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On this page you will find some language for presentations, also known as 'signpost' phrases. Many of these are similar to (or the same as) the lecture cues a lecturer uses. They are another example of the formulaic language used in academic contexts. You do not need to learn all of these phrases. Your basic aim is to be able to use at least one phrase for each function (e.g. expressing purpose and showing the structure in the introduction , using transitions between sections, referring to visual aids , concluding ).
How many more you learn after this is up to you. Presentations usually have many visual aids and transitions, so it would be useful to learn two or three different phrases for these functions. On the other hand, you will only state the purpose once in a presentation, so one phrase is enough for life!
The introduction is a crucial part of any presentation. There are many functions which you need to achieve:
Phrases for all of these are given in the box to the right.
Greeting the audience
Expressing the purpose
Giving the structure
Giving the timing
Handling questions
It is important to be able to refer to your visual aids appropriately. Some useful phrases for visuals are shown to the right.
Visual aids
A vital part of any presentation is 'transitioning' (moving on) to a new section. Why is this so crucial? Mainly because of the difference between listening and reading. When you are reading, you can easily see where one section (or paragraph) ends, and another begins. This is not true when you are listening. To help with this, good academic speakers, whether in presentations or lectures , give cues to signal the end of a section. This helps the listener understand the structure and follow the main points.
Some useful transition phrases are shown to the right.
Transitions
There are some other phrases which are useful in a presentation. These include giving examples, summarising a point or section, and making a digression.
Giving examples
Summarising
Digressing
The conclusion, like the introduction, has several functions which you need to achieve:
Summing up
Concluding
Like the website? Try the book. Enter your email to receive a free sample from EAP Foundation: Academic Presentations .
Below is a checklist for presentation language. Use it to help you prepare. You can download a copy of the checklist from the speaking resources page .
(I can/the speaker does) | ||
of the presentation | ||
inform the audience about and | ||
using appropriate language | ||
give between sections | ||
and | ||
and |
Read more about body language in the next section.
Read the previous article about presentation structure .
Author: Sheldon Smith ‖ Last modified: 10 January 2022.
Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .
The language for presentations involves common 'signpost phrases' which help understand the structure.
The structure of a presentation is straightforward, with introduction, main body, conclusion, and Q&A.
Taking part in academic discussions increases your understanding and challenges your ideas, and may form part of your assessment.
Agreeing and disagreeing in academic discussions is always done politely, often using certain common phrases.
Asking for and giving opinions is important if you want to express your ideas and have a voice in discussions.
Visual aids such as PowerPoint and handouts, help your audience to follow your spoken presentation.
Spend most of your time practicing, not perfecting your slides.
Many leaders quickly lose their confidence and competence when making business presentations. For a subset of them — those who need to present in English when it isn’t their native language — the stakes and the stress can feel even higher. Meanwhile, the need for leaders to be able to present in English is required for global collaboration. There are several strategies nonnative English speakers can employ to help them feel more confident before, during, and after a presentation. Rehearsal and repetition are crucial steps. The goal here is “overlearning” your presentation. This will help your presentation to become embedded in your long-term memory and therefore less susceptible to the effects of stress. It will also help you speak spontaneously, if you can trust that your core content is safely stored (and able to be retrieved) from your long-term memory. Don’t agonize about your accent, but do slow your speaking speed. And pause early and often, which serves two benefits – first, to help your audience comprehend your message, and second, to give you a break.
As a coach and international business school instructor, I have worked with hundreds of current and future leaders who are accomplished, bright, and capable — and who quickly lose their confidence and competence when making business presentations. For a subset of these leaders — those who need to present in English when it isn’t their native language — the stakes and the stress can feel even higher. Meanwhile, the need for leaders to be able to present in English is growing at a rapid pace. According to Harvard Business School Associate Professor Tsedal Neely , author of The Language of Global Success , “English is required for global collaboration and global work.”
How to make your presentation sound more like a conversation.
The main difference between strong, confident speakers and speakers who seem nervous in front of the room is in how relaxed and conversational they appear. Here are some basic pointers that will help you create a conversational tone when speaking, regardless of the size of your audience.
1. Avoid using the word, “presentation.” Every time you say, “I’m here to give you a presentation on X,” or, “In this presentation, you’ll see…,” you are emphasizing the formal, structured, sometimes artificial nature of the interaction. No one wants to be “presented” to. Instead, use language that emphasizes a natural, conversational exchange. “We’re here today to talk about X,” or “Today I’ll be sharing some ideas regarding Y.” You can even go so far as to say, “I’m glad we have time together today to discuss Z.” Even if your talk is not going to truly be a dialogue, you can use language that suggests engagement with the audience.
2. If you are using PowerPoint, avoid using the word “slide.” Instead of talking about the medium, talk about the concepts. Swap out, “This slide shows you…,” for, “Here we see….” Instead of saying, “On that slide I showed you a moment ago,” say, “A moment ago we were discussing X. Here’s how that issue will impact Y and Z.” Casual conversations don’t usually involve slide decks. Just because your complicated presentation on tax exposure, supply chain issues, or new health care regulations requires you to use slides, doesn’t mean you have to draw attention to that fact that the setting is formal and structured.
3. For many large-group events, speakers are provided with what’s called a “confidence monitor,” a computer screen that sits on the floor at the speaker’s feet showing the slide that appears on the large screen above the speaker’s head. Avoid using confidence monitors. Our natural inclination when using a confidence monitor is to gesture at the bullet point we’re discussing at the moment. However, we are pointing to a bullet point on the screen at our feet, which the audience can’t see, so it creates a disconnect between us and the audience. Instead, stand to the side of the large screen and gesture at the bullet point you’re talking about so that the audience knows which point you are discussing at the moment.
4. Don’t tell your audience, “I want this to be interactive.” It’s your job to make it interactive. If you are delivering the type of presentation where your audience size allows you to create true engagement with your listeners, create that connecting in stages to “warm up” the audience. Stage One engagement is to ask the audience a question relevant to your topic that you know most of the audience members can respond to affirmatively. “Who here has ever bought a new car?” or, “How many of you have ever waited more than 5 minutes on hold on a customer service line?” Raise your hand as you ask the question to indicate to the audience how to respond. Whoever has raised their hand has now participated in the discussion. They have indicated a willingness to engage. Stage Two engagement is calling on one of the people who raised their hand and asking a specific, perfunctory question. Again, it needs to be a question they can answer easily. If your first questions is, “Who here has bought a new car?” you can then call on someone and ask, “How long ago,” or “What kind of car did you buy most recently?” If your first question was, “Have you ever waited on hold for more than 5 minutes,” you can’t ask, “What company were you calling at the time?” The people who raised their hands weren’t thinking of a specific instance; they were just thinking broadly about that type of experience. You could, however, call on someone and ask, “Do you prefer when they play music or ads for the company’s products?” Anyone can answer that question. At that point, you are in an actual dialogue with that person. Stage Three engagement is asking them a question where they need to reveal something more personal. “How does that make you feel when you hear those ads?” You’ve warmed up your audience and drawn them in with baby steps. Now you have actual, meaningful audience participation.
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5. Use gestures. When we’re speaking in an informal setting, we all use hand gestures; some people use more than others, but we all use them. When we try to rein in our gestures, two things happen that diminish our speaking style. First, we look stiff and unnatural. We look like we are presenting a guarded or cautious version of ourselves; we look less genuine. Second, hand gestures burn up the nervous energy we all have when speaking in front of a large group. That’s good. When we try to minimize our hand gestures, we tie up that nervous energy and it starts to leak out on odd ways, where we start to tap our foot, fidget with our notes or microphone, or tilt our head side to side to emphasize key points. Just let the gestures fly. It’s unlikely they will be too large or distracting. I have coached people on their presentation skills for 26 years. In that time, I have met three people who gestured too much. Everyone else would benefit from using their gestures more freely.
The impact we have as communicators is based on the cumulative effect of many different elements of our delivery. These suggestions alone won’t make you a terrific presenter. They will, however, add to the overall package your present of yourself when speaking to large audiences.
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Presentations - types and structures
This is a standalone lesson but it can also be used as part of the set titled:
In this lesson about business presentations in English, students discuss presentation structures in depth, watch a video with tips on giving presentations , and learn useful words and phrases related to the topic.
The lesson is the first of the three-part series of lessons about delivering presentations. You will find the second part of the series here and the third part of the series here .
The lesson starts with a matching exercise in which students learn some common collocations (e.g. step up your game, nooks and crannies ). After that, students use the collocations to complete six statements referring to business presentations (e.g. joking during a presentation, using visual aids). Then, students discuss if they agree with the statements or not. Before watching the video about virtual presentations, students decide whether the tips listed in the task should be on the ‘do’ or ‘don’t’ list . They watch the video and check their answers. During the second viewing, students have to answer a few comprehension questions about the video. This task is followed by a short discussion during which students share their opinions on what they learned from the video.
This part of the lesson starts with a vocabulary exercise . Students read a short text explaining what an elevator pitch is, and find words (e.g. affable, detract from ) which match the given meanings. Then, they briefly discuss the idea of an elevator pitch and other types of business presentations. After that, students match descriptions to four types of presentations (e.g. annual stakeholder report, team briefing ). In the last part of the lesson, students do a speaking activity in which they talk about structures of different kinds of presentations (e.g. pitching an app to investors, giving a demo for the MVP ). They also brainstorm possible challenges each of them presents, and discuss what tips they would give to a person delivering the presentation.
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wow! Really useful the lesson!
With this lesson, students talk about funding sources, address scepticism and watch a video about common myths of crowdfunding. They also explore vocabulary, analyse successful crowdfunding campaigns and create their own projects.
With this lesson, students talk about subscription models, explore vocabulary and discuss their personal experiences and opinions. They also watch a video featuring advice on how to manage subscriptions and discuss real-life services.
With this speaking lesson, students navigate the territory of career changes. They discuss job market trends, as well as benefits and challenges of transitioning careers. They also talk about important skills and watch a video about a woman who changed careers.
Explore the fascinating field of technology and podcasts with this lesson! After reading an article, students discuss the use of AI in podcasts, practise vocabulary to talk about the topic and discuss their ideas if they launched a 100% AI-generated podcast.
Dive into the realm of job interviews with this lesson. Students practise job interview vocabulary, watch a video for tips, talk about what can make an interview successful and learn about the STAR approach for responding to interview questions.
With this up-to-date lesson, students discuss work life after lockdown and practise vocabulary to talk about workplace changes. They also watch a news video about companies changing the way they work and discuss different work models.
Dive into the intriguing world of emailing and talk about what annoys people the most. With this lesson, students expand their vocabulary, express irritation, and analyze real-life situations.
Engage your students in a discussion on the ins and outs of higher education. Explore education and career-related vocabulary and work on comprehension skills by watching a news report on the job market.
Let your students share opinions on getting promoted and being noticed at work. They will discuss hypothetical situations, share experiences and comment on advice from a video.
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English in the workplace can almost feel like another language ! There are so many idioms and phrases that seemingly have nothing to do with business, yet they are heard in meetings around the world every day.
Here are the meanings behind 14 of these tricky (but really useful!) phrases.
English uses many sports analogies, and this one comes from baseball. In baseball, a runner must touch each base before they can score, and in business, you must make contact or communicate with others regularly to be successful.
Circle back is another way to say return to a topic at another point in time . It’s often used when there might not be enough time to fully discuss something or when the discussion isn’t really moving forward anymore.
This short phrase means that you’re ready to start doing something . You have everything you need and are ready to begin, in other words, you are good to go !
The word sync (and the phrase sync up ) is short for synchronize , which means two or more things working together. In the business world, sync is used to refer to the process of re-connecting and re-aligning with colleagues , often in regularly scheduled meetings. It can be a verb ( to sync about something ) or a noun (let's chat in our next sync ).
No one likes to talk about things like planned cancellations or endings , especially in the business world, which is why the term sunsetting has become a common alternative. It has an almost poetic sound to it!
Looping someone in means to keep them informed . It’s often used when you’re going to let someone else know about a potential change or action.
Sometimes abbreviated to AHOD, this idiom means that everyone (all hands) must be available and ready to assist (on deck). Interestingly, this phrase was first used in sailing, which makes sense because deck literally means the floor of a ship where sailors gather in an emergency.
Ah, another sports reference! In American football, punting refers to a specific strategic play, but in business it means to give up or reprioritize something .
While the literal meaning of flesh is the part of a body between the skin and bones, the expression flesh something out is used when you want to make something more complete by adding details .
This classic phrase means to think in a creative or innovative way , which is a great quality to have both in business AND in language learning!
This idiom includes a reference to one of the most important human inventions: the wheel! It means that sometimes it’s actually more useful to take a previously existing idea and build from it rather than change it completely.
Life in the business sphere can be hectic, so it’s often very useful to get all your ducks in a row , or organize all your tasks and schedule so that you’re ready for whatever’s next.
Bite the bullet sounds like it might hurt, which makes sense because this expression means to do something unpleasant usually because you have to . Better bite the bullet and commit these English idioms to memory!
The back burner refers to the back part of a stove, which is usually used less often, and for this reason, putting something on the back burner means to put something on hold or consider doing it later .
Now you can use these common English business idioms effectively in your next meeting… ahem, *sync*!
When to use apostrophes in english, how to talk about the olympics in french.
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If you need more specific vocabulary, like for a presentation to the board, your manager, or a client on their finances, check out our blog post on the most common English for accounting vocabulary. 4. Prepare some visual aids. These days, most people use a slide deck when presenting business ideas.
The Top 3 Tips for Preparing Your Business Presentation in English 1. Have a Plan. Always have a plan. Spend some time thinking about not only what you're going to say but how you're going to say it. If English isn't your native language, it's very important that you think about what language you're going to be using.
Examples of informative presentations: Team briefings presentation. Annual stakeholder report. Quarterly business reviews. Business portfolio presentation. Business plan presentation. Project presentation. Helpful templates from SlideModel: Business plan PowerPoint template.
35 best phrases for business English presentations. How business executives can give the most effective presentations in English with confidence. ... Giving a great presentation in any language is difficult. Giving a great presentation in English as a non-native English business executive is a more difficult task. The good news is that there ...
2 Be enthusiastic. Believe me, vibes matter. No one wants to hear you drone on about a subject you don't care for. If you're tired and bored of your own presentation, your audience is probably feeling the same way. Anyone listening to you should know how passionate you are about the subject.
Business jargon on the other hand, relies on obscure phrases, clichés, and acronyms. In many cases, business jargon is complex, not very precise and a barrier to good communication. We have some useful resources on Business English on this page. However, if in doubt, keep the language of your presentation as simple and clear as possible.
Here are some phrases which you can use to structure the introduction in this way: Introduce. 1. Good morning/afternoon (everyone) (ladies and gentlemen). 2. It's a pleasure to welcome (the President) here. 3. I'm … (the Director of …) Introduce the presentation topic.
Read more on Business communication or related topics Power and influence, Presentation skills and Public speaking Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of ...
The general structure of a presentation is the following: It is up to you to design these three parts. Using videos or everyday-examples can be a great way to introduce the audience to the topic. The important thing is that you capture the audience's attention from the beginning by making an interesting introduction.
There are 4 modules in this course. This course teaches you language and techniques that will help you make effective presentations in English. The final task is to develop a well-organized, persuasive presentation using charts and graphs that sells your city as a venue. The course focuses on students who have an intermediate level of English ...
There are a few key phrases and vocabulary for presentations that can be useful in this situation. By using these business English phrases, you can start your presentation in a confident and professional way. 7. I'm excited to share with you what we've been working on.
Complete the gaps in these extracts from presentations: Practice Exercises Match the phrasal verb with its synonym. 1. Wrap up a. Cover 3. Walk through c. Focus on 2. Look at b. Lead through, explain 4. Deal with d. Make contact later 5. Get back to e. Finish, end Phrasal verbs for presentations Hi everyone, for those who _____ I'm Francesco ...
Phrases for introducing visuals. It's important to introduce your visual to the audience. You can use the following phrases: "This graph shows you…". "Take a look at this…". "If you look at this, you will see…". "I'd like you to look at this…". "This chart illustrates the figures…". "This graph gives you a ...
understand the speaker more easily. get an idea of the length and content of the presentation. We've divided the phrases and sentences into sections which follow the logical progression of a well-balanced presentation. 1. Welcoming. Good morning and welcome to [name of company, name of conference hall, hotel, etc.].
The business English presentation phrases you use, how you present your points, and the overall language command play a significant role in conveying your message effectively. Presenting in a business setting often involves explaining complex ideas, discussing financial matters, and persuading potential clients or stakeholders.
We also offer bespoke business solutions for staff training and assessment. You can learn English with our expert trainers in our London centre at 15 Holland Park Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, or you can choose to study English online in groups or in individual classes. Contact us online or via phone +44 (0) 207 605 4142.
recommendations off (without brainstorming suitable language). Beginning the presentation/ Introduction ⚫ You really should show that you have noticed the audience/ try to make a personal connection to the audience ⚫ I'd recommend always mentioning your company or university/ introducing yourself with
Communication phrases for meetings and presentations. If you're leading a big pitch or simply need help arranging a meeting, the following 10 phrases are essential. "I'll send out a meeting request" - Used when arranging a meeting with colleagues/planning an interview.
Introduction. A good way to make your presentations effective, interesting and easy to follow is to use signpost language. 'Signpost language' is the words and phrases that people use to tell the ...
First, the language of effective business presentations truly is an international language that isn't dependent on geographical boundaries. Second, performance techniques are the core of dynamic public speaking. Third, successful communication trumps any particular language choices you make; and fourth, your relationship with your audience ...
greet the audience. express your purpose. give the structure. give the timing. handle questions. Phrases for all of these are given in the box to the right. Greeting the audience. Good morning/afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning/afternoon, everyone.
There are several strategies nonnative English speakers can employ to help them feel more confident before, during, and after a presentation. Rehearsal and repetition are crucial steps. The goal ...
1. Avoid using the word, "presentation." Every time you say, "I'm here to give you a presentation on X," or, "In this presentation, you'll see…," you are emphasizing the formal ...
The lesson starts with a matching exercise in which students learn some common collocations (e.g. step up your game, nooks and crannies). After that, students use the collocations to complete six statements referring to business presentations (e.g. joking during a presentation, using visual aids). Then, students discuss if they agree with the ...
English in the workplace can almost feel like another language! There are so many idioms and phrases that seemingly have nothing to do with business, yet they are heard in meetings around the world every day. Here are the meanings behind 14 of these tricky (but really useful!) phrases. Touch base
Giving a presentation in any language can be difficult. But here is how you can speak clearly and confidently—even if you are not fluent. [Photo: Marcel Schauer/Adobe Stock]