I remember the first time I stood in front of people and had to give a speech in school. It was terrifying! I can’t imagine giving that same speech in another language. Luckily, this blog post will help in overcoming some of that fear of speaking in public:
“When it comes to presentations, expressing your ideas clearly and keeping your audience focused are the two primary goals. To focus your presentation on people, you should stick to a clear-cut structure, while ensuring a smooth transition between your ideas.” - Preply
Here are some important phrase and words to help you get started:
Presentation Structure
Greeting
Introducing yourself
Outlining or overviewing your topic
Timing and question policy
The main body
Conclusion
Answering questions or suggesting a discussion
Thanking the audience
Welcoming your audience
How to start a presentation? Open with a greeting and thank people for coming. Here are some opening statements, ranging from formal to informal:
Good morning/afternoon/evening (ladies and gentlemen). I welcome you here today.
Hello everyone. I’d like to welcome you.
Hi everyone. Thanks for coming.
Introducing yourself
Tell the audience your name, company, and position. If you are looking for more tips, take a look at FluentU’s post about introductions. For American introductions, take a look at this useful guide.
On behalf of (Company), I’d like to welcome you here. My name is (Name), and I am (Title) at (Company).
My name is (Name) and I’m the (Title) at (Company).
I’m responsible for/in charge of (Job) at (Company).
Introducing the topic
Today, I’d like to talk to you about …
I would like to take this opportunity to talk to you about …
By the end of the presentation, you will know how to …
If you’re looking for creative ways to start a presentation or a strong hook to begin your talk, consider telling a story.
Overview and outline phrases
After you introduce yourself, walk the audience through the main points you are going to cover during your presentation.
My presentation is divided into (number) parts/sections.
My presentation is in 3 parts.
To begin with/Firstly, I’m going to look at/I’ll show you …
Following that I’ll/Next/Then …
And finally, we’ll look at …
Timing and question policy
Inform your audience how much time you will take and whether you are going to answer the questions during or at the end of your presentation.
My presentation will take about X minutes.
My presentation will last for about X minutes.
Feel free to interrupt if you have any questions.
I’d be happy to answer any questions at the end of my talk.
The main body
Using linking words is an excellent way to keep your audience concentrated from start to finish. Such words serve as “signposts” that tell the audience where you are now and when you start a new idea. If you want to change the topic or proceed to a new point, use phrases like “Okay,” “Right,” or “Moving on to … .”
Beginning the main body
I’d like to start with …
Okay, so let’s start with …
To begin with …
Beginning a new section of the main body
So, let’s move on to …
So, let’s turn to …
So, now we’ve come to …
Now, I’d like to discuss …
Closing points of the main body
So, that completes … Let’s move on to …
So, that’s it on … Now, moving on to …
Okay, I’ve explained how … Now, I’d like to discuss …
Hold your audience’s attention by using lists and visual aids during the presentation. When you speak about processes, goals, pros, and cons, or strategies you may want to list them.
Useful words for listing
There are three advantages to … First, … Second, … Third, …
There are two types of … One is … Another is …
There are five stages of the process. The first is … The second is …
With visuals, remember to prompt your audience to spend a few minutes studying the added information. It’s also necessary to introduce every visual and explain why it is important.
Presentation words introducing visuals
If you look at this graph, you will see …
From this chart, we can understand how …
This chart shows how …
Ending of the main body
That’s all for now on …
Okay, that ends the third part of my talk …
Ending of a presentation
Business presentations usually end with a summary. What is more important, you should relate the end to the subject matter.
37. That’s it on … for today. In brief, we’ve covered …
38. Well, that concludes my presentation for today. We’ve talked about …
39. Returning to the original question, I suggest that we …
40. That brings me to the end of my presentation. I hope you’re a little clearer on …
Prepare to speak confidently
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Top of Form
Involving an audience in the discussion
Thank the audience for listening, suggest a discussion and (optionally) define the timing.
Thank you for listening. Now we have (timing) for questions.
That concludes my talk. I’d be happy to answer any questions.
Thank you for your attention. I’d be happy to take any questions.
Comment the question before you answer:
Thank you for your question.
That’s an interesting question.
I’m glad you asked me that.
Clarify if you don’t understand the question.
Are you asking about/if …
Make sure that the person who asked is happy with the answer.
I hope this explains it to you.
Does this answer your question?
Thanking your audience
End your professional business presentation by thanking your audience.
Thank you very much for your attention.
A brief afterword
A good structure makes it easier for your audience to stay with you from start to finish. Linking words ensure that proper structure is in place, which gives you a boost of confidence that everything goes according to the plan.
When it comes to keeping your audience focused during your talk, connecting words are your best friends. Using them, you ensure that people actually follow your train of thought. Finally, they will help you convince, educate or inform people about something being clear and staying on topic.
Now try it yourself! http://www.businessenglishpod.com/2011/01/23/bep-177-business-english-presentations-making-an-impact-part-1/