occasion but also be memorable.

Before we look at them though, do you know what a toast comprises of?

Structure of a Toast

A toast is made up of:

• The Greeting

Here you’ll stand and ask the audience to stand (not compulsory) and fill their glasses, after which, you get to address them.

• The Proposal

Here, you’ll raise your glass and give your proposal. This may be something along the lines of, “I would like to propose a toast…”

This, just like in a speech, is the most important part. It should be made up of a few sentences that talk about the persons in question.

This is where you pay homage to the toast’s subject. This could be something along the lines of, “Please join me in a toast to…”

• The Declaration

This represents the climax, which honors the subject of the toast and summarizes the said toast. After this, drinks can then be taken.

We can now look at: 

Tips on Preparing for a Toast

We will begin by looking at what you should do in preparation for the toast.

Plan your toast in advance

Say you’ve been chosen to give a toast as the best man at your brother’s wedding, would you prefer to not prepare and fumble on the big day, thus disappointing him or plan what you’ll say in advance, thus allowing you to confidently relay a heartfelt message to the newlyweds?

I think everyone would prefer the latter, which is why it would be immeasurably better to prepare in advance .

Putting some thought to what you’ll say when giving a toast not only makes you sound sincerer but also prevents you from rambling on.

Pro-Tip: A good basis for planning a toast would be to ask yourself:

• What/who is being toasted?
• What is the reason for the toast?
• What type of event will the toast be given at?
• Who will be in attendance?

Choose what format you’ll use

Here, you can decide whether to give a classic set toast or write up an original toast from scratch.

You should keep in mind though that the best kind of toast is one which merges an original introduction that talks about the attendees and the occasion its being presented in, with a classic toast.

Ever heard of a simple three-point structure?

This structure allows you to make use of any three values or qualities that have importance in the lives of your friends and family.

After deciding on the qualities you’ll be focusing on, illustrate each quality with a story or an event from the past, to help deliver your message to your audience.

Choose being sincere over being humorous

When drafting a toast , it’s better to be sincere rather than try to be funny.

Humor isn’t easy to deliver well, particularly with a diverse and large crowd. So instead, include sincere tidbits in your toast.

Additionally, you should note that in comparison with an ill attempt at humor, you can never go wrong with a sincere toast, which is more likely to be remembered.

Make use of notes

Planning in advance may also require you to write your key message down, and while you may be tempted to scribble this onto any piece of paper that on hand, don’t.

Instead, you can use a 3x5 card to write your notes on, tidily. Ensure that your writing is bold and large, to allow you to read your words more easily.

If you usually use glasses to read, try practicing reading the notes with your glasses on. This will ensure that you deliver your toast smoothly.

Keep your toast short

While planning your toast, you should remember to keep it short. Remember, it’s a celebration, and no one wants to hear you talk for over 10 minutes when they could be having a good time relaxing and enjoying themselves.

Therefore, keep it anywhere between under a minute to a couple of minutes but try to not go over five minutes.

Pro-Tip: Droning on diverts the audience’s attention. You should therefore try speaking in short sentences.

When Giving a Toast

On the day of the celebration, when giving your toast, you should:

Before beginning, make your intentions known 

Being party to a large gathering or party may make it difficult to know the right time to make your toast.

So, how can you get everybody’s attention?

You can wait until everyone else has gotten their food, as most if not all individuals will be seated, before beginning.

Alternatively, you can raise your glass to shoulder level and say something like, “If I can have everyone’s attention.”

Please do not try clanging your glass with a utensil, as it may break the glass and it isn’t very tasteful.

Pro-Tip: Ensure you make your intentions clear using your words.

Begin with the obvious

When you’ve gathered together, either with your work colleagues or your family for a celebration, you’ll most likely be sharing the same physical space with your audience.

Despite experiencing the same setting, each individual in the space is thinking of different things in their mind. Therefore, as the toast maker or the master of ceremony, your first task before giving your toast would be to connect with your audience .

The best and easiest way to establish this connection would be talk about why you’ve all gathered together to begin with.

Beginning with the obvious allows everyone to share the same mental space. By giving voice to the shared experience, you forge a feeling of unity which allows you to bring the audience together.

Related: How to Start a Speech to Engage Your Audience

Share something about yourself

Now that your audience is thinking about the same thing, telling them a short story about yourself that’s relevant to the situation will help consolidate their focus on you.

By revealing something personal about yourself, you establish trust. This allows your audience to be more open to what you have to say and feel open positively.

Acknowledge individuals who aren’t present

While giving a toast, make a point to acknowledge any dear friend or family member who’s missing from the celebration and note that you miss them.

Ensure you do this at the start of your toast, as it may make people solemn.

You can then move on to joyful accomplishments to help lighten the mood.

Show your emotions

Your friends and family will probably be emotional, especially if your toast mentions a loved one who passed away or couldn’t be there with you to celebrate.

If you do get emotional while delivering this part of the toast, remember that its totally normal and understandable.

However, if you’re concerned that you may not be able to deliver the toast well because of it, you can practice that part of your toast a few times.

Ensure that everyone is involved and has a drink

Toasts should be inclusive, which means no one should be left out, such as non-drinkers or children.

The aforementioned individuals can be provided with child-friendly or non-alcoholic drinks to ensure everyone is part of the toast.

Pro-Tip: Make sure everyone is present before giving your toast. This will prevent any interruption mid-toast or awkward glances shared when someone walks in during the climax of your toast.

Ensure you end your toast clearly

You may have been party to a toast that ended vaguely, which left the audience unsure whether the speaker had finished.

Therefore, when concluding your toast, you should make it clear and show everyone what they should do after.

You can say something to the effect of, “Raise your glass as we celebrate…” then guide your audience by clinking your glass with somebody next to you or taking a sip from your glass.

Pro-Tip: If it’s a large gathering, take a sip from your glass, as this is more preferable. However, if it’s a small gathering, clinking glasses is more celebratory.

Related: How to End a Speech Strongly and Memorably

We’ve talked about what you should do, now let’s look into what you shouldn’t do.

What NOT to Do When Giving a Toast

Do not drink before giving your toast.

If you’re feeling a little nervous before the toast, try to engage in some breathing exercises to help calm you down.

However, refrain from drinking alcohol to give you courage. This is because you may end up drinking too much and losing your judgement.

Additionally, you may lose track of time if you are inebriated.

So instead, lay off the alcohol till after you’ve given your toast.

Do not give your toast before the host

If you are not the event’s host , do not give a toast before they’ve given theirs.

However, if it’s been mutually agreed upon, then go for it.

If not, hold your horses!

Ensure you don’t embarrass anyone

If you’re toasting to a friend or family member at a wedding or celebrating someone’s achievement, you may be tempted to include an embarrassing tidbit in order to make the audience laugh.

This may make the person in question or the crowd, uncomfortable. So, unless you’re absolutely sure that your story’s a winner, remain on a positive note.

We’ve looked at what you should and shouldn’t do before and after giving your toast as well as during your delivery, which means that we can now look at a few toast examples.

Proposing a Toast (Examples)

A promotion toast.

Say for example, your colleague, Mark, is moving up the work ladder, what would you say to them?

A good example of a promotion toast would be,

“Mark, as you move up the ladder to success, may more doors open for you and may the opportunities be endless, to your promotion!”

A wedding toast

A wedding is a special and happy occasion. Additionally, it’s a time for merry making and generally having a good time. You should therefore ensure that your toast is short.

A wedding toast may be something like, “Ladies and gentlemen, will you please join me now in toasting to the lovely couple. We wish them all the happiness, wealth and health in the world, to the happy couple!”

An engagement toast

An engagement toast should focus on the couple’s relationship and their future together.

You can say something to the effect of, “For years, we’ve seen you two grow closer together and your relationship grow as well. As we celebrate this milestone, we wish you happiness and more blessings, to the happy couple!”

A college graduation toast

When giving this toast, giving a little background on the person may help the audience who aren’t as well acquainted with him to learn more about the said individual.

For instance, you could start by saying, “I would like to propose a toast to my daughter, Leila, who has finally graduated with her PhD in Physics from…Leila has been interested in rockets ever since she learned about astronauts and the moon landing...”

You can then end with the words, “I know you’re all anxious to congratulate Leila in her own way, so to Leila!”

Summing it up…On Giving Toasts

When giving a toast, keep in mind that delivering a short but heartfelt message is all that’s required of you. I hope these tips will help, Mazel tov!

You might also like:  14 Types of Speeches for All Occasions that You Should Master

Journalist Says He Saw Trump Editing Speeches For His Stooges To Give Outside Court

N ew York Magazine journalist Andrew Rice said on MSNBC that on Monday he saw Donald Trump editing — during his hush money trial — what his Republican allies would rant about on his behalf outside the courthouse.

Trump acolytes including Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) have this week attended the New York court in a show of support for the former president and presumptive GOP nominee. They’ve also taken to parroting Trump’s complaints about the criminal proceedings outside. Both Vance and Burgum are reportedly in the running to become Trump’s running mate.

MSNBC’s Chris Hayes said he found it “both thuggish and pathetic” how Trump appears, via his stooges, to be trying to circumvent his gag order which bans him from talking about witnesses, jurors, court staff and their families.

Rice recalled: “I could actually look over Trump’s shoulder and see what he was reading, at one point he was actually reading the quotes that these individuals were … and going through and making notations with a pen on the paper.”

It was during former Trump fixer and attorney Michael Cohen’s testimony, he said. Trump “was actually going and going through and annotating and editing the quotes that these people were giving.”

MSNBC’s Alex Wagner questioned the legality of the “utterly humiliating” move and noted how part of the gag order also prohibits Trump from directing others to say the same things he is not allowed to.

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Sir Keir Starmer unveils promises to 'change Britain' - but warns it may take 10 years

The party leader builds on the five "missions" he set out last year, promising to show voters "the real difference a Labour government will make to their lives".

Political reporter @NifS

Thursday 16 May 2024 13:16, UK

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Sir Keir Starmer has promised to change the country "for the better" if Labour wins the next election - but warned his plan for "national renewal" may take a decade to see through.

The leader was speaking at a major pre-election party event in Essex, setting out the "first steps" of a Labour government before the public heads to the polls later this year.

The pledges are to:

- Deliver economic stability - Cut NHS waiting lists - Crack down on anti-social behaviour - Recruit 6,500 new teachers - Launch a new border security command - Set up publicly-owned Great British Energy

Sir Keir said the programme "is going to be hard" to achieve, adding that the public could expect to see the promises materialise within two terms of a Labour government

What are Labour's pledges for government?

He said: "We can deliver this over five or 10 years, a decade of national renewal".

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The headline speech came as Labour continues to dominate the polls over the Conservatives, and after a set of local elections that saw them win key battleground seats - including taking the West Midlands mayoralty from their rivals.

But there are still questions over whether Sir Keir himself or his party's policies will be popular enough with the public to secure victory when the general election is called - making today's speech, and the "evolution of its traditional pledge card" made famous during Tony Blair's 1997 landslide win, an important moment in the campaign.

Along with the NHS, crime and education pledges, the leader reiterated his promises to deliver "economic stability" - including a pledge to keep taxes "as low as possible" - and to set up a publicly-owned power company, Great British Energy.

Sir Keir also highlighted his sixth priority for government, which he launched last week - setting up a new Border Security Command with hundreds of new specialist investigators, using counter-terror powers "to smash the criminal boat gangs" behind Channel crossings.

In what is being dubbed "Labour's doorstep offer to the British people", a fresh advertising campaign is now being launched as the party ramps up its election offering.

A party spokesman described it as the largest spend since the previous general election that will see the Labour leader appear on ad vans and billboards, alongside his six priorities - though they stressed those pledges would not be the "sum total" of the party's election offer.

Presenting the "first steps" pledges on a card to the room, Sir Keir said: "So here we are. One card, six steps, in your hand, a plan to change the country.

"This is a message that we can take to every doorstep across the country and make the argument that decline is not inevitable, politics can make a difference.

"Britain will have a better future and you can choose it with Labour. Stop the chaos with Labour. Turn the page with Labour. Return politics to service with Labour.

"And with patience, with determination, with these first steps, we can rebuild our country with Labour."

Delivery will matter on Starmer's key pledges

People and politics correspondent

The six individual pledges announced today set out Labour's priorities.

But delivering on them will be key to building trust in politics, which a recent Sky News poll revealed was miserably low.

Sir Keir Starmer described this as the first steps in a "mission". Big, bold change, he said.

But Labour seem to be making bold promises, while trying not to promise too much.

Sir Keir's refusal in the Q&A after his speech to put a number on how many extra NHS appointments they could deliver in the first few weeks of a Labour government, for example, goes to the heart of their fear.

The potential problem is that Labour's pledges are broadly similar to the Conservative ones; migration, economy, health - the usual big election issues.

But voters will want to see clearly how the parties differ.

But the Tories hit out at what they said was Labour's "16th relaunch", adding it "won't amount to a hill of beans".

Chair of the party Richard Holden said: "Today's speech was devoid of any plan for Britain.

"Sir Keir Starmer is a serial promise breaker who doesn't have the courage or conviction to stick to a single a pledge he has ever made.

"His unfunded spending, higher taxes and amnesty for illegal migrants would take Britain back to square one."

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The SNP's deputy Westminster leader Mhairi Black also claimed the speech was "was full of broken promises and empty slogans".

She added: "The problem for Sir Keir is that he has u-turned on nearly every policy he has ever promised - so it's little wonder the public don't trust a single promise he now makes."

White House sends official to Morehouse to address concerns ahead of Biden's speech

WASHINGTON — A senior White House official met with a small group of students and faculty at Morehouse College on Friday, amid some objections on campus to having President Joe Biden deliver the commencement address there this weekend, according to a White House official and a Morehouse administration official. 

During the meeting with Steve Benjamin, who heads the White House Office of Public Engagement, some of the students expressed concerns about Biden overshadowing their graduation, the White House official said. The official added that some students were worried in particular about the controversy surrounding Biden’s policy toward Israel and his handling of the war in the Gaza Strip taking center stage at Sunday’s ceremony. 

They also told Benjamin they do not want to hear a campaign speech, the White House official said. Benjamin, in turn, tried to assure the students that Biden’s appearance at their graduation would focus on celebrating their accomplishments and his hopes for their futures. 

The previously unreported details of the meeting highlight the challenge college commencement season has become for Biden and other top administration officials as protests against Israel’s war in Gaza have taken shape on campuses across the country. Biden is scheduled to deliver two commencement addresses — one at Morehouse College on Sunday and another at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on May 25. 

The president’s Morehouse visit comes as his re-election campaign is trying to win over young and Black voters, particularly in battleground states like Georgia, as polling shows his support from those constituencies has softened since 2020. 

Nine students and faculty members attended the meeting, which the Morehouse official said was scheduled for 90 minutes but lasted more than two hours. The official said the group represented a range of views on the college’s decision to have Biden deliver its 2024 commencement address — from those who are looking forward to Biden’s address to others who have concerns or oppose the decision. The official called it “a fair representation of all voices and opinions.”

“Everyone was given the freedom to speak to exactly the way they feel,” the Morehouse official said. 

 The New York Times first reported that Friday’s meeting took place.

Since Morehouse College announced last month that Biden would deliver its commencement address, some students and faculty members have raised concerns and apprehension about Biden delivering the address, though the school has not seen the large protests that have played out on other college campuses. 

The Morehouse official said Friday’s meeting was scheduled before the commencement speaker announcement in anticipation of the backlash from some students and faculty members.

Both the White House and Morehouse officials characterized Friday’s meeting as productive.  

The White House official said Benjamin spoke to the group about the work the Biden administration believes it has done to benefit college students and Black communities around the country. 

The official said Benjamin brought students’ thoughts back to the White House, though conceded it was unclear if the meeting had changed any of the participants’ minds. Morehouse declined to share the names of any of the attendees. 

Aaron Gilchrist reported from Washington, and Nnamdi Egwuonwu from Atlanta.

Aaron Gilchrist is a White House correspondent for NBC News.

Nnamdi Egwuonwu is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Nigerian visit is a reminder of how much the House of Windsor could have used them

Analysis Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Nigerian visit is a reminder of how much the House of Windsor could have used them

Prince Harry and Meghan's 72-hour visit to Nigeria has attracted a level of publicity Buckingham Palace has been sorely lacking of late.

The photographs of the former royals taking part in a casual volleyball game, accepting flowers from a little girl and visiting local schools to promote mental health awareness made headlines around the world over the weekend .

Prince Harry drew praise over a heartfelt speech about the importance of "acknowledging bad days ", and photographers snapped pictures as he accepted an invitation to sit and throw the ball around with army veterans wounded in battle against the country's Islamist insurgency.

His wife's instinctive sartorial choices were also avidly followed by royal and non-royal watcher s alike, as was her special connection to the country she called "home".

The lightning-quick tour of Nigeria was intended to champion mental health for young people and promote the Invictus Games, an international sporting event founded by Prince Harry back when he was still firmly within the royal fold.

Nigeria became the first African country to take part in the games last year, with General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, the country's highest-ranking military official, extending an invitation to the prince this year to help raise its profile.

But it wasn't a royal tour, it couldn't be. Not after the duke and duchess' decision in 2020 to step back as senior working members of the royal family.

After failing to reach a compromise over a hybrid working model, the couple traded in their lofty titles for the chance to earn a private income, swapping the rigid spotlight of the United Kingdom for carefree California.

Four years later, the British high commissioner in Nigeria was at pains to stress this point, releasing a statement that the couple's visit was in a private capacity and "not an official one".

"They are not representing the work of His Majesty's government on this visit," Richard Montgomery told the News Agency of Nigeria .

It did not prevent the three-day spectacle from making the news locally and within the country Harry and Meghan once considered home.

Some of this attention could not be helped given the stark absences of other senior royals in the public eye in recent months due to illness.

The couple, whether they intended to or not, have demonstrated in their Nigeria stopover, the gap they could have filled had they stayed on as working royals.

And given how small that circle is at the moment, perhaps they have also showed how helpful that would have been.

According to author and former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown, the visit has drawn recollections of the position the duke and duchess once occupied.

"After all the trashing of Harry ... actually when I saw him and Meghan in Nigeria, I had a nostalgia," she told the BBC.

"I felt this is what could have been, these two — who are enormously appealing to the public, and who are very good at it — were out there in Nigeria looking very attractive and being appealing people. And what a pity it is they've gone"

In her view, the couple's sleek visit was a reminder of the grim realities looming over the slimmed-down royal family and the "Harry-shaped hole in the monarchy".

The importance of a royal tour

Royal tours by their very nature are filled with pomp and ceremony and are considered to be an important part of making the public believe in the power of the monarch.

One of Queen Elizabeth II's favourite mantras was that royals "have to be seen to be believed".

Since medieval times, a monarch's highly orchestrated trips around the country or (in more recent times) the globe has provided their subjects with proof of life and reinforced the magic of the palace.

The late queen was a firm believer in the importance of these public voyages, embarking on dozens throughout her reign after first coming to the role of monarch while on a royal tour.

As the story goes, she was more than 7,000 kilometres from home on a five-month visit of Africa and Australia when she went up a tree a princess and came down a queen.

But in the 21st century, the pageantry of these events is offset by greater scrutiny from a wary public and a sceptical media throng.

Stephen Bates, the former royal affairs writer for the Guardian, writes that press teams that accompany royals on these visits do so now if three conditions are met.

"There may be some newsworthiness to them …; second, to view the royals at close range in a way that’s not normally possible — to see what they are like in person, maybe even speak to them; and third, to test the water for their popularity," he wrote for the Guardian.

Last year, King Charles reportedly began planning the largest-ever series of official tours across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and other countries.

Those rumours were soon confirmed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in February, when he revealed discussions were underway for the king's visit Down Under .

There had been speculation his trip might fall alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October.

However, the king's cancer diagnosis and treatment have thrown these plans into question.

Both King Charles III and Princess Catherine have limited their public engagements since announcing they would be recovering from procedures in January.

The king returned to in-person royal duties in late April , after more than seven weeks away from the spotlight, but his public appearances are still being worked out.

"The pacing of the king's program will be carefully calibrated as his recovery continues, in close consultation with his medical team," a Buckingham Palace statement released last month said.

The government has confirmed there are still plans underway for an Australian visit, though it is far from certain.

This is not surprising, given the publicity these tours can generate and the pressure they place on the people at the centre of them.

Careful and thoughtful preparations play a key part in the success of a tour.

But, as with all best-laid plans, sometimes they can go wrong.

The Caribbean tour that drew unwanted attention

Kate and William's tour across the Caribbean in 2022 was supposed to be one such highly-planned event.

It was hoped the young couple would win over a new generation of subjects growing increasingly dubious about their heads of state.

But reports at the time indicated the then duke and duchess of Cambridge's efforts backfired after a series of faux pas.

The couple's visit to Jamaica was overshadowed when reports emerged not long after their arrival that the country's government had begun the process of transitioning the nation to a republic.

Photographs of the couple standing in an open-top Land Rover and reaching out to grab the hands of children through a wire fence also gave rise to awkward recollections of the monarchy's colonial past.

Royal commentators described the messaging of that tour as "poor at best" and prompting an overhaul of the Prince and Princess of Wales' PR and communications team.

While Meghan and Harry's three-day Nigeria visit is by no means comparable to the spectacle of a royal tour, it has offered some lessons on the importance of leaning on a sophisticated PR machine.

The duchess  reportedly has one of the most powerful managers in Hollywood working for her after a reshuffle of her management team last year following the couple's high-profile exit from a Spotify deal.

But part of the success of the duke and duchess' Nigeria stopover was also in some of the more genuine moments on display for waiting cameras.

A day after landing, Meghan noted the contrast between her neutral wardrobe and those around her, making a swift decision to update her sartorial choices.

"It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived," Meghan reportedly told guests at an event.

"And I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour so I can fit in with all of you in your incredible fashion!"

Her authentic connection with the country was also a running theme of the visit, with Meghan telling locals she had recently discovered her ancestry traced back to Nigeria.

While on stage at an event in the country's capital, Abuja, the Duchess of Sussex explained that her first reaction after finding out was to tell her mother.

"Being African American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage and background … ," she said.

After the duchess's revelation, Mo Abudu, the anchor and chief executive of EbonyLife media group, asked the audience to suggest a Nigerian name for Meghan.

Someone shouted "Ifeoma", which means "a treasured thing", while another shouted "Omowale", which means "the child has come home".

Could Harry and Meghan return to royal life?

In the years since the couple left, questions have swirled around what may have happened if the dice of fate had landed a different way.

What if Harry and Meghan were still working royals alongside William and Kate?

What might have happened if the young couple were on hand to pitch in and step up their public presence when other royals were absent?

The questions have taken on more relevance after the King and Princess Catherine's dual cancer diagnoses and subsequent withdrawal from the spotlight.

A glimpse of what might have been played out over the weekend as Harry and Meghan underwent their own "private" tour of Nigeria.

While the photographs made those watching nostalgic, it's unlikely the visit will prompt a request to take on official duties back in London or heal the deep rift between the royal family and the young couple.

What it has done is further highlight the small group of working royals operating now, made smaller after the deaths of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth, and following Prince Andrew's complete removal from royal life.

But if the king's decision not to see his son when he was in London last week — reportedly due to a full programme —  is anything to go by, any suggestions of a return to royal life are being firmly rebuffed.

Even with a smaller circle of people to rely on, it appears as if the royal family has chosen to keep Harry out in the cold.

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