How to Outline a Speech Step by Step, With Examples

Key takeaways

• A speech outline is a structured plan that organizes your speech’s opening, key points, supporting evidence, and conclusion.
• To outline a speech, first define your purpose and audience. Then choose a structure, map out its main points, add transitions, and plan the speech’s closing.
• Outlining improves a speech’s clarity, timing, and audience engagement while reducing revision and rehearsal time.
• Effective speech outlines are easy to scan, flexible during rehearsal, and adaptable to different audiences and time limits.

Every effective speech starts with a clear outline. Whether you’re preparing a classroom presentation, a workplace update, or a keynote speech, outlining first helps you shape your message before you worry about getting exact wording right or memorizing your speech.

A speech outline gives structure to your ideas. It helps you think strategically about their flow, how points build on one another, where to place transitions, and how to engage an audience from opening to close. With a solid outline in hand, it’s easy to dive into writing a full script or slide deck and avoid getting stuck.

Outlining fits naturally into the writing process, sitting between brainstorming and drafting your rough draft. If you’re new to speech writing, you may also want to review our guide on how to write a speech to see how outlining supports the entire process.

In this guide, you’ll learn what a speech outline is, how outlining helps you write a better speech, and how to outline a speech step by step. Plus you’ll see practical speech outline examples. We also share a few of the best practices that help your speech land with confidence.

Table of contents

• What is a speech outline?
• Why is it important to outline a speech?
• How to write a speech outline step by step
• Speech outline examples
• Best practices for outlining a speech
• How Grammarly can help you write a speech outline
• Speech outlining FAQs

What is a speech outline?

A speech outline is a document that organizes a speech’s purpose, talking points, supporting evidence, and transitions. It’s written before the speech’s first draft. In contrast to a first draft, which is generally a rough version of the final speech, a speech outline is less detailed and focuses on how ideas are ordered and connected.

A speech outline is designed to create structure, not include every sentence of a speech. It lists each idea you’ll discuss in the speech, how you’ll support each idea, and how the speech begins and ends. This last point is key because an effective speech hooks listeners’ attention at the beginning and concludes in a way that ensures listeners remember the points it made.

Speech outlining is part of the writing process that comes after brainstorming and before writing the first draft. After gathering ideas, speakers use outlines to turn their notes, which could be scattered and even a bit chaotic, into structured plans before writing or memorizing their speech’s full text.

It’s also helpful to distinguish outlines from scripts and slides. A script is the written, word-for-word version of a speech. Slides are visual aids that are often shown alongside a speech to illustrate the speaker’s points. A speech outline prioritizes structure and speaking cues over exact language.

Many speakers use two outlines at different stages:

• A planning outline, written in complete sentences, to organize ideas and revise content before writing a draft
• A speaker outline, written in keywords or short phrases, to guide their rehearsal and delivery

Why is it important to outline a speech?

Whether you’re delivering a five-minute update or a keynote, outlining a speech helps you think clearly about what you want to say and how your audience will experience it.

Here’s why outlining matters:

• It clarifies your message and purpose. Outlining forces you to define a clear purpose and central idea before adding details, so every part of the speech supports the same message.
• Outlining can help you improve your speech’s timing and pacing. Seeing your speech laid out makes it easier to estimate the amount of time you’ll need per section and adjust the content accordingly before rehearsal.
• Outlines make transitions and flow obvious. Planning transitions in the outline prevents awkward jumps between ideas and helps the audience follow your logic.
• As you write, having an outline can help you strengthen your evidence and examples. Outlining shows where you need stories, data, or quotes to support each main point.
• It reduces the amount of time spent on rehearsal and revision. Fixing structure in an outline is faster than rewriting a full script after practice reveals problems.
• Outlines make it easy to collaborate with others and adapt your work. Their structure makes it easy to share feedback and make quick edits with classmates, colleagues, or event organizers.
• Outlining is often required in professional and academic settings. Many classrooms and workplaces require a formal outline or supporting materials.

Outlining solves many common speech difficulties before they reach the stage or classroom.

How to write a speech outline step by step

Outlining a speech works best when you move from a broad purpose to specific points and transitions. The steps below show how to build a clear speech outline you can revise, expand, and eventually draft from.

Step 1. Define your purpose and audience

Goal: Establish the speech’s objective and intended audience.

Start your outline with a “Purpose” line that begins with “To inform,” “To persuade,” or “To inspire.” Then note who the audience is and why they’re listening.

Example:

• Purpose: To persuade mid-level managers to adopt a weekly team check-in to reduce project delays
• Audience: Managers who oversee cross-functional teams

Your purpose anchors every outlining decision, including structure, examples, and tone.

Step 2. Craft a one-line central idea

Goal: Keep the outline focused on a single takeaway.

Write a “Central idea” or “Thesis” line beneath the purpose. This sentence captures what the audience should remember.

Example:

• Central idea: Small, regular check-ins reduce project delays by improving coordination among team members.

This line helps you evaluate whether each main point truly supports your message.

Step 3. Label the major sections of the speech

Goal: Create a clear top-level structure.

Label your outline with “Introduction,” “Body,” and “Conclusion.” If the speech has a fixed time limit, add estimated minutes to guide pacing.

Example:

• Introduction (2 minutes): Hook, relevance, credibility, preview
• Body (12 minutes): Main points and support
• Conclusion (3 minutes): Summary and call to action

Labeled sections make outlines easier to review, share, and revise.

Step 4. Plan the introduction in detail

Goal: Capture attention and prepare the audience.

Under the “Introduction” label, outline:

• An attention getter
• A relevance statement
• A credibility statement
• The thesis and preview of main points
• A transition into the body

Example:

• Hook: Last year, our team missed 27 deadlines.
• Relevance: That cost us significant time and morale.
• Credibility: I led the process-improvement initiative.
• Preview: Today, I’ll cover three ways check-ins reduce delays.
• Transition: Let’s start with where delays usually begin.

Using complete sentences here is especially effective when you’re presenting your speech in an academic or a professional setting.

Step 5. Write main points and subpoints

Goal: Clearly articulate the speech’s key ideas.

List each main point under the “Body” section, followed by supporting subpoints such as evidence, data, or stories.

Example:

• Main point I: Weekly check-ins help teams identify challenges early.
  • A. Case study showing reduced delays
  • B. Brief anecdote from the speaker’s experience

Writing main points as full sentences clarifies your reasoning before drafting.

Step 6. Add transitions and internal summaries

Goal: Help the audience follow the speech smoothly.

After each main point, include:

• A brief internal summary of what was just covered
• A transition or preview connecting to the next point

Example:

• Transition: Now that we’ve seen how check-ins reduce the number of delays, let’s look at how to run them effectively.

These notes belong in the outline even if wording changes later.

Step 7. Plan the conclusion carefully

Goal: Leave the audience with a clear takeaway.

Under the “Conclusion” label, include:

• A signal that the speech is ending
• A restatement of the central idea
• A summary of main points
• A call to action or memorable closing line

Example:

• Closing line: Small, steady changes beat big, uncertain ones.

The conclusion should feel intentional, not improvised.

Step 8. Include sources and references if required

Goal: Ensure credibility and meet expectations.

For academic or professional speeches, add a references or bibliography section listing sources in the required format. This is especially important for classroom presentations, research-based talks, or policy discussions.

Step 9. Review and refine the outline before drafting

Goal: Strengthen clarity and balance.

Review the entire outline and check the following:

• Alignment between purpose, thesis, and main points
• Logical order and balance
• Clear transitions
• Feasible timing

If two main points overlap, combine them before starting your first draft. Revising the structure at this stage saves time later. For more on this step, see our guide to revising.

Outlines evolve. Use them as living roadmaps during writing and rehearsal.

Speech outline examples

Speakers outline differently depending on their speech’s purpose, audience, and setting. Below are four beginner-friendly formats you can adapt.

Example 1. Complete-sentence formal outline (academic)

Best for classroom assignments or graded presentations, this type of outline cues the specific sentences you’ll say.

• Purpose: To inform the class about three practical water-saving strategies
• Audience: Classmates and instructor
• Central idea: Small behavioral changes can reduce household water use by up to 30%.

Introduction

• Attention getter: Statistic on local water usage
  • More than 60% of households in this city are using more water than necessary for their size.
• Relevance: Why conservation matters to students
  • Saving water saves money on utility bills, which puts money back in homeowners’ and renters’ pockets. Using less water is also better for the environment, as freshwater is a finite resource.
• Credibility: Research sources and interviews
  • Data from the local water company shows that about half of local homes are using more water than necessary, likely due to inefficient systems and behaviors such as running sprinklers daily.
• Thesis and preview
  • Thesis statement: Your household could be saving money on utilities.
  • Preview: Leaks, inefficient systems, and inefficient behaviors drive unnecessarily high water consumption in our town.
• Transition to body
  • Saving water doesn’t mean extreme restrictions or unrealistic changes. Let’s take a look at common issues that increase your water bill and ways you can correct them.

Body

• Main point I: Reducing indoor water use starts with daily habits.
  • Running faucets during tasks, like washing dishes and brushing teeth, is inefficient and wastes water.
    • Evidence: Government study
    • A 2025 Department of Environmental Protection study shows that up to one million gallons of water could be saved per year if residents closed their faucets during these tasks.
• Main point II: Outdoor water use can be reduced through thoughtful landscaping.
  • The plants you choose matter. Plants that are native to this climate don’t need irrigation or watering beyond our natural weather patterns.

Conclusion

• Signal ending
  • By saving water, you’re doing your part to combat climate change and resource shortages.
• Restate central idea
  • Saving water doesn’t just have abstract benefits; you’ll see lower utility bills!
• Summarize points
  • By changing your indoor and outdoor habits, you can significantly reduce your water consumption.
• Closing line
  • When you save water, you see immediate benefits. Be kind to the planet, your community, and yourself by consuming less water.

Example 2. Keyword speaker outline (conference)

This type of speech outline is best for professional presentations and natural delivery. Keyword outlines help you maintain eye contact and avoid relying on your outline for every word of your speech

Purpose: To streamline the onboarding process across departments.

• Card 1: Introduction
  • Hook: 60% attrition in first year
  • Relevance: Cost to teams
  • Thesis: Better onboarding improves retention.
• Card 2: Main point 1
  • With a clear timeline with attainable milestones, onboarding new hires can be a faster process.
  • The first department to adopt the new onboarding system brought new hires up to speed in just 30 days.
• Card 3: Main point 2
  • Two years after adopting the new onboarding system, this department has seen a 30% drop in turnover.
• Card 4: Conclusion
  • Speak with HR to schedule your training with the new onboarding system.
  • Faster onboarding keeps your teams productive. Make the process as easy as possible.

Example 3. Problem-agitation-solution outline (business)

Diving right into the issue to be resolved is best for persuasive talks, sales pitches, or funding requests. This format builds urgency before offering a clear solution.

• Problem: Customer churn data
• Agitation: Financial and morale impact
• Solution: Customer success program
• Call to action: Approve pilot funding

Example 4. Story-driven outline (keynote)

For motivational or leadership talks, a story-driven outline builds a personal connection with the audience. Narrative structure increases emotional engagement and memorability.

• Ordinary world: Audience’s current challenge
• Disruption: Failure or turning point
• Lessons: Tools and insights
• Return transformed: Application for audience
• Call to action

Pick a format that matches your purpose and time constraints.

Best practices for outlining a speech

As you write your speech outline, keep the following in mind to keep the outline coherent and helpful:

• Plan transitions and signposts intentionally to guide the audience.
• Time every section and build in flexibility for questions or adjustments.
• Anchor key points with stories, examples, or data in the outline.
• Check for a logical flow between sections before drafting.
• Keep the outline scannable with clear labels and indentation.
• Practice your speech using the outline before writing the full text.
• Gather early feedback on structure from peers or instructors.

How Grammarly can help you write a speech outline

Grammarly supports speech outlining from early ideas to final polish. Here are a few ways it can help you write more helpful speech outlines:

• Use Grammarly’s free AI brainstorming generator to explore hooks, audience angles, and alternative framings.
• Turn scattered notes into a clear structure with Grammarly’s free AI outline generator.
• Use Grammarly’s free AI summarizing tool to condense long research notes into outline-friendly bullets.
• Apply clarity and conciseness suggestions to keep outline notes focused.
• Use Expert Review to identify unclear structure or weak transitions.

Whether you’re preparing a short update or a keynote, Grammarly helps you plan and refine your speech outline before drafting and rehearsal.

Speech outlining FAQs

What is the purpose of outlining a speech?

Outlining your speech helps you plan its structure and flow before drafting or rehearsing, giving you a clear roadmap from opening to close.

How long should a speech outline be?

Planning outlines are often one to three pages, while speaker outlines are shorter and condensed for delivery.

Should I write my speech word for word or use an outline?

Outlines work best for planning and delivery, while full scripts are useful only in highly formal or legal settings.

How should I adjust a speech outline for time limits?

Prioritize main points, trim examples first, and mark optional sections you can cut if needed.

Can an outline help reduce public speaking anxiety?

Yes. Knowing what comes next reduces uncertainty and makes rehearsal and delivery more manageable.