Delivering Oral Presentations in English

Inglés B2
ETSII
Universitat Politècnica de València

1
 Objective

The goal of this task is that students gain the necessary

linguistic skills to deliver an oral presentation in
English.
 Procedure
BEFORE WE START

1: Think of the topic that you would like to develop, try to

be original and innovative.

2: Think of and describe 3 main ideas on that topic.

3: Think how you can promote or best sell your ideas

(target audience, offers, appearance…)
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

Let’s Start: Write down an outline

The outline is a document that helps clarify

what you want to say as well as help organize
your material.
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

General Point: Introduction of a new product

Sub-point #1: function/purpose of your product

Body Sub-point #2: its main technical features and components

Sub-point #3: its adavantages and limitations (if any).

Closing Remarks

(Extension: 1 Paragraph for each section)

 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

Let’s Continue: Developing your own ideas

Each sub-point should be included in a paragraph and this is

divided / contains different parts.
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

EACH PARAGRAPH SHOULD INCLUDE:

1- Insert a Topic Sentence

2- Supporting points for that idea
3- Further elaboration of that idea (If Necessary)
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

Sub-point #1: function/purpose of your product

1- Insert a Topic Sentence:

The purpose of Whatsapp is to enhance communication and save

time and money among its users.
(Extension: 1 full sentence)
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

Sub-point #1: function/purpose of your product

2- Supporting points for that idea

Whatsapp is used to send messages to the contacts its

users have in their phone agendas; this is similar
to an online chat.
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

Sub-point #1: function/purpose of your product

3- Further elaboration of that idea (If Necessary)

This service was invented in the early 2010s as a

response to the current communication needs
taking into consideration that the amount of
telephone user with access to the Internet was
vastly increasing.
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

Let’s Focus on Transitions

Every time a sentence or paragraph ends it is

necessary to connect that sentence or paragraph
with the following one.

TEXTS MUST BE COHESIVE

 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

General Point: Introduction of a new product

Transition Introduction-Body
Sub-point #1: function/purpose of your product
Transition Subpoints #1 - #2
Sub-point #2: its main technical features and components
Body
Transition Subpoints #2 - #3

Sub-point #3: its adavantages and limitations (if any).

Transition Body - Conclusion
Closing Remarks
(Extension: 1 Paragraph for each section)
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

TYPES OF TRANSITIONS

1. Transitions between sentences are often only one

word (however, therefore, etc.) or a brief series of
words. These allow the reader to move from one
sentence to the next and show how all sentences are
related together.
2. Transitions between paragraphs are slightly more
complex as they move the reader from one main idea to
the next. These become particularly important in longer
essays where more information is presented.
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

TYPES OF TRANSITIONS

To Add: additionally, in addition, again, besides, moreover,

what’s more, equally important (also important), finally,
further, furthermore, first (second, third, etc.) next, lastly

To Repeat: as mentioned, as has been noted, in brief

To Show Exception: however, nevertheless, in spite of, yet, still,

despite, of course, once in a while, sometimes, unfortunately
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY
TYPES OF TRANSITIONS
To Compare: however, on the other hand, on the contrary, in contrast,
whereas, but, yet, nevertheless, by comparison, compared to,
conversely, up against, balanced against, but, although, meanwhile,
after all, while this may be true

To Emphasize: indeed, certainly, in any case, without a doubt,

obviously, definitely, extremely, in fact, absolutely, positively,
naturally, surprisingly, emphatically, unquestionably , undeniably,
without reservation, always, never

To Prove: furthermore, moreover, in example, in fact, indeed, because,

for, since, for the same reason, for this reason, obviously, evidently,
besides, in addition, in any case
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

TYPES OF TRANSITIONS

To Give an Example: for example, for instance, to demonstrate, to

illustrate, as an illustration, in another case, take the case of, on
this occasion, in this situation

To Show Sequence: as a result, subsequently, consequently,

following this, now, at this point, afterward, simultaneously, thus,
hence, therefore, first (second, third, etc.)
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

TYPES OF TRANSITIONS

To Show Time: immediately, thereafter, then, soon after, next, and

then, finally, later, previously, formerly, first (second, third, etc.)

To Summarize or Conclude: In conclusion, as demonstrated, to

conclude, summing up, in brief, as a result, therefore,
accordingly, consequently, hence, on the whole
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY
CONNECTORS
 STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

"Peace Prize a well-deserved honour"

Kwangari Maathai, Kenyan deputy environment minister, won the Nobel Peace Prize in October
2004. This is a wonderful achievement. She is the first African woman to win the prize; (1)
(furthermore/ on the other hand / but) _____________, she won the prize for doing something
wonderful – protecting the environment. Preventing environmental degradation is essential to world
security and world peace, (2) (in contrast / so / actually)____________ the recognition of the Nobel
selection committee is very important. Environmentalists tend to focus on nature; (3)(as a result /
nevertheless / in fact)____________ , they must also recognize the importance of social justice and
peace in protecting nature. A starving person who comes across an edible plant or animal, (4) (for
instance / besides / instead)________________, will not pause and wonder whether it is endangered.
(5) (In the same way / On the contrary / If) ______________, those living without justice or under
conditions of terror, genocide or war, must worry about survival above all. (6)(In addition / So /
Consequently)____________, these issues must also be addressed (7) (if / since / just as) __________
we are to protect nature.
STEP 1: DEVELOPING YOUR BODY

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 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

Introductions and conclusions act as bridges that

transport your readers from their own lives into the
“place” of your analysis.
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

Introduction helps your audience make a transition

between their own world and the issues you will be
explaining, you give your readers the tools they
need to get into your topic and care about what you
are saying.
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

Similarly, your conclusion can provide a bridge to help your

readers make the transition back to their daily lives. The
conclusion allows you to have the final say on the issues you
have raised in your paper, to synthesize your thoughts, to
demonstrate the importance of your ideas, and to propel your
reader to a new view of the subject. It is also your opportunity
to make a good final impression and to end on a positive note.
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD INTRODUCTION

You never get a second chance to make a first impression

Your introduction is an important road map for your paper

A good introduction will make your readers pay attention

 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

STRATEGIES FOR AN EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTION

1) Start by thinking about the question you are trying to answer or the
problem you want to solve.

2) Decide how general or broad your opening should be.

3) Try writing your introduction last, but if you do it first don’t be

afraid to change it later.

4) Pay special attention to your first sentence.

5) Open with something that will draw readers in. (continues)

 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

STRATEGIES FOR AN EFFECTIVE INTRODUCTION

5) Open with something that will draw readers in.

5.1) Show intrigue

5.2) Be provocative (up to certain limit!)
5.3) Use a puzzling scenario
5.4) A vivid and perhaps unexpected anecdote
5.5) A thought-provoking question
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

STRUCTURE OF YOUR INTRODUCTION

1) Greeting the audience and Introducing yourself

2) Calling for attention (The Hook)

3) Stating the purpose of your talk

4) The overview – presenting the structure of the talk

 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

GREETING THE AUDIENCE AND INTRODUCING YOURSELF

• Good afternoon, everybody.

• Good morning, gentlemen.
• Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
• Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
• It’s a pleasure to be here with you today.
• If everybody is ready, I think we can begin now.
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

GREETING THE AUDIENCE AND INTRODUCING YOURSELF

• Let me introduce myself first. I’m …

• I’d like to introduce myself. I’m …
• Before I begin, let me tell you a little about myself. I’m …
• I work for X. X is a work leader in the development and
manufacture of …
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

THE HOOK
Type of Hook Examples
Quotation - General Patton once said, “If a man does his best, what else is there?”
- When Hillary Clinton said “we must stop thinking of the individual and start thinking
about what is best for society,” she highlighted one of the biggest issues in American
politics.
Anecdote - There was nothing more isolating than being alone in a foreign country, with no cell
phone, no money, and no ability to speak the language.
- It was Christmas of 1995 when my parents taught me a valuable lesson: always expect
the unexpected.
Rhetorical - Have you ever wondered what you would do if you couldn’t fail?
question - What’s the one thing you can do to make the world a better place?

Interesting fact - China is going to spend $850 billion to clean up its water supply over the next decade.
- Ancient Egyptians used heavy eye makeup to keep evil spirits at bay and to protect their
eyes from infection.
Simile or - When I first went to Japan, it was like a baby bird trying to fly for the first time.
metaphor - The high rate of poverty in America is the country’s elephant in the room.
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

STATING THE PURPOSE OF YOUR TALK

• The main purpose of this talk/presentation is ...

• I am going to talk about/present/inform you about/describe ...
• It is a great pleasure for me to introduce ...
• My goal/objective today is to introduce our new range of ...
• As you know, I’m here to present ... to you
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

THE OVERVIEW
–To start with I’ll
–Then I’ll mention
–After that I’ll
–Finally, I’ll summarise my presentation before concluding
with some recommendations.
 STEP 2: PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION SAMPLE
Good morning, my name is John and I am a student at Oxford
University. Have you ever thought about the possibility to sending
messages to all your friends for free? Definitely, sending messages is
very easy and you avoid communicating spontaneously, you can find
the best way to say something before you do. Unfortunately, up to
now sending messages was not free and you could not communicate
with the freedom of being aware that this service was free. I am here
today to introduce a revolutionary application for telephones that
permits sending messages with internet connection and this means
that you have to pay no money for each message you send. This
presentation is divided into three parts before I get to the
conclusions. Firstly, I will explain the functionality of Whatsapp;
then, I will describe the main technical features and components, and
at last, I will show some of its main advantages.
STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

A conclusion should
• stress the importance of the thesis statement,
• give the essay a sense of completeness, and
• leave a final impression on the reader.
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

STRATEGIES FOR AN EFFECTIVE CONCLUSION

1) Respond to the Question “So what?” or “Why should anybody care?”

2) Return to the theme or themes in the introduction.
3) Synthesize, don’t summarize.
4) Include a provocative insight or quotation.
5) Propose actions, a solution to an issue, or questions for further study.
6) Point to broader implications.
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

STRATEGIES TO AVOID

1) Do not overuse the words “in conclusion,” “in summary,” or “in closing”.
2) Do not state the thesis for the very first time in the conclusion.
3) Do not introduce a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion.
4) Do not make sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest
of an analytical paper.
5) Do not include evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of
the paper/speech.
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

STRUCTURE OF YOUR CONCLUSION

1) Restate the topic. You should briefly restate the topic as well as
explaining why it is important.

2) Briefly synthesize your main points

3) Make a call to action when appropriate/ Give your opinion /

Recommendations/ Final Quotation

4) Closing remarks and Questions

 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

Synthesize the information previously given

• Finally, let me remind you of some of the points we’ve looked at.
• I’d like to sum up now ...
• In conclusion, ...
• Let me summarise (recap) what I’ve said.
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

Give recommendations

• I would suggest the following strategy.

• I’d like to propose a new way to deal with the problem.
• I recommend to follow a new approach.
• In conclusion, my recommendation is ...
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

Thank the audience

• Thank you for you attention.

• May I thank you for being such an attentive audience.
• It’s been a great pleasure to present these data to you.
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

Invite the audience to deliver Questions

• Are there any final questions?

• Can I answer any questions?
• Have you got any questions?
• Now I’ll try to answer any questions that you may have.
 STEP 3: CLOSING DOWN WITH YOUR CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION SAMPLE

After having introduced this revolutionary device, Whatsapp, we

should conclude this presentation. As it has been commented the
purpose of Whatsapp is to communicate with other users through
mobile phones equipped with Internet connection. This means free
usage and continuous communication among users. This system is
advantageous for its users because it is a comfortable way to
communicate, being this application similar to an online chat.
Definitely, this application has broken with the traditional way
telephoning operators have worked up to now around the world.
Thus, if communication is a right, why shall we pay for this? Thanks
for your attention. If any of you has a question, I will be pleased to
respond now.
Delivering Oral Presentations in English

Inglés B2– 2017/18

ETSII
Universitat Politècnica de València

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