Step 1
Test speech
The Evaluation Contest begins with a five-to-seven-minute test speech. The speech must be a contest-type speech or a Pathways project speech.
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Test Speech Timer
Rehearse the Evaluation Contest test speech and handoff
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SpeechChoose the speaking format
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Toastmasters Evaluation Contest rehearsal
Test Speech Timer
The Evaluation Contest asks contestants to listen closely, prepare under a fixed handoff, and deliver a useful evaluation. Use the timer above for the five-to-seven-minute test speech, then rehearse the five-minute preparation block and separate two-to-three-minute evaluation.
Source note: This page reflects the Toastmasters Speech Contest Rulebook effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Read the official rulebook PDF, the speech contest guidance, and the rulebook library before a contest. SpeechTimer is an independent rehearsal tool; the contest chair and official timers remain authoritative.
Know the whole sequence
Evaluation Contest timing flow
A test-speech rehearsal is only the first part of the job. Keep the test speech, supervised preparation, and evaluation practice separate so the timer improves the exact skill you need.
Step 2
Leave and prepare
After the test speech, contestants leave the room—or remain under supervision when leaving is impractical—for five minutes of preparation.
Step 3
Present the evaluation
Each contestant presents a two-to-three-minute oral evaluation. The evaluation has no speech title in the contest introduction.
Step 4
Follow the chair
The official timers, contest chair, and Sergeant at Arms control the contest procedure. This page is an independent rehearsal aid.
Rehearsal cues, not invented rules
Test speech pacing cues
The official source defines a five-to-seven-minute test speech. These visible cues help a test speaker shape the run; they are not a substitute for the official contest team’s timing signals or briefing.
Five-minute cue
5:00
A rehearsal midpoint cue for the test speech’s five-to-seven-minute window. Confirm the event’s visible signals with the contest chair.
Six-minute cue
6:00
A close-preparation cue for the test speech. Stop opening new material and make the final point easy to evaluate.
Seven-minute cue
7:00
The upper end of the published test-speech window. Finish the rehearsal cleanly instead of relying on a last-second ending.
Practice boundary
7:31
A whole-second rehearsal boundary based on the current contest timing rules; it is not a replacement for official contest timing.
Give the evaluator something useful
Plan the five-to-seven-minute test speech
This arc is a rehearsal aid for a contest-type or Pathways project speech. Make the structure observable without revealing a project name or objective when the real contest brief forbids it.
Give the evaluator a clear frame
0:00–1:00Open with a concrete situation, purpose, or idea. A test speech can be unfamiliar, but it should still give the listener a path through the material.
Develop one understandable thread
1:00–3:00Build the speech with distinct points, examples, or story turns. The evaluator needs something specific to observe, not a sequence of unrelated fragments.
Make the strongest choice visible
3:00–5:00Use the middle of the test speech for the clearest evidence of structure, language, delivery, or audience effect. Give the evaluator an intentional moment to discuss.
Turn toward the close
5:00–6:00Use the green and yellow rehearsal cues to stop expanding the premise. Connect the strongest point to a conclusion that the evaluator can remember.
Finish with room to evaluate
6:00–7:00At the seven-minute cue, land the ending. A test speech that finishes cleanly gives the evaluator more useful material than one that runs into the boundary.
Delivery decisions
What makes a test speech useful to evaluate?
A visible structure
Give the listener a beginning, development, and close. The evaluator can then discuss choices instead of trying to reconstruct the speech’s purpose.
One strong decision
Let a delivery, language, organization, or audience choice become observable. A test speech with no clear decision gives the evaluator little to work with.
A clean ending
Finish before the upper boundary and leave a beat after the final sentence. The evaluation should be about the speech, not a rushed escape from the clock.
Before the next run
Test speech rehearsal checklist
Run the speech with the cues visible, then rehearse the full handoff: stop, leave or reset under supervision, prepare notes for five minutes, and deliver a separate evaluation. During an actual contest, follow the official notes sheet and device rules.
- At 5:00: is the speech’s main choice observable?
- At 6:00: have you stopped opening new material?
- At 7:00: is the conclusion already in motion?
- After: can you describe one useful evaluation point?
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Related Toastmasters rehearsal timers
Answers for Evaluation Contest practice
Test speech timer FAQ
How long is the Evaluation Contest test speech?
The current Toastmasters Speech Contest Rulebook says the Evaluation Contest begins with a five-to-seven-minute test speech. It must be a contest-type speech or a Pathways project speech.
How much preparation time follows the test speech?
Contestants have five minutes to prepare their evaluation after the test speech. Preparation is supervised by the Sergeant at Arms; when leaving the room is impractical, contestants remain under supervision in the same room.
How long is the evaluation speech?
The general timing rules state that Evaluation Contest speeches are two to three minutes, with qualification and disqualification boundaries handled in whole seconds. Confirm the current briefing and official timer procedure before competing.
Are the 5:00, 6:00, and 7:00 cues official Evaluation Contest signals?
This page uses them as practical rehearsal cues for the five-to-seven-minute test speech. The official rulebook defines the test-speech window and contest procedure; the contest chair and official timer control the signals used at your event.
Can I use digital notes during the contest?
The current rulebook says contestants must not use digital or other devices during the contest to gain an unfair advantage. Use the official Evaluation Contestant Notes sheet and follow the Sergeant at Arms’ instructions.
Is this an official Toastmasters contest timer?
No. SpeechTimer is an independent rehearsal tool. Use the current Toastmasters rulebook, the official contest materials, and the contest chair’s briefing when those instructions differ from this page.
Does the timer store my test speech or evaluation?
No. The timer measures a run in your browser and does not request or upload a speech, evaluation, contestant name, club, recording, or notes.