Extemp Commentary

Please note: 4n6u is in transition. We are working on getting content up as quickly as we can, but we have very grand plans, and we are a volunteer program. Please be patient with us as we start to get things up as efficiently as possible. 

Brief Overview

Extemp Commentary is an event that is only at a handful of tournaments. Not performed at either of the national tournaments, Commentary has made it's way into some state tournaments. Here is the low down on commentary:

It's similar to extemp in that students are given 30 minutes to prepare a speech and has a similar (if less rigid) structure. It's different from extemp in that 1) commentary presenters give their speech while sitting down, 2) commentary topics are phrases, not questions, 3) The speech maximum is 5 minutes, not 7 and 4) students are expected to give their opinions, or commentate on the given subject matter, given that the ideas presented must stray far away from being at all offensive. 

Judging Criteria

• Commentary Ballots

Click on the above images to view them in more detail

Additional Resources

Practice Commentary Prompts   - typed up in a way that is ready to be cut into individual prompts for students to use.

The vague Commentary outline