# English phrases for presentations, stage by stage: opening, transitions, charts, conclusion and questions

> **The short answer**: The most useful English phrases for presentations are the transitions: Today I am going to talk about to open, Now let us move on to between sections, and That brings me to the end to close. The British Council advises short notes over a memorised script, and Oxford's OPAL lists about 260 spoken academic phrases by function.
>
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**Key takeaways**

- Learn the transition phrases well and talk through the content from short notes.
- Do not memorise the whole talk; that tests your memory, not your English.
- Short active sentences are easier to follow than long passive ones.
- If you do not know an answer, say I am not sure, but I will check. Never guess.

![English phrases for presentations](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/english-for-presentations/english-for-presentations-cover-en.webp)

## Why learn ready phrases instead of the whole talk?

Because a memorised script collapses at the first forgotten line. The British Council's LearnEnglish Teens guide to oral presentations recommends very short notes in point form if you are allowed paper, and warns that writing the whole talk and learning it by heart tests your memory more than your English[^1]. Learn the structure and transitions; speak the content from notes.

These phrases have a name in academic English: signposting, showing the listener how the talk is organised[^5]. A Cambridge University Press course in spoken academic English separates signposts, which preview the organisation or the next section, from shorter language signals that mark where you are and where you are heading[^4].

## How do I start a presentation in English?

| Purpose | Phrase | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here. | Slowly, with your eyes on the room |
| Introduction | My name is [name], and I am a [major] student. | For a group: We are group [number]. |
| Topic | Today I am going to talk about [topic]. | One clear sentence |
| Aim | The aim of this presentation is to [explain / compare / propose] ... | Tells the audience what they will take away |
| Hook | Let me start with a number: ... | A figure from your research or project |

![Comparison card of the guide table](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/english-for-presentations/english-for-presentations-inline-2-en.webp)


## What phrases introduce the outline?

| Purpose | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Dividing the talk | I have divided my presentation into three parts. |
| First part | First, I will give some background on ... |
| Second part | Then, I will look at ... |
| Last part | Finally, I will finish with ... |
| Questions | There will be time for questions at the end. |

> **Tip**: There will be time for questions at the end stops interruptions mid-talk and buys you time to gather your thoughts before questions.

## What are good transition phrases between slides?

| Purpose | Phrase |
|---|---|
| A new section | Now let us move on to ... |
| Linking back | This brings me to my next point. |
| Referring back | As I mentioned earlier, ... |
| A short recap | So far, we have looked at ... Now ... |
| Handing over | Now I will hand over to [name], who will talk about ... |
| Taking over | Thank you, [name]. I am going to explain ... |

## How do I describe a chart in English?

Say what the chart shows, give one result, then explain it. Pick the precise word: sharply, slightly and significantly say more than very and a little. More are in [academic English vocabulary](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/academic-english-vocabulary/).

| Purpose | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Introducing the chart | This chart shows ... / As you can see in this graph, ... |
| The axes | The vertical axis shows ..., and the horizontal axis shows ... |
| A rise | The number increased sharply from ... to ... |
| A fall | There was a slight decrease in ... |
| No change | The figures remained stable between ... and ... |
| A comparison | Compared with group A, group B was significantly higher. |
| An explanation | This suggests that ... / One possible reason is ... |

Keep sentences short and active. The British Council's English Online article gives the example Over one-third of applicants failed the interview, which is shorter and clearer than The interview was failed by over one third of applicants[^2]. It also suggests slowing down on key points so the audience knows they matter[^2].

## How do I end a presentation in English?

| Purpose | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Signalling the end | That brings me to the end of my presentation. |
| Recapping | So, we have looked at three points: ... |
| The final message | The main message I would like you to remember is ... |
| A recommendation | Based on these results, we recommend ... |
| Thanks | Thank you for your attention. |
| Opening questions | I would be happy to answer any questions. |

## How do I answer questions after a presentation?

With a phrase that buys time, then a short answer. These cover most situations:

| Situation | Phrase |
|---|---|
| A good question | That is a good question. Thank you. |
| You did not hear | Sorry, could you repeat the question, please? |
| You did not understand | Do you mean ...? / If I understand correctly, you are asking about ... |
| You need time | Let me think about that for a moment. |
| You do not know | I am not sure about that, but I will check and get back to you. |
| Off topic | That is an interesting point, but it is outside the scope of this project. |
| A teammate knows more | [Name] worked on this part, so I will let them answer. |

## What phrases work in a co-op training presentation?

A co-op talk is about what you did, not what the organisation does. One sentence on the organisation and department, then your main task, one result you can show, and what you learned. Skip the week-by-week diary. Useful lines: I completed my co-op training at [organisation], in the [department]. The main task I was responsible for was ... The most important thing I learned was ... For the interviews that often follow, see [interviews in English](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/interview-in-english/).

## How do I memorize a presentation fast?

You do not memorise all of it. Learn the structure and the transitions, and rehearse the rest aloud:

1. **Write notes, not a script**: Three points per slide at most, with your opening transition written above them.
2. **Learn the opening and closing**: The first and last thirty seconds. A confident start calms you; a clear ending stays with the committee.
3. **Check hard words**: Hear every technical term in the [Cambridge Dictionary](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/) and mark the stressed syllable. More in [how to improve your English pronunciation](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/improve-english-pronunciation/).
4. **Record yourself and listen**: The British Council suggests recording yourself and listening back, or asking a friend to listen[^1].
5. **Prepare five likely questions**: With a short answer for each, or ask [ChatGPT](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/chatgpt-for-students/) for them after giving it your slide notes.
6. **Time it**: If it runs long, cut a slide rather than talk faster.

![5-step flow: Write notes, not a script / Learn the opening and closing / Check hard words / Rehearse aloud and record / Practise questions](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/english-for-presentations/english-for-presentations-inline-1-en.webp)


A full week of preparation is laid out in [presentation skills in seven days](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/presentation-skills-seven-day-plan/).

## What mistakes do students make in English presentations?

- Reading the slides word for word with your back to the room.
- Opening with an apology for your English. Go straight to the greeting.
- Jumping between sections with no transition, so the audience gets lost.
- Filling gaps with so, ok and umm. A short silence sounds more confident.
- Speeding up when nervous. The same guide says to pause now and then and not speak too quickly[^1].
- Answering a question you did not understand.

> **tiswa's take**: Our view at tiswa: what weakens student presentations most is not grammar but missing transitions. A student who says Now let us move on to the results before every section sounds more confident than a stronger speaker who jumps between slides in silence. If you have one day, learn the six transition phrases and leave vocabulary for the next talk.

For the slides themselves, see [AI presentation makers](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/ai-presentation-makers/) and [Canva for students](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/canva-for-students/); for a graduation project, [graduation project defence slides](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/graduation-project-defense-slides/).

Free and discounted design and presentation tools for students are on [study deals](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/study/). Verify once on tiswa to unlock them. [Join tiswa](https://tiswa.app/en/join/)

## Questions

### How do I start a presentation in English?

Greet the audience, introduce yourself, give one sentence on the topic such as Today I am going to talk about, then outline the parts with First, Then and Finally.

### Where can I learn English phrases for presentations?

Oxford's OPAL spoken phrases list groups about 260 phrases by function, and the British Council's LearnEnglish pages give tips and model talks.

### What should I say in a co-op training presentation?

Name the organisation and your department, describe your main task with I was responsible for ..., give one result, then say what you learned.

### How do I memorize a presentation fast?

Memorise only the opening, the closing and the transitions, speak the content from short notes, and rehearse aloud twice.

### What phrases should I use in a graduation project presentation?

The same transitions, plus results phrases such as The results indicate ... and Based on these results, we recommend ...

### What do I say if I do not know the answer to a question?

Say I am not sure about that, but I will check and get back to you. Honesty beats a guess.


## Sources

[^1]: British Council LearnEnglish Teens: Oral presentation, https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/exams/speaking-exams/oral-presentation
[^2]: British Council English Online: How to Ace Your Business Presentation in English, https://englishonline.britishcouncil.org/blog/articles/how-to-ace-your-business-presentation-in-english/
[^3]: Oxford Learner's Dictionaries: About OPAL, the Oxford Phrasal Academic Lexicon, https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/about/wordlists/opal
[^4]: Cambridge University Press: A course in spoken English for academic purposes (sample), https://assets.cambridge.org/97805215/33966/sample/9780521533966ws.pdf
[^5]: Cambridge Dictionary: signposting, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/signposting