Question

A student sitting at a desk with a pencil and notebook in front of him. He is looking straight ahead. There are students writing in notebooks at their desks in the background.

Victor has been given the assignment to deliver a 5-7 minute speech on the topic of “The Right to Vote” to his ninth grade US Government class. Help Victor decide on a specific purpose by giving him 1 or 2 suggestions for a narrow persuasive speech topic, and 1 or 2 suggestions for a narrow informative speech topic.

Answer 1

Here are a few narrow, classroom-ready specific-purpose options Victor can use for a 5–7 minute speech on “The Right to Vote.” Each includes a one‑sentence specific purpose and a 2–3 point preview Victor could cover.

Persuasive (choose 1)
1) Specific purpose: To persuade my classmates that 16- and 17‑year‑olds should be allowed to vote in local elections.
- Preview: (1) How allowing 16–17 year olds to vote increases civic engagement and strengthens schools/local policy, (2) examples of U.S. towns/countries that already do this and the results, (3) a simple plan for implementing the change at the local level.

2) Specific purpose: To persuade my classmates to pre‑register (or register immediately upon turning 18) and commit to voting in the next local or national election.
- Preview: (1) Why early registration matters and how young votes influence issues that affect students, (2) step‑by‑step how to pre‑register/register, (3) a clear call to action (sign up today / set a reminder).

Informative (choose 1)
1) Specific purpose: To inform my classmates about three major expansions of voting rights in U.S. history—the 15th, 19th, and 26th Amendments—and what each change meant for American democracy.
- Preview: (1) What each amendment did, (2) the historical context and groups affected, (3) short-term and long-term impacts on turnout and civil rights.

2) Specific purpose: To inform my classmates about the voter registration and voting process in our state so they’ll know exactly what to do when they become eligible.
- Preview: (1) How and where to register (including online/pre‑registration if available), (2) what ID and documents are typically required and voting options (early, absentee, in‑person), (3) tips to avoid common mistakes on election day.

Pick one persuasive or one informative specific purpose that matches Victor’s interest and the audience. If he wants, I can help turn any of these into a short outline or an opening sentence.