The Definitive Ranking of 24 Public Speaking Skills: From Worst Habits to Essential Mastery

By Wade Paterson

Not all public speaking skills are created equal. Some are non-negotiable foundations of a great presentation, while others are nice-to-haves — and a few are habits you should abandon entirely. After years of studying, coaching, and delivering speeches, I've ranked 24 public speaking skills into a tier list from F (the habits that actively hurt you) all the way up to S (the skills that separate good speakers from unforgettable ones). Some of these rankings might surprise you. A few will almost certainly spark debate. But that's exactly the point — let's get into it.

F Tier: The Habits You Need to Eliminate Immediately

These aren't just weak skills — they're active liabilities. If you're doing any of these, stop today.

• Starting with a dictionary definition. "Ladies and gentlemen, Webster's dictionary defines love as..." This is one of the most clichéd openings in the history of public speaking. Whether it's a wedding toast or a business keynote, there are far stronger, more original ways to begin. Retire this one permanently.
• Apologizing before you start speaking. "I'm sorry, I'm not really a public speaker. I'm actually really nervous right now, so bear with me." This kind of opening strips away your credibility before you've even begun. If you've been asked to speak, you've been asked for a reason. Skip the apology. Jump in with confidence — even if you have to fake it a little at first.
• Reading off your slides. This is probably the most common F-tier offense. Turning your back to the audience and reading every word on your slides signals that you're not confident in your material. It suggests you're learning the information alongside your audience rather than teaching it. If you use slides, limit the text to three to five words per slide, use large images, and let the visuals supplement your message rather than replace it.

D Tier: Common Practices That Hold You Back

These habits aren't catastrophic, but they're weak foundations that limit your impact as a speaker.

• Opening with "thank you." This one might ruffle some feathers, but hear me out. Starting your speech with "Thank you for this opportunity, I'd like to thank everyone for being here" is an incredibly common — and incredibly weak — opening. Audiences are so used to hearing it that it doesn't register. Instead, jump right into a story or ask a thought-provoking question. You can always thank the audience later, but don't waste your most valuable real estate — the opening — on pleasantries.
• Standing behind a lectern. Many stages come equipped with a lectern, and too many speakers grip the sides and plant themselves behind it for the entire presentation. This limits your body language, restricts your vocal variety, and often leads to the temptation of reading notes. If you have access to a handheld or lapel mic, step away from the lectern entirely and use the full stage.
• Memorizing your speech word for word. This approach might feel safe, but it's actually fragile. If nerves hit, a distraction occurs, or you lose your place, the entire thing can unravel. A far better approach is to build your speech in chunks — distinct sections you know well but can deliver with slight variation each time. This creates natural-sounding delivery while giving you the flexibility to adapt in the moment.

C Tier: Important but Overrated

Here's where things get controversial. These skills matter, but they're not as critical as many people assume.

• Dress and appearance. Yes, you should understand the dress code and dress appropriately for the occasion. But some of the best presenters I've ever seen were dressed casually — a hat, a sweater, nothing flashy. What made them compelling was their confidence and subject matter expertise, not their outfit. Don't get so hung up on what you're wearing that you neglect what you're saying.
• Vocabulary. Some speakers paint vivid pictures with rich, evocative language. Others keep things simple and still move their audiences profoundly. An impressive vocabulary is a nice-to-have, but it's not a dealbreaker. Clarity and connection will always outweigh complexity.
• Filler words. This is probably the most controversial ranking on the entire list. Filler words — the "ums," "uhs," and "you knows" that creep into our speech — are generally considered a cardinal sin of public speaking. And yes, eliminating them does make you sound more polished. But here's the thing: some of my favourite speakers use plenty of filler words, and their content is so compelling that it barely matters. Reducing filler words is a worthy goal, but it's far from the most important skill you can develop.

B Tier: Valuable Skills That Elevate Your Presentations

Now we're getting into the skills that genuinely separate competent speakers from good ones. These are well worth developing.

• Transitions. This is an underappreciated skill that most people never think about. Great speakers — and especially great MCs — have a seamless ability to move between ideas, segments, or speakers. Strong transitions make a speech feel cohesive and intentional rather than disjointed. It's a subtle art, but it matters more than most people realise.
• Energy and enthusiasm. Your audience will feed off your energy. If you come out flat and monotone, you'll struggle to hold anyone's attention. That said, I've seen low-energy speakers succeed because they were genuine subject matter experts, and I've seen high-energy speakers fall flat because the enthusiasm masked a lack of substance. Energy matters — but it needs to be backed by real content.
• Audience awareness. The best speakers are present and adaptable. When something unexpected happens — someone spills a drink, a phone goes off, a glass shatters — elite speakers can read the room and decide in real time whether to address it, joke about it, or power through. This kind of situational awareness elevates a presentation, though speakers without it can still deliver great content if they've prepared well.
• The closing. How you end your speech matters enormously. One of the most satisfying techniques is the "full circle" close, where the last thing you mention connects back to the very first thing you said. It gives the audience a sense of completeness and resolution. I came close to ranking this in the A tier, but I've seen too many strong speakers end somewhat abruptly without it ruining an otherwise excellent presentation.
• Pacing. The speed at which you deliver your words can immerse an audience in your story. Speed up to build tension and excitement; slow down to let a moment breathe. Pacing is an elite skill that adds texture and emotional depth to your delivery, but it's not quite essential enough to crack the A tier.

A Tier: The Skills That Make Speakers Truly Great

These are the skills that separate good speakers from genuinely great ones. Master these, and you'll be in rare company.

• Preparation and practice. There is no substitute for putting in the reps. We've romanticised the idea of "winging it," but even the most naturally talented speakers would deliver a better presentation with more practice. Rehearsing your speech multiple times builds an irreplaceable foundation of confidence that shows the moment you step on stage.
• Pausing. Pausing is the underdog of public speaking skills. Most speakers underestimate how powerful silence can be. A well-placed pause after a profound statement gives your audience time to absorb the idea — and it makes you look like an absolute authority on your subject. Mastering the confident pause is one of the fastest ways to level up your delivery.
• The hook. Audiences decide within seconds whether they find a speaker interesting. That makes your opening critical. There are three reliable ways to hook attention: jump straight into a story without any preamble, ask a thought-provoking question that creates curiosity, or share a powerful statistic that surprises the room. Nail the hook, and you earn the audience's attention for everything that follows.
• Eye contact. Eye contact creates accountability and connection. When you scan the room — or, in large venues, different sections of the room — you create the feeling that you're speaking to everyone. This makes your audience less likely to reach for their phones and more likely to stay engaged. And for virtual presentations, remember: eye contact means looking at the camera, not at the faces on your screen.
• Humour. Humour is one of the most powerful tools in a speaker's arsenal. When your audience laughs, two things happen simultaneously: they relax because they know they're in good hands, and you relax because you have proof they're enjoying themselves. It creates a virtuous cycle that elevates the entire experience. It's not quite S-tier because great speakers can succeed without it — but it's close.
• Speech structure. A clear structure ensures your audience can follow along and extract maximum value from your presentation. Without it, even brilliant ideas come across as disjointed and purposeless. A five-point speech structure is one of the easiest frameworks to remember — and it allows you to detach from notes, freeing you to make eye contact, use body language, and connect with your audience naturally.

S Tier: The Non-Negotiable, Elite-Level Skills

These are the skills that define truly exceptional speakers. They're the foundation upon which every other skill is built.

• Authenticity. If you're trying to be someone you're not on stage — cracking canned jokes that don't fit your personality, adopting a persona that feels forced — your audience will notice. Authenticity doesn't mean you can't improve or grow as a speaker. It means that at the core of your message, you remain true to who you are. Whatever speech you're building, keep it anchored to your genuine self, and you'll always have a solid foundation to build from.
• Vocal variety. Your voice is an instrument, and the best speakers play it masterfully. Getting louder to emphasise a point, softening to draw the audience in during an emotional moment, changing tempo to build tension or create relief — research suggests that roughly 38% of how a message is communicated comes down to vocal tone and variety. This skill encapsulates several others on this list, including pausing and pacing, and it's one that every speaker should continually work to refine.
• Body language. Studies suggest that 55% of how a message is communicated comes through body language — not through words, not through vocal tone, but through what we do with our hands, our facial expressions, and our movement on stage. This is precisely why hiding behind a lectern is so limiting. Step out, use hand gestures, let your facial expressions reinforce your message, and move with purpose. Body language is arguably the single most important element of how your audience receives what you have to say.
• Storytelling. Stories are remembered 22 times more than facts alone. That single statistic should tell you everything you need to know about why storytelling earns the top spot. When you weave stories into your presentation, you give your audience something to hold onto long after the applause fades. And here's the beautiful thing about stories drawn from lived experience: they don't require notes. They live in your memory already. This means your speech becomes less about memorising a script and more about assembling a puzzle of ideas and narratives that work together cohesively. If you develop only one skill from this entire list, make it this one.

The Complete Tier List at a Glance

• F Tier (Eliminate these): Dictionary definitions, apologising before speaking, reading off slides
• D Tier (Weak habits): Opening with "thank you," standing behind a lectern, memorising word for word
• C Tier (Overrated): Dress and appearance, vocabulary, filler words
• B Tier (Valuable): Transitions, energy and enthusiasm, audience awareness, the closing, pacing
• A Tier (Essential): Preparation, pausing, the hook, eye contact, humour, speech structure
• S Tier (Elite): Authenticity, vocal variety, body language, storytelling

Public speaking is a multifaceted skill, and no single element exists in isolation. The best speakers combine authenticity with storytelling, vocal variety with strategic pausing, and thorough preparation with genuine audience connection. Whether you're preparing for a wedding toast, a boardroom presentation, or a keynote address, use this tier list as a roadmap. Start by eliminating the F-tier habits, then work your way up — investing your energy where it matters most. The skills at the top of this list aren't just techniques to learn; they're the qualities that transform a speaker from forgettable to unforgettable.