TOP TIPS for WRITING a SUCCESSFUL SPEECH (From OXFORD Living Dictionaries)

From Oxford Living Dictionaries

At some point in your life, you will probably have to make a speech. There are many kinds of speeches, including those intended to inform, persuade, instruct, motivate, and entertain. They all share the same goal, however: to communicate clearly and effectively to an audience.

💡 Here are some guidelines to make it easier to talk to a room full of people you don’t know.

1. Know your audience
2. Narrow your topic
3. Outline your speech
4. Get the attention of the room
5. Organize your speech
6. Offer examples, statistics, and quotations
7. Craft a powerful conclusion
8. Use presentation aids if appropriate
9. Write for the ear, not for the eye
10. Time yourself

1. Know your audience

Understand what your listeners care about. Tailor your speech to their knowledge and their interests. If you are an expert speaking to a general audience, be sure to define your terms. If you’re a manager talking to a staff that has recently experienced lay-offs, acknowledge that you understand their concerns.

2. Narrow your topic

A good speech makes a claim. And a good speech is about one thing only. Even if your speech is a wedding toast, your point is that the bride and the groom were meant for each other. Have a specific focus and make sure everything you say supports it.

3. Outline your speech

A conventional organization usually works best. Tell the audience what you’re going to say (introduction), say it (body), and then tell them what you said (conclusion) ⇒ Repetition is a powerful tool, especially in a speech. Audiences tend to absorb only a small portion of what they hear, so it’s good to make your point several times.

4. Get the attention of the room

Your opening should engage listeners immediately. Engage them with a unique personal story that is relevant to your topic. Or try a specific reference to the location. Most people will appreciate a speaker who says she’s glad to be in Australia in January.

Other good ways to begin:

• ask a question;
• report a surprising statistic related to your topic;
• find an apposite quotation.

5. Organize your speech

Structure your speech according to your purpose. If your goal is to inform, try a chronological or alphabetical organization. When your goal is to convince your audience to take a stand, introduce the problem and then propose a solution. Use transitions between your examples, so people can follow your logic.

6. Offer examples, statistics, and quotations

You need evidence to support what you’re saying. Try examples from history, current events, and your own life. Consult government sources for statistics. Use quotations from experts in the field. Don’t overdo quotations, though: most of the words in your speech should be your own. Check your facts—inaccuracies will undermine your credibility.

7. Craft a powerful conclusion

Keep it short, memorable, and to the point. Consider ending with a concrete, vivid image or anecdote that illustrates your topic. Or ask people to take an action, such as promise to write to a decision-maker or to contribute to a cause.

8. Use presentation aids if appropriate

Charts and tables quickly convey data, and photographs can offer compelling support. Incorporate visuals into your speech if they’ll make it more powerful. Know what technology will be available for you to share these visuals. And be prepared to do without them, in case something goes wrong with the equipment.

9. Write for the ear, not for the eye

Once you’ve finished a draft of your speech, practice reading it out loud. You’ll hear anything that sounds awkward. Revise so you are more comfortable giving your speech. You want to sound natural, no matter what the occasion.

10. Time yourself

Have someone else run the stopwatch, so you won’t be distracted. Read slowly and clearly. Include pauses for emphasis or for audience reaction if you’re saying something that might cause listeners to laugh or gasp. If you’re over your time limit, you’ll need to edit to shorten your speech.

💡 Go to Oxford Dictionaries for more Top writing tips.

💡 You might also be interested in:

• Top tips for better writing (Oxford Dictionaries)
• Top tips for word choice (Oxford Dictionaries)

GRAMMAR PILLS: HE/SHE or THEY? - GENDER INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

By Georgina Jacobs

Should we say "help a student with his/her homework" or "help a student with their homework"?

💡 Quick answer:

→ In informal contexts, use the 3rd person plural: 'they', 'them', 'theirs', 'their' or 'themselves' ⇒ help a student with their homework.

→ In formal contexts, use the 3rd person singular: 'he/she', 'him/her', 'his/hers', 'his/her' or 'himself/herself' ⇒ help a student with his or her homework.

→ If possible, use a plural noun + the 3rd person plural ⇒ help students with their homework.

💡 EXTENDED ANSWER:

A pronoun replaces a noun or noun phrase. The noun or noun phrase replaced is called the 'antecedent' of the pronoun, and the pronoun must agree in person and number with its antecedent.
➧El pronombre reemplaza al nombre. El nombre reemplazado es el 'antecedente' del pronombre, y ambos deben concordar en persona y número.

❓ Entonces, ¿cuál es el problema?

El problema es que, en inglés, la 3ra persona singular tiene 'he' (masculino), 'she' (femenino) e 'it' (animales + nombres inanimados).

Por lo tanto, cuando debemos reemplazar o referirnos a un nombre animado (persona) en singular que no distingue género (como 'a student', 'a child', 'somebody', 'everybody', 'a person', etc.), ¿deberíamos usar 'he' o 'she' o ambos?

HE/SHE: La primera respuesta puede ser que usemos ambos:
→ Everybody must do his or her best.
→ Someone has texted me; I don't know who he or she is.

Sin embargo, esto puede resultar pesado y confuso si aparece repetidamente en el texto.

THEY: Como solución, entonces, se ha comenzado a utilizar la 3ra persona plural (they) para incluir el femenino y el masculino:
→ Everybody must do their best.
    (Singular)              (plural)
→ Someone has texted me; I don't know who they are.
    (Singular)                                                (plural)
Esta opción no tiene aceptación unánime porque no hay concordancia en número entre el pronombre y su antecedente, y en contextos muy formales o académicos puede desaconsejarse. (See: Gender Neutral Language)

Sobre esta controversia, Oxford Dictionary dice: "Some people object to the use of plural pronouns in this type of situation on the grounds that it’s ungrammatical. In fact, the use of plural pronouns to refer back to a singular subject isn’t new: it represents a revival of a practice dating from the 16th century. It’s increasingly common in current English and is now widely accepted both in speech and in writing."

Finalmente, se recomienda usar el nombre en plural para que concuerde en número con 'they', pero esto no siempre es posible.

Ejemplo:

→ En lugar de: "A student should finish their homework before playing video games", podemos decir: "Students should finish their homework before playing video games"

→ Pero ¿cómo lo aplicaríamos en: "Someone has texted me; I don't know who they are"?

Sobre este tema Cambridge English Grammar Today dice: Traditionally, he and him were used to refer to both genders in formal writing: If anyone has any evidence to oppose this view, let him inform the police immediately. Nowadays, we often see gender neutral forms (e.g. he or she, he/she, s/he, (s)he, they and him or her, him/her, them) when we do not know if the person referred to is male or female: The bank manager could help with your problem. He or she will probably be able to give you a loan. (or … he/she will probably be able to … or … they will probably be able to …) Go to a hairdresser. Ask him or her to come up with a style that suits you, your hair, your lifestyle. (or … ask him/her to come up with a style … or … ask them to come up with a style …) When you get into the building, go to the person on the desk in the reception area. They can tell you where to go. (or He or she can tell you where to go.) 🔗See also: One and Sexist language

Gender-inclusive Language (From Speak English with Emma)

💡You may also want to read: A brief history of singular ‘they’ (from Oxford English Dictionaries Blog)

Georgina Jacobs

GRAMMAR PILLS: I or ME? + 'Peter and I' or 'Peter and me'?

By Georgina Jacobs

💡 Quick answer:

Use I (yo) ⇒ as the SUBJECT of a clause (como SUJETO) → {[Peter and I] [went to the cinema yesterday].} (Peter y yo)         Subject → (Dialogue at the door) Who is it? –It’s Peter and I! (Peter y yo)                                                  Subjective Complement Use he/she/it/we/you/they ⇒ as SUBJECT (como SUJETO) → {[Mary and he] [went to the cinema yesterday].} (Mary y él)          Subject

Use ME (me/mí) ⇒ as an OBJECT in a clause (como OBJETO) → {[Mary] [invited (Peter and me) (to her party)].}                             Direct Object → {[Mary] [told (Peter and me) (that she’s pregnant)].}                       Indirect Object → {[Mary] [bought (a present) (for Peter and me)].}                                        Object of the Preposition Use him/her/it/us/you/them ⇒ as OBJECT (como OBJETO) → {[I] [invited (Peter and her) (to my party)].}                         Direct Object → {[I] [told (Peter and her) (that I'm pregnant)].}                   Indirect Object → {[I] [bought (a present) (for Peter and her)].}                                        Object of the Preposition

'I' or 'me'? (3:00 minutes)

💡 EXTENDED ANSWER ⇒ See GRAMMAR PILLS: CASE OF PRONOUNS + POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES

🔗 SEE ALSO:

• GRAMMAR PILLS: OTHER OR ANOTHER? – OTHERS, THE OTHER AND THE OTHERS
• 'Who' or 'whom'? (From Oxford Dictionaries) ⇒ WHO or WHOM? (Exercise: Fill in each blank with who, whom, or whose.)

Georgina Jacobs

GRAMMAR PILLS: OTHER OR ANOTHER? – OTHERS, THE OTHER AND THE OTHERS

By Georgina Jacobs

💡 Quick answer:

• ANOTHER (otro/otra) + singular countable noun ⇒ There is another book in my bag. (Hay otro libro en mi bolso.)
• OTHER (otros/otras) + plural countable noun ⇒ There are other books in my bag. (Hay otros libros en mi bolso.)
• OTHER (otro/otra) + uncountable noun ⇒ The embassy website has general information about visas. Other travel information can be obtained by calling the freephone number. (From Cambridge English Grammar Today)

🔺WARNING: ANOTHER + NUMBER / 'a couple of' / 'few' etc. + PLURAL NOUN.
➧'ANOTHER' se utiliza con nombres contables en plural cuando incluimos un NÚMERO o frases como 'a couple of', 'few', etc.

• Another 2,000 nurses are needed in NHS hospitals. (Macmillan Dictionary)
• For another £30 (= for £30 more) you can buy the model with a touchscreen. (Cambridge Dictionary)
• My passport is valid for another two years. (Cambridge Dictionary)
• We’ll have to wait another three weeks for the results. (Longman Dictionary)
• We'll have to wait for another two weeks / another couple of weeks.
• I've decided to stay in the UK another few weeks after I finish my course.

💡 EXTENDED ANSWER:
We can use OTHER and ANOTHER as ADJECTIVES and PRONOUNS.
➧Al igual que en español, podemos usar ‘otro/otra’ y ‘otros/otras’ como adjetivos y como pronombres.

As an ADJECTIVE, they describe a noun. Como ADJETIVO, describen un nombre (sustantivo).

As a PRONOUN, they replace a noun. Como PRONOMBRE, reemplazan un nombre (sustantivo).

COUNTABLE SINGULAR NOUN
As an ADJECTIVE	As a PRONOUN
I need another book. (Necesito otro libro.)	I don’t need this book; I need another. (No necesito este libro; necesito otro.)
I don’t need this book; I need the other book. (No necesito este libro; necesito el otro libro.)	I don’t need this book; I need the other. (No necesito este libro; necesito el otro.)

COUNTABLE PLURAL NOUN
As an ADJECTIVE	As a PRONOUN
I need other books. (Necesito otros libros.)	I don’t need these books; I need others. (No necesito estos libros; necesito otros.)
I don’t need these books; I need the other books. (No necesito estos libros; necesito los otros libros.)	I don’t need these books; I need the others. (No necesito estos libros; necesito los otros.)

🔺 WARNING: ‘OTHERS’ is always a PLURAL PRONOUN, meaning ‘other people or other things’
➧‘OTHERS’ en plural con -s es siempre PRONOMBRE ⇒ Some people think that Tom is a great teacher, but others think just the opposite.

🎬 From Learn English with Adam [EngVid]

🔗 Read more:

• Other, others, the other or another? (From Cambridge English Grammar Today)
• OTHER and ANOTHER (From Oxford Living Dictionaries)

🔗 Free online exercises:

• Another vs. Other vs. Others (From Woodward English) ⇒ Another vs Other vs Others EXERCISE
• Another, other, others, the other, the others (3 DIFFERENT EXERCISES – From Test English)
• online multiple-choice quiz
• online gap-fill exercise
• English Quiz: Another, Other and Others
• Which word: OTHER, ANOTHER, DIFFERENT? 1 
• Which word: OTHER, ANOTHER, DIFFERENT? 2

🔗 SEE ALSO:

• GRAMMAR PILLS: CASE OF PRONOUNS + POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
• GRAMMAR PILLS: I or ME? + 'Peter and I' or 'Peter and me'?

Georgina Jacobs

The language of mental or physical disability (from OXFORD Living Dictionaries)

Read full article: Avoid using dated or offensive words with these guidelines for use of specific terminology.

The language that is now considered suitable to refer to people with physical and mental disabilities is very different from that used a few decades ago. The changes are due partly to campaigns by organizations that promote the interests of particular groups of disabled people and partly to the public's increased sensitivity to the issues. People are now keen to avoid using terms that might reinforce any negative stereotypes of people with disabilities, in the same way that they try to avoid the racist or sexist terms that were once commonly used.

The word disabled itself came to be used as the standard term for referring to people with physical and mental disabilities from the 1960s onwards. It's still the most generally accepted term in both British and American English and has replaced terms that are now seen as offensive, such as crippled, handicapped, or mentally defective.

If you want to use appropriate language you not only need to avoid words which have been superseded, such as mongolism or backward. You should also try to do the following:

• avoid using the + an adjective to refer to an entire group of people, such as ‘the blind’, ‘the deaf’, or ‘the disabled’. This type of collective term is seen as dehumanizing: in essence, it reduces the people with a disability to the disability itself. It also ignores the individuality of those people by lumping them together in an undifferentiated group. The preferred forms are now ‘a person with …’ or ‘people with ……’ wherever possible, i.e. ‘people with sight problems’, ‘people with disabilities’, etc. If that isn't suitable, use ‘blind people’, ‘disabled people’, and so on.
• avoid using terms such as victim, suffer from, be afflicted with, or wheelchair-bound which suggest that the person concerned is the helpless object of the disability. Instead of suffer from, you can just say have:

Their youngest child has cystic fibrosis.

Another alternative is ‘be diagnosed with’:

In 1984, he was diagnosed with autism.

Rather than describing someone as wheelchair-bound, you can just say that they ‘use a wheelchair’.

• avoid using words which once related to disabilities, but which are now generally used as insults, such as mongol, cretin, spastic, schizo, dumb, etc.

GO TO FULL ARTICLE for Specific terms relating to disability
See also: OXFORD DICTIONARIES BLOG