Presentations in English

Learn how to deliver a presentation in English. Our English for presentations lessons cover all aspects of making a presentation in English, including starting your English presentation, engaging your audience and handling the Q&A.

English for Presentations by Business English Pod

Are you looking to improve your English for presentations? Whether you’re a professional or a student, being able to deliver an effective presentation in English is a valuable skill that can open doors to new opportunities. In this guide, we will explore the key strategies and techniques to master the art of business English presentations. From structuring your presentation to using persuasive language, we’ll cover everything you need to know to captivate your audience and make a lasting impression.

Our earlier lessons look at key language for making presentations in English . You’ll learn how to make a clear introduction, link and signpost your ideas, and deliver a powerful summary with a compelling call to action. As you progress, diving into the nuances of handling questions and answers becomes second nature, ensuring you can navigate any Q&A session confidently.

Moving on to delivery skills, we guide you through aspects such as using your voice effectively and presenting charts and graphs. These foundational skills lay the groundwork for a successful presentation in English.

Advanced lessons include our “Presenting Online” series, guiding you through the nuances of online presentations, and the advanced English presentations trilogy, covering the entire presentation process for advanced business English learners.

In the world of product presentations, we look at how to present essential features so you can perfect your sales pitch. For international conferences, our lesson on opening presentations ensures you start events with confidence, setting the stage for engaging sessions.

Handling Q&A sessions can be tricky, but our lessons on presenting in English prepare you to respond smoothly, managing queries with ease for a polished presentation. Lessons on SWOT analysis, presenting persuasive arguments, and sales presentations further elevate your proficiency.

Whether you’re building a solid foundation or refining your skills, these lessons serve as a comprehensive guide to business English for presentations. Get ready to captivate your audience and make a lasting impression in your next English presentation!

Our English for presentations lessons are listed by release date, with the most recent lesson at the top. Each lesson includes the podcast MP3, a PDF transcript and online quizzes.

BEP 33c – Presentations: Summarizing and Call to Action

BEP 33c - English for Presentations: Summarizing and Call to Action

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on how to finish a presentation with a summary and a call to action.

An effective presentation is one that you remember. And an effective presenter is one who knows how to get information to stick and how to make a lasting impression on the audience. But for many people, that’s easier said than done. So how can you get your ideas to stick?

Well, there’s a simple structure that you can follow. That structure involves signaling that you’re going to end your presentation. Next, you can provide a summary of what you’ve discussed. Then you can make a call to action. And finally, you can thank your audience and invite questions. With this structure, you can make a strong finish to your presentation and a lasting impression.

Today we’ll listen to a presentation by Nick, a sales director for a steel company. Nick is giving a presentation about ideas for increasing sales, which have been rather disappointing. He uses several techniques to summarize and emphasize his key points. And he provides a strong finish to his presentation.

Listening Questions

1. What does Nick say to introduce the final summary of his main ideas?
2. What does Nick tell people he wants them to do near the end of the presentation?
3. What does Nick do to end his presentation?

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BEP 380 – Videoconferences: Presenting Online (3)

BEP 380 - Presenting Online 3: Managing the QA

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on videoconferences and presenting online. Today, we’re going to focus on handling questions and managing the Q&A.

With the rise of hybrid teams, presenting online is just a regular part of work for many professionals. And while the basics of delivering information in a virtual setting may seem simple, interacting with your audience and dealing with questions feels very different online than in person. Skilled presenters have a variety of tricks for ensuring a productive Q&A, or question and answer, session.

For example, when someone asks a good question, you might redirect it to the entire group. That gives the Q&A more of a discussion feel. And if people aren’t asking questions, you can ask some yourself. Of course, sometimes people introduce ideas that you don’t really have time to explore. In this case, you can suggest more discussion at a later time.

Good presenters are also ready to admit any limitations to what they’ve presented. Nobody has all the answers, so don’t pretend you do. And finally, once the Q&A is finished, it’s a great idea to encourage people to follow up with you later if they have any other questions.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to the end of a presentation by Adam, a business consultant. He’s handling some questions and encouraging discussion after presenting his ideas on ways to increase sales. We’ll also hear Adam’s colleague Nancy and his boss Heather ask questions and participate in the discussion.

Listening Questions

1. What question does Nancy ask that Adam redirects to the entire group?
2. What question does Adam ask everyone to encourage them to share their ideas?
3. What key point does Adam admit they’re still not sure about?

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BEP 379 – Videoconferences: Presenting Online (2)

BEP 379 - Presenting Online 2: Transitioning to the Q&A

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on videoconferences and presenting online. Today, we’re going to look at how to wrap up your presentation and transition to the Q&A.

Great presenters always make time and space for questions at the end of their presentation. And if you’ve done a good job of engaging your listeners, they may have lots to say or ask. Before you open it up for questions, however, you need to summarize.

One thing you can do to emphasize key points near the end is to ask a question yourself, then answer it. And an effective way to answer it is with a visual or some kind of illustration. That will help your ideas stick, not just at the end, but throughout your presentation.

Near the end of a presentation, there may be people who have to leave early so it’s important to acknowledge these people and let them know how you’ll follow up. Finally, it’s a good idea at the end to summarize your key points. Once you’ve done these things, you can make the transition to the Q&A section of your presentation.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin a presentation by a business consultant named Adam. He’s wrapping up a talk about how the company can increase sales. We’ll hear how Adam finishes up and transitions to the Q&A.

Listening Questions

1. What question does Adam ask his listeners which he then answers by showing a visual?
2. What does Adam offer to do for people who have to leave early?
3. What’s the first big opportunity Adam mentions as he summarizes his presentation?

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BEP 378 – Videoconferences: Presenting Online (1)

BEP 378 - Videoconferences: Presenting Online 1 - Getting Off to a Good Start

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on videoconferences and presenting online. Today, we’re going to focus on how to get your presentation off to a good start.

Videoconferences are now a normal, everyday part of business life. And people have had to develop a new set of skills for this new reality. Consider giving a presentation online. It definitely brings some new challenges, especially technical ones. But virtual presentations also require many of the same skills as presenting in-person.

For example, you still need to be engaging and confident, especially at the start as you get people excited about your presentation. And besides getting them excited, you need to help them understand. So outlining your presentation clearly is also a good idea.

Now, how can you present information and data in a way that keeps your listeners engaged? Well, for one thing, you can talk about your own experience. And you can also relate the information to your listeners’ experience. That will help your presentation connect with your audience. And finally, one technical skill that you’ll need in the virtual format is sharing your screen.

In today’s dialog, we’ll listen to part of an online presentation given by Adam, who works as a business consultant. He’s presenting on the topic of sales to several colleagues, including Chris, Nancy, and his boss Heather. We’ll hear how Adam begins his online presentation.

Listening Questions

1. What is the last thing Adam will do in his presentation, according to his outline?
2. What experience does Adam talk about to ground his presentation?
3. What information does Adam present on his shared screen?

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BEP 366 – English for Startups 3: Addressing Investor Concerns

BEP 366 LESSON - Startup English 3: Answering Investor Questions

Welcome back to Business English Pod for today’s lesson on addressing investor concerns during a pitch in English.

One of the greatest skills in business is the art of persuasion. Whether you’re running a startup and wooing a big investor or trying to convince your boss to give you a pay raise you need to be able to persuade.

Of course, we often use a pitch or presentation to persuade, especially when looking for startup investment. But the pitch alone won’t seal the deal. The real test is handling questions and concerns after your pitch. Can you anticipate these concerns and be ready to address them? Can you think and speak on the fly? Do you have the confidence to back up what you’ve said in your presentation?

There are several concerns you might have to address. For one, you may have to explain exactly why your idea is unique. And you might also have to show clearly that you’re committed to the idea. One common investor concern is the valuation, or how much you think the company’s worth. You’ll need to justify your valuation clearly, and explain what you’ll do with the investor’s money. And through it all, you’ll be trying to show why you are backable, or deserve the investor’s support.

In today’s dialog, we’ll rejoin Quinn, who is seeking investment for his online payments company called Moolah. In our last lesson, Quinn gave his pitch to the investor. Now he has to address some tough questions and concerns from a potential investor named Mason.

Listening Questions

1. What does Quinn believe shows that he’s fully committed to the company?
2. What exactly does Quinn plan to do with the investor’s money?
3. Why does Quinn believe he is backable on a personal level?

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Download: Podcast MP3