Extemp in 7 Minutes

Your seven-minute prep clock

• 1.0 to 1 min: take a side. Turn the question into a one-sentence answer.
• 2.1 to 3 min: pick three reasons that support it. These are your main points.
• 3.3 to 5 min: add an example or fact to each point. Note them, do not script them.
• 4.5 to 6 min: write your intro hook and your one-line conclusion.
• 5.6 to 7 min: say your intro and first point out loud once.

The speech skeleton

• 1.Hook: a question, a fact, or a short story.
• 2.Answer: your one-sentence position.
• 3.Roadmap: “I will give you three reasons.”
• 4.Three points: each is claim, reason, example.
• 5.Conclusion: restate your answer and end on your hook.

Sound in command

• •Signpost out loud: “First… Second… Finally…”
• •Speak from notes, not a script, so you look up and connect.
• •A confident pause beats an “um.” Silence is fine.
• •Land your last line on purpose, then stop.

A worked example

Prepped in about six minutes, delivered in four.

• •Question: “Should students be allowed to use AI tools for homework?”
• •Answer: “Yes, with limits. Used well, AI is a tutor, not a shortcut.”
• •Reason 1: It gives instant feedback. Example: a student stuck at 11pm gets unstuck instead of giving up.
• •Reason 2: It levels the field. Example: not every family can afford a private tutor.
• •Reason 3: It teaches a real-world skill. Example: adults already use these tools at work.
• •Hook: “At midnight, stuck on a problem, a student has two choices: give up, or ask for help.”
• •Conclusion: “Ban the shortcut, not the tutor. Teach students to use AI well, and they carry that skill for life.”

Common mistakes

• •No clear answer in the first ten seconds.
• •Three reasons that do not actually support the answer.
• •Reading from a full script instead of speaking from notes.
• •Running long and rushing the conclusion.
• •A weak ending. Circle back to your hook instead.

Your prep sheet

Copy this page and drill it. Fill it in fast, then speak from it, not from a script.

• •Question
• •My one-sentence answer
• •Reason 1 (and example)
• •Reason 2 (and example)
• •Reason 3 (and example)
• •My hook
• •My conclusion

Practice drill

• •Have someone hand you a random question.
• •Prep in seven minutes using the sheet.
• •Deliver in three to five minutes, standing.
• •Record it and watch it back once.
• •Do it again with a fresh question tomorrow.