English at work
Presentation in English: how to start, what to say, and how to handle questions
The short answer
A presentation in English needs three prepared parts: an opening you know by heart, a sentence that moves you from each point to the next, and a closing line. Say it out loud three times before the day, slower than feels natural. When a question catches you out, “Let me check and come back to you” is a complete answer.
By the Chappie team · Updated
How do you start a presentation in English?
The slides are fine. You’ve known the numbers for weeks. What keeps you awake is the first thirty seconds, when the room goes quiet and everyone looks up. So that’s the part to learn by heart: a greeting, your name if they don’t know you, what you’ll cover, and how long it’ll take.
Good morning, everyone. Thanks for making the time. I’m Nimali from the operations team. Over the next ten minutes I’ll take you through our delivery numbers for last quarter: what went well and what we’d like to change. There’ll be time for questions at the end.
Say it until you could do it half asleep. Once those sentences are out, your voice settles.
How do you structure a presentation?
- 1
Say what you’ll cover
Two or three points. More than that and the room loses count.
- 2
Make each point, then show it
Give each one a number or an example. Don’t read out anything they can read for themselves.
- 3
Sum up in two sentences
“So, deliveries are up and returns are the problem. We think a second check would fix it.”
- 4
Ask for what you need
A decision, a budget, feedback by Friday. If you need nothing, say what happens next.
Phrases for moving through a presentation
“I’d like to start with…”
Opens your first point.
“That brings me to…”
Moves to the next point without a gap.
“As you can see on this slide…”
Points the room at a chart or a number.
“To give you an example…”
Turns a claim into something they can picture.
“Let me go back for a moment.”
You skipped something. Say so and return to it.
“Sorry, let me say that again.”
Your sentence tangled. Start it again.
“So, to sum up…”
Tells the room the end is near.
“I’ll stop there and take questions.”
A clean finish.
A sample two-minute presentation
Good afternoon. I’ll keep this to two minutes. I’d like to update you on the new customer app. There are three things: where we are, one problem, and what I need from you. First, where we are. The login and payment screens are finished and tested. We’re two days ahead of the plan on those. That brings me to the problem. The delivery tracking screen depends on data from our courier partner, and they’ve changed the format twice this month. Each change costs us about three days. If it happens again, we’ll miss the launch date of the fifteenth. So here’s what I need. I’d like your approval to ask the courier for a fixed format in writing, and I’d like one extra developer for two weeks to build a safety check on our side. To sum up: two screens are done and tracking is at risk. With those two things, I’m confident about the fifteenth. I’ll stop there. Any questions?
An invented example. Notice that every paragraph starts with a phrase from the list above.
How do you handle questions?
Questions feel like the dangerous part because you can’t prepare the words. You can prepare the moves.
“That’s a fair question.”
Buys two seconds. Use it once, or it starts to sound like a habit.
“Just to check I’ve understood: are you asking about…?”
The question was long or unclear.
“I don’t have that number with me. I’ll send it today.”
Better than guessing in front of the room.
“Let me check and come back to you.”
A complete answer. Then do come back.
“Could we take that after the meeting?”
One person’s question has left the topic.
What should you do if your mind goes blank?
Stop talking and look at your notes for one breath. It feels long to you and short to the room. Then say “So, where was I?” and go to your next heading. There’s more on this in what to do when you freeze in a meeting.
How do you practise a presentation in English?
- 1
Write the opening and the closing word for word
Those two are worth memorising.
- 2
Put everything else in headings
A word or two for each point. With a full script in front of you, you end up reading it.
- 3
Say it out loud three times
Standing up, at the speed you’ll use on the day. Time it.
- 4
Record the third one
Listen for where you rush and where your sentences trail off.
- 5
Practise two questions
Ask a colleague for the hardest question they can think of.
Chappie, our app, has a practice for presenting to your manager. You give your update out loud, it asks the follow-up questions, and afterwards you see what to fix in your pronunciation, grammar, word choice and fluency. The download is free and there’s a free trial. After that it’s a subscription.
For the rest of the working week, see phrases for meetings and how to speak fluently and confidently.
Practise it
Say your opening out loud in Chappie today, then the whole update tomorrow.
Questions people ask
How do I start a presentation in English?
Greet the room and give your name if they don’t know you. Then say what you’ll cover and how long it will take. For example: “Good morning, everyone. I’m Nimali from operations. Over the next ten minutes I’ll take you through last quarter’s delivery numbers.”
How do I introduce myself in a presentation?
In one sentence, after the greeting: your name and your team or role. “I’m Nimali from the operations team.” Then move straight to what you’ll cover.
What do I say at the end of a presentation?
Sum up in two sentences and say what happens next. Then hand over: “I’ll stop there and take questions.”
What if I don’t know the answer to a question?
Say so, and say when you’ll answer: “I don’t have that number with me. I’ll send it today.” That’s more convincing than a guess.
How can I give a presentation in English without fear?
Learn the first thirty seconds by heart, keep the rest as headings, and say the whole thing out loud three times before the day. Most of the fear sits in the opening.