Topics for speech: 72 speech topics for students, a model speech and a timer

A good topic for a speech is one you can talk about with a real example. Here are 72 English speech topics for students (for assemblies, elocution and public speaking competitions) in six groups, from easy personal topics to persuasive and occasion speeches, plus a simple outline, a complete 2-minute model speech, how many words you need for 1, 2 or 3 minutes, and a free timer that records you so you can practise out loud.

By The YoFluent teamUpdated 10 min read

The YoFluent cat thinking next to the title: Speech topics for students
On this page
  1. Practise now: a 2-minute speech timer
  2. 72 speech topics for students
  3. How to choose a good speech topic
  4. A simple speech outline
  5. A model 2-minute speech: “Small habits, big results”
  6. How many words for a 1, 2, 3 or 5-minute speech?
  7. Opening and closing lines that work
  8. Delivering your speech in English
  9. FAQ
  10. Sources

Practise now: a 2-minute speech timer

You get a random topic from the list below, 60 seconds to plan three points, and 2 minutes to speak. Allow the microphone and it records you so you can listen back. Press “New topic” for another one.

Your speech topic

My favourite book and why I love it

Runs in your browser. Your recording stays on your device and is never uploaded.

72 speech topics for students

Easy topics (beginners and younger students)

Personal and concrete: you already know what to say.

  1. My favourite book and why I love it
  2. My best friend
  3. A day I will never forget
  4. My hero
  5. The importance of trees
  6. My favourite festival
  7. Why I love my school
  8. If I were the principal for a day
  9. My dream job
  10. My favourite sport
  11. Why we should help at home
  12. The best gift I ever received

Informative topics

Explain something clearly; facts and examples carry the speech.

  1. How the internet changed the way we learn
  2. Why sleep matters for students
  3. The history of the Olympic Games
  4. How vaccines protect us
  5. What artificial intelligence can and cannot do
  6. Why bees are important
  7. How to manage exam stress
  8. The water cycle and why it matters
  9. How money works: saving vs spending
  10. The benefits of learning a second language
  11. Why reading every day makes you smarter
  12. How social media apps keep us scrolling

Persuasive topics

Take a side and convince the audience. Prepare the strongest counter-argument.

  1. Homework should be limited
  2. Every school should teach coding
  3. Plastic should be banned in schools
  4. Students should learn about money management
  5. Sports are as important as studies
  6. Mobile phones should be allowed in schools
  7. Junk food should not be sold near schools
  8. Exams are not the best test of intelligence
  9. Every student should learn first aid
  10. Schools should start later in the morning
  11. Online learning can replace classrooms
  12. Voting age should be lowered to 16

Motivational and inspirational topics

Use a story. One real example beats ten quotes.

  1. Failure is the first step to success
  2. Hard work beats talent
  3. Believe in yourself
  4. The power of kindness
  5. Small habits, big results
  6. Never stop learning
  7. Discipline is freedom
  8. Why mistakes make you better
  9. Courage is not the absence of fear
  10. Time is more valuable than money
  11. Dream big, start small
  12. Teamwork makes the dream work

Social and environmental issues

Show the problem, then something the audience can actually do.

  1. Climate change: what students can do
  2. Save water, save life
  3. Mental health matters
  4. Cyberbullying and how to stop it
  5. Road safety for young people
  6. Equality between boys and girls
  7. Digital addiction
  8. Clean India, healthy India
  9. Respect for elders
  10. Food waste
  11. The value of volunteering
  12. Pollution in our cities

Occasion speeches (school events)

Short, warm and specific to the day. 1–2 minutes is usually enough.

  1. Independence Day speech
  2. Republic Day speech
  3. Teachers’ Day speech
  4. Children’s Day speech
  5. Gandhi Jayanti speech
  6. World Environment Day speech
  7. Farewell speech for seniors
  8. Welcome speech for an event
  9. Annual Day speech
  10. Sports Day speech
  11. Vote of thanks
  12. International Women’s Day speech

Need a topic with no preparation? Try just a minute (JAM) topics. Want to argue one side against another speaker? See debate topics for students. More ideas: persuasive speech topics, informative speech topics and extempore topics. Hosting the event? Use our anchoring script and welcome speech samples.

How to choose a good speech topic

  • You have a story or example. “The importance of trees” becomes strong when you talk about the tree outside your classroom.
  • It fits the time. “Climate change” is too big for 2 minutes; “Three ways our school can save water” fits.
  • It fits the audience. Younger students enjoy stories; judges in a competition want a clear argument.
  • It is not obvious. “Pollution is bad” has nothing to argue. “Our city should ban cars on Sundays” does.

A simple speech outline

PartWhat to sayTime (2-minute speech)
Greeting“Good morning, respected principal, teachers and my dear friends.”5 seconds
HookA question, a surprising fact or a 2-sentence story.15 seconds
Topic and preview“Today I want to talk about… I have three reasons.”10 seconds
Point 1, 2, 3Each point: one sentence, then an example, then why it matters.75 seconds
ConclusionRepeat the main idea and give the audience one thing to do.10 seconds
Closing line and thanksLink back to your hook. “Thank you.”5 seconds

A model 2-minute speech: “Small habits, big results”

Good morning, respected principal, teachers and my dear friends.

Can you do one push-up? Of course you can. Now, what if you did one push-up every day for a year? Today I want to talk about small habits, and why they matter more than big plans.

First, small habits are easy to start. Most of us make big promises in January: “I will study three hours a day.” By February, we have stopped. But a promise to read for ten minutes is so small that it is hard to say no.

Second, small habits add up. If you learn just five new English words a day, that is more than eighteen hundred words in a year. That is not magic. That is simple maths.

Third, small habits change who you are. When I started writing one line in a diary every night, I did not become a writer overnight. But after six months, I started to think of myself as someone who writes. And that made me want to write more.

So my message today is simple. Don’t wait for a big change. Choose one tiny habit, and do it tomorrow, and the day after that.

Remember that one push-up. It is small today. In a year, it could be three hundred and sixty-five. Thank you.

This speech is about 220 words: just under 2 minutes at a calm pace with pauses after key sentences, which is what you want on the day. Notice the hook (a question), the preview (“today I want to talk about”), the signposts (first, second, third), one personal example, and a closing line that returns to the push-up.

How many words for a 1, 2, 3 or 5-minute speech?

Speech lengthWords (at 120–150 per minute)
1 minute120–150 words
2 minutes240–300 words
3 minutes360–450 words
5 minutes600–750 words

If English is not your first language or you are nervous, plan for the lower number: you will speak more slowly, and pauses help the audience. Time yourself with the timer above before the real day.

Opening and closing lines that work

To…Say
Open with a question“Have you ever wondered why…?” / “How many of you…?”
Open with a fact“Did you know that…?”
Open with a story“Last year, something happened that changed the way I think about…”
Move to the next point“Now let’s look at…” / “My second point is…” / “Finally…”
Give an example“For example…” / “Let me tell you about…”
Conclude“To sum up…” / “So what can we do?”
End strongly“If we all…, then…” / “Let’s start today.” / “Thank you for listening.”

Delivering your speech in English

  • Don’t memorise every word. Memorise the opening, the three points and the closing line; speak the rest naturally from notes.
  • Pause after important sentences. A two-second pause sounds confident, not lost.
  • Stress the key words so the audience hears what matters. See word stress and intonation.
  • Look at people, not the paper. Choose three friendly faces in different parts of the room.
  • Nervous? That is normal. Breathe out slowly before you start, and see how to speak English confidently.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good speech topic for students?

A good speech topic for students is one you have a real example or story about, that fits the time you have, and that is not too obvious. Easy examples are “My hero”, “Why reading every day makes you smarter” and “Small habits, big results”.

How do I start a speech?

Start a speech with a short greeting, then a hook: a question, a surprising fact or a two-sentence story. Then say your topic and preview your points, for example: “Today I want to talk about… I have three reasons.”

How many words is a 2-minute speech?

A 2-minute speech is about 240 to 300 words, based on a speaking rate of 120 to 150 words per minute. If you speak slowly or are nervous, aim for the lower number.

How do I end a speech?

End a speech by repeating your main idea in one sentence, giving the audience one thing to do or remember, and linking back to your opening hook. Then say “Thank you.”

What are some easy speech topics for students?

Easy speech topics for students include My favourite book, My best friend, A day I will never forget, My hero, My dream job, My favourite festival and If I were the principal for a day.

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Sources

  1. Words per minute: speech rates, Wikipedia
  2. Public speaking, Wikipedia
  3. Finding speech topics for students, Language Arts Classroom