Presentations- Different or the Same?

Presentations- The same or different?

Instructions
Without looking at the phrases below, listen to your teacher read out two or more words or
phrases and put up the “The same” or “Different” cards you have been given depending
on what you think about their meanings. If there are more than two phrases, they are
either all the same or all different.

Label the phrases below S for “the same meaning” or D for “different meaning”

Presentations phrases to label
Hi everyone/ Good morning ladies and gentlemen

As most of you know,…/ As you know,…

Thank you for coming/ Thank you for attending

I’d like to talk to you about…/ I’m going to talk to you about…
The title of my presentation is…/ The topic of my presentation is…
I’ll talk about/ I’ll speak about
I’ll talk about/ I’ll discuss
I want to show you that…/ I would like to tell you about…

I think this is an important topic because…/ I think this is an interesting topic because…
I have personal experience of this./ I once…

I really didn’t expect so many attendees./ It’s nice to see so many people here today.

I’m going to speak for about four or five minutes./ My presentation will last for four or five
minutes
I have divided my presentation into three parts./ My presentation is divided into three
parts./ I’m going to talk about three topics.
I’ll start by…/ I’ll begin by…/ I’ll commence by…
First of all/ At first
First of all/ First/ Firstly
Second/ Secondly
After that/ Then/ Next
Finally/ In the end
Last of all/ At last
I’ll look at…/ I’ll examine…/ I’ll focus on…

Right/ Okay/ Well/ Well then/ So

Please put up your hand if… / Please raise your hand if…

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2012

Can the people at the back read that?/ Can you see at the back?
A figure/ A diagram
This diagram shows/ This diagram represents
The next page of my PowerPoint/ The next slide
bar graph/ bar chart
chart/ diagram/ table/ graph
As you know,…/ As you can see,…

As I mentioned earlier,…/ As I said earlier,…
As we have seen/ As I showed earlier

Can you take one and pass them along?/ Please take a handout and pass the rest to the
next person in your row.

Changing topic,…/ To move onto the next point,…
As for… / Moving on to…

I’d like to quote…/ … once said…

To sum up/ In conclusion
Thanks for listening./ Thank you for your kind attention.
Thank you for coming/ Thank you for listening.

Are there any more questions?/ Were there any more questions?
Are there any questions so far?/ Are there any questions at this stage? Are there any
questions at this point?/ Are there any questions before I move on?/ If everyone is clear on
that point, I’ll move onto the next…

If you have any more questions please come up and talk to me afterwards./ If you have
any further questions, please come up and ask me individually.

Apart from the last section, the expressions are arranged into groups which have the
same function. What is the function each time?

Compare your ideas with the list on the next page.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2012

Match these functions to the sections above.

• Asking for questions
• Changing topic
• Connecting with the audience
• Ending
• Ending the questions
• Getting people’s interest in the topic
• Greeting
• Introductions
• Kicking off
• Outlining/ Explaining the structure of the presentation
• Quoting
• Referring back
• Surveying the audience
• Talking about handouts
• Talking about visuals
• Thanking/ Welcoming
• Topic/ Title/ Aim

Brainstorm more useful phrases with those functions.

Decide which is more formal in each of the groups of expressions in italics on the original
worksheets.

Decide on the formality of the expressions you brainstormed.

Test each other in small groups.

Tell your partner one of the functions above and see how many phrases with that function
they can remember. Give them hints if you need to.

Do the same, but this time telling them the function and the level of formality.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2012

Suggested answers
The more formal one is in bold italics.

Greeting
Hi everyone/ Good morning ladies and gentlemen – The same

Introductions
As most of you know,…/ As you know,… - Different

Thanking/ Welcoming
Thank you for coming/ Thank you for attending – The same

Topic/ Title/ Aim
I’d like to talk to you about…/ I’m going to talk to you about… - The same
The title of my presentation is…/ The topic of my presentation is… - Different
I’ll talk about/ I’ll speak about – The same
I’ll talk about/ I’ll discuss - Different
I want to show you that…/ I would like to tell you about… - Different

Getting people’s interest in the topic
I think this is an important topic because…/ I think this is an interesting topic because… -
Different
I have personal experience of this./ I once… - The same

Connecting with the audience
I really didn’t expect so many attendees./ It’s nice to see so many people here today. –
The same

Outlining/ Explaining the structure of the presentation
I’m going to speak for about four or five minutes./ My presentation will last for four or five
minutes. – The same
I have divided my presentation into three parts./ My presentation is divided into three
parts./ I’m going to talk about three topics. – The same
I’ll start by…/ I’ll begin by…/ I’ll commence by… - The same
First of all/ At first - Different
First of all/ First/ Firstly – The same
Second/ Secondly – The same
After that/ Then/ Next – The same
Finally/ In the end - Different
Last of all/ At last – Different
I’ll look at…/ I’ll examine…/ I’ll focus on… - The same

Kicking off
Right/ Okay/ Well/ Well then/ So – The same

Surveying the audience
Please put up your hand if… / Please raise your hand if… - The same

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2012

Talking about visuals
Can the people at the back read that?/ Can you see at the back? – The same
A figure/ A diagram - Different
This diagram shows/ This diagram represents – The same
The next page of my PowerPoint/ The next slide – The same
bar graph/ bar chart – The same
chart/ diagram/ table/ graph- Different
As you know,…/ As you can see,… - Different

Referring back
As I mentioned earlier,…/ As I said earlier,… - The same
As we have seen/ As I showed earlier – The same

Talking about handouts
Can you take one and pass them along?/ Please take a handout and pass the rest to the
next person in your row. – The same

Changing topic
Changing topic,…/ To move onto the next point,… - The same
As for… / Moving on to… - The same

Quoting
I’d like to quote…/ … once said… - The same

Ending
To sum up/ In conclusion - Different
Thanks for listening./ Thank you for your kind attention. – The same
Thank you for coming/ Thank you for listening. - Different

Asking for questions
Are there any more questions?/ Were there any more questions? – The same
Are there any questions so far?/ Are there any questions at this stage? Are there any
questions at this point?/ Are there any questions before I move on?/ If everyone is clear on
that point, I’ll move onto the next… – The same

Ending the questions
If you have any more questions please come up and talk to me afterwards./ If you have
any further questions, please come up and ask me individually. – The same

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2012

Photocopiable cards to be held up to show comprehension

One card of each kind per student.

The same Different

The same Different

The same Different

 

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2012