VV064/Presentation Skills 2
Introducing your presentation
1. Brainstorming:
What do your audience want to know at the start of the presentation?
What can a presenter do to get their attention at the start? What is a presentation
HOOK?
2. The ABCD model to structure presentation introduction:
ATTENTION – BENEFITS – CREDIBILITY – DIRECTION
A: What techniques can a presenter use to seem relaxed and confident?
What are the ways to get the audience attention?
B: What the audience need to know about the presentation?
What questions must you answer in the audience mind?
C: Why must you establish your credibility?
Why is it helpful to show understanding of your audience's world?
D: What do you need to tell the audience about the content and structure?
Why is it important to give the audience direction in the introduction?
3. Language focus:
Introducing your presentation: Which of these phrases employ formal register?
1 A: Right, everyone's here so let's start. X B: Good morning and thank you all for
coming.
2 A: My presentation will last about twenty minutes. X B: I'll keep it as brief as I can.
3 A: I represent the IT consultancy Save IT. X B: I work for the IT consultancy Save
IT.
Adapted from: John Hughes, Andrew Mallet. Successful Presentations: For Professionals who use English at
Work. OUP, 2012.
VV064/Presentation Skills 2
4 A: Why am I here? Well, the reason is that ... X B: The purpose of my presentation
is to …
5 A: I'll cover three areas. X B: These are the areas I am going to focus on today.
6 A: My first point will be about… X B: In a minute I'll explain in more detail ….
7 A: Feel free to ask me any questions as we go along. X B: Please feel free to
interrupt me.
Stating your aims and intentions, directing about questions
Match the two halves of sentences.
1 Today, I would like to talk … A some of the issues involved in doing this.
2 Firstly, I am going to look at … B about the proposal to open now office in
Vietnam.
3 Then I intend to … C how to find a suitable location for the office.
4 And finally, I will explain … D to the handout in front of you as we go.
5 My aim is … E me as we go along to ask any questions.
6 Note that I will be referring … F outline the potential costs and savings.
7 Feel free to stop … G to give you an overview of the situation.
TASK 1: Prepare and give the introduction to a presentation.
Think about the following when you prepare it:
- Who is your audience?
- What is the purpose of this presentation?
- What three points will you make in this presentation?
Use this basic structure for your introduction:
- use a hook
- welcome the audience
Adapted from: John Hughes, Andrew Mallet. Successful Presentations: For Professionals who use English at
Work. OUP, 2012.
VV064/Presentation Skills 2
- introduce yourself
- explain the purpose of the presentation/provide benefits/give credentials
- outline what you will cover in the presentation
- indicate when you will take questions
Adapted from: John Hughes, Andrew Mallet. Successful Presentations: For Professionals who use English at
Work. OUP, 2012.
VV064/Presentation Skills 2
Concluding your presentation
Does the ending make a difference to a presentation? How?
How do you like to end your presentations?
1 CONFIDENT CONCLUSION
There are 5 steps to a confident conclusion:
Announce the conclusion/the end
Recap the key messages
Call for action/take-away message
Come full circle (make a sense of completion)
Give thanks and invite questions or comments.
2 Language focus
Announcing the end
Put the words in the correct order to form sentences:
1 reached I have end presentation of my
_____________________________________
2 the talk brings me that end to of my
_______________________________________
3 have I last one finishing say thing to before
Adapted from: John Hughes, Andrew Mallet. Successful Presentations: For Professionals who use English at
Work. OUP, 2012.
VV064/Presentation Skills 2
Recapping/reminding/concluding
Two of the three phrases are incorrect – choose the incorrect one.
1 So in brief/in short/shortly, here are the three main problems I discussed.
2 In conclusion/In final/To conclude, there are three problems you are now aware of.
3 Before finishing, let me return/summarize/sum up what I told you.
4 At the beginning/To start/Earlier, I told you about the problems …
5 At end/Finally/To end with, I would like to leave you with a final thought …
6 Let me make a few final/ending/concluding remarks …
7 Thank you for your attention. Now, I will be delighted to answer/pose/discuss any
questions you might have.
TASK 2: Prepare a conclusion to your presentation
Think about the following:
How will you announce the end?
How can you come full circle and recap?
How can you make a call to action?
Thank the audience and invite questions/comments at the end.
Adapted from: John Hughes, Andrew Mallet. Successful Presentations: For Professionals who use English at
Work. OUP, 2012.