UNIT 4: MASTERING DELIVERY

TECHNIQUES

Nguyen Bich Ngoc, M.A.

1
v1.0023111216
 WARMING UP

Watch the video about voice projection. The speaker has given you a very helpful exercise to project your
voice. Note down anything that you feel useful. Link video

2
v1.0023111216
 OBJECTIVES

After this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify skills to enhance communication effectiveness.
• Recognize effective communication skills in examples.
• Apply skills to deliver effective oral presentations.

3
v1.0023111216
 OVERVIEW

4.1 Vocal modulation and projection

4.2 Chunking

4.3 Practice

4
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION

Articulation
• Make sure you know how to say any long or technical words you may need. In English some parts of a word
sound weak, some strong and some very strong.
• eg: presenTAtion, ecoNOmical, producTivity, techNOlogy. It is important to know which part of the word has
the strongest stress. Bad stress is more likely to make you difficult to understand than bad pronunciation.

5
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Articulation
Task 1: Highlight the part of each word which has the strongest stress.

1. presentation 7. supervision
2. collaboration 8. technician
3. negotiation 9. politician
4. recommendation 10. optional
5. decision 11. provisional
6. expansion 12. unconditional
* Where does the stress come in words ending in -ion(al), and -ian? Can you think of any similar
words?

6
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Articulation
Task 1: KEY

1. presentation * -ion: In words ending in -ion, the stress typically falls on the syllable
2. collaboration immediately preceding the -ion suffix. For example:
3. negotiation 1. Television
4. recommendation 2. Conversation
5. decision 3. Education
6. expansion -ial: Words ending in -ial often have the stress on the penultimate
7. supervision (second-to-last) syllable. For example:
8. technician 1. Social
9. politician 2. Official
10. optional 3. Commercial
11. provisional -ian: In words ending in -ian, the stress can vary, but it often falls on the
12. unconditional antepenultimate (third-to-last) syllable. For example:
1. Librarian
2. Physician
3. Historian

7
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Articulation
Task 2: Highlight the part of each word which has the strongest stress.
1. strategic
2. dynamic
3. systematic
4. problematic
5. bureaucratic
6. typical
7. analytical
8. economical
* Where does the stress come in words ending in -ic(al)? Can you think of any similar words.

8
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Articulation
Task 2: KEY
1. strategic
2. dynamic
3. systematic
4. problematic
5. bureaucratic
6. typical
7. analytical
8. economical
*In words ending in -ic(al), the stress pattern often falls on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable. Similar
words that have the same stress pattern: diplomatic; automatic; romantic; historic
9
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Intonation
Monotonous speakers bore the audience. Thus, a golden rule when you give a presentation is to vary the tone
of your voice. Your intonation – the rise and fall of your voice – tells your audience exactly what you are
thinking. Good intonation lets them see your attitude and your enthusiasm for your subject.

10
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Intonation
Task 3: Present the following extract until you’re happy with the way you sound.
• “As a business EVOLVES it goes through FOUR BASIC STAGES
• And at every stage of the business LIFE cycle your company’s financial needs are going to CHANGE.
• So, what are those FOUR STAGES?
• Well, obviously, when your business is NEW what you need most of ALL is INVESTMENT capital and a detailed
BUSINESS plan.
• But once your business is established and GROWING and you’ve got a solid CUSTOMER base,
• then it’s time to look into INVESTMENT and the proper use of your RESOURCES.
• Companies that fail to GROW simply DECLINE.
• So as your business EXPANDS, you’re almost certainly going to need additional FINANCING.
• And FINALLY, by the time the business is MATURE, you’ll want to get an accurate VALUATION
• So that, should you WANT to, you can sell off the company at a decent PROFIT.”
11
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Word and phrase emphasis

• I already told you. (Frustration)
• I like you. (friendship)
• Come back here (Anger)
• You did that. (Surprise)
• I though he would win. (Irony)

12
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Word and phrase emphasis

• I already told you. (Frustration)
• I like you. (friendship)
• Come back here (Anger)
• You did that. (Surprise)
• I though he would win. (Irony)

13
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Word and phrase emphasis

Task 4: Read the following sentence several times, emphasizing a different word to achieve the quality
in parenthesis.
• Mary is my friend. (Agreement)
• Mary is my friend. (Pleasant surprise)
• Mary is my friend. (Shock or surprise)
• Mary is my friend. (Sarcasm)

14
v1.0023111216
 4.1. VOCAL MODULATION AND PROJECTION (cont.)

Word and phrase emphasis

Task 4: Read the following sentence several times, emphasizing a different word to achieve the quality
in parenthesis.
• Mary is my friend. (Agreement)
• Mary is my friend. (Pleasant surprise)
• Mary is my friend. (Shock or surprise)
• Mary is my friend ~. (Sarcasm)

15
v1.0023111216
 4.2. CHUNKING

To give an effective presentation in English you must learn to think and speak not in individual words, but in
complete phrases. This means pausing in the right places:

INTERESTING DULL
ANYONE can become a successful manager. Anyone can become a successful manager. But, of
But, of course, the unprepared, course, the unprepared, the untrained, and those
given too much responsibility before they’re ready will
the untrained,
fail. That’s what this morning's presentation is all
and those given too much responsibility about.
will FAIL.
That's what this morning’s presentation
is all about.
The ability to present information in comprehensible chunks is by far the most important presentation skill you
need.

16
v1.0023111216
 4.2. CHUNKING (cont.)

Task 5: Look at the following presentation extract:

There’s one area of business where the best will always find a job. And it’s so vital to the economy that its
success is almost guaranteed. The true professional in this field has nothing to fear from technology or the
changing marketplace. In fact, they can virtually name their own salary as they provide an essential service,
without which most companies would simply go out of business. I’m talking of course, about selling.

1. Read the extract aloud. Mark the pauses (/) and highlight the stressed words.
2. Listen to the teacher and check your pauses and stressed words
3. Try presenting the extract again following the sample.

17
v1.0023111216
 4.3. PRACTICE (cont.)

Task 6: Change the text below into more natural spoken English then practice presenting the
information making full use of your voice.
Air pollution and health
This paper will deal with the increasing problem of air pollution, and its effect on the health of people living and
working in densely populated urban areas. It will focus in particular on the danger to health of tiny airborne
particles, produced principally by diesel-engined vehicles. Recent studies carried out in a number of European
cities have revealed that the concentration of particles in urban air pollution is not only much higher than
previously thought, but may also be a crucial factor in the rise in the number of deaths from heart and lung
problems in cities with high level of smog.

18
v1.0023111216
 4.3. PRACTICE (cont.)

Task 6: Change the text below into more natural spoken English then practice presenting the
information making full use of your voice. (cont.)
Types of pollutants
A recent report by the Department of Environmental Medicine at a leading British university demonstrated that
the number of airborne particles in even relatively “clean” air is far higher than previously estimated. The data
come from extensive studies of PM10s, particles which are less than 10 micrometers in diameter and which
are emitted by diesel engines. These particles are highly acidic, and are able to penetrate into buildings where
they persist for long periods of time. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that PM10s in high
concentrations may be responsible for as many as 10,000 deaths in the UK each year, particularly among
people already suffering from heart and lung disorders. In some cities in the European Union, concentrations of
PM10s have reached levels in excess of 100,000 parts per milliliter of air.

19
v1.0023111216
 SUMMARY

• Vocal modulation and projection

• Chunking

20
v1.0023111216