Last updated: October 2026
Quick answer: To write a comedy sketch, start with one funny idea, find the “game” (the unusual thing that makes it funny), ground it in a normal situation, then heighten the game three to five times and end on a button line. Format it like a short script with scene headings, action and dialogue, and keep it to about three to five pages.
Key takeaways
- One sketch, one idea. A sketch is built around a single comic premise.
- Find the game: the unusual behavior or pattern that makes it funny.
- Heighten, don’t repeat. Each beat should play the game bigger than the last.
- End on a button, not on a character walking off.
- Keep it short. Three to five pages covers most stage and TV sketches.
What is a comedy sketch?
A comedy sketch is a short, self-contained comic scene built around one idea. Sketches usually run a few minutes, have a small cast, and don’t rely on an ongoing story. That’s the main difference from a sitcom, where characters return every week and stories build across an episode. (For long-form writing, see our guide to writing a comedy script.)
Sketch has a long history on stage and TV. Your Show of Shows ran live on NBC from 1950 to 1954, with a writers’ room that included Mel Brooks and Neil Simon. Monty Python’s Flying Circus aired 45 episodes on the BBC from 1969 to 1974. The Carol Burnett Show ran on CBS from 1967 to 1978.
How do you write a comedy sketch? 8 steps
1. Start with one funny idea
Ideas come from everywhere: a strange sign, an overheard conversation, a job you hated, a “what if” about something ordinary. Write a list. A good sketch idea can usually be described in one sentence: “a job interview where the interviewer keeps getting more desperate to hire you.”
2. Find the game
The game is the specific unusual thing that makes the idea funny. It’s a term from improv training, and it’s the most useful tool in sketch writing. In the example above, the game is the interviewer’s desperation, which flips the normal power dynamic of a job interview.
3. Ground it in a real situation
The game only works against a normal backdrop. Set up a recognizable place and a “straight” character who reacts the way the audience would. The straight character’s reactions tell the audience what is strange.
4. Heighten the game three to five times
Each new beat should play the same game, only bigger. The interviewer offers a higher salary, then a company car, then their own office, then begs. Repeating the same joke at the same size gets weaker; escalating it gets stronger. Three to five heightening beats is a common shape for a sketch this length.
Carol Burnett’s “Went with the Wind!” parody is one of TV’s best-known sketches. Its costume gag, a dress made from curtains, is now in the Smithsonian.
5. Find the button
The button is the final line or image that ends the sketch on a laugh. It either tops the game one last time or flips it with a twist. A weak ending, like a character just leaving, can sink an otherwise funny sketch.
6. Format the script
For filmed sketches, use standard screenplay format. For stage sketches, a simpler layout works:
INT. CORPORATE OFFICE – DAY A tidy interview room. DANA (30s, nervous) sits across from MARK (50s, sweating through his suit). MARK So. When can you start? Today? Now? DANA I haven't told you my name yet. MARK Doesn't matter. Do you want a car?
Keep action lines short, put character names in capitals, and give each beat its own space on the page.
7. Cut it to three to five minutes
A page of script is roughly a minute of screen time. If your sketch runs past five or six pages, look for beats that repeat the game at the same level and cut them.
8. Do a table read and rewrite
Read the sketch out loud with other people. You’ll hear immediately which lines land and which beats drag. Most sketches go through several drafts before they’re performed.
Common types of sketch
| Type | How it works | Example idea |
|---|---|---|
| Character sketch | Built around one strange or extreme person | A wedding planner who treats every couple like a military operation |
| Premise sketch | Built around an unusual situation | A restaurant where the waiter reviews you |
| Parody | Imitates a known show, film or genre | A nature documentary about office workers |
| Commercial parody | A fake ad for an absurd product | A meal kit that only sends one ingredient |
| Runner | A short recurring bit across a show | The same delivery driver at the wrong door every scene |
Where can you learn sketch comedy in Los Angeles?
LA has two of the best-known sketch and improv schools in the country. The Groundlings, formed in 1974, have been on Melrose Avenue since 1975. The Upright Citizens Brigade theater at 5919 Franklin Avenue in Hollywood reopened in September 2022. See our guide to comedy clubs in Los Angeles for more rooms.
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More comedy guides from The LA Note
- Comedic timing: what it is and 9 ways to improve your delivery
- How to write a stand-up comedy routine
- Types of comedy, explained with examples
- Stand-up comedy tips for your first open mic
- How to write a comedy script
- How to be funny: tips from the way comedians think
- Comedy clubs in Los Angeles: where to see stand-up
- The best stand-up comedians of all time
- Careers in comedy: jobs, writers’ room roles and how to start
- Improv comedy: what it is, the rules and how to start
- Comedy festivals worth knowing (including LA’s biggest)
Frequently asked questions
How long should a comedy sketch be?
Most stage and TV sketches run about three to five minutes, which is roughly three to six script pages. Online sketches are often shorter, from 30 seconds to two minutes.
What is the game of a sketch?
The game is the one unusual pattern or behavior that makes the sketch funny, repeated and escalated. In improv and sketch training, finding the game is the first job: once you know what the funny thing is, every beat of the sketch should play it bigger.
What format should a sketch script use?
Most sketch writers use standard screenplay format for filmed sketches: scene heading, action lines and character dialogue. For stage or live TV sketches, a simpler format with character names in caps and dialogue underneath is common.
What is the difference between a sketch and a sitcom?
A sketch is a short, self-contained scene built around one comic idea, with no ongoing story. A sitcom has recurring characters, a continuing world and full story arcs across an episode.
How do you end a comedy sketch?
End on a button: a final line or image that tops the game one last time, or a twist that flips it. Avoid ending with a character simply walking off.
Sources
- Your Show of Shows, Wikipedia (1950–1954, writers)
- Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Wikipedia (1969–1974)
- The Carol Burnett Show, Wikipedia (1967–1978, “Went with the Wind!”)
- The Groundlings, Wikipedia (formed 1974, Melrose Avenue)
- Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Wikipedia (Los Angeles reopening)
Image credits
- Featured image: Monty Python in 1978, by Distributed by Arista Records (Q664167), via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Cropped to 16:9.
- A sketch on The Carol Burnett Show, 1977, by CBS Television, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
- The City Center building, where Your Show of Shows was written, by Spudgun67, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Vianka Petines is a sharp, versatile writer with a gift for creative flair and the colorful details that make an artist’s story come alive. One of The LA Note’s most prolific contributors, she covers music and entertainment across the board. Away from the keyboard, she’s happiest helping her family and playing with her pets.
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