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Updated for 2024 | 30 useful phrases for presentations in English

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For non-native speakers giving a presentation in English can be quite a challenge. There are just so many aspects to consider.  

Firstly, the audience. Do you know them well? If so, more informal language can be used. Or are they unfamiliar to you? If this is the case, then more formal expressions should be adopted. Whether you use more formal or informal language, it is important to engage the audience through positive body language and a warm welcome. Your tone of voice and changes in intonation are additional useful tools and you might consider asking them relevant questions (real or  rhetorical ). 

The  audience  also needs to see a clear and logical structure to follow you effortlessly. Useful linking expressions, when delivered well, provide  effective  ‘bridges’ guiding the audience from one point to the next.

Here are 30 useful phrases for presentations in English for effective  structure and linking.  

Introduction

  • Good morning/afternoon everyone and welcome to my presentation. First of all, let me thank you all for coming here today.
  • Let me start by saying a few words about my own background.
  • As you can see on the screen, our topic today is......
  • My talk is particularly relevant to those of you who....
  • This talk is designed to act as a springboard for discussion.
  • This morning/ afternoon I’m going to take a look at the recent developments in.....

Presentation structure

  • In my presentation I’ll focus on three major issues.
  • This presentation is structured as follows....
  • The subject can be looked at under the following headings.....
  • We can break this area down into the following fields....
  •  It will take about X minutes to cover these issues.
  • Does everybody have a  handout  / copy of my report?
  • I’ll be handing out copies of the slides at the end of my talk.
  • I can email the PowerPoint presentation to anyone who would like it.  
  • Don’t worry about taking notes, I’ve put all the relevant statistics on a  handout  for you
  • If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them
  • If you don’t mind, I'd like to leave questions until the end of my talk /there will be time for a  Q&A  session at the end...

Sequencing phrases

  • My first point concerns...
  • First of all, I’d like to give you an overview of....
  • Next, I’ll focus on.....and then we’ll consider....
  • Then I’ll go on to highlight what I see as the main points of....
  • Finally, I’d like to address the problem of.....
  • Finally, I’d like to raise briefly the issue of....

Highlighting information

  • I’d like to put the situation into some kind of perspective
  • I’d like to discuss in more depth the implications of....
  • I’d like to make more detailed recommendations regarding....
  • I’d like you to think about the significance of this figure here
  • Whichever way you look at it, the underlying trend is clear
  • I’d just like to finish with the words of a famous scientist/ politician/ author.......
  • Now let’s go out and create opportunities for...! 

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Hopefully, these phrases help you to vary your vocabulary for clear, well-structured presentations with a logical joined-up flow. The most important thing, of course, is that you are comfortable and confident in your delivery, which helps the audience feels relaxed and ready to be engaged by your subject matter. Good luck! 

Glossary 

Rhetorical  -  (of a question) asked in order to produce an effect or to make a statement rather than to elicit information 

Audience  -  spectators or listeners at a public event such as a play, film, concert, or meeting 

Effectiv e -  successful in producing a desired or intended result 

Springboard -  springboard is also something that provides an opportunity to achieve something  

Handout - a document given to students or reporters that contains information about a particular subject 

Q&A  – an abbreviation for ‘question and answer’ 

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  • Email writing: how to start and end an email in English  
  • 5 Tips for Polite and Diplomatic Language  

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oral presentation useful phrases

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52 Phrases for Better Flowing English Presentations

/ Steven Hobson / Business English , English Presentations , Vocabulary

English Presentations - Impactful English

Do you give English presentations at work, but feel that you could communicate your message in a more objective, fluid way?

Maybe you have an English presentation coming up and want to make sure that your speech is clear and structured so that your audience doesn’t lose concentration and stays with you all the way to the end.

A technique that can help you achieve objective, clear, and structured English presentations, is to use linking phrases that join the separate parts of your presentation together.

English presentations normally consist of an introduction, the main body, individual parts of the main body, and the ending or conclusion.

To help maintain your audience’s attention, you need to signal when you are going from one part to another.

In this article, I teach you 52 phrases that do exactly this – linking the different parts together, and therefore, making your presentation flow better. You’ll find that these phrases will act as ‘signposts’ for the audience when you finish one part and start another.

oral presentation useful phrases

52 Phrases to Improve the Flow of Your English Presentations

The introduction.

All good presentations start with a strong introduction.

There are a number of different ways you can begin your English presentation. Here’s a simple, but effective introduction structure which works for most types of business presentations:

Introduce – Introduce yourself and greet your audience. Introduce the presentation topic – Explain the reasons for listening. Outline – Describe the main parts of the presentation. Question policy – Make it clear to your audience when they can ask questions: during or at the end?

Here are some phrases which you can use to structure the introduction in this way:

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

4. By the end of the talk/presentation/session, you’ll know how to… / …you will have learned about… / 5. I plan to say a few words about… 6. I’m going to talk about… 7. The subject of my talk is…

8. My talk will be in (three parts). 9. In the first part… 10. Then in the second part… 11. Finally, I’ll go on to talk about…

Question Policy

12. Please interrupt if you have any questions. 13. After my talk, there will be time for a discussion and any questions.

Mini-course: fluency and confidence

 Main Body

Now that you have finished the introduction, we now need to transition to the main body, and its individual parts in a smooth way.

There are three parts of the main body of a presentation where linking phrases can be used:

Beginning the Main Body Ending Parts within the Main Body Beginning a New Part

Here are some phrases which you can use for these parts:

Beginning the Main Body

14. Now let’s move to / turn to the first part of my talk which is about… 15. So, first… 16. To begin with…

Ending Parts within the Main Body

17. That completes/concludes… 18. That’s all (I want to say for now) on… 19. Ok, I’ve explained how…

Beginning a New Part

20. Let’s move to (the next part which is)… 21. So now we come to the next point, which is… 22. Now I want to describe… 23. Let’s turn to the next issue… 24. I’d now like to change direction and talk about…

Listing and Sequencing

If you need to talk about goals, challenges, and strategies in your English presentation, listing phrases can help link these together and improve the flow of your speech. If you have to explain processes, sequencing phrases are helpful:

25. There are three things to consider. First… Second… Third… 26. There are two kinds of… The first is… The second is… 27. We can see four advantages and two disadvantages. First, advantages… 28. One is… Another is… A third advantage is… Finally…

29. There are (four) different stages to the process. 30. First / then / next / after that / then (x) / after x there’s y. 31. There are two steps involved. The first step is… The second step is… 32. There are four stages to the project. 33. At the beginning, later, then, finally… 34. I’ll describe the development of the idea. First the background, then the present situation, and then the prospect for the future.

After you have presented the main body of your English presentation, you will want to end it smoothly.

Here are typical sections transitioning from the main body to the ending of the presentation, and then inviting the audience to ask questions:

Ending the Main Body Beginning the Summary and/or Conclusion Concluding An Ending Phrase Inviting Questions and/or Introducing Discussion Thanking the Audience

Ending the Main Body

35. Okay, that ends (the third part of) my talk. 36. That’s all I want to say for now on (the 2017 results).

Beginning the Summary and/or Conclusion

37. To sum up… 38. Ok, in brief, there are several advantages and disadvantages. 39. To conclude… 40. I’d like to end by emphasizing the main points. 41. I’d like to end with a summary of the main points.

42. I think we have seen that we should… 43. In my opinion, we should… 44. I recommend/suggest that we… 45. There are three reasons why I recommend this. First, … / Second, … / Finally,…

An Ending Phrase

46. Well, I’ve covered the points that I needed to present today. 47. That sums up (my description of the new model). 48. That concludes my talk for today.

Inviting Questions and/or Introducing Discussion

49. Now we have (half an hour) for questions and discussion. 50. So, now I’d be very interested to hear your comments.

Thanking the Audience

51. I’d like to thank you for listening to my presentation. 52. Thank you for listening / your attention. / Many thanks for coming.

Linking phrases are like the skeleton which holds your presentation together.

Not only do they improve the flow and help guide the audience, but by memorizing them they can also help you remember the general structure of your presentation, giving you increased confidence.

To help you memorize, I recommend saying the linking phrases on their own from the beginning to the end of your presentation while you practice.

I also suggest memorizing the introduction word for word. By doing this, you will get off to a great start, which will settle your nerves and transmit a positive first impression.

oral presentation useful phrases

Author: Steven Hobson

Steven is a business English coach, a certified life coach, writer, and entrepreneur. He helps international professionals build confidence and improve fluency speaking English in a business environment.

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The latest language learning tips, resources, and content from oxford university press., useful phrases for giving a presentation in english.

  • by Oxford University Press ELT
  • Posted on April 21, 2023 February 2, 2024

oral presentation useful phrases

Giving a presentation in English can be challenging, but with these helpful phrases, you can feel confident and ready to make a good presentation in English. 

Starting your presentation

So how to start a presentation in English? Begin by saying hello and welcoming everyone. You can also thank the audience for being there with you. 

The beginning of the presentation is one of the most important parts because you need to make sure your audience is interested from the start. 

You could tell a short story, give a fact, or simply tell the audience a little bit about yourself, e.g. ‘ Let me start by telling you a little bit about myself …’ 

Then, introduce what your presentation is about by giving an opening statement or an overview of your session. For example, ‘Today, I am going to talk to you about …’ or, ‘Today, we’ll be looking at/focusing on …’. 

You can also tell the audience, ‘ If you have any questions, please raise your hand and I’ll be happy to answer them’ … or ‘ We’ll have time at the end for questions.’

Presenting the topic

When you get into the main part of giving your presentation in English, remember that what you’re saying to your audience is new information. Speak slowly, organise your ideas, and make sure your pronunciation is clear. You can learn more about boosting your pronunciation here . 

Use expressions to order your ideas and introduce new ones. You can use words and phrases to sequence like, firstly/first of all, secondly, then, next, following this, and lastly/finally. 

If you want to introduce the opposite point of view, you can use language like however, on the other hand, contrary to this and then again. 

It’s a good idea to link what you are saying back to previous things you have said. This shows you have a well-organised presentation and also helps keep people engaged. For example, ‘as I said previously/at the beginning …’, ‘as you may remember’ and ‘this relates to what I said about ….’

Highlighting information during your talk 

When you are giving a presentation in English, you might want to highlight a particular piece of information or something that’s important. You can use phrases such as ‘Let’s focus on …’, ‘I want to highlight …’,   ‘Pay attention to …’, ‘Let’s look at …’, ‘I want to briefly address …’, or ‘Now, let’s discuss ….’ You can use these phrases after your sequencing words to help you with your structure. 

You can also highlight information by asking your audience their opinion of what you are saying or having them engage with the presentation in some way. For example, you could ask a question and have the audience raise their hands if they agree, or disagree, or if you want to find out how many of them have experience with the situation you’re discussing. Asking questions is a good way to make sure you still have the audience’s attention after you’ve been speaking for a while.

You can also highlight information on your visuals if you’re using them. Use bright, impactful pictures and colours, and don’t include too much writing on your slides.  

Finalising the talk 

At the end of the presentation, you should summarise your talk and remind the audience of the things you have discussed, and the new information you have given them. You can say things like ‘In summary, we have looked at …’, ‘I’d like to finish by …’, and ‘We’re coming to the end of the presentation. We’ve discussed …’. 

You can then ask the audience for any questions you haven’t already answered. 

What are your experiences of giving a presentation in English? Do you have any other tips to add? Share below!

Billie Jago is an ELT writer and teacher trainer, specialising in digital & assessments. She is the founder of the professional development podcast ELTcpd and co-founder of the digital ELT content agency, otterelt .

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Every year we help millions of people around the world to learn English. As a department of the University of Oxford, we further the University’s objective of excellence in education by publishing proven and tested language learning books, eBooks, learning materials, and educational technologies. View all posts by Oxford University Press ELT

before You start your presentation ,try please to mention the time duration . sometimes people should be informed so that we can take a coffe break or cigarettes break in order to make evry one happy with the topics

Here is the tip I would add according to my experience :

end your presentation on a positive note, for example with a funny sentence /image /meme / an inspirational quote, in short something that will make your talk pleasant to remember.

Valentina T.

You need to chill out and show calmness and confidence. You should rehearse your presentation on the stage some time before its previously stated time.

Clear, cogent & commanding. Thanks.

I think to get better respond to presentation you can do some mistakes in it and then explain it the end or in the next presentation. Because if anyone would like to learn something also should show involvement.

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Useful Phrases and Expressions for Presentations! (Business and Academic English)

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By Tom Wilkinson

oral presentation useful phrases

Today I want to introduce some useful phrases and expressions to help you give business and academic presentations. Check out my blog to find a full transcript with all of the phrases I mention included.

(If you can’t see the podcast player CLICK HERE to listen!!)

Giving presentations can be a daunting task, especially if you need to do it in your second language. Looking at the faces of people in suits, probably bored people, as you try to explain yourself eloquently and hope you understand any questions they ask is never fun. Most people hate public speaking. Despite this, it is definitely an important skill to learn – most people will need to give a presentation at least once in their life; be it at university, work, or even in job interviews. This episode is not a complete guide on how to prepare and give a presentation, but will introduce some natural sounding phrases and expressions you can incorporate into your next presentation! They won’t be useful for everyone, and not for every presentation, but they will help to structure and guide the direction of what you want to say!

Welcoming/Introductions

If you are giving a formal presentation as a representative of a company, then you can use the phrase on behalf of… . Especially used to welcome people to your office, thank them for coming, or thank them for taking time out of their schedules. On behalf of Thinking in English, I’d like to thank you for listening to this episode.

In a less formal meeting, you might hear the phrase kick off or kick things off . This can be used to move from pre-presentation introductions or conversation to the full presentation. Even though we are still missing a couple of people, I’m going to kick off the presentation. 

Another useful type of phrase to use is one that thanks people for arriving even though the conditions are not ideal. For example, thank you for coming on such a rainy morning , or   I’m grateful for your attendance last thing a Friday afternoon, or I appreciate you being here on short notice. Each of these phrases acknowledges that the situation is not perfect, and that the audience has made an effort to attend. 

It is also important to give the topic or aims of the presentation at the beginning. You could do this by simply saying, In this presentation, I am going to introduce… . Another nice option is to tell people what they will know at the end of the session: By the end of this session, you will know more about… 

Structure, Organisation and Rules

Even in a short presentation, giving a brief structure of a presentation is really helpful. It makes you stay focused, and it helps the audience understand your points. There are many ways to do this. For instance, My presentation is divided into 3 sections. Section 1 will look at… or Today I’m going to talk about three important issues. First…

Rules are also important in a presentation. When can people ask questions? Here are three phrases for three different possibilities. If you want people to ask questions at any time, you can say Feel free to interrupt if you have any questions. If you want people to ask questions in your presentation but not to interrupt, you can say If you have a question, please raise your hand and I’ll try my best to answer. And if you don’t want any questions until after you have finished, you can say If you have questions, please wait until after the presentation to ask them. 

Main Body  

The main body of the presentation will be mostly your content and ideas. However, there are still some useful phrases to help you begin and move smoothly through your topics. To start your main body, you can say let’s start with, let’s get started, without further ado, Let’s kick things off, I’d like to start by talking about… All of these phrases are perfect for showing that your introduction has finished and you’re starting the real presentation. 

Most presentations have more than one section or point. So, here are a few phrases to help you transition between sections. Now let’s turn to; Next; let’s move on to; what about…? Well…. . If you are a regular listener of Thinking in English, you will probably recognise some of these phrases from previous episodes as I tend to use them a lot! 

Conclusions and Questions

Usually, you will end a presentation by summarising what you have talked about. Good phrases to use when doing this include, In brief, I discussed…; To refresh your memory…; hopefully you now understand…. 

Questions are probably the scariest part of a presentation for English learners. You can practice and practice and practice giving a presentation, but someone will always ask you a question you don’t understand. Here are some useful phrases to help you deal with the situation. Phrases like Are there any questions?; I’m going to open up the floor to questions; and I’m happy to answer any questions , introduce the question section, 

When someone asks you a question, don’t answer straight away. Instead, try saying something like Thank you for your question; I’m glad you asked that; or That’s an interesting question. This gives you time to think before you answer, and is also polite. 

If you don’t understand a question, it is okay to ask for clarification or say that you don’t know. Being honest is better than pretending you know the answer and lying. Although you could say Could you repeat the question? I think asking Could you clarify what you mean? is a better option. This is because the audience will reword their question and give more details (which hopefully will help you understand). And if you don’t know the answer, the phrase I don’t know off the top of my head means that you can’t remember the information but you will be able to find it later. 

Hopefully now you will be able to use some of these expressions and phrases to give a presentation! 

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Home  / Blog  / Improve your Speaking  / Professional Phrases for Presentations

Woman giving a presentation to their colleagues

Professional Phrases for Presentations

We have compiled a collection of useful professional phrases to help you to present like a pro. Remember the KISS rule: Keep It Short and Simple.

Before beginning, it’s a good idea to greet your audience. Make eye contact. Read the mood in the room. Then introduce yourself, giving people some background about your skills and expertise. This gives people more confidence in you as a speaker. If you’ve already been introduced, thank the person for their introduction.

1. The opener

The first three minutes are critical to catch your audience’s attention. Start strong, and engage the audience from the start. The phrases in bold are for you to add to your speeches.

Give an interesting quote relevant to your presentation. For example: “Nelson Mandela once said : ‘Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world’.”

Share a statistic or fact that leads into your presentation topic. For instance: Did you know that (e.g. South Africa has eleven official languages). According to research (e.g. the most productive work day is Tuesday).

2. Give your audience a roadmap

Briefly tell your audience what they can expect from your presentation. In this presentation, I’ll be focusing on (e.g. how to grow your business). Infographics are visual representations of data, making complex ideas simple and easy to understand. When making your own, organize your images, charts and text carefully, and cite your references and sources. However, keep some points to tell the audience yourself, while the slides are displayed.

The rule is: ‘tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them’. First, I’ll give you an overview of (e.g. the current economic climate), followed by (the challenges and the opportunities). These prepare the audience to listen to the main points. Finally, I’ll close by (sharing success stories and invite your to share your stories too).

3. During the presentation

Watch some speeches on ted.com and pay attention to the content (with subtitles) and their presentation style. Notice how the speakers are well-researched, well-structured and well-prepared, and have a sense of humour to catch your interest. Use some of these phrases to indicate the structure, a chance in topic, or a new stage of the presentation:

  • The first point is… Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly…
  • Now let’s turn to the subject of (economic challenges)
  • Moving on, I’d like to talk about business success stories.
  • I’ll pause here top open the floor to questions. You can use this phrase between each section, or at the end of the presentation.
  • Let’s look at these statistics in more detail .
  • I’ll run through this slide quickly , to leave time for questions.
  • To summarise , (with enough commitment it is possible to grow your business).

Also, add stories from you personal experience and juicy examples from the news, current affairs, and society to keep it interesting.

4. The close

Just as you start strong to catch the audience’s interest, also close on a strong note. Recap and summarise the key points. Give a final image or story that pulls the talk together and leaves an impact on the audience.

  • In summary / To conclude / Let’s recap .
  • Our time is up. Any questions or comments?
  • That concludes my presentation. Thank you for your time.

Think carefully about what you want to cover in the speech. However, also be flexible to respond to the audience’s comments and questions, even with a ‘ Let me check and get back to you on that ‘. If the audience are interested and brave enough to speak up, you are already winning.

By Leigh-Anne Hunter

Read more blog articles about presentations:

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  • 10 Presentation Tips from US Presidents
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  • Useful Phrases: Introduction
  • Useful Phrases: Body
  • Useful Phrases: Conclusion
  • Useful Phrases: Question and Answer Session

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Vocabulary and Phrases for Making Presentations in English

Here’s a step-by-step guide for making presentations in English. You’ll find the phrases you need for each step of your presentation.

After you give your opening statement, give a brief overview of your presentation. Say what your presentation is about, how long you will take and how you are going to handle questions.

For example, a presentation to sales staff could start like this: “Welcome / “Hello everyone.”

(Opening statement) “As you all know, this company is losing its market share. But we are being asked to increase sales by 20 – 25%. How can we possibly increase sales in a shrinking market?”

(Overview) “Today I am going to talk to you about how we can do this. My presentation will be in three parts. Firstly I am going to look at the market and the background. Then I am going to talk to you about our new products and how they fit in. Finally, I’m going to examine some selling strategies that will help us increase our sales by 20%. The presentation will probably take around 20 minutes. There will be time for questions at the end of my talk.”

Useful language for overviews

“My presentation is in three parts.” “My presentation is divided into three main sections.” “Firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally…” “I’m going to… take a look at… talk about… examine… tell you something about the background… give you some facts and figures… fill you in on the history of… concentrate on… limit myself to the question of…

“Please feel free to interrupt me if you have questions.” “There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.” “I’d be grateful if you could ask your questions after the presentation.”

The main body of the presentation

During your presentation, it’s a good idea to occasionally remind your audience why your presentation and ideas are important or relevant.

“As I said at the beginning…” “This, of course, will help you (to achieve the 20% increase).” “As you remember, we are concerned with…” “This ties in with my original statement…” “This relates directly to the question I put to you before…”

Keeping your audience with you

Remember that what you are saying is new to your audience. You are clear about the structure of your talk, but let your audience know when you are moving on to a new point. You can do this by saying something like “right”, or “OK”. You can also use some of the following expressions:

“I’d now like to move on to…” “I’d like to turn to…” “That’s all I have to say about…” “Now I’d like to look at…” “This leads me to my next point…”

If you are using index cards, putting the link on the cards will help you remember to keep the audience with you. In addition, by glancing at your index cards you will be pausing – this will also help your audience to realise that you are moving on to something new.

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 break down of…”

Give your audience enough time to absorb the information on the visual. Pause to allow them to look at the information and then explain why the visual is important:

“As you can see…” “This clearly shows …” “From this, we can understand how / why…” “This area of the chart is interesting…”

Summarising

At the end of your presentation, you should summarise your talk and remind the audience of what you have told them:

“That brings me to the end of my presentation. I’ve talked about…” “Well, that’s about it for now. We’ve covered…” “So, that was our marketing strategy. In brief, we…” “To summarise, I…”

Relate the end of your presentation to your opening statement:

“So I hope that you’re a little clearer on how we can achieve sales growth of 20%.” “To return to the original question, we can achieve…” “So just to round the talk off, I want to go back to the beginning when I asked you…” “I hope that my presentation today will help you with what I said at the beginning…”

Handling questions

Thank the audience for their attention and invite questions.

“Thank you for listening – and now if there are any questions, I would be pleased to answer them.” “That brings me to the end of my presentation. Thank you for your attention. I’d be glad to answer any questions you might have.”

It’s useful to re-word the question, as you can check that you have understood the question and you can give yourself some time to think of an answer. By asking the question again you also make sure that other people in the audience understand the question.

“Thank you. So you would like further clarification on our strategy?” “That’s an interesting question. How are we going to get voluntary redundancy?” “Thank you for asking. What is our plan for next year?”

After you have answered your question, check that the person who asked you is happy with the answer.

“Does this answer your question?” “Do you follow what I am saying?” “I hope this explains the situation for you.” “I hope this was what you wanted to hear!”

If you don’t know the answer to a question, say you don’t know. It’s better to admit to not knowing something than to guess and maybe get it wrong. You can say something like:

“That’s an interesting question. I don’t actually know off the top of my head, but I’ll try to get back to you later with an answer.” “I’m afraid I’m unable to answer that at the moment. Perhaps I can get back to you later.” “Good question. I really don’t know! What do you think?” “That’s a very good question. However, we don’t have any figures on that, so I can’t give you an accurate answer.” “Unfortunately, I’m not the best person to answer that.”

What to say if things go wrong during your presentation

You think you’ve lost your audience? Rephrase what you have said:

“Let me just say that in another way.” “Perhaps I can rephrase that.” “Put another way, this means…” “What I mean to say is…”

Can’t remember the word?

If it’s a difficult word for you – one that you often forget, or one that you have difficulty pronouncing – you should write it on your index card. Pause briefly, look down at your index card and say the word.

Using your voice when making presentations

Don’t speak in a flat monotone – this will bore your audience. By varying your speed and tone, you will be able to keep your audience’s attention. Practise emphasising key words and pause in the right places – usually in between ideas in a sentence. For example “The first strategy involves getting to know our market (pause) and finding out what they want. (pause) Customer surveys (pause) as well as staff training (pause) will help us do this.”

Don’t forget – if you speak too fast you will lose your audience!

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150+ essential business presentation phrases (+ 8 tips)

Candice Benjamine

Starting the presentation

Introducing the topic of your presentation , introducing yourself, referencing previously shared materials, addressing technical issues, sharing a roadmap for the presentation , explaining the question policy, starting the main body of your presentation, beginning a new section of the main body, introducing your visual aids, listing and sequencing, sharing examples, emphasizing a point, linking to another topic, paraphrasing or reiterating a point, referencing information, ending the presentation, involving the audience in the discussion, closing the discussion, 1. research your presentation, 2. plan your presentation  , 3. learn useful phrases beforehand, 4. prepare some visual aids, 5. practice aloud, 6. anticipate questions, 7. consider your body language, 8. try to manage your nerves, prepare for your next presentation with online business english tutors.

No matter what field you work in, you will have to give a presentation at some point. This can feel very nerve-wracking at first, if not downright frightening. One study found that 80% of us get the jitters at the thought of public speaking, and even that sounds a bit low! 

The good news is that anxiety motivates thorough preparation — and thorough preparation is the key to a great presentation ! Over time, your ability to effectively communicate ideas will be recognized, paving the way for professional growth and opportunities . We have compiled over 150 business presentation phrases to help you structure your next talk for maximum impact. We’ve also outlined steps to help you plan and deliver a presentation you’ll be proud of. 

150+ must-know business presentation phrases in English

Here is a list of natural-sounding English phrases that you might like to use in your next business presentation . These will give you some building blocks to structure your presentation around and add variety to your business English vocabulary .

Presentation opening lines are the initial phrases or statements used to captivate and engage the audience at the beginning of a business presentation. They set the tone, grab your audience’s attention, and create a positive first impression.

Your presentation introduction is crucial because it helps you immediately connect with your audience . Consider the following tips to make your presentation starting words impactful:

  • Start with a thought-provoking question or a powerful quote relevant to your topic. For example: “What would the tech industry look like if 50% of jobs are done by AI?”
  • Share an interesting fact or statistic that captures attention. For example: “Did you know that on average, Fortune 500 companies spend 10 million dollars on…”
  • Begin with a personal anecdote or story related to your presentation’s core message. For example: “I grew up in a single-parent household, and I received a scholarship to attend university.”
  • Use a bold or surprising statement that challenges the audience’s assumptions. For example: “Traditional SEO will be dead in five years.”
  • Make sure your opening lines directly address the needs and interests of your audience. For example: “By the end of this presentation, you will know…”

Here are some other examples of how to start a presentation in English:

  • Thank you for joining us today.
  • I’m thrilled to be here discussing…
  • Today’s insights will be invaluable for…
  • Let’s embark on a journey through…
  • I appreciate the opportunity to share…
  • Imagine a world where…
  • Did you know that [startling statistic]?
  • Have you ever faced a challenge like [relevant situation]?
  • I’d like to begin by sharing a personal story that relates to our topic.
  • In today’s fast-paced world, it’s crucial to…
  • Let’s take a moment to reflect on the impact of [current industry trend].
  • I stand before you today to address a critical issue: [presentation topic].
  • Before we dive into the details, let me ask you a question: [thought-provoking question].
  • As [industry/company name] continues to evolve, we must embrace change and seize opportunities.

Someone giving a business presentation

Your audience knows why they are there, but it is helpful to re-state it briefly. This is your opportunity to highlight what they can expect to gain from your presentation , whether it’s a project update, new techniques, or a potential strategy. Here are some ways to introduce your topic:

  • As you all know, I will talk to you about CPC advertising best practices today .
  • In this presentation, I am going to walk you through some of the best practices in CPC advertising .
  • For the next forty-five minutes, I am going to be speaking to you about the best practices in CPC advertising .
  • By the end of this session, you will all know a little more about the best practices in CPC advertising . 
  • My presentation is particularly relevant to those of you who are new to CPC advertising .
  • Today, we’re going to look at some of the recent developments in CPC advertising .
  • This talk is designed to act as the starting point for discussion.

Briefly tell the audience who you are: give your name, company, and position. You can touch on any other information which explains why you’re well- suited to give this presentation . Here are some examples to help you get started:

  • My name is Kenny Jones , and I am the Head of Marketing . 
  • For those who haven’t met me yet, I’m Kenny Jones , the Head of Marketing . Let me start with a few words about my background.
  • First of all, a little bit about my background. I am the Head of Marketing at Lego and have been with the company for seven years . Before that, I used to work for Booking.com, where I…
  • I’d like to introduce myself: I am Kenny Jones, the Head of Marketing at Lego .
  • By way of an introduction, my name is Kenny Jones, and I head up the Marketing department at Lego . 
  • My role involves creating and executing marketing strategies across all channels…

If your presentation is based on another report or a lot of data, it’s helpful to share this information before the meeting. This allows your audience to review everything beforehand so they can be better prepared for the presentation . Here are some examples:

  • Does everyone have a copy of the report we’ll discuss today?
  • Don’t worry about taking notes. I’ve put all the relevant statistics in a handout for you, which I’ll pass out now / share a link to in the meeting chat. (A “handout” is a printed or digital document with important information that is given to people in a meeting or presentation for reference.)
  • You can refer to the handout I shared earlier throughout the presentation.
  • Please go to page 5 of the report.

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Today, most presentations involve a technical component, whether you’re projecting a PowerPoint on a screen in the conference room or sharing your screen in a Zoom meeting. It’s best to prepare for any technical problems during your presentation so you don’t feel caught off guard in case something goes wrong.

Below are some examples to help you prepare:

  • Can everyone hear me?
  • Can you see the presentation I’m sharing on my screen?
  • Apologies for the technical problems. Please bear with me for a moment.
  • Thank you for your patience. We’ll resume the presentation shortly.
  • While we sort out this issue, let’s discuss your thoughts so far.
  • Let’s take a brief pause while this gets resolved. In the meantime, feel free to write down any questions.

Even if your presentation is short, it’s helpful for the audience to know what you plan to discuss. It’ll keep you focused and set clear expectations for the audience . Here are some ideas for introducing the structure of your presentation:

  • My presentation will take about 45 minutes and is divided into four sections . Section 1 is going to discuss…
  • Since we only have 45 minutes to discuss this huge topic, I’m going to keep things brief. This talk will be divided into four sections . To start off…
  • I thought sharing a road map of what I plan to cover would be helpful. This talk will be divided into four sections . 
  • I’m going to look at four different aspects of CPC advertising in today’s presentation. Number one…
  • Today’s presentation will cover three main areas… We’ll start with…, move on to…, and conclude with…
  • Here’s a bird’s eye view of our agenda today. (A “bird’s eye view” is a broad overview or summary of a topic, named after the wide view you’d get from high up, like a bird in flight.)

What do you want from your audience? Do you mind being interrupted, or will it distract you? State your expectations, and you won’t have any surprises. Consider whether you need to announce any other rules about audience behavior, like silencing their phones or muting themselves during a video conference call.

  • If you have questions about anything, please kindly wait until the end of the presentation to ask them. We’ll have 10 minutes for an open discussion at the end.
  • Please save any questions for the end of the presentation when we have time for a Q&A session.
  • I’ll be happy to answer any questions at the end of my talk.
  • I encourage you to hold any questions until the end.
  • We’ve allocated plenty of time for a Q&A session after the presentation. 
  • Feel free to share any questions in the chat as we go along.
  • Feel free to interrupt if you have any questions.
  • If anything isn’t clear, put your hand up, and I’ll do my best to answer your question.
  • Unfortunately, photography isn’t allowed during this presentation.
  • I would appreciate it if you could all put your phones on silent or turn them off for this talk. 
  • I’d like to ask you all to please mute yourselves so we can make sure everyone can hear the presentation.

Your audience now has a good idea of who you are and what to expect. Now, there’s a roomful of people waiting to hear your expertise. It can help to start by turning the topic into a question. Here’s how to do so:

  • So, what is CPC advertising ?
  • Let’s start at the very beginning. Many people ask…

If that’s not suitable for you, try any of the following phrases to show that your introduction is over and the main body will begin shortly:

  • Let’s get started.
  • I’d like to start by talking about…
  • Let’s kick things off. 
  • Let’s dive into the first part of our presentation…
  • To set the stage…
  • First and foremost…

Once you’ve made your first point, try to sum it up in one sentence. Then, you are ready to start a new part of the presentation . Here are some options for how to do this :

  • Okay, so that’s Facebook ads. But what about Google ads ? Well…
  • Now, let’s turn to Google ads .
  • There’s a lot more to learn about that, but since we have a limited amount of for time, let’s move on to Google ads .
  • Next up: Google ads .
  • Part two: Google ads .
  • Building on that, now let’s explore Google ads .
  • Now, shifting our attention to Google ads .
  • Let’s move on to Google ads .

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It’s best to give your audience something to look at to reinforce your points. Here are some phrases to show people what you want them to notice:

  • If you look at this graph, you will see…
  • This graph paints a clear picture of…
  • From this chart, we can understand how …
  • This chart shows the findings of a recent experiment we undertook. The y-axis represents… while the x-axis stands for…
  • As you can see from this infographic, our research indicates that…
  • Now, direct your attention to this infographic…
  • To visualize this concept, take a look at this diagram…
  • Here’s a visual representation to simplify this idea.

In Ancient Greece, rhetoricians (professional public speakers) developed tricks to hold an audience’s attention. One of them was to number their ideas on their fingers so that the audience had a visual aid to follow along with. Luckily, this works even better when showing bullet points on a PowerPoint!

Here are some ideas for how to list your points: 

  • There are five main advantages to this approach… firstly, … secondly, … thirdly, …
  • There are three main reasons why people choose Google ads. It’s primarily because…but another key factor is…some people choose them because…
  • There are five stages of the process. You start by… then, you should…after that…
  • We’ll start the presentation with a broader perspective on CPC advertising , then move on to specifics about…
  • First of all, I’d like to give an overview of…
  • My first point concerns…
  • Next, I’ll focus on…
  • Then we’ll consider…
  • From there, I’ll highlight the main points of…
  • Finally, I’d like to address the topic of…
  • Finally, I’d like to briefly discuss the issue of…

Giving visual aids in the presentation

Using examples in a presentation can bridge the gap between theory and practice. They provide clarity, making complex ideas more digestible for the audience . Relating to real-life scenarios or hypothetical situations helps you drive your point home so they retain the information better.

Here are some ways you can introduce examples in a presentation:

  • For example, consider the case of…
  • For instance…
  • As an illustration of my point, let’s discuss…
  • Drawing from real life, remember when…
  • To put this into context…
  • A practical example would be…
  • Let’s imagine a scenario where…

Emphasizing key points ensures that your audience grasps the core message of your presentation. It highlights the significance of certain data or ideas so they aren’t lost amidst other information. By stressing what’s truly important, you guide your audience’s attention to where it’s most needed .

Below are some phrases to help you stress the importance of something you just said:

  • It’s crucial to understand that…
  • I cannot stress this enough…
  • Let’s not overlook the fact that…
  • This is the crux of our discussion: an omnichannel marketing strategy . (The term “crux” refers to the most important or central point of a matter or discussion.)
  • It’s of paramount importance that… (The term “paramount” means of more important than anything else.)

Linking ideas creates a cohesive narrative in your presentation. It ensures a smooth transition between topics that helps the audience follow your train of thought. Drawing connections between different segments will create a comprehensive and interconnected discussion .

Here are some examples of how to make these transitions:

  • On a related note…
  • This ties in with our earlier discussion about…
  • In conjunction with this topic…
  • Similarly, we can also consider…
  • This draws parallels between…

Paraphrasing is a tool to reinforce key ideas without sounding repetitive. By presenting the same information in a fresh way, you cater to different learning styles in your audience . Reiteration also ensures that crucial points are remembered long after the presentation ends.

Here are some ideas for paraphrasing a previous point:

  • To rephrase that…
  • In other words…
  • To put it differently…
  • What I mean to say is…
  • Essentially, the idea is…
  • Now, let’s further discuss the implications of…
  • I’d like to dive into this issue in further detail.
  • Let’s consider the significance of this data/result/problem.

Referencing external information lends credibility to your presentation. It shows that your points are backed by research, studies, or credible sources. Grounding your statements in established facts or findings will build trust with your audience and enhance the weight of your arguments .

Below are some helpful phrases for referring to data, studies, or other information:

  • According to a study by…
  • As per the latest findings…
  • Referencing data from…
  • Our latest customer survey shows that…
  • Recent research suggests…
  • To quote the report…
  • Let’s take a look at these statistics.
  • Based on the results of this survey conducted by our marketing department…

Business presentations usually end with a summary. You can use this to reinforce your main points (in case anyone wasn’t paying attention!) or to share the most important ideas that people should remember.

Here’s how to conclude a presentation:

  • That’s it on CPC advertising for today. In brief, we’ve covered…
  • Unfortunately, that’s just about all we’ve got time for today. I hope you have learned something about CPC advertising .
  • That concludes my presentation today. To refresh your memory, the main takeaways are the following. Number one…
  • That brings me to the end of my presentation. I hope you’re clearer on CPC advertising and when to use it .
  • So, to draw all that together, next time you think about CPC advertising , consider the following factors…. That’s all from me! 
  • To sum up our journey today…
  • As we conclude, remember…
  • To bring our discussion full circle…

You’ve said your piece, and the audience is full of new information. Thank them for their attention and invite them to ask you for clarifications if you can. Here are some examples:

  • Thank you for listening. We have five minutes left over. Are there any questions?
  • Thank you for your attention; I hope you’ve found this session useful. I’d be happy to answer any questions.
  • Thank you for listening. I’d now like to open up the floor to questions, so just raise your hand if there’s anything else you want to know. 
  • I’d love to hear your thoughts on…
  • Can anyone share their experiences related to…?
  • Does anyone want to share some insights or alternative viewpoints?

When you receive questions, don’t feel you have to leap into the answer straight away . You can buy yourself an extra few seconds with one of the following phrases:

  • Thank you for your question, Mike .
  • That’s an interesting question.
  • I’m glad you asked me that.

If you aren’t sure how best to answer a question, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification on the information the asker is looking for. It’s also perfectly professional to admit when you don’t know something. Here are some examples:

  • Could you please clarify what exactly you mean by that?
  • Are you asking about my experience or data from the industry in general?
  • I’m afraid I don’t have those figures off the top of my head, but if you give me your email address at the end, I can follow up with you later.
  • Unfortunately, that’s slightly outside of my area of expertise. However, I think you could almost certainly find more information on that by…
  • That’s a great question, and I have to say, I don’t know for sure, but my best guess would be that…

To really demonstrate your expertise, check that your answer has addressed the audience member’s question . Here are some ideas:

  • I hope that makes sense. Is that the kind of answer you were looking for?
  • Does that answer your question?
  • Feel free to come and grab me afterward if you want to discuss this further. 

An effective conclusion should provide a sense of closure to the audience while reminding them that you are open to discussing anything further after the presentation . It’s also your last opportunity to thank everyone for their time and attention, which will leave a positive impression on your audience.

Here are some conclusion phrases to inspire you:

  • Thank you very much for your attention.
  • Thank you all for coming. I really enjoyed speaking to you today and hope this session has been useful.
  • Thanks for listening. Please feel free to contact me via my website or email if you have any further questions. 
  • Thank you for your active participation in our discussion today.
  • I’m available after this if anyone needs clarification on something.
  • Let’s continue this conversation at a later time / offline.
  • I will email the presentation to anyone who would like it later today.

8 simple steps to put together a winning business presentation

A great presentation is built on more than just a handful of impressive phrases. It’s important to prepare from success as early as possible. Here’s how to create a presentation that will make your clients want to buy from you and inspire your colleagues! 

If you’ve been asked to give a presentation on a topic, then it’s probably within your area of expertise. However, there might be areas where you need a little more knowledge. It’s crucial to figure out what those are early rather than get an unpleasant surprise later. 

To test this, break the subject of your presentation into smaller questions. For instance, if you are presenting the impact of social media in the previous quarter, you might consider: 

  • What advertising on social media have we done this quarter?
  • How is this different from what we did in the previous quarter?
  • What was a successful outcome from social media last quarter?
  • Do we have any hard data on this?
  • Did we experience any drawbacks to advertising on social media?
  • What conclusions might we draw for the next quarter? 

When you break your presentation into chunks, your approach will become more organized. Plus, you can clearly see what data and information you’ll need to back up your points. It might also be worthwhile to speak with colleagues who can give you effective feedback.

Taking a systematic approach to research is a great way to avoid missing anything important! 

Woman planning a presentation

Now, you probably have far more information than you could reasonably ask your audience to remember! It’s best to strip everything back to basics: start with making a very simple plan.

Begin by writing down your introduction and the three to four main points you want people to take away from the talk. From there, you can add sub-points and decide how much time to spend on each section. 

Whether English is your second language or not, writing a script of what you intend to say is helpful . You probably won’t stick to it, but it will help clarify your ideas. To make your speech sound natural, use simpler language than usual when writing for business. 

If you want to plan, practice, or improve your business English, why not try learning with a business English tutor ? A tutor can help you with any consistent errors that you make and send you essential vocabulary that you can then save and practice outside the classroom. Try Preply’s search filters to find a tutor specialized in your industry or role.

business English negotiation

Now you’ve written a simple script, it’s time to start rehearsing!

Unless you really need to, don’t memorize the whole thing word-for-word. If you do, forgetting a single word might throw you off balance. It’s safer to learn only your key phrases rather than stuffing your brain full of too much information.

If you lose your way, skipping to the next point and resuming your presentation will be easier. Depending on the situation and the length of your presentation, you might also get away with holding a piece of paper with your phrases.bus

We’ve put together a guide to the most useful English vocabulary and phrases for business meetings and presentations . 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 .

These days, most people use a slide deck when presenting business ideas . If you have this option, it’s a great way to keep your audience’s attention. Some people prefer to make their slide decks before even writing their presentation script.

Whichever order you choose to prepare in, don’t overcrowd your slides. Remember: you are the presenter; the slides are just something to look at! Try to keep them to bullet points with the main points you want people to remember. 

It’s also a great idea to include visual elements, like graphics, diagrams, and pictures, throughout your presentation. According to one experiment, when an audience hears new information, they’re likely to remember only 10% of it three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with those same facts, they retain 65% three days later . 

The more you can rehearse your presentation, the more confident you will be on the day.

Try recording yourself giving the presentation a few times and watching it back. It may feel embarrassing, but working through it can help you overcome the fear of presenting! 

When you watch yourself back, listen carefully to your accent. Are there any words or phrases that you find difficult to pronounce? Try looking them up in an online dictionary with an audio facility, like Dictionary.com . If it’s an issue in several places, you could also check out our article on how to improve your pronunciation . 

If the presentation is very important, ask a colleague to watch it through and offer constructive feedback. However, if you’re more worried about sounding natural and fluent than the presentation’s contents, a few sessions with a business English tutor from Preply can work wonders. 

Man preparing for presentation with pen and pad

Even if you don’t have a dedicated section for questions, you should expect one or two at the end of your presentation. This is a good thing: questions are a sign that your audience was listening!

Try to come up with a few questions people might ask and research the answers in advance. Better yet, have a colleague watch your presentation and ask for suggestions. 

If you plan to have a question and answer (Q&A) section at the end of your presentation, you should also have a backup plan in case the audience is quiet. Prepare one or two “questions” for yourself to get things started. You might say something like:

  • Well, something a lot of people have asked me is…
  • While you’re all still thinking about this one, a question that often comes up is…

Don’t worry if your audience says nothing — you might have covered all they need to know. But it’s good to be prepared with a few extra points, just so your presentation doesn’t end in awkward silence! 

When rehearsing your presentation, don’t just read it while sitting at your desk. So much of human communication has nothing to do with words. Try to practice what your body will be doing during the talk.

For example , consider what you will do with your hands — some people gesture a lot when they become nervous, which can be distracting. Put anxious hands to good use by using a pointer to indicate ideas on your slide deck. You could also try holding your notes or even a water bottle. 

You’ve done everything possible to prepare for your presentation. Now, the only thing left is to present it with confidence! Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, especially if you’re presenting in a second language. Try some of the following “hacks” to manage your anxiety. 

Many physical signs of nervousness are similar to those of excitement: an increased heart rate, sweaty palms, and a dry mouth. Tell yourself, “This feeling coming over me is a wave of excitement,” and you might be able to trick your brain into experiencing your nervousness as a positive emotion instead.

Try to have a moment of calm to yourself before the presentation. Go to the bathroom and take four deep breaths. Breathe in for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds. If you’re counting, you will have to really concentrate — it will draw your full attention back to your body and quiet your mind. 

Remember to have a bottle or glass of water on standby during your talk if your mouth goes dry or you want to pause. 

Be aware that you might talk quickly when you are nervous. Make a conscious effort to pause between sentences and slow down your speech so that the full weight of your words can be felt.

Woman meditating in an office

By now, you probably feel more prepared to deliver a presentation that will leave your audience speechless! Or at least impressed with your professionalism and flair. 

Remember: if you’re worried about your presentation because English is a second language for you, Preply is here to help. A few sessions with one of our online business English tutors can work wonders.

Our friendly tutors offer personalized lessons tailored to your industry or topic , ensuring you’re well-prepared and confident. With convenient 30-minute sessions, you can easily fit a lesson during a lunch break or before a big meeting.

Preply’s tutors can help you write the best possible script for your presentation and suggest more conversational options for unnatural phrases. Preparation is the key to success, but pair it with expert advice, and you’ll take your presentation skills to a whole new level!

  • "Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining me today."
  • "Imagine a world where..."
  • "Did you know that [startling statistic]?"
  • "Have you ever faced a challenge like [relevant situation]?"
  • "I'd like to begin by sharing a personal story that relates to our topic."
  • "In today's fast-paced world, it's crucial to..."
  • "Let's take a moment to reflect on the impact of [current industry trend]."
  • "I stand before you today to address a critical issue: [presentation topic]."
  • "Before we dive into the details, let me ask you a question: [thought-provoking question]."
  • "As [industry/company name] continues to evolve, we must embrace change and seize opportunities."

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Candice Benjamine

Candice Benjamin is an English teacher with more than 6 years of online teaching experience. Candice has taught English to children and adults alike of various levels, ensuring that each achieves their respective goals. Candice specializes in the IELTS, TOEFL, and Cambridge exams and creates courses and strategies specific to the needs and goals of each student, to help them achieve their desired grade. Candice is patient and determined to produce significant results for her students.

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Giving a Presentation - Useful Phrases

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25 English Presentation Phrases

Does giving a presentation make you feel a little nervous?

Well, you’re not alone.

According to Forbes , giving a presentation makes 80% of us feel nervous !

The good news is that feeling nervous might be a good thing. This feeling pushes us to prepare ourselves better, and as long as you’re well prepared, you’ll do just fine.

So then, let’s take a look at how we can prepare ourselves to give amazing presentations in English. Today, we’re going to focus on the business English phrases you can count on (depend on) to make your presentation go more smoothly from start to finish.

But first, here are some tips to use when preparing for your presentation.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Greeting Your Audience

You’re now standing in front of your audience. Before you begin your presentation, start by greeting your audience, welcoming them to the event and introducing yourself.

1. Good morning/afternoon/evening, everyone.

2. welcome to [name of event]..

Sample sentence: Welcome to our 3rd Annual Sales Leadership Conference.

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oral presentation useful phrases

3. First, let me introduce myself. I am [name] from [company].

Beginning your presentation.

After you have given an introduction, you are ready to begin speaking about your topic. Use these phrases to get started.

4. Let me start by giving you some background information.

Use this phrase to give your audience a brief overview of the topic you’ll be discussing. This is a good way to give them an idea of what’s going on and to bring them up to date.

5. As you’re aware, …

If you’re bringing up a topic that your audience already knows about or is aware of, then you can use this phrase to introduce this known topic.

Sample sentence: As you’re aware , the CEO of DHL Express has often said that globalization is here to stay.

Transitioning to the Next Topic

Before you move on to your next point, be sure to make it clear to your audience that you’re now starting a new topic. Let them know exactly what that new topic will be. The two phrases below are very similar in meaning, and they can both be used for transitions.

6. Let’s move on to…

Sample sentence: Let’s move on to our second sales strategy.

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oral presentation useful phrases

7. Turning our attention now to…

Sample sentence: Turning our attention now to the results of our 2016 customer survey.

Providing More Details

Use these phrases to tell your audience that you’ll be giving them a more detailed explanation of the topic. Both the words ‘expand’ and ‘elaborate’ mean to explain more fully.

8. I’d like to expand on…

Sample sentence: Now I’d like to expand on my point about increasing our market share.

9. Let me elaborate further.

Linking to another topic.

When making reference to a point you made earlier, or to remind your audience about something you said before, use these phrases to that link.

10. As I said at the beginning, …

This phrase lets you remind your audience about a point you made earlier. It can also be used to emphasize a point or theme.

Sample sentence: As I said in the beginning , we’ll see an increase in profit if we follow these five steps.

11. This relates to what I was saying earlier…

This phrase will help you make connections between ideas in your presentation. It shows that two different ideas are connected.

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oral presentation useful phrases

Sample sentence: This relates to what I was saying earlier about increasing production to meet the year-end demand.

12. This ties in with…

Sample sentence: This ties in with the way we’ve been doing business for the past 20 years.

Emphasizing a Point

Use these phrases to draw attention to an important point that you want your audience to note.

13. The significance of this is…

The word “significance'” is similar in meaning to “importance.”

Sample sentence: The significance of this is , if we complete this project on schedule, we’ll have more people available to work on the next project.

14. This is important because…

Sample sentence: This is important because any marketing effort we put in now will help to boost demand for our products in the long run.

15. We have to remember that …

Sample sentence: We have to remember that people are our most important resource.

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oral presentation useful phrases

Making Reference to Information

Very often, you may need to support your discussion points by drawing attention and making reference to information and data from studies, reports and other sources.

16. Based on our findings, …

Sample sentence: Based on our findings, 74% of our market is made up of teenagers who find our clothing line stylish and upbeat.

17. According to our study, …

Sample sentence: According to our study, 63% of working people in this city go directly to the gym after work.

18. Our data shows …

Sample sentence: Our data shows that more than 23% of men in this town who used to drive to work now prefer to save money and the environment by cycling instead.

Explaining Visuals

To present a clearer picture of your point, you may show your data, information or examples in the form of visuals such as charts, tables and graphs.

19. I’d like to illustrate this point by showing you…

The word “illustrate” means “show,” usually with examples, data or visuals.

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oral presentation useful phrases

Sample sentence: I’d like to illustrate this point by showing you a chart of the number of people in each age group who prefer to shop online.

20. This chart shows a breakdown of …

A “breakdown” refers to the detailed parts or figures that make up the total picture. A breakdown is often used in a presentation to show all the smaller parts behind something bigger.

Sample sentence: This chart shows a breakdown of the ingredients we use in our gluten-free products.

Restating Your Point

Sometimes in order to emphasize your point, you have to state it in a way that’s easier for your audience to understand and remember. This often involves rephrasing, simplifying or clarifying your point.

21. In other words, …

Use this phrase to rephrase or reword your point in another way.

Sample sentence: In other words , we need to change our current design to make it more attractive to older children.

oral presentation useful phrases

22. To put it simply, …

Use this phrase to simplify points that are complex or difficult to understand.

Sample sentence: To put it simply , we’ll need you to work harder at making this launch a success.

23. What I mean to say is …

Use this phrase to explain your point in a way that’s easier for your audience to understand.

Sample sentence: What I mean to say is that we need to change the way we market our products.

Concluding Your Presentation

This is the very end of the presentation. You have said everything you need to say, and now you need to finish it nicely. You may also have some time for questions. If there is time for questions, invite your audience to ask any questions they have.

24. In conclusion, let me sum up my main points.

As part of your closing statement, “sum up” (summarize, state briefly) your speech by mentioning the main points of your speech.

25. Thank you for your attention. Now I am happy to answer any questions you might have.

End your presentation by thanking your audience and offering to answer their questions.

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. Think about all the vocabulary, phrases and grammar that will make your message clear and easy to understand.

What are the big ideas you want to explain for your presentation? Which words will express these ideas best? I recommend:

  • Have a clear goal in mind to help you stay on track and be logical. Whenever you feel lost during the presentation, just remember this clear, main goal. An example of a goal could be to convince potential clients to work with you. Whenever you don’t know what to say next, remember to focus on the advantages you want to present and on examples of what you did in the past to deserve their trust. Encourage them to ask you questions related to this goal.
  • Research content. If you know your facts, you already have the core of your presentation prepared. Write these facts down on topic cards, give out handouts (papers) with important information or include them on your PowerPoint slides.
  • Prepare the delivery. Rehearse giving the presentation several times. Some people like recording themselves, others prefer practicing in front of a mirror or having friends listen to them while presenting. Choose the method that works best for you.
  • Decide whether you are going to read or speak freely. Reading can sound unnatural, but you can use certain tricks to avoid this. You can underline important sentences which you can memorize, so that from time to time you can stop reading, say your memorized lines and look at the audience. In this way, reading can be made more natural. Make sure you slow down so that the audience can follow you.

Speaking freely is much better if you can remember everything you want to say, because you will seem more knowledgeable, prepared and confident. However, this can be more stressful.

2. Use Visuals

Using some visuals can make your presentation more entertaining, easier to understand and can get your points across more convincingly. My advice:

  • Decide whether you need a PowerPoint presentation or not. Do you have graphs, results or other things like this to show? Then yes, you need one. Are you just telling a story? Then you probably do not.
  • Do not fill your slides with too much information. Use a maximum of seven short lines of text—even seven can be too many. Highlight key words so the audience can see the main ideas right away. Use bullet points rather than full sentences.
  • If you are presenting graphs or charts , give the audience time to read them.  Do not show a huge table of data if they audience will not have time to read and understand it. Make sure you try reading each slide while timing yourself to see how long it takes, so you do not jump to the next slide too early during your presentation.

3. Structure Your Presentation Well

It is a common mistake to give an unclear and unorganized presentation. This happens when the presenter just starts speaking without a clear goal in mind. They might suddenly realize their allotted speaking time has ended, or that the audience is bored because they are not following what is being said. Here’s what you should do instead:

  • Decide on three main points (or less) that you want to make. Audiences can’t usually focus on more than three points.
  • Tell them from the beginning what points you will be making. Audiences like to know what to expect. Tell them the main goals of your presentation directly in the introduction.
  • Presenting main points: firstly, secondly, last but not least
  • Making additions: moreover, furthermore, in addition, besides, what’s more
  • Making purposes clear: in order to, so as to
  • Presenting reasons and causes: on account of, due to, since, seeing that
  • Presenting consequences: consequently, as a result, therefore
  • Expressing contrast: in spite of, despite, although, even though, however, nevertheless, in contrast, on the contrary

So with this, you’ve mastered the 25 most commonly used phrases used in presentations and my three favorite tips.

Once you learn them, I think you’ll find them very useful to you in any presentation.

Become familiar with them and I promise you’ll feel much less nervous in your next presentation.

And One More Thing...

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

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If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

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FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

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oral presentation useful phrases

Useful phrases for a monologue/speech/presentation (oral exam part 1) Engl.-Engl.

Addressing an audience (start)

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  • Thank you (very much) for listening/your attention. If you would like to add something, please feel free to do so. I'd be happy to answer your questions.
  • Finally,... To sum up, one can say... I'd like to finish by saying that... Basically it comes down to... To put in a nutshell...

oral presentation useful phrases

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COMMENTS

  1. 30 useful phrases for presentations in English

    Effective - successful in producing a desired or intended result. Springboard - springboard is also something that provides an opportunity to achieve something. Handout - a document given to students or reporters that contains information about a particular subject. Q&A - an abbreviation for 'question and answer'.

  2. 52 Phrases for Better Flowing English Presentations

    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.

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  4. Useful phrases for giving a presentation in English

    Highlighting information during your talk. When you are giving a presentation in English, you might want to highlight a particular piece of information or something that's important. You can use phrases such as 'Let's focus on …', 'I want to highlight …', 'Pay attention to …', 'Let's look at …', 'I want to ...

  5. Useful Phrases and Expressions for Presentations! (Business and

    And if you don't want any questions until after you have finished, you can say If you have questions, please wait until after the presentation to ask them. Main Body . The main body of the presentation will be mostly your content and ideas. However, there are still some useful phrases to help you begin and move smoothly through your topics.

  6. Professional Phrases for Presentations

    Professional Phrases for Presentations. We have compiled a collection of useful professional phrases to help you to present like a pro. Remember the KISS rule: Keep It Short and Simple. Before beginning, it's a good idea to greet your audience. Make eye contact. Read the mood in the room.

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  8. PDF Useful phrases for an oral presentation

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  9. Oral Presentations: Useful Phrases

    In these sections, you will find a number of phrases or language items that...

  10. 30 useful phrases required presentations for English

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  11. Vocabulary and Phrases for Making Presentations in English

    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 ...

  12. Language tips for oral presentations

    Language tips for oral presentations . Useful phrases to introduce your presentation The aim of your introduction is to get the attention of your audience. Take a moment to welcome your audience and introduce yourself before you begin. Introduce your presentation topic and give a brief outline of what you will cover and the purpose of your ...

  13. Updated for 2024

    Whether you use more formal either informal language, it is important to engage the audience through positive body english and a warm welcome. Your note of voice and changes in intonation are additional useful accessory and thou might consider asking them germane questions (real or oratorical). The

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  16. 37 Useful Phrases For Presentations In English

    37 useful phrases for presentations in English • Improve business Hebrew skills • Business English sentence to use in presentations

  17. 150+ Essential Business Presentation Phrases (+ 8 Tips)

    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.

  18. Giving a Presentation

    Giving a Presentation - Useful Phrases. goodwin. 8086. 89. 74. 0. 1/1. Let's do English ESL presentation, public speaking. This theory sheet contains a number of useful phrases for oral presentations in class for intermediate and a….

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  20. 25 English Presentation Phrases

    Before you begin your presentation, start by greeting your audience, welcoming them to the event and introducing yourself. 1. Good morning/afternoon/evening, everyone. 2. Welcome to [name of event]. Sample sentence: Welcome to our 3rd Annual Sales Leadership Conference. Curated authentic video library for all levels.

  21. 52 Phrases for Better Flowing English Presentations

    29 Phrases to Improve the Flow of Your English Presented The Introduction. See good presentations start with a strong introduction. There are a number of different ways you can startup your English presentation. Here's a simple, but effective introduction built which mill for most types away business presentations: Signal and transition words.

  22. Useful phrases for a monologue/speech/presentation (oral exam ...

    Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Today I'm talking about....; The subject of my talk/presentation/speech is... Can everyone hear me?, Thank you (very much) for listening/your attention. If you would like to add something, please feel free to do so. I'd be happy to answer your questions., I would like to start with...

  23. Oral presentation

    Giving an oral presentation as part of a speaking exam can be quite scary, but we're here to help you. Watch two students giving presentations and then read the tips carefully. ... Check your understanding: grouping - useful phrases. Worksheets and downloads. Oral presentation - planning sheet 199.44 KB. Oral presentation - tips 257.4 KB. Oral ...