3 Basic Types of Persuasive Speeches

Types of Persuasive Speeches

Persuasive speech? works with evaluative statements that can be supported by data and reasoning. The subject and the content of the speech determine what kind of persuasive speech it is. 

To list the types of persuasive speeches, they are: 

Factual Persuasive Speech

A factual persuasive speech is all about proving whether something is true or false. You use strong evidence to convince your audience that a statement or belief is accurate.

Some facts are easy to prove. For example, Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969, a well-documented event with plenty of evidence.

Other facts are trickier. Predicting if a stock will rise by 20% next year, for instance, is uncertain, even with data and expert opinions.

As a speaker, your role is to persuade your audience, who may act like judges or even opposition attorneys.

Examples of factual claims:

• “The global temperature has risen by 1.2°C over the past century due to human activities.”

• “The Great Wall of China was built mainly to protect against invasions from nomadic tribes.”

See this comprehensive, factual, persuasive speech example:

Value Persuasive Speech

A value persuasive speech focuses on whether something is right or wrong, good or bad, moral or immoral. It deals with ethical or moral judgments rather than hard facts.

For example, is capital punishment moral or immoral? Or should the government tax gas-guzzling cars more heavily? These are value-based topics where there’s no single “correct” answer.

The audience might agree or disagree, and your job is to explain the reasoning behind your stance. If a speaker claims all social media is immoral, they must clearly show the criteria behind that judgment for the audience to understand and consider it.

Examples of value claims:

• “Modern art is more valuable and thought-provoking than classical art.”

• “It is our ethical duty to reduce plastic use to protect marine life and the environment.”

For a deeper insight, take a look at this comprehensive example of a value persuasive speech:

Policy Persuasive Speech 

The other most common claim in persuasive speech is a policy claim. This claim is used to convince the audience to either accept or reject a certain policy, candidate, or rule. It argues the nature of the problem and the solution that should be taken. 

Probably, this is the most common type of persuasive speech because we live in a society surrounded by policies, rules, and laws.  

For instance, when a spokesperson calls for a revision of the legal definition of prostitution, they are urging immediate action and agreement. This type of claim presents a clear opinion about the necessary changes and the expected outcome.

Here are examples of policy claims:

• "The minimum wage should be increased to a living wage to help reduce poverty and improve living standards."
• "Companies should be required to offer paid parental leave to support working families."

Below is a detailed example of a policy persuasive speech:

Need topics for each type? Explore our extensive list of persuasive speech topics to get ideas!

Policy Claim: Immediate Action vs. Passive Agreement

A policy claim can have two goals: getting the audience to act immediately or simply agree with your idea.

Immediate Action
This persuades the audience to take a specific action right away. For example, a speaker encouraging students to eat more fruits might say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” prompting them to eat apples immediately. The quicker the audience acts, the more effective the speech.

Passive Agreement
Here, the goal is for the audience to agree or accept the idea without taking action. For instance, a speech promoting equal human rights for the LGBT community aims to gain support and agreement, not immediate behavior changes. Passive agreement shapes attitudes, beliefs, or values rather than actions.

Learn how to make a perfect persuasive speech outline with the help free templates in our blog.

Comparison Chart for Persuasive Speech Types

Here’s a clear comparison chart for the three types of persuasive speeches, along with guidance on when to use each:

Tips for Choosing the Right Persuasive Speech Types

• Know Your Goal: Decide whether you want to convince your audience about a fact, influence their values, or inspire them to take action. Your goal determines the type of speech you should use.

• Consider Your Audience: Think about what will resonate most. Facts work well with analytical audiences, values appeal to emotionally driven listeners, and policy speeches are ideal for action-oriented groups.

• Evaluate Your Evidence: If you have strong data or research, a factual speech might be best. If your topic is ethical or moral, a value speech works better. For solutions and change, policy speeches are ideal.

• Pick What You Can Defend: Choose a type you can confidently support. Make sure you can provide reasoning, examples, and evidence for your chosen approach.

• Stay Flexible: Some speeches can blend types. For example, a policy speech can include factual evidence and value-based arguments to strengthen persuasion.

Common Mistakes in Each Type of Persuasive Speech

• Factual Speeches: Relying on weak or outdated evidence, or presenting information without context. Avoid making claims that can’t be backed up.

• Value Speeches: Assuming everyone shares your ethical or moral perspective. Always explain the reasoning behind your judgments.

• Policy Speeches: Being vague about solutions or the actions you want the audience to take. Always provide clear steps or proposals.

• All Types: Ignoring the audience, overloading with too many points, or skipping a strong call to action. These weaken persuasion in any speech type.

Want to check persuasive speech examples? Head over to our detailed blog!

To wrap it up,

This guide has made the 3 types of persuasive speeches clear, so you should be able to write an effective one now.

Writing any type of persuasive speech can be tricky, but with some good examples, you can craft a strong speech.