Meaning & use
speech
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Meanings
nouncountable
A formal talk given to an audience.
Grammar: Takes make or give: give a speech.
Patterns
- give a speech
- a speech about something
The mayor gave a short speech at the opening.
Her wedding speech made everyone laugh.
He practiced his speech in front of the mirror.
noununcountable
The ability to talk, or the act of talking.
Grammar: No article: freedom of speech.
Patterns
- freedom of speech
- loss of speech
The injury affected his speech.
Speech develops quickly in toddlers.
Babies understand more than their speech suggests.
noununcountable
A particular way of talking, typical of a group or place.
Grammar: Often with an adjective: everyday speech.
The novel captures the speech of ordinary people.
Her speech has a gentle northern accent.
Slang is more common in casual speech.
noununcountabletechnical
In grammar, spoken words reported in writing.
Grammar: Appears in direct speech and reported speech.
Patterns
- direct speech
- reported speech
Direct speech repeats the exact words.
In reported speech, tenses often shift back.
The teacher explained how to punctuate speech.
Word forms
| plural | speeches |
|---|
Common combinations
- give a speech
- She gave a speech at the graduation.
- free speech
- Free speech is protected in many countries.
- speech therapy
- He attends speech therapy twice a week.
- keynote speech
- The keynote speech opened the conference.
- slurred speech
- Slurred speech can be a warning sign.
- figure of speech
- Break a leg is a figure of speech.
Synonyms and how they differ
- address
- Address is a formal speech given on a serious occasion, such as by a leader.
- talk
- Talk is less formal and shorter, and need not be prepared.
- lecture
- A lecture teaches a subject, while a speech may persuade or celebrate.
- oration
- Oration is a grand, formal speech, often old-fashioned.
Opposites
Word family
- speak verb
- to say words aloud
- speaker noun
- a person who speaks, or a device that outputs sound
- speechless adjective
- unable to speak because of strong emotion
- speechify verb
- to give long, tiresome speeches
Commonly confused: speech or speak?
speech vs speak
Speak is the verb and speech is the noun, so you give a speech but you speak to people.
Practice
The principal will ______ a speech at the graduation ceremony.
Choose one answer.
Give a speech is the standard collocation. Say, tell and speak do not take speech as their object in this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “speech”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.