Introduce yourself

My name's Jane Shaw. I'm responsible for travel arrangements.

For those of you who don't know me, my name's Tom Stotter.

As you know, I'm in charge of public relations.

I'm the new Marketing Manager.

State the purpose of your presentation

This morning I'd like to present our new processor.

Today I'd like to discuss our failures in the Japanese market and suggest a new approach.

This afternoon, I'd like to report on my study into the German market.

What I want to do this morning is to talk to you about our new mobile telephone system.

What I want to do is to tell you about our successes and failures in introducing new working patterns.

What I want to do is to show you how we've made our first successful steps in the potentially huge Chinese market.

State how you want to deal with questions.

If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them as we go along.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Perhaps we can leave any questions you have until the end?

There will be plenty of time for questions at the end.

Of course, these are only suggestions and other language is possible. Even within this limited group of phrases, just choose a few you feel comfortable with and learn and use those.

Exercise 1. Arrange presentation starters according to the plan on the left.

Starting a Presentation

Welcome them Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

I am responsible for travel arrangements

If you have any questions, I’ll be happy

Introduce yourself to answer them as long as we go along.

Perhaps we can leave any questions you

have until the end.

For those of you who don’t know me

my name is Tom Stotter.

State the purpose of your Feel free to ask any questions.

Today I’d like to discuss our failures in Presentation the Japanese market and suggest a new

approach.

This morning I ‘d like to present a new

processor.

Welcome to Microsoft

My name is Jane Shaw

Thank you for coming today.

Exercise 2. Complete the dialogues with the expressions.

1. If I could have everybody’s ______________ this morning? On ___________of Avis I would like to___________ you all here this morning. My name‘s Martin Twist and I am _______________ for service. This morning I’d like to ___________our new packages for travel agents. If you have any _____________you’d like to ask, I’d be happy to answer them.

2. Ok, let’s _________started._______________ everyone. Thanks _____coming. As ____of you know, my ________is Jenny Smith and I am in ______ of recruitment.__________ I want to do this morning is to_______ you to _________recent changes in employment law and _______you how that will mean changes in the way we recruit people. Feel _________to ask me _____questions you like as we go along.

Exercise 3. Rearrange the lines to make a paragraph.

Behalf

Present our plans for a new radiology unit

You who don’t already know me I am

Good morning Ladies and

Of mount Royal hospital, may I welcome here this morning. For those of

Gentlemen. My name is Freddy Mercure. On

Responsible for public relations. This morning I would like to

Any questions you have till the end of the presentation.

Perhaps we should begin.

Funds to our appeal. Perhaps we can leave

And launch an appeal for donors to contribute

Exercise 4. Read the text about presentation opening and answer the questions.

When crafting a presentation, be aware of how you open. Below is a list of a few ways to start your presentation off strong, but it’s certainly not exhaustive.

Personal story – This can be extremely powerful and memorable. I just wrote about a presentation I attended that opened with a great story, tying the entire presentation together.

Joke – Be careful with this though. Make sure it’s topical, appropriate, and actually induces laughter.

Video – You may want to briefly preface it to create some familiarity between you and your audience, but this can be very powerful when done effectively.

Thank your audience – Why not start by thanking your (often paying) audience? It’s the equivalent of complimenting your date and handing her flowers as soon as you pick her up. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but everyone likes to feel appreciated.

Ask a question/Start a conversation – I recently heard a presenter start his presentation by asking how many audience members hate when they are asked a question by the presenter. It was funny and got me thinking. Asking a question can be effective but it can also be annoying when the same question has been asked over and over again, most often at a conference where audience members sit through many presentations per day. At the SES Conference in New York, I can’t tell you how many times we were asked how many of us used social media tools. Instead, think of it as starting a conversation. Maybe that begins with a question, but actually engage someone (or a few people) in the audience in a real (albeit short) conversation that ties in with your presentation. Ask them a few questions to try and make your point. (Make sure one of those questions is what their name is.)

You can start with a strong affirmation that surprise or shock the audience. Imagine a speaker starting like this: “According to statistics, 8 people in this room will lose their jobs in the next year. I will give you 5 tips to avoid being one of them”. Would you listen to what he has to say?

Give the audience something to look forward to. “At the end of this presentation, I’m going to make an astonishing announcement, and you will be the first people in the world to hear it”, or perhaps “When you leave this room, you will have a completely different way of looking at technology”. You’ll have got the audience’s attention – just be careful because you need to meet their raised expectations.

Comprehension

1. What does it involve “start your presentation off strong”? Why is it important to grab the audience’s attention at the beginning?

2. What are the tools to be employed at the opening?

3. What determines the choice of the tool-the topic of the presentation, the personality of the speaker, the audience?

4. Should the presenter think of the tool to choose before the presentation or should he do it impromptu?

5. Which tool would you choose for yourself?

Signposting

When we are giving a presentation, there are certain key words we use to ’signpost’ different stages in our presentation. These words are not difficult to learn but it is absolutely essential that you memorize them and can use them when you are under pressure giving a presentation.

When you want to make your next point, you ‘move on’.

Moving on to the next point.

-I’d like to move on to the next point if there are no further questions

When you want to change to a completely different topic, you ‘turn to’.

-I’d like to turn to something completely different.

Let’s turn now to our plans for next year.

When you want to give more details about a topic you ‘expand’ or ‘elaborate’.

-I’d like to expand more on this problem we have had in Chicago.

-Would you like me to expand a little more on that or have you understood enough?

-I don’t want to elaborate any more on that as I’m short of time.

When you want to talk about something which is off the topic of your presentation, you ‘digress’.

-I’d like to digress here for a moment and just say a word of thanks to Bob for organizing this meeting.

-Digressing for a moment, I’d like to say a few words about our problems in Chicago.

-When you want to refer back to an earlier point, you ‘go back’.

-Going back to something I said earlier, the situation in Chicago is serious.

-I’d like to go back to something Jenny said in her presentation.

-To just give the outline of a point, you ’summarize’.

-If I could just summarize a few points from John’s report.

-I don’t have a lot of time left so I’m going to summarize the next few points.

-To repeat the main points of what you have said, you ‘recap’.

-I’d like to quickly recap the main points of my presentation.

-Recapping quickly on what was said before lunch,……

-For your final remarks, you ‘conclude’.

-I’d like to conclude by leaving you with this thought ……

-If I may conclude by quoting Karl Marx …….

Exercise1. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

I’d like to move on here for a moment

Let’s turn now I said earlier

I’d like to expand more a few points from John’s report

I’d like to digress points of my presentation.

Going back to something to the next point

If I could just summarize by leaving you with this thought

I’d like to quickly recap the main to our plans next year

I’d like to conclude on this problem in Chicago.

Exercise 2. Put the words in order to make a sentence.

1. to, the, moving, next, on, point.

2. completely, something, I’d, to, to, like, different, turn.

3. that, on, like, me, to, would, you, expand.

4. for, digressing, moment, a, to, go, Jane, back, I’d, something, like, said, to.

5. going, the, to, summarize, points, next, few, I’m.

6. on, lunch, before, said, what, quickly, recapping, was.

7. may, I, If, Marx, conclude, quoting, by.

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the words below.

Going back, expand(2), turn(2), digress, move on, digressing, elaborate, moving on

I’d like __________________to something completely different.

________for a moment I’d like to say a few words about Chicago.

I’d like to_____to the next point if there are no further questions.

____to something I said earlier, the situation in Chicago is serious.

I don’t want to _____any more on that as I am short of time.

I’d like to_____here for a moment and just say a word of thanks to Bob.

I’d like to____on this problem in Chicago.

Let’s__________ now for our plans for next year.

____________________ to the next point.

Would you like me to_____________a little more on that?

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences with the words below.

Recap, conclude (2), left, summarise (2), to, by, of ,leaving, go back, recapping, conclude

I’d like to_______ _______something Jane said in her presentation.

If I could just _____________a few points ________John’s report.

I don’t have a lot of time_____ so I am going to _____the next points.

I’d like to quickly ___the main points _____my presentation.

__________quickly_______what was said before lunch,…..

I’d like to__________by _________you with this thought

If I may ______ ________ quoting Karl Marks…