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Speech Outline Generator

Enter your topic, specific purpose, central idea, introduction, main points with sub-points and transitions, and conclusion, and get a full-sentence outline in the Roman-numeral format public-speaking courses teach. Persuasive speeches can follow Monroe's Motivated Sequence instead. Honest templates, no AI. Free, no sign-up.

Speech type

Topic, purpose, and central idea

Introduction

Body

Main point 1

Start a line with “-” to make it a supporting detail of the line above.

Main point 2

Start a line with “-” to make it a supporting detail of the line above.

Main point 3

Start a line with “-” to make it a supporting detail of the line above.

Conclusion

Your speech outline

17 parts still to write

Speech Outline

Informative speech · full-sentence outline

To write: Name your topic in a few words.

To write: Write one infinitive phrase that names your goal: “To inform my audience about …”.

To write: Sum up the whole speech in one full sentence; every main point should follow from it.

Introduction

  1. I.

    [To write: Attention-getter — open with a story, a question, a quotation, or a striking fact that leads into your topic.]

  2. II.

    [To write: Credibility — tell the audience why you can speak on this topic: experience, study, or research.]

  3. III.

    [To write: Preview — name your main points in one sentence.]

Body

  1. I.

    [To write: Main point 1 — state it as one full sentence that supports your central idea.]

    1. A.

      [To write: Support the point with facts, examples, statistics, or testimony — one full sentence each, naming the source.]

To write: Transition — link point I to point II: sum up the first, then introduce the second.

  1. II.

    [To write: Main point 2 — state it as one full sentence that supports your central idea.]

    1. A.

      [To write: Support the point with facts, examples, statistics, or testimony — one full sentence each, naming the source.]

To write: Transition — link point II to point III: sum up the first, then introduce the second.

  1. III.

    [To write: Main point 3 — state it as one full sentence that supports your central idea.]

    1. A.

      [To write: Support the point with facts, examples, statistics, or testimony — one full sentence each, naming the source.]

Conclusion

  1. I.

    [To write: Summary — signal the end and restate your main points.]

  2. II.

    [To write: Memorable close — end with an image, a quotation, or a callback to your opening.]

References

Tip: List every source you quote or cite aloud, in the style your instructor requires (often APA or MLA). In the speech itself, name each source as you use it: “According to …”.

To write: Add your sources here.

How to Use the Speech Outline Generator

  1. 1. Choose the speech type. Informative speeches explain; persuasive speeches ask the audience to believe or do something. For a persuasive speech, choose plain main points or Monroe's Motivated Sequence.
  2. 2. Write the purpose and central idea. The specific purpose names your goal (“To inform my audience how…”); the central idea is the whole speech in one sentence.
  3. 3. Build the introduction and body. Add an attention-getter, a credibility statement, and a preview, then two to five main points. List sub-points one per line, start a line with “-” to put a supporting detail under the line above it, and write a transition for each move between points.
  4. 4. Close and export. Add a summary and a memorable close — plus, in Monroe's sequence, the action you want — then copy, download, or print the outline.

The Full-Sentence Outline Format

A full-sentence outline writes every point as one complete sentence, so you can test the logic of the speech before you rehearse it. Introduction, Body, and Conclusion are labeled sections. Within each, main points take Roman numerals, sub-points capital letters, and supporting details Arabic numerals; transitions sit between main points in parentheses and are not numbered.

The format, abridged

Specific purpose: To inform my audience how honeybees use the waggle dance.
Central idea: The waggle dance tells other bees the direction and distance of food.

Introduction
I. Attention-getter
II. Credibility
III. Preview

Body
I. The waggle dance is a figure-eight run performed on the comb.
   A. The bee waggles her abdomen during the straight part of the run.
   B. Other bees follow her and learn the scent of the flowers she visited.
(Transition: Now let's see how the dance gives directions.)
II. The angle of the run gives the direction.
   A. A run straight up the comb means fly toward the sun.
      1. Bees change the angle as the sun moves across the sky.

Conclusion
I. Summary
II. Memorable close

Some instructors number continuously through the whole speech (I. Introduction … V. Conclusion) instead of starting again at I in each section. Follow the format your course uses; the structure underneath is the same.

Monroe's Motivated Sequence

Alan H. Monroe introduced the sequence in his 1935 textbook Principles and Types of Speech. It orders a persuasive speech around what the audience needs to hear next — from noticing a problem, to accepting a solution, to acting on it.

StepWhat it doesWhere it sits
AttentionMakes the audience want to listenIntroduction
NeedShows a problem and why it matters to this audienceBody, main point I
SatisfactionPresents a solution that meets the needBody, main point II
VisualizationShows the future with the solution — or without itBody, main point III
ActionAsks for a specific, doable stepConclusion

Common Speech Outline Mistakes

  • Keywords instead of sentences. “Bees — dance — direction” cannot be checked for logic. Full sentences show whether each point supports the central idea.
  • Too many main points. Audiences remember two to five. If you have seven, some of them are sub-points.
  • Missing transitions. Listeners cannot reread. A transition that sums up one point and introduces the next keeps them with you.
  • A vague call to action. “Think about donating” asks for nothing. Name the action, the place, and the time.
  • Sources only on paper. Name your sources aloud as you use them; the audience never sees your reference list.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a full-sentence outline?
A full-sentence outline states every main point, sub-point, and transition as a complete sentence in standard outline format. Instructors often require one before a speech because it shows whether your ideas connect; you then speak from a shorter speaking outline or note cards.
How many main points should a speech have?
Most speeches need two to five, each supporting the central idea directly and each with its own supporting material. Monroe's Motivated Sequence uses three body steps — need, satisfaction, and visualization — between the attention step and the call to action.
What is Monroe's Motivated Sequence?
A five-step structure for persuasive speeches, introduced by Alan H. Monroe in 1935: attention, need, satisfaction, visualization, and action. It moves an audience from noticing a problem, to accepting a solution, to doing something about it.
How is an informative outline different from a persuasive one?
The format is the same; the purpose differs. An informative outline explains a topic, and its specific purpose begins “To inform…”. A persuasive outline argues for a belief or action, begins “To persuade…”, usually answers objections, and ends with a call to action.
Should a speech outline include citations?
Yes. Most courses want sources cited in the outline and listed at the end in APA or MLA style, and the speech itself should name each source aloud as you use it, such as “According to a 2024 report by…”.
Does the speech outline generator write my speech?
No. It places your own points into a correct outline, numbers them, and shows a prompt for any part still missing. Nothing is written by AI, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

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