In the Wellspoken app

Impromptu speech topics

Forty prompts for speaking on the spot, in four groups from warm-up to stretch, with a simple structure to lean on. In the Wellspoken app you can spin for a random topic, speak for up to two minutes, and get scored.

Try it free in the app

Free to download. The free plan includes three practices a week.

How impromptu practice works in the app

  1. Pick a topic

    In Daily 60, spin the wheel for a random topic, browse topics and events, or write your own.

  2. Take a minute to think

    Start the optional 60 second countdown, read the structure tips, and write a few notes. You can also skip ahead and start speaking right away.

  3. Speak

    Record on video or audio only, for up to two minutes.

  4. See your score

    Your recording comes back with a Wellspoken Index, so you can see which areas stayed strong on the spot and which dropped.

What you get back

  • Your Wellspoken Index

    A score for the recording across six areas: Structure, Conciseness, Confidence, Pronunciation, Filler Rate and Pace.

  • More impromptu questions

    Q&A Practice has an impromptu category of ready-made questions, plus a Your Questions list for adding your own.

A structure for answering on the spot

Decide the shape of your answer before you start. Point, Reason, Example, Point is a simple shape that suits most prompts on this page.

  1. Point. Answer the question in one sentence.
  2. Reason. Say why you think so.
  3. Example. Give one specific story or detail that shows it.
  4. Point. Say your answer again in fresh words and stop.

Forty impromptu topics

Set a timer for one minute, pick a prompt, and start talking within five seconds. Starting fast is the exercise.

Warm-up

  • Describe your perfect day off.
  • What is the best meal you have ever had?
  • If you could live anywhere for a year, where would you go?
  • What is a small thing that always improves your day?
  • Which season is the best one, and why?
  • What is a skill you would love to learn?
  • Describe a place you know well to someone who has never been there.
  • What is the best gift you have ever received?
  • What would you do with an extra hour every day?
  • Which book, film or show would you recommend to anyone?

Opinion

  • What is a small opinion you hold strongly?
  • What is something you changed your mind about recently?
  • Is it better to be early or exactly on time?
  • What makes someone a good listener?
  • Should meetings have a hard time limit?
  • What is one habit everyone should try for a month?
  • What is overrated, and what is underrated?
  • Is it better to specialize or to know a little about a lot?
  • What makes a city a good place to live?
  • What advice would you give your younger self?

Work

  • What makes a meeting worth attending?
  • Describe a project you are proud of.
  • What is the best piece of feedback you have received?
  • How do you decide what to work on first?
  • What would you change about how your team communicates?
  • Describe something you learned from a colleague.
  • What does a good manager do?
  • Which tool or habit saves you the most time?
  • What would you tell someone starting out in your field?
  • What is a skill your job has taught you?

Stretch

  • Explain what you do for work to a ten year old.
  • If you had to teach a class on any subject, what would it be?
  • Describe a decision you made with incomplete information.
  • Pitch your favorite hobby to someone who finds it boring.
  • What is a problem in your field that deserves more attention?
  • Explain a concept you learned recently in under a minute.
  • Tell the story of a mistake that taught you something.
  • Argue for the opposite of something you believe.
  • What should your town or city build next?
  • Describe a person who changed how you think.
Daily speaking practiceA free web tool that spins a random topic and runs the timer for you.

How to get better at speaking on the spot

Start before you feel ready. Make your first sentence automatic: answer the question directly, then explain.

Give one example and make it specific. Pick something that really happened, because you already know the details.

End on purpose. When you have made your point, say it once more in a short sentence and stop.

Record a few and listen back. Patterns are easy to hear on playback.

Questions

  • How long should an impromptu speech be?

    One to two minutes is a good range for practice. It is long enough to make a point with an example and short enough to repeat several times in one sitting.

  • What makes a good impromptu topic?

    A good prompt is one you can answer from your own experience and take in more than one direction. Opinion questions and personal stories work well because the material is already in your head.

  • Is there a free random topic generator?

    Yes. The daily speaking practice tool on this site spins a random topic and runs a timer in your browser, with no signup. The Wellspoken app adds recording and a score.

  • Is impromptu practice in the app free?

    Yes. Wellspoken is free to download, and the free plan includes three practices a week.

Practice one topic today

Daily 60 gives you a random topic, a minute to think, and a score for how you spoke. Wellspoken is free to download, and the free plan includes three practices a week.

Try it free in the app

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