Advice for Intermediate Level Monologs

Well, first thing is NOT TO BE SCARED. Remember Roosevelt's "There is nothing to fear but fear itself".

The best thing you can do is to practice. Let me give you a few tips. First, choose a topic. For example get a Sunday magazine; the topic of pretty much any feature article would make a good topic, just think of it a little bit in abstract terms. For reference, here is a list of topics from several sources that I have used in past years. Next, you spend two or three minutes preparing your speech.

How do you prepare? Use the following structure. Structure, however basic it may be, is very important and makes it much easier to follow. Think of at least three basic things to say, and you should think of at least one concrete example, or personal experience, of what you are saying.

Sample Topic and structure: Low-cost holidays Introduction 1) Low-cost airlines Comparison to past and explanation of what they are 2) Accommodation Youth hostels and backpacking: advantages and disadvantages 3) Best time to travel Alternatives depending on length of stay Conclusion

For instance, if you are speaking about low-cost holidays you may mention low-cost airlines, youth hostels and backpacking and the best time of the year to do it (summer holidays, long weekends,...). What you do is explain what they are, or give advantages or disadvantages, or anything like that. For instance:

"In the last few years there are many more low-cost airlines than before / In the last few years a lot of new low-cost airlines have appeared, .... Flying used to be very expensive, but now, if you have a few hundred euros there are many destinations that you can visit... This includes the capital city of each European country, and also many smaller destinations in each country like Valladolid, Liverpool...Sometimes you have problems with these airlines, but they provide many new opportunities .... Regarding accommodation, I think youth hostels are a very good option, very convenient ... and rather cheap. Many times they are very well located near the city center. One positive thing is that you can meet a lot of people and do things with them. They are also tourists as you are.... Sometimes there are disadvantages, people can be too noisy, or the place may not have some facilities like a laundry .... Another question is about the best time to travel... for backpack travelling, or even for camping, I think summer holidays are the best, because you can be out for several weeks and you save much more money compared with regular hotels ... Of course, if what you want is to spend a low-cost weekend on a European city, maybe it is not worth it and the best option is to look for an inexpensive hotel. One that is comfortable but not too luxurious."

Then you give an example of one time you did it, "I remember the last low-cost trip I took I went to Prague, I was there for four days. I flew with ..... I did have time to visit the most important places such as .... and it was not at all expensive. Altogether, less than .... for four days. That's not too bad, isn't it?

The two other important parts of the structure are the introduction and the conclusion. Your monolog is not a really formal presentation, so they are not an absolute requirement. I recommend that you use them, though. In your introduction just announce some of the points you will make, you don't need to be exhaustive. Don't say everything, just give one or two ideas (si lo enuncias todo y se te olvida luego decir algo, no queda bien. Si solo enuncias parte, y luego dices más, es más vivo, y parece que tienes capacidad de mucho más). Use different words than what you will use later, and be brief and to the point, or it will later sound repetitive. Your conclusion should clearly signal the end of the speech. You can use one final idea, or a joke, or just review the main points you covered.

For instance, an introduction "Talking about low-cost travelling, I think there are a few important points to consider. First, you need to know how to go to your destination, for instance with a low-cost plane ticket. Then you need to know where to stay. I mean, if it is going to be a hotel, a youth hostel and so on..." / “Thinking about low-cost travelling, a few ideas come to mind. I mean, you need to take some decisions: for example, where to go, how to get there, where to stay or spend the night, for how long… Regarding transportation, I think in the last few years….”

For instance, a conclusion "Finally / To conclude / As a final point, I just want to encourage everybody to go on short low-cost trips if they can. It is a wonderful way to disconnect and feel relaxed before you come back to everyday life". Another example: "To sum up, I will just say again what I think are the most important points to keep in mind: low-cost flights, inexpensive accommodation and length of the trip… and how to get the money for it".

Ok, I hope this helps.  Anyways, these are suggestions and not rules. Once again, you prepare for about two/three minutes and you speak for about four minutes. Rehearse at least five or six times. Don't panic if it is not good at the beginning. If you have a recorder, practice with it two or three times; if not, there are websites where you can record yourself. Ask me if you don’t know any.