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Year 9

Writing a speech: openings and closings

I can craft an effective opening and closing paragraph for a persuasive speech.

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New
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Year 9

Writing a speech: openings and closings

I can craft an effective opening and closing paragraph for a persuasive speech.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. It is important to consider how the tone of a speech opening will engage the audience and establish your viewpoint.
  2. An introduction should hook your audience in, regardless of the topic.
  3. The ending of your persuasive speech presents the last opportunity to influence your audience.
  4. At the end of your persuasive speech, your audience should know exactly how to help or what to think or feel.
  5. Using rhetorical devices can elevate your opening and closing paragraphs.

Keywords

  • Impactful - memorable and significant

  • Compelling - convincing and attention grabbing

  • Viewpoint - a person’s opinion or perspective on something

  • Reinforce - to strengthen or further support something - in this context- an idea

  • Establish - to set-up, create or clearly introduce something - in this context - a viewpoint, argument or perspective

Common misconception

I don't have time to write an effective closing, I just need to get my work finished!

The ending is arguably the most important part of the piece of writing. You need to leave your audience with a clear message that is memorable. You will get quicker at writing effective closings the more you practice using specific strategies.


To help you plan your year 9 english lesson on: Writing a speech: openings and closings, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There are opportunities for peer assessment or the sharing of work after Task A and B. This could be facilitated as a written or verbal task. You may also wish to prepare and share some effective opening and closing paragraphs from either published speeches or written models.
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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
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Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these is an example of anaphora?
Correct answer: We must make a change. We must act. We must make the difference.
Don't you want to see the change?
Correct answer: It is wrong, it is unjust, it is unfair.
Q2.
Which of these is a declarative sentence?
How often do you play sport?
Tell me your answer.
Correct answer: The internet is rotten to its core.
Make yor voices heard.
Q3.
Which of these words are not modal verbs?
Correct answer: they
Correct answer: and
could
might
must
Q4.
Which word beginning with 'C' describes a piece of writing where all of the parts are clearly connected and well structured?
Correct Answer: cohesive, cohesion
Q5.
Which of these sentences would be considered informal?
Gender discrimination is never justified.
They are all fighting for human rights. They are all advocating for change.
Correct answer: Hey, gender inequality is not cool, right?
The statistics reveal the true extent of the problem.
Q6.
Which device is being used in this sentence: "A government of the people, for the people, by the people, shall not perish from this earth."?
anaphora
rhetorical question
Correct answer: epistrophe
rule of three

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these sentences uses a modal verb?
As the tide turns, we risk losing everything we have collectively fought for.
A historic date for humanity.
Correct answer: We must all step up!
Q2.
What device has this opening sentence used: 'Like a badly swatted fly, the debate will not die.'?
Correct Answer: simile, a simile
Q3.
Which type of sentences are the following: "A historic date for women. A historic date for humanity."?
interrogative
Correct answer: declarative
imperative
Q4.
"We must kick those age old stereotypes into the past! We must take control of the game now! It’s time to shift the goal posts!" is an example of ...
a simile.
direct address.
a rhetorical question.
Correct answer: an extended metaphor.
Q5.
Mirroring is a good way to close your speech. This is where ...
Correct answer: you repeat and develop an idea from the start of your writing at the end.
you reverse the order of your last paragraph.
you change the argument at the end and give an alternative viewpoint.
you use direct address.
Q6.
Which of the following is not part of creating a successful 'call to action'?
create an urgent and motivational tone
use concise language
Correct answer: suggest several different options
use persuasive language
clearly tell the audience the role they can play