90+ impromptu speech prompts for practice

Impromptu is the highest-leverage drill in a speech program: it builds the exact skill — think in structure, speak calmly, land a close — that every other event borrows. The middle-school prompts and debate warm-ups below come straight from the practice library our own students drill with; the competition-style topics are the standard high-school draw categories. Take what fits your room.

How to run it: the 1–2–1 format

• 1 minute of prep — pick the frame (answer + two reasons, or a four-beat story), jot five words maximum.
• 2 minutes speaking (60–90 seconds for middle school) — no restarts; recovering from a stumble IS the drill.
• 1 minute of feedback — one strength, one fix, next speaker. Ten students get reps in half an hour.

Middle school prompts (from our practice library)

Tell a story

Narrative practice — 60–90 seconds.

• Tell me about the funniest thing that happened to you this month.
• Tell me about a time you tried something new and weren't sure if you'd like it.
• Describe the best meal you've ever eaten — what it was and where you ate it.
• Tell me about a time you learned something the hard way.
• Tell me about a time you made a new friend.
• Describe a place you go when you want to be alone with your thoughts.
• Tell me about the proudest moment you can remember.
• Tell me about a time something didn't go the way you planned.
• Describe your perfect Saturday — start to finish.
• Tell me about a teacher or coach who made a difference for you.
• Tell me about a time you stood up for someone.
• Describe the most beautiful place you've ever seen.
• Tell me about a time you were really nervous and how you handled it.
• Tell me about something you collected when you were younger.
• Tell me about a tradition your family does that you love.

Convince me

Persuasion practice — 60 seconds.

• Convince me that pizza is the best food in the world.
• Convince me that the school day should start later in the morning.
• Convince me to pick up your favorite book or movie.
• Convince me that summer is the best season.
• Convince me that everyone should learn to play a musical instrument.
• Convince me that dogs are better pets than cats — or the other way around.
• Convince me to try a hobby you love.
• Convince me that we should spend more time outside.
• Convince me that chocolate is the best dessert.
• Convince me that recess should be twice as long.
• Convince me that reading is more fun than watching TV.
• Convince me that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Explain / teach it

Expository practice — 75 seconds.

• Explain how a bicycle works to a younger kid who's never ridden one.
• Explain what makes a good friend.
• Teach me the rules of your favorite game.
• Explain how rain happens.
• Explain how you know if someone is being a good listener.
• Teach me how to make your favorite snack, step by step.
• Explain why we have day and night.
• Explain what your favorite sport is and how you score points.
• Teach me one thing you learned at school recently.
• Explain why brushing your teeth matters.
• Explain how to take care of a plant.
• Explain how money works — what it is and why we use it.
• Teach me one thing you're really good at.

What would you do?

Decision & values practice — 60 seconds.

• What would you do if you found a wallet on the ground with money inside?
• What would you do if a friend asked you to keep a secret you thought was unsafe?
• If you had a free Saturday to do anything, what would you do and why?
• What would you do if you saw a new kid eating lunch alone?
• If you could change one rule at school, what would it be and why?
• What would you do if you and your best friend disagreed about something important?
• If you could invent one new thing to make the world better, what would it be?
• What would you do if you were in charge of school for a day?
• What would you do if you accidentally broke something that wasn't yours?
• If you could spend a day with anyone — real or made up — who and why?

High school prompts

Abstract words (competition style)

Classic impromptu draws — argue a thesis about the concept.

• Ambition
• Silence
• Luck
• Borders
• Nostalgia
• Debt
• Shortcuts
• Reputation
• Curiosity
• Comfort
• Rivalry
• Patience

Quotations & proverbs

Agree, disagree, or complicate — with structure.

• “The obstacle is the way.”
• “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
• “Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
• “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”
• “You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.”
• “The grass is greener where you water it.”
• “Fortune favors the bold.”
• “A jack of all trades is a master of none — but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

Debate warm-up reps (from our varsity library)

Format-flavored 60–90 second reps for tournament mornings.

• In 60 seconds, sketch the strongest argument FOR a policy you find boring. Tag, warrant, impact.
• Pick a recent news event. Frame it as a public-forum impact in under a minute — magnitude, probability, timeframe.
• Speak for 60 seconds without citing a single piece of evidence — only intuition and weighing.
• State a value premise and defend it for 60 seconds — no evidence, just logic.
• Take a moral hypothetical you've heard before. Argue both sides — 30 seconds each.
• Pick anything from yesterday's news. 60 seconds: attention-getter → preview → first point.
• Take one statistic you remember. Build a 60-second mini-speech around it — source, point, impact.
• Steelman a position you disagree with for 60 seconds. Make the other side sound reasonable.
• Talk for 60 seconds without filler words. If you say “um” or “like,” acknowledge it and keep going.
• Speak for 90 seconds about something you learned this month — what changed in your head?

Frequently asked questions

Free to copy and use in your program or classroom. If you republish the bank, credit Augmind Studio with a link to this page.