Tongue-Tied! What Should I Do If I Forget My Speech?

The speech-crafting process is not easy – especially if you want to design a compelling, powerful, and moving speech. For most of us, the most painful part of this process is having to memorise and Internalise the speech that you have prepared. When you have to commit to daily meetings or regular presentations, it may be a complete chore to memorise every single script you have. Worse still, what if you forget your next sentence or line during your presentation?

This fear often translates to an excessive amount of importance being placed on the script. We call this the script dependency – where you are so beholden to the physical script in your hand that any change in the flow may throw you off-balance. Losing that script, however, is the first step to sounding more credible, powerful, and trustworthy as a speaker. Find that video of your favourite motivational speaker, and you are unlikely to find him/her poring over a script while presenting.

Sounds too good to be true? Here are three quick tips on how you can master your script and present like a pro on stage!

Tip #1: Digest that Bite-Sized Script

A common mistake some of us may make is to try and internalise the full script in one sitting. This may involve rote learning methods (such as repeating portions of the speech until you have memorised the full speech). Instead, to make it easier on your stomach mind, break your script into bite-sized portions so that it is easier to remember. Beyond reducing the number of words you have to memorise in one sitting, this ensures that you retain the key points in your mind (instead of leaving them on the script).

One method to divide your script is to use the Full-Half-One Method. Start with your full script (complete with the body language cues inside!). Next, assume that you only have half the time allocated to you for the presentation – what are the main points you would extract and still not dilute the value of the presentation? Finally, imagine you only have one sentence or one minute for each point you want to make – what is your crucial main point? While you can still bring your physical script to the stage, this method forces your mind to retain and extract the key points that you need to deliver – even if you forget your entire speech midway!

Tip #2: Using Prompts as a Plan

Once you have your key points scaffold from the previous method, the next step is more straightforward. Dividing your script into its core points is not just beneficial for you. It also ensures that your audience members can pick up the same key points and retain them as a summary of your speech. In short, they act as speech-prompts for yourself and the audience.

Use these speech prompts in place of your full script. These prompts will be easier to refer to (imagine your eyes glazing over a full A4 page, frantically finding the word you forgot!). You can even have them as part of a teleprompter if you are presenting on a big stage. Beyond reducing your dependence on the full script, this frees you up to present comfortably on stage with a fuller range of body language elements. Your speech-prompts will act as your overall plan to guide you through your delivery.

Tip #3: Pause, Project, Recover

But, what if I forget what I want to say midway through my speech? Fret not – that should not be the end of your presentation so don’t panic and run off the stage just yet! Instead, take a pause to reflect on your last point/sentence. Try some trigger questions such as: what is my next important point? / was there a story to share? / what question can I ask the audience? As a last resort, try reasserting or emphasising your last point as a ‘pause’ for your speech.

Once you get past that initial mental hurdle, the next step is to guide your audience to your next point. You can project forward by picking out another key point or message in your speech first. In short, use a point that you readily remember instead of the frustrating task of picking out the point that you forget. Build towards an actual rest point (such as a break or an activity) for you to do a quick check of your speech prompts or script before recovering! While honesty works (e.g. “I do apologise but let me get back to one point that I missed out …”), you can still make your detour seem like an original plan you had, especially if your audience did not notice the point you missed out!

Final Thought:

Lose that Script!

We know that it is easy to recommend communicators to lose their script. That process, however, requires a careful build-up of confidence instead of simply diving in. We hope that with the three points above, you can start to reduce the dependence on your script. Free yourself up to present naturally and comfortably on stage!

Also WATCH “How To Prepare For Your Speech, Rehearse Like A World Champion” by our Founder & 2016 World Champion of Public Speaking, Darren Tay:

By The Way…

If you’re keen to take your public speaking skills & presentation skills (either business/corporate presentation / training for presentation to clients / kids in-class presentation) to the next level so that you may communicate and deliver speeches with greater flair and charisma, feel free to check out our offerings below!

For more about our Public Speaking Course for Adults :

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/courses-and-programs/group-classes-for-adults/

If you’re also looking for Public Speaking Course for Kids / Children:

https://publicspeakingacademy.com.sg/group-classes-students-age-9-18/