8 Public Speaking Exercises to Boost Your Skills

Public speaking exercises are essential tools for anyone looking to improve their confidence and effectiveness when addressing an audience.

Whether you’re nervously starting out or seeking to refine your performance to give yourself a competitive edge, here are eight exercises designed to help you on your way.

1. Controlled Breathing

We all know how it goes: You get nervous, so you tighten up and hold your breath, which only makes you more anxious and less likely to get any words out – or any that your audience will hear.

Practicing how to control your breathing will help you manage that anxiety, project your voice, and maintain a steady pace so that your words will be heard.

• Practice deep breathing by inhaling through your nose for four counts, holding for four counts, and exhaling through your mouth for six counts. Repeat this process several times before speaking to calm your nerves and regulate your breathing.

2. Tongue Twisters

Even with our breath under control, there’ll usually be at least one word, name, or phrase lying in wait to trip us up – try giving a speech about contributory negligence even when you’re not nervous!

Tongue twisters are excellent for improving your articulation and diction, helping you to tackle those tricky terms when it counts.

• Try repeating, “She sells seashells by the seashore,” or “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,” gradually increasing your speed while still pronouncing each word clearly.

3. Mirror Practice

It might surprise you to learn that the most important factor in communication is not the words you choose or even how you say them. Body language accounts for 55% of how we communicate.

Practicing in front of a mirror allows you to observe your body language, and you can do this in the privacy of your own room.

• Present a local news item in front of a mirror, paying close attention to your eye contact, posture, and hand movements.

4. Recording and Playback

Having worked on your verbal and non-verbal delivery in isolation, you’ll want to make sure they work together to convey your message.

Recording yourself speaking can provide valuable insights into your vocal tone, pace, and overall delivery. Don’t avoid the playback, though! Even if you hide behind the couch the first time – you can use that occasion to focus on your verbal delivery – you’ll get the most from this exercise by watching it.

• Try recording a five-minute talk on your favorite topic using your phone or another recording device. Play it back and take notes on areas for improvement, such as filler words, vocal variety, and pacing.

5. Replacing Filler Words

When you watched or listened to your recording, you probably cringed at the number of ums and ers. While your audience might not cringe at them, filler words can distract from what you’re saying and undermine your credibility.

Learning to replace those words with pauses can make your speech more polished.

• Start by noting your go-to filler words (another reason not to dodge the playback in tip 4). Practice a short speech, and when you catch yourself about to use one of those words…pause.

6. Storytelling Practice

Have you ever mentally switched off when hearing someone tell you about their day? Have you seen that happen when it’s your turn? It’s time to learn some lessons from the word of fiction.

Storytelling is a powerful public speaking technique that can captivate an audience and make your message more memorable.

• Choose an anecdote and practice telling it as if you were doing a stand-up routine. Then try it again as if you were telling a bedtime story to a six-year-old. Focus on what will appeal to different audiences, using vivid descriptions, emotional appeal, and a clear structure (beginning, middle, and end) to get the response you want.

7. Ad-libbing

Do you keep your head down and study your shoes when there’s a request for volunteers to give an answer? Does your brain freeze and your mouth go dry when you’re selected anyway?

However scary a prospect it may be, taking those opportunities to speak on the spot without preparation can significantly boost your confidence in public speaking. It’s a skill you can practice in private, too.

• Create a list of random topics or use an AI tool to generate some, then set a timer for one minute and speak about a topic without any preparation. This exercise will help you think quickly, organize your thoughts, and speak confidently under pressure.

8. Seeking Feedback

We understand that it’s probably the fear of others’ opinions that may be holding you back from speaking in public – or doing so with confidence. Asking for feedback might seem like asking for trouble, but it’s far from that.

Enlisting the help of a trusted friend or colleague to give you constructive feedback is invaluable for improving your public speaking skills.

• Form a practice group with friends or colleagues. Deliver speeches or presentations to the group and request feedback on areas like content, delivery, and audience engagement. Use their feedback to make targeted improvements.

Becoming A Public Speaker

Each of the tips we’ve given here is designed to target a specific aspect of public speaking practice. Once you’ve done the scary bit of discovering your weaknesses, you can work on the techniques to get over them.

Remember, the key to becoming an effective speaker lies in practice and a willingness to learn from every experience.

If you would like to learn more about becoming a public speaker, why not take our Becoming A Public Speaker course? You can even try out a couple of lessons for free.