LANGUAGE USE

Beginning a presentation

It is common to greet the audience and introduce yourself when giving presentations:
Good morning,/afternoon/evening
I'm _________, the new Finance Manager.
My name is ________ and I represent _______
Let me take a minute to introduce myself.
Let me start by telling you a little about our company.
I've already met some of you, but for those I haven't, I'm ______

Introducing the topic

I'm here to talk about . . .
Today, I'd like to say a few words about . . .
I'm going to give you an overview of . . .
The main reason I'm here today is . . .
The focus of my remarks is . . .
I'd like to introduce . . .

Time consciousness
Thank you for your time
Thank you for taking the time to be here
I will probably take about . . . minutes
This should last only a few minutes
I hope to be finished by . . .

Showing organization
I've divided my topic into three sections/parts. They are . . .
This presentation can be divided into the following subtopics:

First, First of all The first point is . . .

Second Secondly The next point is . . .
Third Thirdly Next, we come to . . .
Finally Last The final point is . . .

Sequencing
Let's move on to . . .
Let's move on to . . .
That brings us to . . .

Giving Reasons
This is why . . .
The main reason is . . .
Therefore,
So,

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Generalizing
Generally,
Usually,
As a rule,
Most of the time,
In most cases,

Highlighting
Actually,
In fact,
As a matter of fact,
In particular
Particularly
Especially

Giving Examples
For example,
For instance,
Such as

Summarizing
To sum up
To summarize
In brief

Concluding
To conclude,
In conclusion,

Follow-up
Are/Were there any questions?
We have just a few minutes for question

___________________________________________________________________

Simple Presentations

Introduction Main points

(Good morning, afternoon, evening) Let me start by . . .
I'm happy to be here.
I'm glad to have this opportunity to . Giving examples
.. For example,
Today, I'd like to talk (to you) about For instance,
... Let me illustrate,
My topic today is . . . To illustrate,
The focus of my remarks is . . .
I'd like to share some thoughts on Conclusion
(topic) In conclusion,
First, let me tell you about . . . To conclude,
I've divided my topic into (three) To summarize,
parts: To sum up,
(They are . . .)
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Presentation Tips

Know Yourself Present Yourself

Strengths Dress
Weaknesses Posture
Talents Voice
Feelings Gestures
Opinions Body Language
Nervousness Confidence
Motivation Enthusiasm

Know Your Audience Present to Your Audience

Demographics Positive
Purpose Polite
Interests Interesting
Commonality Informative
Individuality Thought-provoking

Know Your Stuff Present Your Material

Knowledge of Subject Organization
Research Clarity
Personal Experience Visuals
Preparation Language
Rehearsal Volume

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Thinking Positively about Presentations

People often become nervous or fearful when giving presentations. Here are
some phrases you can keep in mind when preparing for and giving a
presentation.

About Yourself
I'm happy to be here. (Smile)
I'm glad to have this opportunity. (Turn nervousness into enthusiasm.)
I (really) want to tell you about this.
I have something interesting to tell you.

About Your Audience

This is something I think you should know . . .
This is important (to you) because . . .
You will be interested to know that . . .
You will benefit by knowing this . . .

About Your Subject/Material

The information is as follows:
A.
B.
C.
First, I will tell you about . . .
These are the main points/supporting ideas . . .
The best way to understand this information is . . .
Look at this. It will help you understand my topic . . .
This shows (you) . . .

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Nervous Mannerisms

What do you do when you are nervous?

Everyone has different reactions to nervousness. By being aware of your
particular nervous mannerism, you can work to overcome them.
Here are some common mannerisms exhibited when giving a speech.
Do you do any of them?

Bite your fingernails Say "uh," "uhm"

Tap your feet Tap on the table/podium
Wave your hands/arms Repeat yourself
Play with your hair Breathe heavily
Move around a lot Sweat
Speak too fast Giggle
Speak too slowly Pause inappropriately
Stiffen up Clam up/Become speechless
Shake/Shudder Shift your eyes
Play with objects in pockets, etc. Move your head around
Make strange facial expressions Gesture inappropriately

Becoming aware of what you do is the first step to overcoming nervous mannerisms.
Ask a friend to watch (or videotape) you when you give a speech.
Have him/her tell you candidly about your mannerisms and presentation skills
(both positive and negative).
Practice your speech in front of a mirror, or ask your friend to observe you
rehearse.
Think positively about what you do well and focus on that rather than the negative.
Be enthusiastic about what you have to say and share with others.

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The Language of Charts and Graphs

Types of Charts
Pie chart
Bar chart/graph
Line graph

Describing Movement
Increase Go up Rise Improve(ment)
Decrease Go down Fall Declined
Recover Jump Surge Reach (a point)
Recovery Slump Plummet Approach

Types of Movement
Slight Gradual Sharp Dramatic Major
Slightly Gradually Sharply Dramatically Minor

Movement over Time

There was a gradual decline in sales. (noun usage)
Sales declined gradually (verb usage)
Enrollment increased by 4% in 1997.
There was a 4% increase in enrollment in 1997.
Immigration rose to 800,000 in 1999. (to a point/number)
Immigration rose by 20,000 in 1999. (by increment)
There was a 20% rise in immigration. (percentage)
Taxes remained the same from 2000 to 2001.
Taxes continued at 15% for two years.

Static (non-movement) Description

Sales stood at $1,400,000 in 1998.
Profits were $27,000 in 1999.
There was a loss of $21,000 in 2001.

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