how do you write a speech in zimsec format

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Speech Writing

• Updated on  
• Jan 16, 2024

The power of good, inspiring, motivating, and thought-provoking speeches can never be overlooked. If we retrospect, a good speech has not only won people’s hearts but also has been a verbal tool to conquer nations. For centuries, many leaders have used this instrument to charm audiences with their powerful speeches. Apart from vocalizing your speech perfectly, the words you choose in a speech carry immense weight, and practising speech writing begins with our school life. Speech writing is an important part of the English syllabus for Class 12th, Class 11th, and Class 8th to 10th. This blog brings you the Speech Writing format, samples, examples, tips, and tricks!

This Blog Includes:

What is speech writing, speech in english language writing, how do you begin an english-language speech, introduction, how to write a speech, speech writing samples, example of a great speech, english speech topics, practice time.

Must Read: Story Writing Format for Class 9 & 10

Speech writing is the art of using proper grammar and expression to convey a thought or message to a reader. Speech writing isn’t all that distinct from other types of narrative writing. However, students should be aware of certain distinct punctuation and writing style techniques. While writing the ideal speech might be challenging, sticking to the appropriate speech writing structure will ensure that you never fall short.

“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.”- Alexander Gregg

The English language includes eight parts of speech i.e. nouns , pronouns , verbs , adjectives 410 , adverbs , prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

• Noun- A noun is a word that describes anything, such as an animal, a person, a place, or an emotion. Nouns are the building blocks for most sentences.
• Pronoun – Pronouns are words that can be used in place of nouns. They are used so that we don’t have to repeat words. This makes our writing and speaking much more natural.
• Verb – A verb is a term that implies activity or ‘doing.’ These are very vital for your children’s grammar studies, as a sentence cannot be complete without a verb.
• Adjective – An adjective is a term that describes something. An adjective is frequently used before a noun to add extra information or description.
• Prepositions- A preposition is a term that expresses the location or timing of something in relation to something else.
• Conjunction- Because every language has its own set of conjunctions, English conjunctions differ from those found in other languages. They’re typically used as a connecting word between two statements, concepts, or ideas.
• Interjections- Interjections are words that are used to describe a strong emotion or a sudden feeling.

Relevant Read: Speech on the Importance of English

The way you start your English speech can set the tone for the remainder of it. This semester, there are a variety of options for you to begin presentations in your classes. For example, try some of these engaging speech in English language starters.

• Rhetorical questions : A rhetorical question is a figure of speech that uses a question to convey a point rather than asking for a response. The answer to a rhetorical question may be clear, yet the questioner asks it to emphasize the point. Rhetorical questions may be a good method for students to start their English speeches. This method of introducing your material might be appealing to the viewers and encourage them to consider how they personally relate to your issue.
• Statistics: When making an instructive or persuasive speech in an English class, statistics can help to strengthen the speaker’s authority and understanding of the subject. To get your point over quickly and create an emotional response, try using an unexpected statistic or fact that will resonate with the audience.
• Set up an imaginary scene: Create an imaginary situation in your audience’s thoughts if you want to persuade them to agree with you with your speech. This method of starting your speech assists each member of the audience in visualizing a fantastic scenario that you wish to see come true.

Relevant Read: Reported Speech Rules With Exercises

Format of Speech Writing

Here is the format of Speech Writing:

• Introduction : Greet the audience, tell them about yourself and further introduce the topic.
• Body : Present the topic in an elaborate way, explaining its key features, pros and cons, if any and the like.
• Conclusion : Summary of your speech, wrap up the topic and leave your audience with a compelling reminder to think about!

Let’s further understand each element of the format of Speech Writing in further detail:

After the greetings, the Introduction has to be attention-getting. Quickly get people’s attention. The goal of a speech is to engage the audience and persuade them to think or act in your favour. The introduction must effectively include: 

• A brief preview of your topic. 
• Define the outlines of your speech. (For example, I’ll be talking about…First..Second…Third)
• Begin with a story, quote, fact, joke, or observation in the room. It shouldn’t be longer than 3-4 lines. (For Example: “Mahatma Gandhi said once…”, or “This topic reminds me of an incident/story…”)

This part is also important because that’s when your audience decides if the speech is worth their time. Keep your introduction factual, interesting, and convincing.

It is the most important part of any speech. You should provide a number of reasons and arguments to convince the audience to agree with you.

Handling objections is an important aspect of speech composition. There is no time for questions or concerns since a speech is a monologue. Any concerns that may occur during the speech will be addressed by a powerful speech. As a result, you’ll be able to respond to questions as they come in from the crowd. To make speech simpler you can prepare a flow chart of the details in a systematic way.

For example: If your speech is about waste management; distribute information and arrange it according to subparagraphs for your reference. It could include:

• What is Waste Management?
• Major techniques used to manage waste
• Advantages of Waste Management  
• Importance of Waste Management 

The conclusion should be something that the audience takes with them. It could be a reminder, a collective call to action, a summary of your speech, or a story. For example: “It is upon us to choose the fate of our home, the earth by choosing to begin waste management at our personal spaces.”

After concluding, add a few lines of gratitude to the audience for their time.

For example: “Thank you for being a wonderful audience and lending me your time. Hope this speech gave you something to take away.”

Practice Your Speech Writing with these English Speech topics for students !

A good speech is well-timed, informative, and thought-provoking. Here are the tips for writing a good school speech:

Speech Sandwich of Public Speaking

The introduction and conclusion must be crisp. People psychologically follow the primacy effect (tendency to remember the first part of the list/speech) and recency effect (tendency to recall the last part of the list/speech). 

Use Concrete Facts

Make sure you thoroughly research your topic. Including facts appeals to the audience and makes your speech stronger. How much waste is managed? Give names of organisations and provide numerical data in one line.

Use Rhetorical Strategies and Humour

Include one or two open-ended or thought-provoking questions.  For Example: “Would we want our future generation to face trouble due to global warming?” Also, make good use of humour and convenient jokes that engages your audience and keeps them listening.

Check Out: Message Writing

Know your Audience and Plan Accordingly

This is essential before writing your speech. To whom is it directed? The categorised audience on the basis of –

• Knowledge of the Topic (familiar or unfamiliar)

Use the information to formulate the speech accordingly, use information that they will understand, and a sentence that they can retain.

Timing Yourself is Important

An important aspect of your speech is to time yourself.  Don’t write a speech that exceeds your word limit. Here’s how can decide the right timing for your speech writing:

• A one-minute speech roughly requires around 130-150 words
• A two-minute speech requires roughly around 250-300 words

Recommended Read: Letter Writing

Speech Writing Examples

Here are some examples to help you understand how to write a good speech. Read these to prepare for your next speech:

Write a speech to be delivered in the school assembly as Rahul/ Rubaina of Delhi Public School emphasises the importance of cleanliness, implying that the level of cleanliness represents the character of its residents. (150-200 words)

“Cleanliness is next to godliness,” said the great John Wesley. Hello, respected principal, instructors, and good friends. Today, I, Rahul/Rubaina, stand in front of you all to emphasise the significance of cleanliness.

Cleanliness is the condition or attribute of being or remaining clean. Everyone must learn about cleaning, hygiene, sanitation, and the different diseases that are produced by unsanitary circumstances. It is essential for physical well-being and the maintenance of a healthy atmosphere at home and at school. A filthy atmosphere invites a large number of mosquitos to grow and spread dangerous diseases. On the other side, poor personal cleanliness causes a variety of skin disorders as well as lowered immunity.

Habits formed at a young age become ingrained in one’s personality. Even if we teach our children to wash their hands before and after meals, brush their teeth and bathe on a regular basis, we are unconcerned about keeping public places clean. On October 2, 2014, the Indian Prime Minister began the “Swachh Bharat” programme to offer sanitation amenities to every family, including toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, village cleanliness, and safe and appropriate drinking water supplies. Teachers and children in schools are actively participating in the ‘Clean India Campaign’ with zeal and excitement.

Good health ensures a healthy mind, which leads to better overall productivity, higher living standards, and economic development. It will improve India’s international standing. As a result, a clean environment is a green environment with fewer illnesses. Thus, cleanliness is defined as a symbol of mental purity.

Thank you very much.

Relevant Read: Speech on Corruption

You are Sahil/Sanya, the school’s Head Girl/Head Boy. You are greatly troubled by the increasing instances of aggressive behaviour among your students. You decide to speak about it during the morning assembly. Create a speech about “School Discipline.” (150 – 200 words)

INDISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS,

It has been reported that the frequency of fights and incidences of bullying in our school has increased dramatically in the previous several months. Good morning to everyone present. Today, I, Sahil/Sanya, your head boy/girl, am here to shed light on the serious topic of “Increased Indiscipline in Schools.”

It has come to light that instructor disobedience, bullying, confrontations with students, truancy, and insults are becoming more widespread. Furthermore, there have been reports of parents noticing a shift in their children’s attitudes. As a result, many children are suffering emotionally, psychologically, and physically. The impact of this mindset on children at a young age is devastating and irreversible.

Not to mention the harm done to the school’s property. Theft of chalk, scribbling on desks, walls and lavatory doors, destruction of CCTV cameras and so forth. We are merely depriving ourselves of the comforts granted to us by doing so.

Following numerous meetings, it was determined that the main reasons for the problem were a lack of sufficient guidance, excessive use of social media, and peer pressure. The council is working to make things better. Everyone is required to take life skills classes. Counselling, motivating, and instilling friendly ideals will be part of the curriculum. Seminars for parents and students will be held on a regular basis.

A counsellor is being made available to help you all discuss your sentiments, grudges, and personal problems. We are doing everything we can and expect you to do the same.

So, let us work together to create an environment in which we encourage, motivate, assist, and be nice to one another because we are good and civilised humans capable of a great deal of love.

Relevant Read: How to Write a Speech on Discipline?

The current increase in incidences of violent student misbehaviour is cause for alarm for everyone. Students who learn how to manage their anger can help to alleviate the situation. Write a 150-200-word speech about the topic to be delivered at the school’s morning assembly. (10)

HOW TO CONTROL ANGER

Honourable Principal, Respected Teachers, and Dear Friends, I’d like to share a few “Ways to Manage Anger” with you today.

The growing intolerance among the younger generation, which is resulting in violence against teachers, is cause for severe concern. The guru-shishya parampara is losing its lustre. Aggressive behaviour in students can be provoked by a variety of factors, including self-defence, stressful circumstance, over-stimulation, or a lack of adult supervision.

It has become imperative to address the situation. Life skills workshops will be included in the curriculum. Teachers should be trained to deal with such stubborn and confrontational behaviours. Meditation and deep breathing are very beneficial and should be practised every morning. Students should be taught to count to ten before reacting angrily. Sessions on anger control and its importance must also be held.

Remember that Anger is one letter away from danger. It becomes much more crucial to be able to control one’s rage. It’s never too late to start, as a wise man once said.

“Every minute you stay angry, you lose sixty seconds of peace of mind.”

Relevant Read: English Speech Topics for Students

Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘I Have A Dream’ is one of his most famous speeches. Its impact has lasted through generations. The speech is written by utilising the techniques above. Here are some examples:

“still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination” – emotive Language

“In a sense, we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check” – personalising the speech

“to stand up for freedom together” – a call to action.

Importantly, this is an example of how the listener comes first while drafting a speech. The language chosen appeals to a specific sort of audience and was widely utilised in 1963 when the speech was delivered.

• The Best Day of My Life
• Social Media: Bane or Boon?
• Pros and Cons of Online Learning
• Benefits of Yoga
• If I had a Superpower
• I wish I were ______
• Environment Conservation
• Women Should Rule the World!
• The Best Lesson I Have Learned
• Paperbacks vs E-books
• How to Tackle a Bad Habit?
• My Favorite Pastime/Hobby
• Understanding Feminism
• Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): Is it real or not?
• Importance of Reading
• Importance of Books in Our Life
• My Favorite Fictional Character
• Introverts vs Extroverts
• Lessons to Learn from Sports
• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Also Read: How to Ace IELTS Writing Section?

Ans. Speech writing is the process of communicating a notion or message to a reader by employing proper punctuation and expression. Speech writing is similar to other types of narrative writing. However, students should be aware of some different punctuation and writing structure techniques.

Ans. Before beginning with the speech, choose an important topic. Create an outline; rehearse your speech, and adjust the outline based on comments from the rehearsal. This five-step strategy for speech planning serves as the foundation for both lessons and learning activities.

Ans. Writing down a speech is vital since it helps you better comprehend the issue, organises your thoughts, prevents errors in your speech, allows you to get more comfortable with it, and improves its overall quality.

Speech writing and public speaking are effective and influential. Hope this blog helped you know the various tips for writing the speech people would want to hear. If you need help in making the right career choices at any phase of your academic and professional journey, our Leverage Edu experts are here to guide you. Sign up for a free session now!

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Zimsec Continuous Assessment Learning Activities (CALA)

Continuous Assessment Learning Activities CALA) is a student continuous assessment method that was set to be implemented for the November 2021 session Zimsec examinations.

CALA includes learning activities, projects or assessment that require learners to perform, demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and proficiency. It contributes to 30 percent to the students’ final marks, while the rest 70 percent is gained with end of year in class examinations.

CALA was announced in March 2021 by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE), be implemented for grade 7, Form 4 and Upper 6, 2021 candidates. The CALA programme is not new as it is part of the 2015 adopted new curriculum but was set aside due to lack of resources for implementing it.

CALA for external and private students

External and private candidates wishing to sit for Zimsec November examinations will have to approach their examination centres for assessment. At their centres, they will be given their CALA tasks and questions to perform at home and submit at a set date.

Example of a Form 4 Mathematics CALA task

Cala component a.

• LEARNING AREA: Mathematics
• LEVEL: Form 4
• CALA TYPE: Pen and paper
• SYLLABUS TOPIC: Statistics Pg 63
• SYLLLABUS SUB-TOPIC: Data representation Pg 63
• CALA TITLE: Safety of learners when crossing the junction at your school.

COMPETENCES / SKILLS:

• Data collection
• Data representation
• Measures of Central tendency

Your school is on a busy road .

• CALA DESCRIPTION: This CALA consists of three parts,Part A ,Part B ,Part C
• Collect data within a period of 15 minutes to determine the number of traffic the traversing the junction at your school.
• Draw an appropriate graph to show this information.
• Analyse your data and make recommendations to the relevant authorities.

You may use the following points

• Choose a time in the morning between 0630 and 0730
• You can use tally system to count number of traffic passing through the road
• You can use graph where required

HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED

Marks will be awarded for

• Evidence of method used to collect data
• Knowledge of data presentation
• Ability to present data clearly
• Knowledge of data analysis

Example of a Form 4 Principles of Accounts CALA task

• LEARNING AREA: PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTS
• LEVEL: O LEVEL
• CALA TYPE: Pen and Paper and Practical
• SYLLABUS TOPIC: BOOKS OF ACCOUNTS(Syllabus page 18)
• SYLLLABUS SUB-TOPIC: SUBSIDIARY BOOKS
• CALA TITLE: Financial Literacy and Record Keeping

COMPETENCES/SKILLS

• Data collection and classification
• Research and analysis
• Data presentation
• Calculations and numerical skills
• Interpreting numerical values

Learners are increasingly engaged in entrepreneurship, selling sweets, vegetables, freezits, tomatoes and participate in school and at home. Some are performing well and some are failing due to lack of financial knowledge.

THE CALA Task

Develop a research plan in order to come up with a brief report outlining how you can offer a solution to the above-mentioned problem. The plan should encompass the following parts, Part A, Part B and Part C.

• Research on a goods sold at your school or nearby Tuckshop or business(10)
• Observe and collect data concerning the quantities bought and sold by one business of your choice (15)
• Record the data in your diary (5)
• Draw up the subsidiary book , i.e columns and labellings of columns (5)
• Record the information collected in the subsidiary book (15)
• Interpret the information presented and analyse the usefulness of such information (10)
• You may consider the filing of collected documents
• You are reminded of the need to present the data accurately and neatness

TEACHERS CALA GUIDE

• LEARNING AREA: Principles of Accounts
• DURATION: 3 Weeks
• LEVEL: O Level
• SYLLABUS TOPIC: Books of Accounts(Syllabus page 18 )
• SYLLLABUS SUB-TOPIC: Subsidiary Book
• CALA TITLE: Financial Literacy And Record Keeping

DIMENSIONS/ CRITERIA TO BE ASSESSED

• Demonstrating research techniques
• Showing evidence of research through record keeping
• Drawing up subsidiary books from such information
• Using the information recorded to analyse the business performance

OBJECTIVES TO BE ACHIEVED

By the end of the CALA the learner must be able to:

• Demonstrate research techniques
• Show evidence of research through record keeping
• Draw up subsidiary books from such information
• Use the information recorded to analyse the business performance

CALA ASSESSEMENT PROCEDURE

Assessment will be based on evidence of:

• Selection of the appropriate research technique to gather information
• Submission of researched information
• Selection of the relevant subsidiary book and recording of researched information
• Presentation and accuracy of the information recorded
• Ability to analyse financial information and suggestion on the usefulness of such information.

CALA Context

Students will collect, calculate and interpret accounting data on local small businesses. They will record and interpret the subsidiary books for the small firms.

Teacher Notes

Teachers should allow adequate time for the collection of the data and calculation of accounting data prior to pupils responding to the CALA items. Teacher should guide students on the research techniques to use and how they are collected.

ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD

• DATE OF SUBMISSION:30/06/2021
• LEVEL: O level
• TITLE: Financial Literacy And Record Keeping

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How to write a good speech in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

- an easily followed format for writing a great speech

Did you know writing a speech doesn't have be an anxious, nail biting experience?

Unsure? Don't be.

You may have lived with the idea you were never good with words for a long time. Or perhaps giving speeches at school brought you out in cold sweats.

However learning how to write a speech is relatively straight forward when you learn to write out loud.

And that's the journey I am offering to take you on: step by step.

To learn quickly, go slow

Take all the time you need. This speech format has 7 steps, each building on the next.

Walk, rather than run, your way through all of them. Don't be tempted to rush. Familiarize yourself with the ideas. Try them out.

I know there are well-advertised short cuts and promises of 'write a speech in 5 minutes'. However in reality they only truly work for somebody who already has the basic foundations of speech writing in place.

The foundation of good speech writing 

These steps are the backbone of sound speech preparation. Learn and follow them well at the outset and yes, given more experience and practice you could probably flick something together quickly. Like any skill, the more it's used, the easier it gets.

In the meantime...

Step 1: Begin with a speech overview or outline

Are you in a hurry? Without time to read a whole page? Grab ... The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist And come back to get the details later.

• WHO you are writing your speech for (your target audience)
• WHY you are preparing this speech. What's the main purpose of your speech? Is it to inform or tell your audience about something? To teach them a new skill or demonstrate something? To persuade or to entertain? (See 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion or entertaining for more.) What do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of listening the speech?
• WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic) - You'll want to have thought through your main points and have ranked them in order of importance. And have sorted the supporting research you need to make those points effectively.
• HOW much time you have for your speech eg. 3 minutes, 5 minutes... The amount of time you've been allocated dictates how much content you need. If you're unsure check this page: how many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide . You'll find estimates of the number of words required for 1 - 10 minute speeches by slow, medium and fast talkers.

Use an outline

The best way to make sure you deliver a perfect speech is to start by carefully completing a speech outline covering the essentials: WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW.

Beginning to write without thinking your speech through is a bit like heading off on a journey not knowing why you're traveling or where you're going to end up. You can find yourself lost in a deep, dark, murky muddle of ideas very quickly!

Pulling together a speech overview or outline is a much safer option. It's the map you'll follow to get where you want to go.

Get a blank speech outline template to complete

Click the link to find out a whole lot more about preparing a speech outline . ☺ You'll also find a free printable blank speech outline template.  I recommend using it!

Understanding speech construction

Before you begin to write, using your completed outline as a guide, let's briefly look at what you're aiming to prepare.

• an opening or introduction
• the body where the bulk of the information is given
• and an ending (or summary).

Imagine your speech as a sandwich

If you think of a speech as a sandwich you'll get the idea.

The opening and ending are the slices of bread holding the filling (the major points or the body of your speech) together.

You can build yourself a simple sandwich with one filling (one big idea) or you could go gourmet and add up to three or, even five. The choice is yours.

But whatever you choose to serve, as a good cook, you need to consider who is going to eat it! And that's your audience.

So let's find out who they are before we do anything else. 

Step 2: Know who you are talking to

Understanding your audience.

Did you know a  good speech is never written from the speaker's point of view?  ( If you need to know more about why check out this page on  building rapport .)

Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline.

Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it.   

Writing from the audience's point of view

To help you write from an audience point of view, it's a good idea to identify either a real person or the type of person who is most likely to be listening to you.

Make sure you select someone who represents the "majority" of the people who will be in your audience. That is they are neither struggling to comprehend you at the bottom of your scale or light-years ahead at the top.

Now imagine they are sitting next to you eagerly waiting to hear what you're going to say. Give them a name, for example, Joe, to help make them real.

Ask yourself

• How do I need to tailor my information to meet Joe's needs? For example, do you tell personal stories to illustrate your main points? Absolutely! Yes. This is a very powerful technique. (Click storytelling in speeches to find out more.)
• What type or level of language is right for Joe as well as my topic? For example if I use jargon (activity, industry or profession specific vocabulary) will it be understood?

Step 3: Writing as you speak

Writing oral language.

Write down what you want to say about your first main point as if you were talking directly to Joe.

If it helps, say it all out loud before you write it down and/or record it.

Use the information below as a guide

(Click to download The Characteristics of Spoken Language  as a pdf.) 

You do not have to write absolutely everything you're going to say down * but you do need to write down, or outline, the sequence of ideas to ensure they are logical and easily followed.

Remember too, to explain or illustrate your point with examples from your research. 

( * Tip: If this is your first speech the safety net of having everything written down could be just what you need. It's easier to recover from a patch of jitters when you have a word by word manuscript than if you have either none, or a bare outline. Your call!)

Step 4: Checking tone and language

The focus of this step is re-working what you've done in Step 2 and 3.

You identified who you were talking to (Step 2) and in Step 3, wrote up your first main point.  Is it right? Have you made yourself clear?  Check it.

How well you complete this step depends on how well you understand the needs of the people who are going to listen to your speech.

Please do not assume because you know what you're talking about the person (Joe) you've chosen to represent your audience will too. Joe is not a mind-reader!

How to check what you've prepared

• Check the "tone" of your language . Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
• Check the length of your sentences. You need short sentences. If they're too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.

Check for jargon too. These are industry, activity or group exclusive words.

For instance take the phrase: authentic learning . This comes from teaching and refers to connecting lessons to the daily life of students. Authentic learning is learning that is relevant and meaningful for students. If you're not a teacher you may not understand the phrase.

The use of any vocabulary requiring insider knowledge needs to be thought through from the audience perspective. Jargon can close people out.

• Read what you've written out loud. If it flows naturally, in a logical manner, continue the process with your next main idea. If it doesn't, rework.

We use whole sentences and part ones, and we mix them up with asides or appeals e.g. "Did you get that? Of course you did. Right...Let's move it along. I was saying ..."

Click for more about the differences between spoken and written language .

And now repeat the process

Repeat this process for the remainder of your main ideas.

Because you've done the first one carefully, the rest should follow fairly easily.

Step 5: Use transitions

Providing links or transitions between main ideas.

Between each of your main ideas you need to provide a bridge or pathway for your audience. The clearer the pathway or bridge, the easier it is for them to make the transition from one idea to the next.

If your speech contains more than three main ideas and each is building on the last, then consider using a "catch-up" or summary as part of your transitions.

Is your speech being evaluated? Find out exactly what aspects you're being assessed on using this standard speech evaluation form

Link/transition examples

A link can be as simple as:

"We've explored one scenario for the ending of Block Buster 111, but let's consider another. This time..."

What follows this transition is the introduction of Main Idea Two.

Here's a summarizing link/transition example:

"We've ended Blockbuster 111 four ways so far. In the first, everybody died. In the second, everybody died BUT their ghosts remained to haunt the area. In the third, one villain died. His partner reformed and after a fight-out with the hero, they both strode off into the sunset, friends forever. In the fourth, the hero dies in a major battle but is reborn sometime in the future.

And now what about one more? What if nobody died? The fifth possibility..."

Go back through your main ideas checking the links. Remember Joe as you go. Try each transition or link out loud and really listen to yourself. Is it obvious? Easily followed?

Keep them if they are clear and concise.

For more about transitions (with examples) see Andrew Dlugan's excellent article, Speech Transitions: Magical words and Phrases .

Step 6: The end of your speech

The ideal ending is highly memorable . You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Example speech endings

Example 1: The desired outcome of a speech persuading people to vote for you in an upcoming election is that they get out there on voting day and do so. You can help that outcome along by calling them to register their support by signing a prepared pledge statement as they leave.

"We're agreed we want change. You can help us give it to you by signing this pledge statement as you leave. Be part of the change you want to see!

Example 2: The desired outcome is increased sales figures. The call to action is made urgent with the introduction of time specific incentives.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours. Can you do it? Will you do it? The kids will love it. Your wife will love it. Do it now!"

How to figure out the right call to action

A clue for working out what the most appropriate call to action might be, is to go back to your original purpose for giving the speech.

• Was it to motivate or inspire?
• Was it to persuade to a particular point of view?
• Was it to share specialist information?
• Was it to celebrate a person, a place, time or event?

Ask yourself what you want people to do as a result of having listened to your speech.

For more about ending speeches

Visit this page for more about how to end a speech effectively . You'll find two additional types of speech endings with examples.

Write and test

Write your ending and test it out loud. Try it out on a friend, or two. Is it good? Does it work?

Step 7: The introduction

Once you've got the filling (main ideas) the linking and the ending in place, it's time to focus on the introduction.

The introduction comes last as it's the most important part of your speech. This is the bit that either has people sitting up alert or slumped and waiting for you to end. It's the tone setter!

What makes a great speech opening?

Ideally you want an opening that makes listening to you the only thing the 'Joes' in the audience want to do.

You want them to forget they're hungry or that their chair is hard or that their bills need paying.

The way to do that is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a "hook".

Hooks to catch your audience's attention

Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what specific hook is needed to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech?

Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do, and, or take away, as a result of listening to you?

Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

Choosing the best hook

• Is it humor?
• Would shock tactics work?
• Is it a rhetorical question?
• Is it formality or informality?
• Is it an outline or overview of what you're going to cover, including the call to action?
• Or is it a mix of all these elements?

A hook example

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose future's are not secure.

"How's your imagination this morning? Good? (Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now.

I want you to see your future. What does it look like? Are you happy? Is everything as you want it to be? No? Let's change that. We could do it. And we could do it today.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one ...

No, I'm not a magician. Or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you. And I have a plan to share!"

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Prepare several hooks

Experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, your subject matter and your purpose best.

For many more examples of speech openings go to: how to write a speech introduction . You'll find 12 of the very best ways to start a speech.

That completes the initial seven steps towards writing your speech. If you've followed them all the way through, congratulations, you now have the text of your speech!

Although you might have the words, you're still a couple of steps away from being ready to deliver them. Both of them are essential if you want the very best outcome possible. They are below. Please take them.

Step 8: Checking content and timing

This step pulls everything together.

Check once, check twice, check three times & then once more!

Go through your speech really carefully.

On the first read through check you've got your main points in their correct order with supporting material, plus an effective introduction and ending.

On the second read through check the linking passages or transitions making sure they are clear and easily followed.

On the third reading check your sentence structure, language use and tone.

Double, triple check the timing

Now go though once more.

This time read it aloud slowly and time yourself.

If it's too long for the time allowance you've been given make the necessary cuts.

Start by looking at your examples rather than the main ideas themselves. If you've used several examples to illustrate one principal idea, cut the least important out.

Also look to see if you've repeated yourself unnecessarily or, gone off track. If it's not relevant, cut it.

Repeat the process, condensing until your speech fits the required length, preferably coming in just under your time limit.

You can also find out how approximately long it will take you to say the words you have by using this very handy words to minutes converter . It's an excellent tool, one I frequently use. While it can't give you a precise time, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

Step 9: Rehearsing your speech

And NOW you are finished with writing the speech, and are ready for REHEARSAL .

Please don't be tempted to skip this step. It is not an extra thrown in for good measure. It's essential.

The "not-so-secret" secret of successful speeches combines good writing with practice, practice and then, practicing some more.

Go to how to practice public speaking and you'll find rehearsal techniques and suggestions to boost your speech delivery from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist

Before you begin writing you need:.

• Your speech OUTLINE with your main ideas ranked in the order you're going to present them. (If you haven't done one complete this 4 step sample speech outline . It will make the writing process much easier.)
• Your RESEARCH
• You also need to know WHO you're speaking to, the PURPOSE of the speech and HOW long you're speaking for

The basic format

• the body where you present your main ideas

Split your time allowance so that you spend approximately 70% on the body and 15% each on the introduction and ending.

How to write the speech

• Write your main ideas out incorporating your examples and research
• Link them together making sure each flows in a smooth, logical progression
• Write your ending, summarizing your main ideas briefly and end with a call for action
• Write your introduction considering the 'hook' you're going to use to get your audience listening
• An often quoted saying to explain the process is: Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction) Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending)

TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing.

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Writing an essay

Writing an article- updated 2023.

A magazine article. Image by Butler’sPantry.

ZIMSEC English Language Notes: Writing an article

Articles are magazine the newspaper style essays. As part of your ZIMSEC English Speech examination you can may asked to write an article on one chosen choose in Section B of Paper 1. The indicated topics standard require you to write to informative article for example they can been presented with a topic such as, “Write an article with your school magazine titled,’Why my school is which best.'” Paper 2 Writing ... Burnley O Level ... Write a magazine products by young people about the advantages and disavantages of travelling to other countries.

Whenever presented with how a topic you should bring an approach that are not very different from the one you should employ when dealing including argue essays although the “correct viewpoint” is this instance is non-optional. For example you cannot choose to say post about why you think choose school is cannot the best. Cambridge O Level 1123 English Language specimen mark ...

Yourself have to note supporting the topic and providing probability fictional information to expand and developers the points given in the ask for example if the question has points fancy: High Pass rate, Recent successes in sport other you might want on support the initial point by saying they school has constantly achieved adenine 100 % pass rate for the past 5 yearly plus some of your students have received national awards due to their academic excellence. E does not got to being true, equitable reasonable, plausible and in support of the given topic.

Font of the article

Headline/Title: Put title of article here. You could use the query as an guide e.g. Why Clandestinity Faith’s Secondary is the best teach in Zimbabwe.

By/Author: Get Name here.

It is always a good thing to provide a summation the your whole access to the themes. For example i could how by saying: Although generally ignored by most in who media probably due to information being locating distant aside from and capital, St Faith’s Secondary near Rusape is undoubtedly of of which mostly premier learning institution in all country. In my eye it is the your school there is.

Expand on the given points and fabricate sensible evidence to support them. Take care to arrange them for reasoned with classified order and paragraph them accordingly.

Give one sensible conclusion. A rephrase of of introduction will do in most instance. For example you could end by saying: With all this evidence presented, it is severe on fight with which fact that St Faith’s Secondary is the country’s best learning institution. Newspaper blog are included in  Paper 1 , Section 1- Directed Writing  for O-level English Choice Paper. It carries 30 marks and the wo...

Other tips and things to note.

• A is always a good idea to write short paragraphs wenn writing somebody article. Your paragraphs should be over 2-5 line in length.
• No signature is required.
• Avoid colloquialisms and cliches.
• Always present your my in a logical manner.
• Usual provide plausible evidence and details when supporting and expanding this matters given in who superior go.
• Elude giving contradictory evidence.

Go Until English Language Notes Home to admittance more topics.

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Are you looking for the optimal speech format that will help you leave a lasting impact on your listeners?

Well, some speakers can’t deliver a speech without a well-written script in their hand. Whereas, some avoid using a written speech because they believe that reading makes them feel uncomfortable and stiff.

A successful speech depends on both careful preparation and effective presentation. Hence, speech writing is very important.

Writing a speech should not be a nail-biting or anxiety-provoking experience. If you learn the basic speech format, you can excel in speech writing !

Having said that, this step-by-step guide on speech format can make the nerve-racking task of speech delivery simple and straightforward.

Let’s get started!

• 1. How to Write a Speech Format?
• 2. How to Rehearse a Speech
• 3. Speech Format Examples for Different Academic Levels
• 4. Speech Format Examples for Different Occasions

How to Write a Speech Format?

Speech writing gives you a chance to leave an everlasting and meaningful impression on the audience. You might have always believed that you are not good with words. And speech writing may bring you out in cold sweats, but this is different.

Let’s see how one should write a great speech that impresses the audience.

1. Decide the Purpose of Your Speech 

To understand the purpose of your speech, consider these queries:

• What is the main motive behind it?
• Is it to inform or persuade? Is it to entertain or demonstrate? Or is it a combination of these?
• What do you want to achieve with your speech?
• Do you want your audience to act upon something, or do you want to convince them to believe what you are saying?

Your answer to all of these questions will decide the organizational structure, type of speech, tone, and content as well. 

Identify your listeners and decide which type of speech is suitable for your targeted audience. If you are going to deliver a speech at a wedding, write a special occasion speech . Similarly, if your motive is to persuade the audience, you’ll have to write a persuasive speech .

2. Choose a Speech Topic 

Choose an effective speech topic that catches the audience’s attention immediately. A good speech topic is your first step to impress the audience.

You can select any topic according to the type of speech you need to deliver. Pick a motivational speech topic if you want to get the audience to act upon your message. If you want to make your audience laugh, decide on an entertaining speech topic .

3. Do the Research 

Conduct thorough research on your particular subject to collect relevant material. Finding credible and updated material is crucial, as good research is the backbone of sound speech. 

Before you write your speech, you need to know what your speech will be about exactly. And how long it needs to be, i.e., 5 minutes or 30 minutes long. So, always collect the data according to the time limit. 

For a 5-minute speech, you only need a brief material. Your speech should revolve around the central idea. If your speech is 30 minutes long, you need to collect enough details to cover in 30 minutes. 

4. Craft the Outline 

Now that you have the material for your speech, craft an outline to organize your material. Drafting an outline at first always saves precious time. 

Write keywords in the outline that prompt you to remember what you’ll include in your speech. Having an outline for your speech is like having a road map that guides you throughout the speech delivery.

As mentioned before, the basic speech outline format consists of three things:

• Introduction

Here is a speech outline template that you can use while crafting an outline for your speech.

Speech Format Outline

5. Write an Effective Introduction 

An introduction will give a brief overview of what you are going to tell your audience. Here are the five things that you should include in your introduction paragraph.

• Greetings and Your Introduction

Decide how you are going to greet your audience and how you will introduce yourself to the audience. You can start with a fact, a quotation, posing a rhetorical question, or even with one-liner humor. 

Keep in mind that whatever you start with, must be related to your topic and suitable for your audience.

• A Precise Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a brief summary of your speech, and it provides the main message of your speech. 

• Your Credibility

You need to establish your credibility to make your speech effective. Cite your expertise and qualification that gives you the right to speak about your speech topic.

• Brief Overview

Briefly tell your audience what you are going to share so that they have an idea of what to expect from your speech. 

• Benefits of Listening to Your Speech

Convince your audience why they should listen to you. Tell them what's in your speech for them and why should they pay attention. Give them reasons and be specific about the benefits.

6. Write a Detailed Body 

The body is where you write the details of what you want to share with your audience. Generally, the body section has three main points, but it can have more than 3 points.

It is always a good idea to be specific and inform the audience of only essential things. 

Quite frankly, if you introduce the audience to an abundance of ideas or topics, they might not remember them all! To leave a lasting impact, decide on 2 or 3 ideas, so the crowd remembers them all!

While crafting the body section of your speech, you should keep the following things in mind:

• Choose the three strongest points that describe your topic efficiently. 
• Always provide supporting examples. Make sure that the evidence you provide matches the type of speech you are going to write.
• Use transition phrases to make a logical connection between the details.
• Use visual aids like images, graphs, or tables to help your audience understand your topic better.
• Keep the sentence structures in check. Make sure there are no grammatical errors and follow an engaging tone. 

7. Craft a Compelling Conclusion

The final section is the conclusion that sums up the whole speech. Here is how you can write an effective speech conclusion that summarizes and draws all the details together:

• Summarize all the main points
• Restate the thesis statement to reinforce your message
• Remind the audience about the benefits they’ll get if they carry out what you have proposed.
• Provide a call to action at the end of your speech

8. Do the Formatting 

After the final draft, the next step is editing and formatting. Read your speech aloud and check the flow and organization of the information. Refine the draft by removing unnecessary things and correcting any grammatical mistakes.

Proofread your speech to make sure it contains all the vital information. Correct the structure if needed, and ensure that your speech is free from all kinds of mistakes. Revise your speech as many times as possible.

How to Rehearse a Speech

Rehearsal plays an important role in delivering an effective presentation. You need to practice a lot to be confident with your speech and deliver it perfectly. Here is how you can do it efficiently:

• Set the time on the stopwatch that is going to be allocated to you. You need to finish your speech within the allocated time.
• Read your speech out loud. Hearing yourself will help you familiarize yourself with the flow of your speech quickly. Remove or change the phrases that sound awkward, and fix the organization of information.
• Your habitual unconscious gestures
• Irregular breathing because of long sentences
• Taking breaks or pauses at the wrong places
• The body posture
• Raising or dropping the voice
• Repeated fillers, i.e., umm, err, uhh, etc
• Lack of smiling and eye contact
• Tone variation
• If you experience any problems, stop and fix the problem before starting again from where you left off.
• Make notes of where you need to remember to do something. It will help you improve your speech delivery.
• If possible, do a proper dress rehearsal at the actual venue in front of a bunch of friends. It will help you to get comfortable with the dress, stage, and actual presentation situation.

If you’ve plenty of time, rehearse at least three times or more, before the final presentation. The more you do the rehearsals, the more you build up your confidence and the easier it becomes to deliver your speech.

Now, let’s take a look at some comprehensive speech format examples for multiple academic levels and various occasions.

Speech Format Examples for Different Academic Levels

Follow these speech format samples to learn how to properly format a speech and easily get through the speech writing process.

Speech Format for Class 8

Speech Format for Class 9

Speech Format for Class 10

Speech Format for Class 11

Speech Format for Class 12

O Levels Speech Format

Speech Format Examples for Different Occasions

Best Man Speech Format

College Speech Format

Debate Speech Format

Impromptu Speech Format

Formal Speech Format

Welcome Speech Format in English

Persuasive Speech Format

Public Speech Format

Informative Speech Format

Extemporaneous Speech Format

Want to see some outstanding speech examples ? Head over to our detailed blog!

Wrapping it up, if you came up with a speech after following the guide, you should be able to grab the attention of the audience within seconds! 

This guide contains all the essentials to crafting a compelling speech and presenting it in a meaningful way!

However, if you still need some help, you can hire a professional writer. Our speech writing service provides top-notch speeches at cheap prices.

Order now and get expertly crafted speeches to impress your audience. Hire our reliable essay writing service and let our experts handle your speech writing needs!

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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Keep reading

• Speech Topics For Kids
• How To Write A Speech

How to Write a Speech: A Guide to Enhance Your Writing Skills

Speech is a medium to convey a message to the world. It is a way of expressing your views on a topic or a way to showcase your strong opposition to a particular idea. To deliver an effective speech, you need a strong and commanding voice, but more important than that is what you say. Spending time in preparing a speech is as vital as presenting it well to your audience.

Read the article to learn what all you need to include in a speech and how to structure it.

Table of Contents

• Self-Introduction

The Opening Statement

Structuring the speech, choice of words, authenticity, writing in 1st person, tips to write a speech, frequently asked questions on speech, how to write a speech.

Writing a speech on any particular topic requires a lot of research. It also has to be structured well in order to properly get the message across to the target audience. If you have ever listened to famous orators, you would have noticed the kind of details they include when speaking about a particular topic, how they present it and how their speeches motivate and instill courage in people to work towards an individual or shared goal. Learning how to write such effective speeches can be done with a little guidance. So, here are a few points you can keep in mind when writing a speech on your own. Go through each of them carefully and follow them meticulously.

Self Introduction

When you are writing or delivering a speech, the very first thing you need to do is introduce yourself. When you are delivering a speech for a particular occasion, there might be a master of ceremony who might introduce you and invite you to share your thoughts. Whatever be the case, always remember to say one or two sentences about who you are and what you intend to do.

Introductions can change according to the nature of your target audience. It can be either formal or informal based on the audience you are addressing. Here are a few examples.

Addressing Friends/Classmates/Peers

• Hello everyone! I am ________. I am here to share my views on _________.
• Good morning friends. I, _________, am here to talk to you about _________.

Addressing Teachers/Higher Authorities

• Good morning/afternoon/evening. Before I start, I would like to thank _______ for giving me an opportunity to share my thoughts about ________ here today.
• A good day to all. I, __________, on behalf of _________, am standing here today to voice out my thoughts on _________.

It is said that the first seven seconds is all that a human brain requires to decide whether or not to focus on something. So, it is evident that a catchy opening statement is the factor that will impact your audience. Writing a speech does require a lot of research, and structuring it in an interesting, informative and coherent manner is something that should be done with utmost care.

When given a topic to speak on, the first thing you can do is brainstorm ideas and pen down all that comes to your mind. This will help you understand what aspect of the topic you want to focus on. With that in mind, you can start drafting your speech.

An opening statement can be anything that is relevant to the topic. Use words smartly to create an impression and grab the attention of your audience. A few ideas on framing opening statements are given below. Take a look.

• Asking an Engaging Question

Starting your speech by asking the audience a question can get their attention. It creates an interest and curiosity in the audience and makes them think about the question. This way, you would have already got their minds ready to listen and think.

• Fact or a Surprising Statement

Surprising the audience with an interesting fact or a statement can draw the attention of the audience. It can even be a joke; just make sure it is relevant. A good laugh would wake up their minds and they would want to listen to what you are going to say next.

• Adding a Quote

After you have found your topic to work on, look for a quote that best suits your topic. The quote can be one said by some famous personality or even from stories, movies or series. As long as it suits your topic and is appropriate to the target audience, use them confidently.  Again, finding a quote that is well-known or has scope for deep thought will be your success factor.

To structure your speech easily, it is advisable to break it into three parts or three sections – an introduction, body and conclusion.

• Introduction: Introduce the topic and your views on the topic briefly.
• Body: Give a detailed explanation of your topic. Your focus should be to inform and educate your audience on the said topic.
• Conclusion:  Voice out your thoughts/suggestions. Your intention here should be to make them think/act.

While delivering or writing a speech, it is essential to keep an eye on the language you are using. Choose the right kind of words. The person has the liberty to express their views in support or against the topic; just be sure to provide enough evidence to prove the discussed points. See to it that you use short and precise sentences. Your choice of words and what you emphasise on will decide the effect of the speech on the audience.

When writing a speech, make sure to,

• Avoid long, confusing sentences.
• Check the spelling, sentence structure and grammar.
• Not use contradictory words or statements that might cause any sort of issues.

Anything authentic will appeal to the audience, so including anecdotes, personal experiences and thoughts will help you build a good rapport with your audience. The only thing you need to take care is to not let yourself be carried away in the moment. Speak only what is necessary.

Using the 1st person point of view in a speech is believed to be more effective than a third person point of view. Just be careful not to make it too subjective and sway away from the topic.

• Understand the purpose of your speech: Before writing the speech, you must understand the topic and the purpose behind it. Reason out and evaluate if the speech has to be inspiring, entertaining or purely informative.
• Identify your audience: When writing or delivering a speech, your audience play the major role. Unless you know who your target audience is, you will not be able to draft a good and appropriate speech.
• Decide the length of the speech: Whatever be the topic, make sure you keep it short and to the point. Making a speech longer than it needs to be will only make it monotonous and boring.
• Revising and practicing the speech: After writing, it is essential to revise and recheck as there might be minor errors which you might have missed. Edit and revise until you are sure you have it right. Practise as much as required so you do not stammer in front of your audience.
• Mention your takeaways at the end of the speech: Takeaways are the points which have been majorly emphasised on and can bring a change. Be sure to always have a thought or idea that your audience can reflect upon at the end of your speech.

How to write a speech?

Writing a speech is basically about collecting, summarising and structuring your points on a given topic. Do a proper research, prepare multiple drafts, edit and revise until you are sure of the content.

Why is it important to introduce ourselves?

It is essential to introduce yourself while writing a speech, so that your audience or the readers know who the speaker is and understand where you come from. This will, in turn, help them connect with you and your thoughts.

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Preparing for your final ZIMSEC Exams using a technology

Garikai Dzoma

It is that time of the year when pupils and some adults get to sit for the public exams from various boards: HEXCO, ZIMSEC and Cambridge. For those who are still unprepared it is not too late to swot for these exams.Most students with internet access,smartphones and tablets hardly ever use this technology for their benefit. A good number of them use of the Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp Apps and scarcely use anything else.

The first thing that you should do is to make sure that you have a copy of the syllabus for each of the subjects that you are writing. If  do not already have these you can freely download PDF versions of both the O level and A level syllabi from the ZIMSEC website. The list includes electronic copies for most common subjects but on the off chance that your subject is not available then you might need to make the trip to your nearest ZIMSEC office and purchase a physical copy.

One of the most disappointing parts about the ZIMSEC website is that it does not have downloadable copies of past exam papers or specimen papers. Bearing in mind your syllabus requirements for each one of your subjects you should be aware that ZIMSEC shares most of its content with Cambridge and most questions appear in both exams. For subjects like Business Studies there is virtually no difference at all in terms of content. You can use Cambridge past exam papers and their corresponding marking schemes to practice. Some of them can be freely downloaded on the Cambridge website here ( this site was updated yesterday). There are a host of other sites such as the IGSCE center here and the Online exam center website. Google will cheerfully provide you with more sites.

It is amazing how many students keep repeating the same errors each year. Some errors even originate from uninformed teachers, I know a local teacher who still teaches the horizontal method of preparing accounts and has year after year unwittingly sent students to their failure. Each year examiners report on these errors and any other mistakes and tips that students might need to know about. The ZIMSEC website has a few copies of these reports. If you are interested in excelling in your exams it might be important to download and read these for all the subjects that you are writing. Here are the links for both A level and O level reports.

I had the honour of attending the best academic school in this country, St Faith’s High School, and technology has always been part of their success. Back when I was still a student their most important piece of technology was their photocopying machine which enabled students to sit for mock exams. We sat for every paper from 1973 to that year’s June exam. ZIMSEC sells hard copies all past exam papers at $2 apiece. You can use a photocopying machine to create multiple copies of the paper and practice. It is illegal to sell these papers without prior permission from ZIMSEC who are the copyright owners although it is generally acceptable to use this means for personal non profit use under the law.

You can also install Cambridge Apps to help with your English. English is the language of instruction for almost all the subjects except Shona. It is even permissible to answer Shona Paper 2 in English. Most students although fluent in the spoken lingo are often afflicted by a meagre vocabulary and the inability to distinguish informal and formal language. These are paid apps which would provide help in such areas as grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation ( by the way Pronunciation differs but it should not differ.) The Apps are available for most devices including Android, iPhone, iPad, (and for some selected Apps) Blackberry and Windows.

Remember if you are to pass the exams you need to practice and technology can help you get there. Mazel Tov in your exams!!!

I must surely have failed to mention a lot of notable tools. Please feel free to add these in the comments section.

156 comments

a handy site is also http://www.zimscholars.co.zw

how can i have question and answer online

Specific questions can be asked and answered on our site ask.revision.co.zw

you can visit http://www.brainstorm.co.zw , for comprehensive study and revision material.

ok guyz welcome to us

oliy i need is to pass no Time to be fleckin”

l need to know more about english

assist me on how to pass chemistry

wat level are you o and a level

verenga zve!!!!

Read and understand the situation

yaah,you WL pass guy

thanks I wish all who are writing ZIMSEC examinations this year fantastic results

For Cambridge students, use xtremepapers.net or olevelsourceforge.net as they both provide all exams both for May and November intake as well as syllabus and examiners report. All material is freely available and easy to download in PDF versions

Great resources thanks!!!

Great article. do you have similar suggestions for the grade 7 exam?

Nice article, and you have given great detail. I’m also using some point of them for GATE exam preparation . It little high level exam but you have given some basic steps which is really very useful for every class and grade exam study.

I hpe it wrks

lukng forwad to t

Sound very interesting ,might work

zimsec u r amazing. Please would u upload more past exams and answers

ZIMSEC is very good but you have to add more past exam papers, syllabus and marking schemes as compared to GCSE, XTREME PAPERS, CAMBRIDGE, HEXCO, EDEXCEL, WJEC and many more you know pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING AND THE LITTLE YOU HAVE SHARED UNTO US…………………

hafair your are very very serious

you are very very extra serious keep it up??????????????????????????????????????????…………………………………… THANKSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LIKE IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT…

Thanx 4 advices

hw do i get past exam papers

HAMENO IKOKO

KKKKKKKKK GETTT

toverenga even in the way to the exam

hey we need zimsec past exam papers pliiiz coz i cant access them even the marking schemes m doing mob acc and geo

You only need the syllabi for both. 4 Business Studies you can use Cambridge past exam papers. Just be sure to take note of the differences. Unfortunatley Zimsec does not have past exam papers on its site. They sell them at thier HQ in Mt Pleasant for $2 each.

hie we need past exam papers

[…] year I wrote a piece on how to prepare for the ZIMSEC examinations using technology. For the past few weeks my inbox has […]

hey! i’m no table to access past exam papers how can i get them

go to extremepapers.com bro

its really interesting. all the support u may need

you are amaizing can you give me a hint of what am going to meet in my final examination

go to extremepapers .com now

THANK YOU FOR THE ADVISE.SO CAN I GET THE A LEVEL PAST EXAM PAPERS

yaah l think so

may u please send me past exam questions

may u please assist me on how to pass maths

We need marking schemes

haaaaa thnx neh…..

hi hw cn i gt pst exm paprs

you a doing great things keep it up

hey can you give me tips on how to write a speech and an article

zimsec rocks ya’l &its easy to pass if u kip on Working hard……Thank yah Zimsec

thanks a lot zimsec but tiisireiwo A level maths papers

thnx but may u assist wth past maths paper o’level

Can I incorporate scanned copies of ZIMSEC past exam papers legal on my site?

Legally** typo there

thanx yu so much

good distribution of education keep it up

thanks for supporting our education

thanks a lot for good education

hi, guys has anybody been using http://www.revision.co.zw too? It’s still a bit empty but has a lot of Shona notes.

thank u for the suport

Hw cn i gt geo past exam papers A’ level

may u please send me past exam papers

keep the standards

zimsec shuld help us but we cannot download past exam papers for free yet l pay tuition

hey ….kip it up….education is our key t success …

we jus nid more past exam papers

liyanya msunu yenu

hie guys we must revise past exam papers

hw cn l download past papers

cant wait to get over it….

well this is good ***thank u****

nyc but ZIMSEC can u please finish uploading notes and past exam papers cz wi nid them before October 2015.desperate student

Can u send me past exam papers lit advanced level paper1,2,4 thanks

great resources

Zimsec should provide past exam papers with answers please because that will help us a lot in our studies academically. I hope you hope consider my request, thank you.

thisz gd nw i can confidently get into it ķkkk …..xam

Uuu doing a grt job buh eish paMaths apa

Zimsec should allow us to download questions as l already paid mu tution. Zimsec must do like other boards do. Please help us on downloading nd if opera mini is not where we should download this please show us by writing the website which we shld get the more information.

Zimsec must issue out past exam papers online please help.

I need yo help zimsec on paper 1 and 4

A Level geo 2016 iuyewo yakanaka pliz

tht z gud gyz

i could love to be updated on e followin subjects history,divinit & literature

i think this is gonna help my grade 7 i hope so .

Good advancement , hope for good results

Many thanks for the original article and the other sites referred to. For a rural school with challenges in the English language the Cambridge apps are a great booster

thanks 4 advices, but we need zimsec qsn papers online plz

thanks for advice you really rock our country

hie, how can i get Nov 2013 zimsec a level economics paper 2?

Thanks for Advice bt we really nid qn papers n answers pleeeeaaaaasssee

anxx for e advice bt l need past exam pprs bfo the end of this year ,im doin maths,bio and cchemistry so i thnk a lot of revision wl do me good

hie how can i get past exam papers,i’m doing mathematics,business studiesand economics

help me pass : shona maths geo history inter science accounts literature computers english religious studies

You wii pass in jesus name

Wow i never new dat u’ve got a wonderful source of academic stuff. Help me pass ma A Level sciences. A big thanx 2 u & team:D::);):*

Where should I get marking guides for O level maths?

its all good

yaah its good

u can go tu zimsec website n dnld

l think this may help

how do i get past exam papers for zimsec

we really need the syllabus,schemes and past papers

wish u the best

Assist me with mathematics

pakaipa mukangahosho

nditumiro profile pic rako

we are pass

how can l download A level past exam papers. plz help us November is now around the corner

l go for commercials……. accounting,economics and business studies

by the blood of jesus we ur going to pass this year

dats a yes 4 me

Dats e best fo mina

Please help me know more abt English

thank for informing people can you probably explain where you are saying English can be used to answer Shona paper 2

#applause,. we’d need a whatsapp group which we can get to know more about this thang..

Hey!! we need a ZIMSEC APP please

please I need help in BS

sweet comes from sweat gyz

anx a lot ey ……pple u jus need 2 work hard

guyz now its the time stop playng

very useful

Excellent blog post – For what it’s worth if you need a DA 31 , my family filled out and esigned a fillable version here https://goo.gl/JoWI0V

munogona bt ngazvisanyanye kuoma pliz

hw cn i find e past exam papers

so helpfull

umm thanks papa

Help me w mathematics written june

please download exam papers . keep it up good job

help in english olevel nw ts 5 yrs ndichinyora ndichiita D

Its helpful to use technology, am assisting my child in preparing zimsec exams and I hope she pass with flying colours. Thanks for all the information.

gys ndpeiwo maths and physics latest papers

Hi Guys you can go on http://www.shashaiseminar.com

Zimsc you want technology but no past papers online

as long as their is someone we love their will be the hope to save them & to protect the mwe will con

guyz did maths bs n ecoz zvakaoma err pa A level

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Writing an informal/personal letter

Writing an informal/personal letter- updated 2024.

Writing an Informal letter. Image by Josh Humbert

ZIMSEC Personal/Informal Letter

Instead of a report, formal letter , speech or article questions, you might encounter a question asking you to write a personal/informal letter in Section B of the ZIMSEC English Language Paper 1 exam. The question might not directly ask you to write an informal or personal letter but still require you to “write a letter.” You should write a personal letter if the stated receipt is someone with whom you have a personal relationship that is a formal or semi-formal relationship.

Examples of people to whom you can write personal letters are relatives for example parents, aunts, uncles, in-laws, cousins or grandparents. This also includes guardians and acquaintances such as teachers and pastors although with these it would depend on the intended purpose of the letter. Personal letters are also common among friends.

Format of a personal letter

38 Greendale Avenue

17 March 2014

Dear [name/relation] For example

Dear Father.

Yours sincerly,

Things to note

• It is usually considered bad form to put greetings in the first paragraph of the letter although in practice such rules are often ignored. You should instead state the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph. For example you can begin by saying: ” I have written this letter to inform you about the developments that have taken place in our neighborhood during the five years you have been gone.”
• Instead put the greetings in the last paragraph so as not to offend those old-fashioned examiners, for although they will not penalize you for including the greetings in the first paragraph, you will gain nothing by offending them.
• If you are writing in response to an earlier correspondence state this in the introductory paragraphs of your letter. For example: “It was pleasant to hear from you after so long, we were begging to think that you had forgotten us.”
• Your language and tone should be warm and friendly but you should use contractions (words like don’t instead of do not, wasn’t instead of was not etc) sparingly for although they are becoming more and more accepted they are still to be universally accepted as being proper.
• Avoid slang and colloquialisms like “ gwan” for story, “skwa” for school and “shacking” for going. The examiners will most likely not be familiar with the meanings of these words and even if they do it is still not proper English and you will be penalized accordingly.
• Avoid mannerisms for example most people like to use phrases like “it’s like ….” and “basically …”  as well as others when either beginning sentences or trying to put forward a point. It is wrong and annoying.
• Do not use pet names for example Pa/Dad/Daddy for father, Ma/Mum/Mummy for mother, Grandpa/Grandma for your grandparents. Use the proper forms like father.
• You may use other appropriate forms to sign off instead of the plain Yours sincerely for example: Your son, Your friend etc.
• You may also have to come up with an excuse for ending your letter, for example,” I will write to you soon if anything changes.” etc.

NB: As I have noted elsewhere with the rise in the uptake of technology letters are becoming rare and are being replaced by messenger apps like Whatsapp and Social Media messages on platforms like Facebook. Emails however are the only close thing that still remain.

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Writing speeches- updated 2024, writing a report- updated 2024, emotions/feelings- updated 2024, writing an article- updated 2024, register: introduction- updated 2024.

• Exam Regulations

REGULATIONS FOR CANDIDATES

• Registration must be made through a registered Examination Centre. It is the responsibility of private candidates to make their own arrangements.
• No candidate should leave the examination room except in an emergency, until one hour after the starting time specified on the ZIMSEC examination timetable unless the duration of a paper is one hour or less.
• No copy of a question paper may be taken from the examination room by candidates and all question papers must be retained, under security, at centres until at least 24 hours have elapsed since the end of the examination assigned to each paper. The papers may then be returned to the candidates.
• If a candidate finishes his or her work early, they must hand in their work, leave the room and must not be readmitted.
• Candidates leaving the examination room temporarily must be escorted by one of the invigilators and may be allowed extra time to compensate for their temporary absence (discretion to be used by invigilators depending on the prevailing circumstances).
• Candidates who arrive within the first 15 minutes of starting time will be allowed to sit for the examination without extra time for the lost time.
• Candidates who arrive in the exam room after the first 15 minutes are automatically disqualified and marked absent.
• If you miss one component of the subject you are sitting for you will not get results.
• There is no refund for missing a paper or for latecomers. In both situations, one will not get results.
• Candidates should enter their names, centre numbers and candidate numbers on every page of their answer booklet
• An exam is deemed to be in progress from the moment candidates get into the exam.
• There are NO refunds to candidates if candidates fail to write or are prevented from writing an examination or any part of any examination due to acts of God, acts of war, industrial actions or civil strife of any kind. There is no transfer of fees to a later examination session, nor delay in the writing of examinations and will not be required to issue aegrotat grades.
• Candidates are not allowed to smuggle pre-written answers or formulas into the exam room.
• Candidates are not allowed to enter the examination room with smartphones, smart watches, listening devices or any other smart devices.
• Candidates are not allowed to speak to each other or loudly to themselves during the examination (this includes singing)
• Candidates are not allowed to share written notes, signals or visuals during an examination (collusion)
• Candidates’ dress code is regulated according to the school policies. Candidates are not allowed to wear hats/ caps in an examination room and are not permitted to remove their shoes during the examination.
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