Starting a Presentation

In modern English, Presentations tend to be much less formal than they were even twenty
years ago. Most audience these days prefer a relatively informal approach. However, there is
a certain structure to the opening of a Presentation that you should observe.
1. Get peoples attention
!. "elcome them
#. Introduce yourself
$. %tate the purpose of your presentation
&. %tate how you want to deal with 'uestions
Get people's attention
If I could have everybodys attention.
If we can start.
Perhaps we should begin(
)ets get started.
Welcome them
"elcome to Microsoft.
*han+ you for coming today.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
,n behalf of Intel, Id li+e to welcome you.
Introduce yourself
My names -ane %haw. Im responsible for travel arrangements.
.or those of you who dont +now me, my names *om %totter.
/s you +now, Im in charge of public relations.
Im the new Mar+eting Manager.
State the purpose of your presentation
*his morning Id li+e to present our new processor.
*oday Id li+e to discuss our failures in the -apanese mar+et and suggest a new
approach.
*his afternoon, Id li+e to report on my study into the German mar+et.
"hat I want to do this morning is to tal+ to you about our new mobile telephone
system.
"hat I want to do is to tell you about our successes and failures in introducing new
wor+ing patterns.
"hat I want to do is to show you how weve made our first successful steps in the
potentially huge 0hinese mar+et.
State how you want to deal with questions.
If you have any 'uestions, Ill be happy to answer them as we go along.
.eel free to as+ any 'uestions.
Perhaps we can leave any 'uestions you have until the end(
*here will be plenty of time for 'uestions at the end.
,f course, these are only suggestions and other language is possible. Even within this limited
group of phrases, 1ust choose a few you feel comfortable with and learn and use those.
Signposting
"hen we are giving a presentation, there are certain +ey words we use to 2signpost2 different
stages in our presentation. *hese words are not difficult to learn but it is absolutely essential
that you memori3e them and can use them when you are under pressure giving a
presentation.
When you want to make your next point, you mo!e on".
Moving on to the ne4t point.
I2d li+e to move on to the ne4t point if there are no further 'uestions
When you want to change to a completely different topic, you turn to".
I2d li+e to turn to something completely different.
)et2s turn now to our plans for ne4t year.
When you want to gi!e more details a#out a topic you expand" or ela#orate".
I2d li+e to e4pand more on this problem we have had in 0hicago.
"ould you li+e me to e4pand a little more on that or have you understood enough(
I don2t want to elaborate any more on that as I2m short of time.
When you want to talk a#out something which is off the topic of your presentation,
you digress".
I2d li+e to digress here for a moment and 1ust say a word of than+s to 5ob for
organi3ing this meeting.
6igressing for a moment, I2d li+e to say a few words about our problems in 0hicago.
When you want to refer #ack to an earlier point, you go #ack".
Going bac+ to something I said earlier, the situation in 0hicago is serious.
I2d li+e to go bac+ to something -enny said in her presentation.
$o %ust gi!e the outline of a point, you "summari&e".
If I could 1ust summari3e a few points from -ohn2s report.
I don2t have a lot of time left so I2m going to summari3e the ne4t few points.
$o repeat the main points of what you ha!e said, you recap".
I2d li+e to 'uic+ly recap the main points of my presentation.
7ecapping 'uic+ly on what was said before lunch,88
'or your final remarks, you conclude".
I2d li+e to conclude by leaving you with this thought 88
If I may conclude by 'uoting 9arl Mar4 88.
Sur!i!al (anguage
In modern English, Presentations tend to be much less formal than they were even twenty
years ago. Most audience these days prefer a relatively informal approach. However, there is
a certain structure to the opening of a Presentation that you should observe.
I got the language for todays lesson from an e4cellent boo+ by Mar+ Powell called
:Presenting in English :.

If you get your facts wrong.
I am terribly sorry. "hat I meant to say was this.
%orry. "hat I meant is this.
If you ha!e #een going too fast and your audience is ha!ing trou#le keeping up
with you.
)et me 1ust recap on that.
I want to recap briefly on what I have been saying.
If you ha!e forgotten to make a point.
%orry, I should 1ust mention one other thing.
If I can 1ust go bac+ to the previous point, there is something else that I forgot to
mention.
If you ha!e #een too complicated and want to simplify what you said.
%o, basically, what I am saying is this.
%o, basically, the point I am trying to get across is this.
If you reali&e that what you are saying makes no sense.
%orry, perhaps I did not ma+e that 'uite clear.
)et me rephrase that to ma+e it 'uite clear.
If you cannot remem#er the term in )nglish.
%orry, what is the word I am loo+ing for(
%orry, my mind has gone blan+. How do you say escargot in English(
If you are short of time.
%o 1ust to give you the main points.
/s we are short of time, this is 1ust a 'uic+ summary of the main points.
'riendly 'ace
"hen you stand up in front of that audience, you2re going to be really nervous.
Poor spea+ers pay little or no attention to their audience as people. 5ig mista+e.
If you can see your audience as a group of individuals, you2ll be much more li+ely to connect
with those individuals.
%tart loo+ing around your audience. %ee that big guy with his arms folded and an ;impress
me2 loo+ on his face( 5est not to loo+ at him too much. How about that lady with the big
smile, loo+ing encouragingly towards you( ,9, that2s your mother, she doesn2t count. 5ut
that other lady with a similar smile is someone you don2t +now. 5ut from now on she2s your
;friend2. Every time that you need any encouragement, loo+ in her direction. Ma+e good eye
contact. Establish a form of communication between you.
/nd now you2ve found one ;friend2, you2ll begin to see others in the audience. Pic+ out
;friends2 all round the room. If you see an ;impress me2 person and get discouraged, switch
your view bac+ to one of your ;friends2.
,nce you are aware that there are people in your audience who want you to succeed, you2ll
be much more li+ely to succeed.
*icrophones
Microphones can be a real problem. <ery few of us use them fre'uently and so, when we
have to tal+ into them in an already nervous state, we can easily ma+e elementary mista+es.
/s a general rule, try to spea+ more clearly when you are using a microphone. =It will
probably help if you spea+ a bit more slowly.>
If you have a free?standing mi+e, step bac+ from it a bit. *his will enable you to spea+ louder
and to vary your tone and inflection. If you are too close, your voice will sound monotonous
and your audience will fall asleep.
6on2t turn your head away from the microphone while you are spea+ing. 5ut do turn it away
if you cough or snee3e@
/ny little movement you ma+e, such as shuffling your papers, will be amplified by the mi+e.
0ut out the nervous gestures@
If you are wearing a clip?on mi+e, ma+e sure it is not rubbing up against some clothing or
1ewellery. *he noise this ma+es could ruin your presentation.
If you have a radio?mi+e, ma+e sure it is switched on when you are presenting and switched
off at all other times. *his particularly applies when you go to the restroom@
+ealing with ,er!es
/lmost everybody is nervous when they stand up to spea+. *here2s no shame in being
nervous. However, if you are too nervous, your an4iety will spread to your audience, ma+ing
them nervous in turn.
%o how can you stop yourself from feeling too nervous( Here are a few tips.
1. 6on2t get hung up about being nervous. It2s a normal human reaction. 6on2t ma+e
yourself more nervous because you2re nervous.
!. "al+ off your e4cessive nervousness. If possible, wal+ outside and get some fresh air at
the same time. 5ut a wal+ down the corridor is better than no wal+.
#. 6on2t let your legs go to sleep. 9eep the blood supply moving. 9eep both feet on the floor
and lean forward. "iggle your toes. If you can stand up without disturbing anybody, do so.
$. "or+ your wrists, arms and shoulders to get the tension out of them. Gentle movements,
not a ma1or wor+out, will remove that tension.
&. "or+ your 1aw. Gentle side?to?side or circular motion will help to loosen it.
A. 7epeat positive affirmations 'uietly to yourself. BI am a good presenter.C It may seem
corny but it wor+s.
D. /bove all, breathe deeply. Ma+e sure your stomach is going out when you breathe in.
6on2t be self?conscious about these warm?up activities. Most good spea+ers do them. Most
people won2t even notice that you are doing them. *hey2re here to hear you spea+, they2re
not interested in what you do when you are not in the limelight.
Stand -p When .ou Speak
I don2t thin+ you2re going to li+e today2s point. I don2t li+e it very much myself but it2s got to
be done. .or most purposes, when you give a presentation you should stand. Eot clutching
the bac+ of your chair for support, not leaning against the podium but two feet on the floor
facing your audience.
*here are times when sitting is right. "hen it2s an informal discussion, for e4ample, where
everybody is to contribute. 5ut most of the time you need to stand.
Fou can move around the room. *his has the simple effect that people will loo+ at
you, not shut their eyes and drift off
Fou can ma+e eye contact with everybody
Fou can reach all your props and teaching material easily
Fou2re involving your whole body in the presentation. Many people thin+ this ma+es
it more memorable.
Fou2re sending out the signal to the participants that ;this will be short2. ,nly a few
self?obsessed people stand up in front of audiences for longer than they need to. /nd
you2re not one of those, are you(
*he worst part of standing up is the actual standing up. Most people don2t feel at ease as
they get out of their chair and wal+ forward to their spea+ing position. Here are a couple of
tips.
/s you2re waiting, +eep your feet flat on the floor. 6on2t have them crossed. *rust
me, getting up and wal+ing will be so much easier.
6ecide in advance where you are going to stand. .ocus on that spot
"al+ forward bris+ly and confidently.
/nd that2s how you become a stand up sort of person.