FV11A6500 Presenting in English
Language of presentations 1 – Signposting
This document has 2 sections:
1) vocabulary exercises
2) additional signposting vocabulary
1 Vocabulary exercises
English is a low-context language. This means that instead of leaving
things to be inferred (read: in between the lines), English speakers make
things explicit. In English language presentations, this is seen by the use
of signposts – words and phrases that indicate where the presentation is
going.
There are some simple phrases to help you with that:
to move on
to expand on
to digress
to go back
to recap(itulate)
to conclude
to summarize
to turn to
to elaborate on
1. What do you want to do when you use the following phrases?
a. to expand on
b. to digress
c. to recapitulate
d. to elaborate on
2. Complete the following phrases and sentences using the expressions
above to help you. The first one has been done for you.
a. Moving on/question/US market
i. Moving on to the question of the US market
b. Expand/the background/previous project.
c. ?/recap/the main points of the study.
d. Go back/question/clinical research model.
Sources:
Comfort, Jeremy. 1997. Effective Presentations. Oxford University Press.
Dignen, Bob. English for Presentations. Minimax.
Powell, Mark. 2002. Presenting in English: How to Give Successful Presentations. Heinle, Cengage Learning.
Sweeney, Simon. 1997. English for Business Communication. Cambridge University Press.
FV11A6500 Presenting in English
e. Digress/a moment, let’s consider/ alternatives.
f. Turn/our targets/ the next five years.
g. Elaborate/that/little/those of you/aren’t familiar/Russian business
practices.
3. Go to the following website:
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_cobley_what_physics_taught_me_about_
marketing.html
There you will watch Dan Cobley give a presentation on “What physics
taught me about marketing.”
First, just listen through it once.
Then, listen again. This time, try to listen what kinds of signposts he
uses in his presentation? Make a note of them below.
Finally, open up the interactive transcript to the right of the video.
Listen and follow along with the text. Make any additions to the list you
feel are necessary.
Bring your answers with you to the next lesson. We will discuss them
in class.
Sources:
Comfort, Jeremy. 1997. Effective Presentations. Oxford University Press.
Dignen, Bob. English for Presentations. Minimax.
Powell, Mark. 2002. Presenting in English: How to Give Successful Presentations. Heinle, Cengage Learning.
Sweeney, Simon. 1997. English for Business Communication. Cambridge University Press.
FV11A6500 Presenting in English
2 Additional signposting vocabulary
Sections:
1. Stating a clear objective (stating purpose)
2. Rhetorical Questions
3. Signalling a start (signposting)
4. Structuring (signposting)
5. Introducing topics (signposting)
6. Moving on (signposting)
7. Looking back (signposting)
8. Adding (signposting)
9. Summarizing (signposting)
10. Concluding (signposting)
11. Closing
1. Stating a clear objective
I'm here today to
My purpose today is to
What I want to do today is to give you some facts and figures.
My objective today is to introduce British Petroleum's new services.
My aim this morning is to
My primary target is to
My main priority is to
2. Rhetorical questions (effective openings)
Can we achieve these targets by 2006?
Can they increase sales?
Can IBM solve these problems?
So, who was responsible?
So, what would you have done?
So, what should we do?
So, how much would it cost?
Where did we go wrong?
3. Signalling a start (signposting)
Right, ladies and gentlemen. Shall we begin?
OK, I'd like to begin by ...
Right then, everybody ...
Sources:
Comfort, Jeremy. 1997. Effective Presentations. Oxford University Press.
Dignen, Bob. English for Presentations. Minimax.
Powell, Mark. 2002. Presenting in English: How to Give Successful Presentations. Heinle, Cengage Learning.
Sweeney, Simon. 1997. English for Business Communication. Cambridge University Press.
FV11A6500 Presenting in English
Are we ready to begin?
Right. Is everybody ready?
OK. Can we make a start?
Is everybody here?
4. Structuring
Firstly ... Secondly ... Thirdly ...To start with ... Next ... At the outset ... Then ... To
begin with ...
After this ... Finally ...
5. Introducing topics
I'd like to review ...
I want to discuss ...
I'm going to analyze ...
I shall go over ...
consider ...
cover ...
talk about ...
6. Moving on
Let's now move on to ...
I'd like to go on to ...
I now want to...
This brings me to ...
7. Looking back
Let's look back for a moment ...
To go back to ...
As I said before ...
8. Adding
In addition ...
I might add that ...
Furthermore ...
Moreover ...
Not only ... but also ...
As well as ... there is also ...
Sources:
Comfort, Jeremy. 1997. Effective Presentations. Oxford University Press.
Dignen, Bob. English for Presentations. Minimax.
Powell, Mark. 2002. Presenting in English: How to Give Successful Presentations. Heinle, Cengage Learning.
Sweeney, Simon. 1997. English for Business Communication. Cambridge University Press.
FV11A6500 Presenting in English
9. Summarizing
To sum up then, ...
To summarize my main points ...
To recapitulate, ...to recap
Let me now sum up ...
Let me now just recap ...
10. Concluding
I'd like to conclude by reminding you that ...
Let me end by ...
I'd like to finish ...
In conclusion, may I remind ...
Finally, ...
12 Closing
Thank you. No doubt you have many questions ...
If there are any questions I shall do my best to answer them ...
I'm sure you have many questions ...
Sources:
Comfort, Jeremy. 1997. Effective Presentations. Oxford University Press.
Dignen, Bob. English for Presentations. Minimax.
Powell, Mark. 2002. Presenting in English: How to Give Successful Presentations. Heinle, Cengage Learning.
Sweeney, Simon. 1997. English for Business Communication. Cambridge University Press.