Delivering Clear Presentations on Work Projects.

This lesson focuses on presenting your ideas clearly and confidently in English. You will watch or read parts of a short project presentation, including an introduction, main points with simple visuals and a conclusion. You will notice how the speaker structures the talk, uses signposting phrases to guide the audience and pauses to emphasise key ideas. You will also look at useful language for describing charts, timelines and simple processes without using heavy jargon. Step by step, you will plan a five to seven minute mini presentation about a familiar topic from your work, such as a recent project, a new process or monthly results. You will write a short outline, choose simple visuals and rehearse key sentences. Finally, you will practise handling a few basic audience questions. By the end, you will be ready to deliver a short, well-structured work presentation in clear, professional English.

1. Watching the start of a project presentation.

In this lesson, you are preparing to give a short presentation about one of your own work projects. Before you do that, I would like you to see how another professional does it. In this block, you will listen to the beginning of a short internal presentation about a website redesign project. Your main job is to notice how the speaker opens the talk, explains the purpose and gives a simple overview of the structure. Do not worry about every single word. Focus on the signposting phrases such as how she says she will give an overview or how many points she plans to cover. After the listening, you will see the transcript on the screen and we will analyse it together. At the end of the block, you will answer a few questions to check that you understood the purpose, the audience and the main points of the talk.

The situation: an internal project presentation.

Imagine you work in the marketing team of a medium sized company. Your colleague Marta is giving a short internal presentation about the website redesign project. The audience is a mix of marketing, sales and IT colleagues, so she needs to keep it clear and non technical.

You have just listened to the beginning of Marta's talk. Read the transcript again and look carefully at how she opens the presentation and signposts the structure.

Marta - introduction to her presentation.

> Good morning everyone, thanks for joining. Let me start by giving you a quick overview of where we are with the website redesign project.

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> There are three main points I would like to cover today. First, I will briefly remind you of the goals of the redesign. Second, I will share the latest results from our initial testing with users. Third, I will outline the next steps and what I need from each team.

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> This should take about ten minutes, and then we will have a few minutes for questions at the end.

Noticing useful language.

Marta's introduction is short, but very clear. She does three important things:

1. Greets and says thank you: "Good morning everyone, thanks for joining."
2. Explains the purpose: "Let me start by giving you a quick overview of where we are..."
3. Gives a simple structure using signposting:

• "There are three main points I would like to cover today."
• "First, I will... Second, I will... Third, I will..."

These phrases help the audience relax, because they understand what is coming. Notice that Marta does not start with a long story or too much detail. She gets to the point.

Your turn - understanding the scene.

Before you move on, make sure you can answer some basic questions:

• What is the main purpose of Marta's presentation?
• Who is her audience?
• What are the three main points she plans to cover?

You will now listen to the introduction again and then write your answers in full sentences.

Practice & Feedback

Listen again to Marta's introduction in the audio below. Then answer the three questions in full sentences.

1. What is the purpose of Marta's presentation?
2. Who is she speaking to - who is the audience?
3. What three main points does she say she will cover?

Try to use some of the phrases from the transcript in your answers, for example "The purpose of the presentation is to..." or "She plans to cover three main points". Aim for 3 to 6 sentences in total. Focus on being clear and complete, not on writing very long answers. When you finish, I will check if you understood the situation correctly and I will also help you improve one or two sentences so they sound more natural and professional.

2. Describing charts and processes in your slides.

Now that you understand how Marta opened her presentation, let us move to the middle section, where she uses slides to explain results and a simple process. This is often the moment when presentations become confusing, because speakers either read all the numbers on the slide, or they use very technical language. In this block, you will see how Marta describes a chart and a short process in clear, everyday English. I would like you to notice the phrases she uses to introduce the visual, to describe the general trend and to move step by step through a process. After you have read the examples on the screen, you will see a short written description of another chart. Your task will be to rewrite that description so that it sounds like spoken presentation English, using some of the key phrases you have just studied.

Moving from introduction to main points.

After her clear opening, Marta moves to her main points. She uses slides with a simple bar chart and a process diagram. Look at how she talks about them.

Example 1 - describing a chart.

> As you can see on this slide, this chart shows the trend in conversion rates over the last three months.

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> In blue you can see our old website, and in green you can see the new design. Overall, conversions on the new site have increased by around 15 percent.

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> The biggest jump was in March, where the new site performed especially well on mobile devices.

Example 2 - describing a process.

> This diagram shows the new content approval process.

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> First, the marketing team drafts the content and checks it for brand consistency. Then, it goes to the legal team for a quick compliance review. After that, the product owner gives final approval.

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> Finally, once everything is approved, the content is published on the website and added to our internal knowledge base.

Useful patterns for slides.

When you describe visuals in a presentation, it helps to use a few simple patterns:

• To introduce the slide: "As you can see on this slide", "This chart shows...", "This diagram shows..."
• To describe data: "Overall, conversions have increased by...", "The biggest jump was in..."
• To describe a process: "First... Then... After that... Finally..."

You do not need to mention every small detail on the slide. Your job is to explain the main trend or the key steps.

In the activity below, you will practise turning a written description of numbers into something you could actually say in a meeting.

Practice & Feedback

Read the short note about a chart in the box below. It is written in a very plain, written style. Your task is to rewrite it as if you are speaking during a presentation, using some of the phrases from the examples above.

Try to:

• start with a phrase such as "As you can see on this slide" or "This chart shows";
• give the overall trend in one clear sentence;
• mention one or two key figures or changes, not every number;
• keep it to around 4 to 6 sentences.

Use clear, non technical language, as if you are speaking to colleagues from different departments. When you finish, I will give you feedback on how natural and clear your description sounds, and I will show you how to upgrade one or two sentences.

3. Highlighting key messages with examples.

You have now seen how Marta introduces her presentation and how she describes charts and processes. The next step is to make sure your audience remembers the most important ideas. In a good presentation, the speaker does not only show information, they also **highlight key messages** and give short, concrete examples. In this block, you will read a short extract where Marta does exactly that. I want you to notice the phrases she uses to emphasise what matters most. Pay attention to expressions like "I would like to highlight" or "The main message is that". These are very powerful at B2 level, because they guide your listener and make your talk sound well structured. After studying the examples, you will write a few sentences about your own work, using similar language to emphasise your main messages.

From information to key messages.

Slides can easily become a sea of numbers and arrows. To avoid this, effective presenters take a moment to highlight what really matters and support it with a short, concrete example.

Read how Marta does this after showing her chart and process.

Marta - highlighting key findings.

> I would like to highlight two key findings here.

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> First, the new design is clearly performing better on mobile, which is where more than 60 percent of our visitors come from. This is important, because mobile users were the group we were struggling with last year.

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> Second, the new approval process has reduced the average time to publish content from 10 days to 4 days. To give you a quick example, last month we launched the spring campaign pages in less than a week, which would have been impossible under the old process.

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> So, the main message is that the redesign is not only prettier, it is also faster for our teams and more effective for our users.

Emphasis and examples - useful phrases.

Notice these useful chunks from Marta's speech:

• "I would like to highlight two key findings here."
• "First... Second..." to organise the key points.
• "This is important, because..." to explain why.
• "To give you a quick example..." to make it concrete.
• "So, the main message is that..." to summarise clearly.

These phrases help your audience follow your logic and remember your main message long after the meeting.

In your own presentations, choose one or two key findings and support each one with a short reason or example from real work situations.

Practice & Feedback

Now it is your turn to practise highlighting key messages from your own work.

Think of a real or recent project, task or change from your job. It does not need to be big - it could be a new reporting template, a small process improvement, or a client success story.

Write one short paragraph of 5 to 7 sentences where you:

• start with a phrase like "I would like to highlight two key points" or "There are two main messages";
• clearly explain one or two key findings or benefits;
• for at least one point, add a short, concrete example, starting with something like "To give you a quick example...";
• finish with a summary sentence starting with "So, the main message is that...".

Do not worry about being perfect. Focus on clarity and using at least two of the emphasis phrases from the examples above.

4. Planning your own presentation outline.

You have now explored three important ingredients of a clear presentation: a structured introduction, simple language for charts and processes, and strong emphasis on key messages. In this block, we will move from analysing Marta's talk to planning your own mini presentation. A short work presentation does not need to be complicated. A simple structure with a beginning, a middle and an end is usually enough. What really helps is **writing a clear outline** before you prepare detailed slides. I will show you a basic template that you can adapt for almost any work topic. Then you will create your own outline for a five to seven minute talk about a project, process or set of results that are relevant for you. This outline will be the foundation for the final task later in the lesson, so take your time to think it through.

A simple structure you can trust.

Most effective work presentations, especially short ones, follow a very similar structure:

1. Introduction - greet, state the purpose, give a quick overview.
2. Main points - two or three key points, supported by visuals or examples.
3. Conclusion - summarise the main message and explain next steps.
4. Questions - invite and answer questions from the audience.

You have already seen how Marta used this pattern. Now let us turn it into a practical template.

Outline template for a 5 to 7 minute presentation.

Writing your own outline.

Choose a topic that is realistic for your job, for example:

• an update on a project you are working on;
• an explanation of a process your team uses;
• a short summary of monthly or quarterly results.

You will now create a short outline using complete sentences for the introduction and conclusion, and short bullet points for your main points. Keep it simple - the goal is to see the structure clearly.

Practice & Feedback

Use the template above to write an outline for your own 5 to 7 minute work presentation.

Start with 2 or 3 full sentences for your introduction, including:

• a greeting,
• the purpose of your talk,
• how many main points you will cover.

1. Then write 2 or 3 bullet points for your main points. For each point, write one short line describing the idea, and in brackets note what kind of visual you might use, for example (simple bar chart) or (process diagram).
2. Finish with 1 or 2 full sentences for your conclusion, starting with a phrase like "So, the main message is that..." or "To sum up...".

Aim for around 100 to 150 words in total. Remember, this is an outline, not a full script, so keep it concise and clear.

5. Handling audience questions in a short Q and A.

A good presentation usually ends with a short question and answer section. Many people find this part stressful, especially in a second language. The good news is that you can manage most questions with a small set of flexible phrases. In this block, you will see a short Q and A after Marta's presentation. Notice how she buys a little time to think, how she is honest when she does not know something, and how she checks that she has answered the question. Then you will move into a chat style simulation. You will imagine that you have just finished your own presentation, and colleagues ask you questions in the chat. Your task is to reply in writing as if you were speaking, using clear and polite language. This is excellent practice for real online meetings, where many questions now arrive in the chat window rather than out loud.

A short Q and A after the presentation.

Read this short extract from the Q and A at the end of Marta's talk.

> James: Thanks, Marta. I have a question about the testing. How many users did you test the new design with?

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> Marta: That is a great question, thanks for asking. Let me think for a moment. In total, we tested with around 60 users across three different countries.

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> James: And do you already have data on how this affects sales?

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> Marta: I am afraid I do not have that information right now. We will only see the full sales figures at the end of this quarter. I will check the latest numbers with finance and get back to you after the meeting. Does that answer your question for the moment?

Useful Q and A language.

Notice the patterns Marta uses:

• To welcome the question: "That is a great question, thanks for asking."
• To buy thinking time: "Let me think for a moment."
• To say she does not know: "I am afraid I do not have that information right now."
• To promise follow up: "I will check the details and get back to you after the meeting."
• To check understanding: "Does that answer your question?"

These phrases help you sound confident and professional, even when you do not have all the answers.

In many online meetings, questions arrive in the chat. Your written replies should still sound like spoken English - short, clear sentences, polite tone, and simple structure.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you have just delivered your own mini presentation based on the outline you wrote earlier. Three colleagues send questions in the meeting chat. Read their questions carefully in the box below.

Write three separate short answers in one message, labelled A1, A2 and A3. Answer as if you are speaking in the meeting, but type your replies.

Try to:

• start at least one answer with a phrase like "That is a great question" or "Thanks for asking";
• use a phrase to buy time in one answer, such as "Let me think for a moment";
• if there is something you do not know, use a polite phrase like "I am afraid I do not have that information right now" and promise to follow up;
• keep each answer to 2 to 4 sentences.

Focus on sounding calm, polite and clear. I will then respond as one of your colleagues and give you feedback on your language.

6. Putting it all together in your mini presentation.

You have reached the final step of this lesson. So far, you have listened to a model presentation, noticed useful signposting language, practised describing charts and processes, highlighted key messages, and rehearsed handling questions. Now it is time to put everything together in one integrated task. In this block, you will write a short script for your own mini presentation based on the outline you prepared earlier. Do not worry about making it perfect or long. Focus on using a clear structure, simple language and some of the powerful phrases you have learnt, such as "Let me start by giving you a quick overview", "As you can see on this slide", and "To sum up, the main message is that". At the end, you will also add one short answer to a typical question. This will give you a text that you can later practise aloud and adapt to real meetings at work.

Your mini presentation - full version.

You now have all the pieces you need to create a short, well structured talk about your chosen work topic.

In this final task, you will write a full draft script that you could use to rehearse a 5 to 7 minute presentation. This is not for reading word for word in a real meeting, but it is a useful step to organise your ideas and fix the language.

Checklist for your script.

Try to include:

Introduction

• a short greeting,
• the purpose of the presentation,
• a simple map of the structure using phrases like "There are three main points I would like to cover".

Main points

• two or three clear sections, introduced with "First...", "Second...", "Finally..." or similar,
• at least one place where you describe a chart, graph or simple process using phrases like "As you can see on this slide" or "This chart shows".

Emphasis and examples

• at least one phrase to highlight importance, such as "I would like to highlight", "This is important, because" or "To give you a quick example".

Conclusion

• a short summary starting with "So, the main message is that" or "To sum up".

One sample Q and A answer

• imagine a typical question from your audience and write a 2 to 3 sentence answer, using at least one Q and A phrase such as "That is a great question" or "I am afraid I do not have that information right now".

Length and style.

Aim for around 150 to 220 words for your script, plus your short Q and A answer. Write as if you are speaking: use clear sentences, everyday vocabulary and a friendly but professional tone.

Practice & Feedback

Using your outline from Block 4 and all the language you have practised, write the full script of your mini presentation.

1. Begin with your introduction: 3 to 5 sentences where you greet the audience, state the purpose and give a quick overview of your main points.
2. Then write the main body: 2 or 3 short paragraphs, each focused on one key point. Use signposting like "First", "Second", "Finally" and include at least one sentence that describes a chart, graph or process you might show.
3. Add one paragraph for your conclusion: 2 to 4 sentences that summarise the main message and, if relevant, mention next steps.
4. Finally, imagine one typical question from your audience and write one short answer (2 to 3 sentences) as if you were in the Q and A.

Aim for a total of 150 to 220 words for the presentation, plus the Q and A answer. Do not worry if it is not perfect. My role is to help you polish it so you can use it with confidence in real life.