In short, it depends on your speech , your English language skills , and your personality . If your speech is long, over ten minutes, then it might be best to memorize it , or at least a part of it. Memorizing a speech is a double edge sword, however. It can make you feel more confident, but your delivery may sound canned . If you can manage to deliver your speech with bullet points only , do so.

Bullet pointing has many benefits. Namely, it allows you to stay loose with the material, and have a conversation with the audience, a dialogue, rather than a monologue. You can take a break after speaking for a few minutes and poll the audience, or deliver a content-appropriate impromptu joke , or show a video. If you memorize your speeches , it’s possible you don’t engage your audience enough . Challenge yourself to think differently.

Another factor in regard to whether you should memorize your speeches is your English language skills. If you struggle with English, it is certainly best to write the whole speech out. Make sure to use simple language , research pronunciation , and circle difficult words in your speech so you remember to take your time while pronouncing them.