Brevity and Timing
At a special occasion, time is shared. The speech is one part of a program, and the audience has other things to do: eat, celebrate, grieve, travel home. Brevity is a form of respect.
Why shorter is usually better
- The occasion, not the speech, is the main event.
- Audiences remember one or two moments, not a comprehensive account.
- A short speech is easier to rehearse and deliver well.
- Long speeches put pressure on the rest of the program.
- At a funeral, brevity protects the grieving.
- At a celebration, brevity leaves room for the party.
Lengths that work
| Speech | Comfortable length | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome | 1–2 minutes | 3 minutes |
| Acknowledgement of Country | 30–60 seconds | 90 seconds |
| Toast | 30–60 seconds | 90 seconds |
| Congratulatory speech | 1–2 minutes | 3 minutes |
| Tribute | 2–3 minutes | 4 minutes |
| Eulogy | 3–4 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Commemoration | 2–4 minutes | 5 minutes |
These are guides. The organiser's limit overrides them. If you are given two minutes, deliver two minutes.
Cutting
Most first drafts are too long. Cut by asking what the audience needs to feel or know, then remove anything that does not serve that.
| Cut | Why |
|---|---|
| The second example that makes the same point | One is enough. |
| The long background | The audience can infer it. |
| The explanation of the joke | It kills the joke. |
| The apology | It lowers expectations. |
| The list of everyone who helped | Group or thank separately. |
| The moral at the end | The story already made the point. |
Programme rhythm
Find out what comes before and after your speech. If the principal has just spoken for ten minutes, keep yours short. If you are the final speaker, you may need to lift the energy or bring the ceremony to a close. If you are speaking after a sad moment, allow a pause before you begin.
Pausing
At a special occasion, silence can be part of the speech. A pause after a name, a memory or a farewell gives the audience time to feel. Do not rush to fill it.
| Moment | Pause |
|---|---|
| After a person's name | One beat. |
| After a key memory | Two beats. |
| Before the toast | One beat. |
| After the final sentence | Hold still; do not rush away. |
Handover
End by handing the occasion back. Name the next speaker or invite the audience to applaud, raise a glass or move to the next part of the program. A clear handover prevents the awkward pause after a speech.
When to stop
Stop when you have said the thing. Do not add a second ending, a thank-you list or an explanation. The final sentence should be the final sentence.
Activity: cut by a third
- Take a draft of 300 words.
- Cut it to 200 without losing the main story or the point.
- Read both aloud and time them.
- Ask a listener which version felt more complete.
- Cut one more sentence.
- Rehearse the final version with a visible timer.
The audience will not complain that a speech was too short. They may complain that it was too long. Cut generously.
Common errors
- Writing for the page, not the program. The speech is one part of an event.
- Keeping a favourite story that does not fit. Cut it.
- Rushing the close. Slow down and land it.
- Adding a second ending. Stop after the first.
- Ignoring the organiser's limit. It is part of the brief.
- Filling silence. A pause can be part of the occasion.
Next, study cultural protocol to speak with respect across traditions. The delivery and staging page prepares the room.