Mastering these presentation phrases will help to ensure that your message is conveyed clearly and professionally. They’ll also boost your confidence as you prepare to present in English.
Practice using these phrases in your next presentation, and you’ll see how they help you succeed.
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This is a list of phrases to help you make a professional presentation in English.
Good presenters always use language (sometimes single words, sometimes phrases) which shows where they are in their presentation. These ‘signposts’ make it easier for the audience to:
We’ve divided the phrases and sentences into sections which follow the logical progression of a well-balanced presentation.
You can also outline your presentation to give the audience a clear overview of what they can expect:
Get more – the extended e-book version of this presentation language has 10 pages with dozens of examples you can use in your presentation. Speakspeak.com is a free site. Support us by downloading this e-book for just $6* – thanks!
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Introduction.
Are you up for a presentation in English but don’t know how to start yet? Preparing and making a persuasive presentation in English is quite challenging and taxing. You have to consider a lot of things before you can finalize it. A good presentation relies heavily on the words or phrases you use to clearly convey your message to your target audience.
Then, what kind of phrases for presentations in English should you use to persuade your audience and get them involved in your presentation?
In this article, we are going to talk about useful and impactful phrases for presentations in English that you can effectively use in your future presentations. Before that, let us discuss first the importance of these phrases in English presentations.
In the business world, presentations play a significant role because they make reports easier to convey and understand. Presentations delivered in English are impactful and are often commended. Thus, having impactful phrases for presentations in English is an additional advantage to get your audience’s attention and be on track.
Say for example you are assigned to lead a new project and you are tasked to give a progress report to your boss. It would not be nice to give him just verbal updates about the progress of the project you handle. It would be better to show him the things that have been working well so far, and things that have been a worry. With just a verbal report, your boss might not be able to understand clearly.
With that, using a presentation is important for him to clearly visualize what is going on with the project. Presentations also give you the chance to be constructively corrected. It also serves as a formal report.
Using impactful phrases for presentations in English leaves a lasting impression on your audience. These phrases can greatly enhance the effectiveness of your report. The more you use persuading phrases or expressions in your presentations, the greater the chance you have to be recognized.
Do you want to be recognized and commended? This article is for you, so keep reading and we’re with you all throughout.
Aim for a long-lasting impression on your audience by using the following useful and impactful phrases in your next presentation in English.
At the beginning of the presentation, you would want your audience to interact with you throughout so setting a warm and bright atmosphere before it is crucial. You can use the following expressions:
Remember to get your audience engaged right at the beginning of your presentation.
In some presentations, the audience expects more of what you can give, so it is good to give them a brief overview of what the presentation is about and what will happen.
It is always nice to warmly welcome your audience before going deeply into your topic.
Sometimes, it is better to start your presentation with an anecdote or a quote related to your presentation.
You may use the following phrases for presentations in English when introducing your topic.
When discussing the content of your presentation, it is good to use the following expressions.
It’s okay to pause for a while and get your audience involved in your presentation.
Some members of the audience inevitably ask you questions about your presentation so it is best to be prepared. If not, might as well be polite instead.
You may not impress all in the audience with your presentation but you must know how well you delivered your presentation. End it with a bang, and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
You can also end your presentation with a quote or a personal anecdote for your audience to remember you.
These phrases for presentations in English are helpful ways to make your presentation easy to understand as well as impactful. These are just examples of phrases you can use when presenting in English. You can always experiment and create sounding phrases to persuade your audience.
By knowing these phrases, you enhance the effectiveness of your delivery as well as your communication skills. This is your way to overcome your fear of speaking English . Most importantly, the impression you will leave to your listeners will last for a long time.
Presentations can be simple depending on your target audience, the context, and the time frame. These are just a few of the things you have to consider when preparing a presentation. You can also ask yourself the following questions.
Presentations are always easy when you know how to consider things during your preparation. Things do not always go easy, especially when it is your first time. However, just be confident and relax. Your goal is to deliver a good and effective presentation, but most of all, to impress your audience.
Get ready for your next presentation…
You have just learned some useful and impactful phrases for presentations in English. Now you are ready for your next presentation. Focus and think about your primary goal: the impression.
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Let’s face it… At the end of a presentation, the questions can be terrifying for many speakers as they can’t be controlled and are hard to prepare for. For non-native speakers, particularly, it’s essential to be well prepared, and part of this preparation means knowing the phrases to handle questions!
In this lesson, you will learn the ‘Top 32 ways to handle Presentation Questions using Business English.’ Watch the lesson and then read the article for examples.
Remember, there’s a FREE Cheat sheet button below for this lesson:-
Don’t forget to like and follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn .
7. “Does that answer your question?”
8. “Is that clearer now?”
9. “Is that the kind of information you were looking for?”
10. “Good point.”
11 “I’m glad you asked that.”
12. “That’s a very good question.”
13. “I don’t know the answer to your question, but I’ll aim to find out for you.”
14.. “Sorry I don’t know that off the top of my head.”
15. “Sorry, that’s not my area of expertise but I’m sure [Steve Beesley from the Research Department] could answer your question.”
16. “I’m afraid I’m not in a position to answer that question at the moment.”
17. That’s not really my area of expertise.”
18. “Well, I think that goes beyond the scope of my expertise.”
19. “To be honest, I think that raises a different issue.”
20. “ If you don’t mind, could we discuss that on another occasion?”
21. “I’m afraid that’s not really what we’re discussing today.”
22. “Well actually, I’d prefer not to discuss that today.”
23. “If you don’t mind, I’ll come back to this point later on in the presentation.”
24. “Can we get back to this point a bit later?”
25. “I will definitely answer your question towards the end of the presentation.”
26. “Would you mind waiting until the Question and Answer session at the end?”
27. “Perhaps we could go over this after the presentation?”
28. “So, now I’d like to go back to what we were discussing earlier.”
29. “Before we go on, let me summarise the main points we’ve discussed.”
30. “I think we have time for one more question…”
31. “So, if there are no further questions, [it’s time to end my presentation and thank you all for coming today.”]
32. “If there are no further questions, I’ll finish there. Thank you very much.”
LESSON END.
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The art of delivering a compelling presentation lies in the finesse of your language skills. It’s about crafting resonating sentences, choosing captivating words, and initiating a dialogue that piques curiosity. One must know how to maneuver through this landscape, from setting the scene with a powerful introduction to concluding with a thought-provoking statement. That’s where this guide comes in. It will give you key presentation sentences, phrases, and words to help elevate your communication skills.
In the realm of presentations, first impressions matter tremendously. Your opening words set the stage for the rest of your discourse, establishing the tone and drawing in your audience. The right choice of phrases can create a compelling introduction that commands attention and sparks interest. Here, we will explore a selection of presentation-starting words and phrases to help you set a strong foundation:
Crafting an engaging opening with the presentation starting words, is akin to opening the first page of a riveting novel. These phrases serve as a doorway, inviting your audience into the fascinating narrative you are about to share.
Now that you have your audience’s attention, the next crucial step is to set the scene. It involves using key phrases to keep your audience engaged, clarify, and effectively communicate your main points. A well-set scene guides the audience through your presentation, helping them understand your narrative and easily follow your arguments. Let’s look at some essential phrases that can help you accomplish it:
These phrases help establish your narrative, maintain audience interest, and structure your arguments. They serve as signposts, guiding your audience through the presentation and facilitating understanding and engagement.
Transitioning between points or sections in your presentation is like steering a ship through water. Smooth navigation keeps your audience aboard, maintaining their interest and comprehension. Seamless transitions contribute to a coherent and compelling narrative, preventing abrupt jumps or confusing shifts in your discourse. The following phrases are powerful tools that can ensure your transitions are smooth and effective:
These phrases connect threads, linking your ideas and ensuring your presentation flows smoothly. They give your audience cues, signaling that you’re moving from one idea or point to the next, making your discourse easy to follow.
The conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your audience. It’s a chance to wrap up your arguments, restate your main points, and leave your audience with a clear and compelling message to ponder. Here are some phrases that can assist you in crafting a memorable conclusion:
These phrases help you consolidate your arguments, summarize your main points, and end on a high note. A well-structured conclusion ensures your audience understands your presentation, its key messages, and its implications.
Apart from structured sentences and transitional phrases, the vocabulary you use can add a touch of sophistication. An expanded lexicon enriches your language and enhances your ability to express complex ideas with clarity and precision. Let’s explore a list of presentation words that can add depth and dimension:
These words add a layer of sophistication to your presentation, conveying your thoughts and ideas more precisely. They expand your expressive capacity and lend an authoritative and professional tone to your speech. By integrating these words into your presentation, you can deliver your message with clarity and depth, engaging your audience more effectively.
In the corporate world, effective communication is the linchpin of success. It’s an art that lies at the heart of all business interactions, from high-stakes meetings to persuasive pitches. And when it comes to delivering such a presentation, the task becomes even more critical. The business English presentation phrases you use, how you present your points, and the overall language command play a significant role in conveying your message effectively.
Presenting in a business setting often involves explaining complex ideas, discussing financial matters, and persuading potential clients or stakeholders. Here, the language must be precise, the tone - professional, and the content - structured. Unlike informal or academic ones, business presentations carry a certain degree of formality and specific jargon that sets them apart. However, business English idioms and expressions can help soften the formality, adding a touch of personality to your language.
Navigating the labyrinth of business English also involves acknowledging the importance of research and planning. A well-researched presentation reflects your dedication, expertise, and credibility. It shows you respect your audience’s time and are prepared to deliver value. It’s not just about memorizing facts and figures; it’s about understanding your topic thoroughly and answering queries convincingly.
Another characteristic of business presentations lies in their persuasive nature. Often, they are geared toward persuading clients, investors, or team members toward a particular course of action. Consequently, using persuasive techniques such as presenting benefits, sharing testimonials, or demonstrating success stories becomes prevalent. You’re not just providing information; you’re trying to influence decisions and drive action.
An essential but often overlooked aspect of business presentations is the importance of a strong opening and closing. The opening is your chance to grab the audience’s attention and make them invested in your talk, so knowing how to start a business presentation is essential. Conversely, the closing is your final shot at reinforcing your message and making a lasting impression.
Finally, business presentations often involve handling criticism or skepticism, especially when proposing new ideas or challenging existing norms. Here, your ability to accept feedback gracefully, address concerns effectively, and maintain your composure can significantly impact the outcome.
Looking to expand your vocabulary for presentations and improve your language skills online ? Promova is here to help! Our platform offers various resources and courses to help learners of all levels master new words and expressions quickly, effectively, and confidently.
With personalized lessons from certified tutors , you can get one-on-one instruction that caters to your specific needs and learning style. Additionally, our app allows you to access interactive exercises, quizzes, and vocabulary lists anytime and anywhere for easy practice on the go. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner looking to fine-tune your language skills – we have got you covered.
Don’t let language barriers hold you back any longer – start your learning journey with Promova today and take the first step toward achieving your goals! Try it out now with a free lesson and see how easy and effective our approach is.
As we conclude, it’s clear that effective presentations in English rely on various linguistic elements. A strong beginning, transitions, and a powerful conclusion, all while using precise vocabulary, are critical. The ability to craft compelling sentences and phrases, set the scene effectively, and transition smoothly between ideas are essential for a successful presentation. And the correct vocabulary can add depth and dimension to your discourse while conveying professionalism.
Body language can significantly impact how your message is perceived. Effective use of gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions can amplify your points, show enthusiasm, and engage the audience. Conversely, negative body language can detract from your message.
Knowing your audience is crucial. It informs the level of detail you need to include, the words and phrases you use, the examples you choose, and even the humor you might incorporate. Tailoring your presentation to your audience’s knowledge and interests can significantly enhance its effectiveness.
Everyone makes mistakes. If you stumble during your presentation, take a moment, compose yourself, and move on. Don’t let a minor error disrupt your flow. Remember, the audience is there to listen to your ideas, not critique your performance.
Indeed, many resources are available if you’re seeking to delve deeper into the world of presentation phrases. The Cambridge Dictionary and Merriam-Webster Dictionary offer many valuable collocations, from simple expressions to sophisticated vocabulary.
Presentations have the advantage that many standard phrases can be used at various points. Perhaps you wish to welcome the audience, introduce the speaker and the topic, outline the structure, offer a summary, or deal with questions. In all these situations, you can apply a number of useful expressions that will make your presentation a linguistic success.
At the beginning of each presentation, you should welcome your audience. Depending on who you are addressing, you should extend a more or less formal welcome.
Good morning/afternoon/evening, ladies and gentlemen/everyone.
On behalf of “Company X”, allow me to extend a warm welcome to you.
Hi, everyone. Welcome to “Name of the event”.
The level of formality of your welcome address will also apply to how you introduce yourself. Customize it to match your audience.
Let me briefly introduce myself. My name is “John Miller” and I am delighted to be here today to talk to you about…
First, let me introduce myself. My name is “John Miller” and I am the “Position” of “Company X”.
I’m “John” from “Company Y” and today I’d like to talk to you about…
After the welcome address and the introduction of the speaker comes the presentation of the topic. Here are some useful introductory phrases.
Today I am here to talk to you about…
What I am going to talk about today is…
I would like to take this opportunity to talk to you about…
I am delighted to be here today to tell you about…
I want to make you a short presentation about…
I’d like to give you a brief breakdown of…
It is always recommended to present the goals of your presentation at the beginning. This will help the audience to understand your objectives.
The purpose of this presentation is…
My objective today is…
After presenting the topic and your objectives, give your listeners an overview of the presentation’s structure. Your audience will then know what to expect in detail.
My talk/presentation is divided into “x” parts.
I’ll start with…/First, I will talk about…/I’ll begin with…
…then I will look at…
and finally…
After all this preparation, you can finally get started with the main part of the presentation. The following phrases will help you with that.
Let me start with some general information on…
Let me begin by explaining why/how…
I’d like to give you some background information about…
Before I start, does anyone know…
As you are all aware…
I think everybody has heard about…, but hardly anyone knows a lot about it.
If you have completed a chapter or section of your presentation, inform your audience, so that they do not lose their train of thought.
That’s all I have to say about…
We’ve looked at…
So much for…
Drawing interim conclusions is of utmost importance in a presentation, particularly at the end of a chapter or section. Without interim conclusions, your audience will quickly forget everything you may have said earlier.
Let’s summarize briefly what we have looked at.
Here is a quick recap of the main points of this section.
I’d like to recap the main points.
Well, that’s about it for this part. We’ve covered…
Use one of the following phrases to move on from one chapter to the next.
I’d now like to move on to the next part…
This leads me to my next point, which is…
Turning our attention now to…
Let’s now turn to…
Frequently, you have to give examples in a presentation. The following phrases are useful in that respect.
For example,…
A good example of this is…
As an illustration,…
To give you an example,…
To illustrate this point…
In a presentation, you may often need to provide more details regarding a certain issue. These expressions will help you to do so.
I’d like to expand on this aspect/problem/point.
Let me elaborate further on…
If you want to link to another point in your presentation, the following phrases may come in handy.
As I said at the beginning,…
This relates to what I was saying earlier…
Let me go back to what I said earlier about…
This ties in with…
In longer presentations, you run the risk that after a while the audience may forget your original topic and objective. Therefore, it makes sense to refer to the starting point from time to time.
I hope that you are a little clearer on how we can…
To return to the original question, we can…
Just to round the talk off, I want to go back to the beginning when I…
I hope that my presentation today will help with what I said at the beginning…
In a presentation, you frequently have to refer to external sources, such as studies and surveys. Here are some useful phrases for marking these references.
Based on our findings,…
According to our study,…
Our data shows/indicates…
Presentations are usually full of graphs and images. Use the following phrases to give your audience an understanding of your visuals.
Let me use a graphic to explain this.
I’d like to illustrate this point by showing you…
Let the pictures speak for themselves.
I think the graph perfectly shows how/that…
If you look at this table/bar chart/flow chart/line chart/graph, you can see that…
To ensure that your presentation does not sound monotonous, from time to time you should emphasize certain points. Here are some suggestions.
It should be emphasized that…
I would like to draw your attention to this point…
Another significant point is that…
The significance of this is…
This is important because…
We have to remember that…
At times it might happen that you expressed yourself unclearly and your audience did not understand your point. In such a case, you should paraphrase your argument using simpler language.
In other words,…
To put it more simply,…
What I mean to say is…
So, what I’m saying is….
To put it in another way….
Questions are an integral part of a presentation. These phrases allow you to respond to questions during a presentation.
Does anyone have any questions or comments?
I am happy to answer your questions now.
Please feel free to interrupt me if you have questions.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Please stop me if you have any questions.
Do you have any questions before I move on?
If there are no further questions at this point, I’d like to…
To ensure that a presentation is not disrupted by questions, it is advisable to answer questions at the very end. Inform your audience about this by using these phrases.
There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
I’ll gladly answer any of your questions at the end.
I’d be grateful if you could ask your questions after the presentation.
After answering a question from the audience, check that the addressee has understood your answer and is satisfied with it.
Does this answer your question?
Did I make myself clear?
I hope this explains the situation for you.
Occasionally, it may happen that you do not have an answer to a question. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Simply use one of the following phrases to address the fact.
That’s an interesting question. I don’t actually know off the top of my head, but I’ll try to get back to you later with an answer.
I’m afraid I’m unable to answer that at the moment. Perhaps, I can get back to you later.
Good question. I really don’t know! What do you think?
That’s a very good question. However, I don’t have any figures on that, so I can’t give you an accurate answer.
Unfortunately, I’m not the best person to answer that.
At the end of the presentation, you should summarize the important facts once again.
I’d like to conclude by…
In conclusion, let me sum up my main points.
Weighing the pros and cons, I come to the conclusion that…
That brings me to the end of my presentation. Thank you for listening/your attention.
Thank you all for listening. It was a pleasure being here today.
Well, that’s it from me. Thanks very much.
That brings me to the end of my presentation. Thanks for your attention.
If you are not the only speaker, you can hand over to somebody else by using one of these phrases.
Now I will pass you over to my colleague ‘Jerry’.
‘Jerry’, the floor is yours.
We hope that our article will help you in preparing and holding your next presentation. It goes without saying that our list is just a small extract from the huge world of expressions and phrases. As always, the Internet is an inexhaustible source of further information. Here are the links to two websites that we would recommend to you in this context.
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Blog > English Presentation Structure (Introduction, Closing) & useful Phrases
02.21.20 • #powerpoint #presentation #english.
When giving a presentation in english, there are certain guidelines you should follow. Maybe you haven't got a lot of experience presenting - or you would simply like to refresh your already existing knowledge - we're here to teach you the basics about presenting and provide you with a free list of useful phrases and the basic structure you can in your presentation!
The general structure of a presentation is the following:
It is up to you to design these three parts. Using videos or everyday-examples can be a great way to introduce the audience to the topic. The important thing is that you capture the audience's attention from the beginning by making an interesting introduction. The main part is where you present your topic, ideally divided into sections. You can be creative with it - incorporate images, videos, stories or interactive polls . We generally recommend using different kinds of elements, as that makes the presentation more lively. Make sure your main part is well structured, so your audience can follow. In the conclusion, you should give a short summary of the points you made without adding any new information. You can also make an appeal to your audience in the end.
Here you'll find several phrases that you'll need in every presentation. Of course, you should adapt them and use them in a context that is suitable for your setting. The phrases are divided into subcategories so you can find what you're looking for more easily.
In your introduction, you should:
Welcome your audience
Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone!
Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to my presentation about...
Introduce yourself
I am ... (from company ...) and today I would like to introduce you to the topic of ...
My name is ... and I am going to talk about ... today.
Icebreakers (for audience engagement)
Icebreaker polls are an amazing way to engage your audience instantly. They function as a fun and playful element at the beginning, giving you the perfect start you need to give a successful presentation. Click here to read our detailed post about icebreaker polls!
Mention the presentation topic and the reason for giving the presentation
I am grateful to be here today and tell you you about...
I would like to take this opportunity to talk about ...
I am here today to talk to you about ...
The reason why I am here today to talk about ... is ...
The purpose of this presentation is to ...
My goal today is to ...
Hopefully, by the end of the presentation, you will all know more about ...
Give a short overview of the content
To make it as understandable as possible, I divided my presentation into ... parts. In the first part, I will concentrate on ..., the second part will be about ..., ...
First of all, I will give you a short introduction, then we will move on to ...
... and finally, I will give you some insights to ...
Here are a few phrases that you could use during the whole presentation, but especially in the main part.
Engage your audience
In order to raise the audience's attention and improve their engagement, it is extremely important to make contact with them. A great way to do so is by adding interactive elements such as polls. If you would like to know more about this topic, read our article on How To Boost Audience Engagement . You can also use a software like SlideLizard , which allows you to conduct live polls, do Q&A sessions with your audience, share your resources and many more benefits that take your presentation to the next level.
Please raise your hand if you ...
Have you ever thought about ... ?
I would like to do a poll about ...
Please ask any questions as soon as they arrive.
On one hand, … on the other hand…
Comparing … with …, we can see that…
Clearly, … makes more sense than …
Whereas Option A is …, Option B is …
Making new points
Firstly,… Secondly,…
What also has to be mentioned is…
Next, I would like to bring up the topic of…
That being said, now we are going to take a look at…
Let's move on to the next topic.
On the next slide,…
The last thing I would like to mention is…
We made a whole blog post about how to pose questions in your presentation: The Right Way to do a Question Slide .
Talking about images or videos
In this image you can clearly see that ...
We are now going to take a look at a picture/video of ...
I'm going to show you a video by ... about ... now.
I've prepared a video about ...
Talking about statistics and charts
I am now addressing this graph that refers to the results of study XY.
In the graph on this slide, you can see that ...
The average is at ...
This graph clearly shows that the majority ...
According to this graph, the focus should be on ...
What that study tells us for practice is that we should ...
Emphasizing
I would like to emphasize the importance of ...
Moreover, it has to be said that ...
I want to stress the importance of ...
We always have to remember that ...
This is of high significance because ...
That part is especially important because ...
When something goes wrong
I am sorry, but it seems like the projector isn't working.
Could someone please help me with ...?
Is anybody here who knows how to ...?
Could someone give me a hand with ...
I would like to apologize for ...
I apologize for the technical problems, we are going to continue in a minute.
I am sorry for the inconvenience.
In the conclusion, you should...
Sum up the main points
In conclusion I can say that…
To sum up the main points,…
With all mentioned aspects taken into consideration, I can say that…
Make an appeal
So please, in the future, try to be conscious about...
Please take a moment to think about...
I would like to encourage you to...
Thank your audience and say goodbye
It was a pleasure being here today.
Thank you for listening and goodbye.
Thank you for being such a great, engaged audience. Goodbye.
Thank you so much for listening, see you next time.
What is the structure of a presentation?
Your presentations should always have an Introduction, a Main part and a Conclusion.
What is a good way to begin a presentation?
You can start by introducing yourself, giving an overview of your topic, telling a little story or showing the audience an introductory video or image.
What are good phrases to use in English presentations?
There are many phrases that will make your presentation a lot more professional. Our blog post gives you a detailed overview.
About the author.
Pia Lehner-Mittermaier
Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.
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Hybrid event.
When an event consist of both virtual and in-person parts, this is called a hybrid event. This type of event is popular as it combines the benefits of both online and live events.
In live online training, it is sometimes useful to divide the students into small groups for certain exercises, as it would be impossible to have conversations at the same time. Break-out-rooms are used so that people can talk to each other without disturbing the others. When the exercise is over, they are sent back to the main room.
Audience Demographics are the characteristics of listeners like age, gender, cultural backgrounds, group affiliations and educational level. The speaker has to consider all these characteristics when adapting to an audience.
An information presentation is created when no solution is currently available. Facts, data and figures or study results are presented and current processes are described.
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ENGLISH BUSINESS VOCABULARY
Useful phrases and keywords for presentations..
Good morning/Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen • The topic of my presentation today is ... • What I'm going to talk about today is ... | |
• The purpose of this presentation is ... • This is important because ... • My objective is to ... • The main goal today is to ... | |
The main points I will be talking about are : ◊ Firstly, ◊ Secondly, ◊ Next, ◊ Finally ... we're going to look at ... | |
• Let's start / begin with ... | |
• I'd like to illustrate this by showing you ... • This chart shows a breakdown of ... | |
• Now let's move on to ... • This brings us to the next topic which is ... | |
• I'd like to expand on this aspect/problem/point ... • Let me elaborate on that. • Would you like me to expand on/elaborate on that? | |
• I'd like to turn to something completely different ... • Let's now turn our attention to ... • The next important element is… | |
• I'd like to digress here for a moment and just mention ... • I might mention here that ... | |
• Let me go back to what I said earlier about ... • This relates to what I was saying earlier about… | |
• I'd like to recap the main points of my presentation: ◊ First I covered ... ◊ Then we talked about ... ◊ Finally we looked at ... • I'd now like to sum up the main points which were : ◊ First ... ◊ Second, ◊ Third, | |
• I'm going to conclude by ... ◊ First ... ◊ Second, ◊ Third, • In conclusion, let me ... ◊ First ... ◊ Second, ◊ Third, | |
• Now I'd like to invite any questions you may have. • Do you have any questions? |
transitional phrases | more vocabulary for presentations
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Vocabulary - presenting
The main objectives of this lesson are to:
In this lesson, students explore vocabulary for presentations (e.g. I’m going to tell you about…, As you can see…, I’d like to turn to… , etc.), practise using it and discuss their perspectives on presentations. They also read the text of a presentation and watch a video with tips on how to communicate their ideas with clarity.
Students start this lesson with a warm-up in which they identify presentations they have seen recently and list things they remember from them. Afterwards, students discuss questions about skills and their personal experiences related to presentations. Then, they read a short text of a presentation and point out who it is for. After that, students create phrases by completing gaps in the text with verbs. Next, students read the text again and identify the phrases to structure a presentation ( beginning of a presentation, explaining examples, moving to another topic and finishing a presentation ). Then, they order statements to make a presentation. They also rewrite the beginnings of the statements using five phrases from the previous task.
In this part of the lesson, students watch a video about how to present their ideas clearly and complete statements from the video with one word. After that, they discuss questions about tips on how to deliver a good presentation and talk about the exercises they would do to improve their presentation skills. Next, students brainstorm scenarios related to work presentations, where they determine the most appropriate situation from a pair and justify their reasons (e.g. using coloured pictures OR using charts and graphs ). Finally, they think of a work-related task and present it using phrases from the lesson. Students also use the points listed in the activity to help them prepare what to say.
This lesson also includes an additional task that you can use as homework or revision. In the task, students match halves to create sentences and add one more related sentence to each of them. The task is available in the teacher’s version of the worksheet. You can print it and hand it out to your students. It’s also included in the e-lesson plan.
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Hi, I would say “on the slide” rather than “in the slide” (British English)
Hi! I think that both options are OK 🙂
Very nice lesson!
With this lesson, students practise quantifiers in various contexts. They discuss work conditions and employee feedback and watch a video about employee satisfaction.
Engage in talking about safety in the workplace with this lesson! Students explore vocabulary to talk about injuries, watch a video about safety at work and discuss workplace rules.
With this lesson, students talk about ways to make requests. They watch a funny ad and discuss requests at work. Students also practise phrases to make requests and do a role play activity.
With this lesson, students engage in the exploration of teamwork. They discuss the importance of teamwork, explore vocabulary to talk about the topic, watch a video and discuss useful tips about how to create better teams.
With this speaking lesson, students navigate the territory of career changes. They discuss job market trends, as well as benefits and challenges of transitioning careers. They also talk about important skills and watch a video about a woman who changed careers.
With this insightful lesson, students practise vocabulary to talk about priorities, watch an explainer video about the Eisenhower Matrix and discuss time management. They also give advice on how to organize tasks.
With this speaking lesson, students discuss situations that might cause misunderstandings, watch a short and funny ad and analyse tips on how to avoid miscommunication.
Dive into the intriguing world of emailing and talk about what annoys people the most. With this lesson, students expand their vocabulary, express irritation, and analyze real-life situations.
Engage your students in a discussion on the ins and outs of higher education. Explore education and career-related vocabulary and work on comprehension skills by watching a news report on the job market.
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Created on April 19, 2021
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Phrases for your presentations
Greet. Introduce yourself and the topic.
Show the presentation structure
Talk about timing, questions and handouts
Introduce your first topic
transitions
Sequence your ideas
Highlight information
Explain details.
Explain your visuals
Connect to something previously said
Restate and summarize.
Make reference to information
Conclude your talk.
Sequencing: Let’s move on to… Turning our attention now to… Next, I’ll focus on.....and then we’ll consider.... Then I’ll go on to highlight what I see as the main points of.... That concludes my second point, let's turn now to Finally, I’d like to address the problem of/raise briefly the issue of......
Connecting: As I said at the beginning, … This relates to what I was saying earlier… This ties in with what I said at the start of my talk...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgFNTuRYtKE https://www.londonschool.com/blog/30-useful-phrases-presentations-english/ https://www.fluentu.com/blog/business-english/business-english-presentation-phrases/
At Britannia School, we understand that mastering essential business English phrases is crucial for effective communication in the professional world. In our increasingly globalized market, fluency in business English can significantly enhance our interactions with colleagues and clients alike. With this in mind, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of key phrases that can empower us to express our ideas clearly and confidently.
Utilizing essential business English phrases can streamline our conversations and improve our overall communication skills. Here are a few critical areas we should focus on:
By incorporating these essential business English phrases into our daily interactions, we pave the way for more productive exchanges. As we embark on this journey of learning together, we can enhance our communication skills and achieve greater success in our professional endeavors.
In the world of international business, mastering Key Business English Phrases for Effective Communication is essential. We find that using the right phrases can significantly enhance our interactions, build rapport with clients, and convey professionalism. Here are some essential phrases we often use:
Utilizing these Key Business English Phrases for Effective Communication can streamline our discussions and ensure clarity. Moreover, we often employ phrases that set a collaborative tone, such as:
By integrating these Key Business English Phrases for Effective Communication into our conversations, we enhance our effectiveness and ensure our messages resonate across diverse audiences. Clarity and professionalism in communication pave the way for successful business relationships.
When it comes to navigating the professional environment, Business English phrases play a crucial role in our communication during meetings and presentations. We can enhance clarity and professionalism by incorporating these phrases, ensuring that our message is delivered effectively. Here are some key strategies we can implement:
During presentations, it’s beneficial to use strong Business English phrases to articulate our ideas effectively. For instance, phrases like “In conclusion,” or “Moving forward,” signal transitions and help our audience follow along. Additionally, we can employ rhetorical questions such as, “How does this align with our goals?” to elicit critical thinking among our listeners.
Furthermore, Business English phrases can significantly improve our confidence. By mastering expressions such as “Let’s delve deeper into this” or “We can see the implications of this decision,” we not only convey authority but also enhance our professional image. Ultimately, employing these phrases equips us to communicate more proficiently in high-stakes situations.
When we’re engaged in business English conversations, especially in networking situations, using the right expressions can significantly enhance our interactions. We can leverage specific phrases that not only convey professionalism but also promote effective relationship building. Here are some common expressions we may find useful:
In our networking endeavors, using these business English expressions can help us connect more deeply with our peers and potential partners. We should also consider employing phrases that express appreciation and acknowledgment, such as:
By incorporating these business English expressions into our networking repertoire, we not only enhance our conversational skills but also solidify our professional relationships. Remember, effective communication is key to successful networking, and with these phrases, we can navigate these interactions with confidence.
In today’s global business environment, we understand the importance of effective communication. Utilizing business English phrases can not only enhance our professional interactions but also ensure that our message is clearly understood. By mastering these essential phrases, we can bridge cultural gaps and foster better relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners.
Some vital business English phrases that we may find useful include:
Incorporating these business English phrases into our vocabulary allows us to communicate with confidence. By practicing and using these phrases regularly, we not only improve our own skills but also contribute to a more professional environment. Each phrase equips us with the tools we need to navigate any business situation effectively.
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Use participial phrases to provide more context to a story or conversation., i want to learn....
A participial phrase can help turn your words into detailed pictures of what you want to say. A particularly well-crafted sentence can bring you back to the river where you used to go fishing with your father, or to the sofa in your grandparents’ house where you used to flip through photo albums. Participial phrases make these vivid details come to life.
There are many ways to add descriptive details to a story or conversation. We often use adjectives to do this, or we can add entire sentences to provide context. But we can also do this with participial phrases. In this article you’ll learn how participial phrases can act as adjectives to provide context and detail to what you want to say.
Participial phrases are sentences built around a participle. A participle is a very common type of verb in English. Present participles are verbs that end in -ing , a grammar structure that you encounter every few seconds while listening to English. Things can be a little bit more complicated for the past participle as there are a lot of irregular forms, although regular past participles end in - ed . ( To learn more about participles, check out our guides to present participles and past participles . )
Take a look at the chart below to refresh your memory of a few very common verbs and their participle forms in English.
Verb | Present participle | Past participle |
---|---|---|
to have | having | had |
to do | doing | done |
to go | going | gone |
to see | seeing | seen |
to take | taking | taken |
to give | giving | given |
to make | making | made |
to know | knowing | known |
to think | thinking | thought |
to say | saying | said |
Now look at the examples below to see how participles begin whole phrases that provide context to a sentence. These phrases are called participial phrases.
Present participial phrases add detail and context and help to make a sentence more vivid. In a way, the whole phrase acts like an adjective and adds a quality to the subject of the sentence, as in the following examples:
The present participial phrases (in bold type) all modify the underlined phrase, which acts as the subject of the sentence. As you might notice, the participial phrase comes immediately before the subject, although it can be placed in other positions as well (this will be very important later).
Past participles can also add information to a sentence, but they often provide a cause or a result connected with the subject. Basically, they describe what happened before and provide a reason to why something is happening.
The past participle given is often used to introduce a condition that explains or gives a reason for the main action in the sentence.
Whether you want to practice complex grammar concepts like participial phrases or brush up on vocabulary for your next vacation, Busuu can help. With hundreds of lessons on a wide variety of topics, you are bound to find what you need. You can even receive feedback on your mistakes and practice exactly what you need with a personalized learning plan. Ready to take your English to the next level?
So far we have seen participial phrases at the beginning of a sentence, but this is not always the case. Participial phrases, in fact, can be at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a sentence. While different positions express the same overall meaning, each can emphasize a different element and give a different flow to the sentence. Look at these examples:
Placing the participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence provides the context or background for the action described in the sentence. In this way we draw the attention to the causes of the action.
This type of sentence adds detail or clarification about the subject as the sentence progresses. In this way it explains the reason why the subject acts a certain way. This placement is more common in written English.
In this position, the participial phrase justifies why the main action has happened.
The position of the participial phrase will influence the punctuation of the whole sentence. You need to think about the participial phrase as an addition – it is something extra that you add to the main sentence.
For this reason, you need a comma to separate the participial phrase from the rest of the sentence. If a participial phrase is at the beginning of a sentence, you need to write a comma after it. A participial phrase in the middle of a sentence will have two commas – one before it and one after. An end-of-the-sentence participial phrase will have a comma before it. Notice the commas in the examples below:
* Given the current situation , the couple decided to postpone their wedding.
Earlier we noted that a participial phrase is often close to the subject of the sentence. As we have seen, there can be different placements of a participial phrase in a sentence, but it is still important that the connection between the participial phrase and the noun it modifies be clear.
When this connection is not clear, we have a common mistake called a dangling participle. A dangling participle doesn’t seem to be connected to anything in the sentence, making it confusing and incorrect. Here are a few examples of dangling participles:
You see? In the first sentence, who is sitting on the porch listening to the chirping birds? There is no person mentioned anywhere. And in the second sentence, did the dogs start barking to get ready for the day? That’s plain illogical. The third sentence is also confusing because the subject should be I , but instead the subject is the ‘ anticipation of what the day would bring .’
Here is a way to fix the previous sentences:
With a clear subject close to the participial phrase, everything makes sense right away.
Participial phrases enrich sentences by acting like adjectives, providing additional detail and context. They help paint a vivid picture in the mind of anyone who is listening to us or reading a text.
You can use different kinds of participial phrases to produce different effects – present participial phrases can describe an action, while past participial phrases often describe a cause or result. Finally, when you use participial phrases, keep in mind their position in the sentence, and remember to use commas in writing to make your ideas clear.
By understanding these concepts, you too will be able to paint an interesting and vivid picture in the mind of your readers or listeners.
Continue learning with Busuu’s free online courses and learning resources designed by language experts. You can practice your pronunciation, improve your use of grammar and enrich your vocabulary. Most importantly, you can practice your English in interesting, motivating lessons that will keep you going until you reach your language learning goals.
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A little bit of Mandarin (Chinese) will go a long way in Taiwan. Bust out a phrase or two, and the locals will not only appreciate but seriously praise you for it .
I’ve been learning Taiwanese Mandarin , including how to read and type traditional Chinese characters, on and off since I first moved to Taiwan over 15 years ago. I’m still far from fluent, but I can get by. My wife is Taiwanese, kids go to a Mandarin immersion school in Canada, and we speak some Chinese at home.
In this article, I’ve carefully selected 12 extremely useful phrases and sentence patterns for traveling in Taiwan. These patterns can be used to make hundreds of sentences in Mandarin simply by inserting different vocabulary.
I’ll also give you some tips for pronunciation, tones, best Mandarin apps, and at the end, a list of even more useful words, phrases, questions, and responses.
In total, you’ll be learning over 100 Mandarin words in this article. Get your notebook ready!
Table of Contents
Here’s a quick summary of the 12 phrases / terms / patterns I’m going to teach you in this article. Words in parentheses can be replaced.
I’ll explain each of these in much greater detail in the article.
Hello / thank you / goodbye / see you again | nǐ hǎo / xiè xiè / bài bài / zài jiàn | 你好 / 謝謝 / 拜拜 / 再見 |
May I ask, … | qǐng wèn | 請問 |
Excuse me | bù hǎo yì si | 不好意思 |
Where is the (toilet)? | (Cè suǒ) zài nǎ lǐ? | (廁所)在哪裡? |
Do you have (a bigger size)? | Yǒu méi yǒu (bǐ jiào dà de)? | 有沒有(比較大的)? |
Is this (vegetarian)? | Zhè shì (sù de) ma? | 這是(素的)嗎? |
I want (beef noodles). | Wǒ yào (niú ròu miàn). | 我要(牛肉麵)。 |
I am (Canadian). | Wǒ shì (jiā ná dà rén). | 我是(加拿大人)。 |
I (really) like (traveling). | Wǒ (hěn) xǐ huān (lǚ yóu). | 我(很)喜歡(旅遊)。 |
Numbers 1 to 10, one hundred, one thousand | yī, èr, sān, sì, wǔ, liù, qī, bā, jiǔ, shí, yī bǎi, yī qiān | 一,二,三,四,五,六,七,八,九,十,一百,一千 |
Measure words | yī gè (one thing/person), yī wèi (one seat), yī píng (one bottle), yī kuài (one dollar) | 一個,一位,一瓶,一塊 |
Sound particles | de (shows possession) ma (to make a question) le (shows completion) a (adds emphases) ba (makes a suggestion) la (makes a command) | 的,嗎,了, 啊,吧,啦 |
To learn more about Mandarin and Taiwanese from an academic perspective, see my Taiwanese language guide .
In this article, I’ll be typing Mandarin words in pinyin , for example “nǐ hǎo” and providing the traditional Chinese characters (as used in Taiwan).
Pinyin is the transliteration system used in China, so most Taiwanese don’t know how to use it . Taiwan has their own system, called zhuyin or “Bopomofo”, but it is harder for English speakers to learn. So don’t ask Taiwanese to read or write something for you in pinyin!
Before you can properly say any Mandarin words, you have to learn how to pronounce each sound in pinyin. Pinyin uses the roman alphabet , so it’s quite easy. There are a few tricky sounds, but you can learn it in 15 minutes.
I suggest you start by watching this pinyin pronunciation video . If you can’t get the sounds right first, there’s no point in trying to read any words in this article.
Another tip: for all the phrases I’ll introduce in this article, copy-paste the Mandarin characters to GoogleTranslate then click the speaker icon to hear how they should sound.
Mastering the sounds of Chinese is the easy part. The more difficult step for most of us is the tones.
Every character in Mandarin is one syllable, and each syllable/character has one of five tones . These are indicated with a symbol above the vowel.
If you get your tones wrong (and trust me, you will), it can totally change the meaning of your words. In the above examples, ma means: mother, hemp, horse, scold, or it’s a question particle.
Even with context in the conversation, if you mess up one or two tones, local people’s ears will simply turn off and they will have no idea what you are trying to say. They may even think you’re speaking English and that’s why they can’t understand you.
You can never practice tones enough. Here’s a quick tones introduction and another that goes deeper .
I highly recommend downloading GoogleTranslate before your trip. You can use the app to look up words, type in something and have it read out for people to hear, record what people are saying and translate for you, or to scan menus for instant translation on the screen.
Some people prefer Naver Papago , which has the same functions but with a focus on Asian languages, so it is sometimes more accurate than GoogleTranslate. Another good one is Pleco , which is more like an English / Mandarin dictionary but also has the above functions.
For more info and links to these apps, see my guide to the best apps for traveling in Taiwan .
Now, let’s get to my list of useful Chinese phrases and sentence patterns!
Starting with the absolute basics, “hello” in Mandarin is nǐ hǎo (你好). In formal contexts, you can say nǐn hǎo (您好). It’s also normal to simple say “hello” or “hi”.
Adding the question participle makes this “ nǐ hǎo ma ” (你好嗎, “How are you?”), but Taiwanese people don’t say this often.
Xiè xiè (謝謝, “thank you”) is critical to learn but easy to mispronounce.
When departing, locals actually say bài bài (拜拜 or “bye bye”) more often than zài jiàn (再見), which literally means “see you again”.
Hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn (好久不見 , “long time no see”) is frequently used in Taiwan. As in English, use it when you haven’t seen someone in a while.
If you want to ask a random person a question in Taiwan, it would be rude to just blurt out your question. Instead, you should preface your question by saying “ qǐng wèn ”.
The equivalent in English would be “ May I ask, ….? ”. But in Taiwan, it doesn’t sound so formal.
It’s just a common courtesy and you should always use this (or the next phrase I’ll introduce) before asking a stranger a question.
May I ask, … | qǐng wèn | 請問 |
May I ask, what time is it now? | Qǐng wèn, xiàn zài jǐ diǎn zhōng? | 請問,現在幾點鐘? |
Now is 8 o’clock. Now is 8:15. Now is 8:30. | Xiàn zài bā diǎn. Xiàn zài bā diǎn shí wǔ fēn. Xiàn zài bā diǎn bàn. | 現在八點。 現在八點十五分。 現在八點半。 |
The phrase “ bù hǎo yì si ” (不好意思) literally translates as “no good meaning”, but actually means “excuse me”.
This phrase is extremely useful and Taiwanese say it all the time . Here are some situations where you can use it:
Note: If you are interrupting someone to ask them a question, you can use both of these phrases together: qǐng wèn, bù hǎo yì si , ….?”
While these two phrases together may seem overly formal or polite in English, this is very common language in Taiwan and I use it all the time. Taiwanese highly appreciate politeness and you will get much better responses if you speak like this.
Excuse me | bù hǎo yì si | 不好意思 |
Excuse me, are there any seats? (at a restaurant) | Bù hǎo yì si, yǒu wèi zi ma? | 不好意思,有位子嗎? |
Excuse me, may I ask, are you open now? (at a shop, cafe, etc) | Bù hǎo yì si, qǐng wèn, xiàn zài yǒu kāi ma? | 不好意思,請問,現在有開嗎? |
Now that you know how to introduce your questions, let’s get to some actual questions you might ask.
A very obvious one that travelers will need to ask is “ … zài nǎ lǐ ? ” (…在哪裡?), which means “ Where is the … ?”
Note that in Mandarin, you will say the thing/place first, then ask where it is.
Now, let’s put these three phrases together with some examples:
Where is the ? Where is the washroom? (both acceptable and mean the same thing) | zài nǎ lǐ? zài nǎ lǐ? | 在哪裡? 在哪裡? |
Where is the ? | n zài nǎ lǐ? | 在哪裡? |
Where is the nearest ? | Zuì fù jìn de zài nǎ lǐ? | 最附近的 在哪裡? |
May I ask, where is the nearest 7-Eleven? | Qǐng wèn, zuì fù jìn de SEVEN zài nǎ lǐ? | 請問,最附近的SEVEN在哪裡? |
Excuse me, where is ? | Bù hǎo yì si, zài nǎ lǐ? | 不好意思, 在哪裡? |
Alternative phrase: Are there any nearby? | Fù jìn yǒu ma? | 附近有 嗎? |
Alternative phrase: How do I get to ? | zěn me zǒu? | 怎麼走? |
Another very common question you may want to ask in Taiwan is “ Do you have (something)? “
Whether you want to ask for certain food items, products, or bus tickets at a certain time, this will be a high frequency pattern.
There are actually several ways to ask this in Mandarin. In all of them, it is very common to omit the pronoun “you” ( nǐ in Chinese), unless you are asking something about them personally (see the example table below).
“ Yǒu méi yǒu …? ” (有沒有) literally means “ have or don’t have …? ” To answer it, they will not say “yes” or “no” like in English. Mandarin doesn’t really have these words. Instead, they will reply “ yǒu ” (有, have) or “méi yǒu ” (沒有, don’t have) .
This pattern is extremely useful because it can be used with other verbs . For example, “ shì bù shì ” ( 是不是). This means “are you or are you not …?” or “is it or is it not…?). The answer would be “ shì” (是) or “ bù shì ”.
Another is “ kě bù kě yǐ ” (可不可以), meaning “can” or “cannot”, to which the answer would be “kě yǐ” (可以) or “bù kě yǐ” (不可以). A similar one is “ huì bù huì ” (會不會), which means “able to” (use it for abilities, languages).
Yet another is “ duì bù duì ” (對不對, correct or incorrect). The answers duì (correct) and bù duì (incorrect) are the closest things Chinese has to “yes” and “no”.
Another way to ask for something is “ yǒu … ma ?” (literally “ have … ? ” or “… yǒu ma ?” ( … have? ”
Do you have ? (the word “dishes” is implied and doesn’t need to be said) | Yǒu méi yǒu ? | 有沒有 ? |
Do you have ? (size, for clothing) | Yǒu méi yǒu ? | 有沒有 ? |
Are you the ? | Nǐ shì bù shì ? | 你是不是 ? |
Can you this? | Kě bù kěyǐ zhè ge? | 可不可以 這個? |
Can you speak ? | Nǐ huì bù huì jiǎng ? | 你會不會講 ? |
Going to , correct or incorrect? (asking a bus driver) | Dào , duì bù duì? | 到 ,對不對? |
Alternative phrase: Do you have ? | Yǒu ma? yǒu ma? | 有 嗎? 有嗎? |
Another super common question pattern is “ Zhè shì … ma? ” (這是 … 嗎?, Is this …? ) You can insert many adjectives or nouns into the pattern.
If the item is further away from you, use the word “Nà” (那, that) instead of “this”, as in “ Nà shì … ma ?” (Is that…?)
In Taiwan, it’s common to add the measure word “ge” when talking about items, as in “ zhè ge ” (這個, “this one”) or “ nà ge ” (那個, that one). I’ll cover measure words further below.
So the question can become “ Zhè ge shì … ma ?” (“Is this one ….” or “ Nà ge shì…ma ?” (Is that one …?”
It’s best if we just look at some examples:
Is this ? Is that vegetarian? | Zhè shì ma? Nà shì sù de ma? | 這是 嗎? 那是素的嗎? |
Is this thing ? | Zhè ge shì ma? | 這是 嗎? |
Is this my ? | Zhè shì wǒ de ma? | 這是我的 嗎? |
Is this ? | Zhè shì ma? | 這是對的嗎? |
is this? | Zhè shì ? | 這是什麼? |
Besides asking questions, travelers will often need to state what they want.
In English, it would be blunt and impolite to say “ I want steak ” to a waitress. But in Mandarin, saying “ wǒ yào niú pá i” (我要牛排) is perfectly acceptable.
To make it negative , we add “bù” first, as in “ bù yào ” (不要). If a clerk offers you a plastic bag but you don’t want it, you could say “bù yào”, but it’s more polite to say “bù yòng” (不用), or “no use”, meaning you don’t need that things.
Don’t know how to say the thing you want? Very easy. Just use the terms “ zhè ge ” (this one) and “ nà ge ” (that one) that we learned in the previous entry.
So you can touch or point at something close to you and say “ wǒ yào zhè ge ” (我要這個, “I want this one”), or point at something further away and say “ wǒ yào nà gè ” (我要那個, I want that one).
This is a rudimentary way of speaking, but for beginner Mandarin speakers and for travelers, it will be a life saver.
Let’s say you’re in a nicer restaurant and/or you just want to sound a little more formal. Say this instead: “ Wǒ xiǎng yào … ” (我想要…). This translates as “I’m thinking of having” or “I would like”, so it sounds a little nicer.
I want . | Wǒ yào . | 我要 。 |
I want this one. I want that one. I want those. | Wǒ yào zhè ge. Wǒ yào nà ge. Wǒ yào nà ge. | 我要這個。 我要那個。 我要兩個那個。 |
I would like to have . | Wǒ xiǎng yào . | 我想要 。 |
I don’t want . | Wǒ bù yào . | 我不要 。 |
Do you want chopsticks? | Yào bù yào ? | 要不要筷子? |
No, thanks. | Bù yòng, xiè xiè. | 不用,謝謝。 |
When meeting Taiwanese, the first question they will ask you are “ Where are you from? ”
I can think of around half a dozen ways they could ask this. Here are the three most common, with literal translation.
The grammatically correct answer to each of the above questions would be different.
However, the simplest way to answer any of these questions would be to answer with the country name . So I will just say “ Jiā ná dà ” (加拿大 or Canada).
The next easiest would be to say “ Wǒ shì … rén ” (我是 … 人, “I am X person”). Unlike English, where each country has an adjective form (like “Canadian”), in Mandarin, we just say the country name + ren (person / people).
Don’t use the “wǒ shì” pattern for temporary things like age (I am 42) or mood (I am happy). See the final section of this article for those.
To talk about other people, instead of wǒ, use tā (he/she/it), wǒ men (us) or tā men (them) .
Let’s look at more useful examples of this phrase.
I am Canadian / American / Australian / British / Singaporean / Filipino. | Wǒ shì jiā ná dà rén / měi guó rén / ào zhōu rén / yīng guó rén / xīn jiā pō rén/ fēi lǜ bīn rén. | 我是加拿大人 / 美國人 / 澳洲人 / 英國人 / 新加坡人 / 菲律賓人。 |
I am a teacher / student / backpacker / engineer / businessperson / nurse / designer. | Wǒ shì lǎo shī / xué shēng / bèi bāo kè / gōng chéng shī / shāng rén / hù shì / shè jì shī. | 我是老師 / 學生 / 背包客 / 工程師 / 商人 / 護士 / 設計師。 |
She is my wife. | Tā shì wǒ* lǎo pó. | 她是我老婆。 |
* Usually “my” is “ wǒ de “, but you can omit the possessive “ de ” when talking about family members.
Expressing things that you like, don’t like, love, or don’t love can be useful and fun.
“ Wǒ xǐ huān… ” (我喜歡 …) means “I like …”. To make it negative , say “ Wǒ bù xǐ huān … ” (我不喜歡 …, “I don’t like …)
Taiwanese often add “hěn” (really/very) when talking about liking things. As in “ Wǒ hěn xǐ huān …” (我很喜歡…, “I really like …”)
It’s the same for love: “ wǒ ài …” (我愛…, “I love…”), “ wǒ hěn ài ” (我很愛…, “I really love…”), or “ wǒ bù ài … (我不愛…, “I don’t love …”)
I (really) like . I (really) love traveling. | Wǒ (hěn) xǐ huān . Wǒ (hěn) ài lǚ yóu. | 我(很)喜歡旅遊。 我(很)愛旅遊。 |
I love . | Wǒ ài . | 我愛台灣人。 |
I don’t like . | Wǒ bù xǐ huān . | 我不喜歡香煙味。 |
Like anywhere, it won’t hurt to learn the numbers before your trip.
In the below table, note that the number two changes when it becomes a measure word . In other words, if you are counting, you say yī , èr , sān … But if you are asking for two of a thing, you would say “ liǎng gè ”.
To make ordinal numbers , you say “ dì (number) gè ”. For example, first is dì yī gè (第一個), second is dì èr gè (第二個), third is dì sān gè (第三個), and so on.
In English, bigger numbers go up by groups of 3 zeros (thousand has three zeros, million has 6, billion has 9, etc). Chinese bigger numbers go up by groups of 4 .
So, wàn (萬) has four zeros (10,000). After that, 10萬 is 100,000, 100萬 is a million, 1000萬 is 10 million and the next word, yì (億) has eight zeros , equaling 100 million in English.
Because of this, Chinese speakers, even ones with really good English, often make mistakes when saying larger numbers in English, and vice versa.
So if someone tells you there are 23 thousand or 230 million people in Taiwan, you’ll know why (the correct number is 23 million – learn other facts about Taiwan here ).
Zero | líng | 零 |
One | yī | 一 |
Two | èr (or “liǎng gè” for 2 things) | 二 (兩個) |
Three | sān | 三 |
Four | sì | 四 |
Five | wǔ | 五 |
Six | liù | 六 |
Seven | qī | 七 |
Eight | bā | 八 |
Nine | jiǔ | 九 |
Ten | shí | 十 |
Eleven | shí yī | 十一 |
Twenty | èr shí | 二十 |
One hundred | yī bǎi | 一百 |
One thousand | yī qiān | 一千 |
Ten thousand | yī wàn | 一萬 |
One hundred thousand | shí wàn | 十萬 |
One million | yī bǎi wàn | 一百萬 |
Ten million | yī qiān wàn | 一千萬 |
One hundred million | yī yì | 一億 |
One billion | shí yì | 十億 |
In English, only some nouns require counting words. For example “grain” of rice, “bag” of rice, “pair” of pants, or “piece” of advice.
In Mandarin, virtually every noun requires a measure word . Here’s a list of over 200 of them (simplified characters, but many are the same as traditional).
The most common measure word is “ge” . Use it for a thing or person. If you don’t know the correct measure word of any other thing, just use “ge” and you’ll be understood, even if it sounds a little wrong.
Even if the noun is omitted, you must still say the measure word . For example, if a clerk asks you how many fried chicken orders you want, don’t reply “yī” (one) or “wǒ yào yī (I want one)”. You should correctly reply “ yī gè ” or “ wǒ yào yī gè ”.
Here are some of the most common measure words:
gè | 個 | general things, people | (one hamburger), (two people) |
wèi | 位 | people (more formal), seats | (one teacher), (six seats in a restaurant) |
zhī | 隻 | some animals | (one dog), (one cat) |
píng | 瓶 | bottle, can | (one bottle or can of beer) |
zhāng | 張 | thin flat things | (one ticket), (piece of paper) |
kuài | 塊 | money | (one dollar, one TWD) like saying “one buck” or “one quid” in English |
One very fun but difficult-to-master aspect of Mandarin is sound particles.
These can have grammatical purpose (first three below) or come at the end of a phrase/sentence to add some feeling or emphasis (last three below). Taiwanese use the latter a lot.
Using these (correctly) can make you sound more fluent. Here’s a list of common ones:
de | to show possession | (我的, mine) |
ma | to make a question | (你開心嗎?Are you happy?) |
le | to show completion | (我吃完了, I’m done eating) |
a | to add emphasis | (對啊!Really!) |
ba | to make a suggestion / command | (走吧, Let’s go) |
la | to make a suggestion / command (stronger) | (快點啦!Hurry up!) |
Here’s a list of more words, phrases, questions, and responses that you may find useful for your Taiwan trip.
foreigner | wài guó rén | 外國人 |
Can you speak ? | Nǐ huì jiǎng ma? | 你會講中文嗎? |
A little. | Yī diǎn diǎn. | 一點點。 |
I can’t speak . | Wǒ bù huì jiǎng . | 我不會講台語。 |
How much (money)? | Duō shǎo (qián)? | 多少(錢)? |
What’s your name? | Nǐ jiào shén me míng zì? | 你叫什麼名字? |
My name is Nick. | Wǒ jiào Nick. | 我叫Nick。 |
How old are you? | Nǐ jǐ suì? | 你幾歲? |
I’m . | Wǒ suì. | 我 歲。 |
Stop here. | Zhè lǐ tíng. | 這裡停。 |
I want to get off the bus/car. | Wǒ yào xià chē. | 我要下車。 |
Have you eaten? (common greeting) | Nǐ chī fàn le ma? | 你吃飯了嗎? |
Yes, I’ve eaten. | Chī fàn le. | 吃飯了。 |
Delicious! | Hào chī! | 好吃! |
The weather is so hot! | Tiānqì hǎo rè! | 天氣好熱! |
It’s raining. | Xià yǔ le. | 下雨了。 |
Sorry to trouble you. | Má fan nǐ. | 麻煩你。 |
Can you help me? | Nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ ma? | 你可以幫我嗎? |
I don’t need a bag. | Bù yào dài zi. | 不要袋子。 |
To stay / to go | nèi yòng / wài dài | 內用 / 外帶 |
add cheese / don’t add spicy sauce | jiā qǐ sī / bù yào jiā là | 加起司 / 不要加辣 |
The bill, please. | wǒ yāo mǎi dān. | 我要買單。 |
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Here are some phrases which you can use to structure the introduction in this way: Introduce. 1. Good morning/afternoon (everyone) (ladies and gentlemen). 2. It's a pleasure to welcome (the President) here. 3. I'm … (the Director of …) Introduce the presentation topic.
Hopefully, these phrases help you to vary your vocabulary for clear, well-structured presentations with a logical joined-up flow. The most important thing, of course, is that you are comfortable and confident in your delivery, which helps the audience feels relaxed and ready to be engaged by your subject matter.
Highlighting information during your talk. When you are giving a presentation in English, you might want to highlight a particular piece of information or something that's important. You can use phrases such as 'Let's focus on …', 'I want to highlight …', 'Pay attention to …', 'Let's look at …', 'I want to ...
give a gift of learning Offer up to 50% off. setting the scene. common phrases for starting off presentations. book your trial English Lesson. introducing a talk. referring to visuals. finishing off a section. checking and moving on. recapping.
Get your FREE Professional English Phrase Booster here: https://bit.ly/phraseboosterIn this lesson, you'll learn 40 great phrases for making a presentation i...
Here's a step-by-step guide for making presentations in English. You'll find the phrases you need for each step of your presentation. Overviews After you give your opening statement, give a brief overview of your presentation. Say what your presentation is about, how long you will take and how you are going to handle questions. For…
The English phrases listed below are organised according to the following basic steps and will help you structure your presentation. Good morning, everyone. Hi! It's great to see so many familiar faces here today. Welcome to the audience Hello everyone, welcome to … Let me introduce myself. My name is … For those of you who don't know me,
The way you start your presentation sets the tone for the rest of it. Begin by greeting your audience and introducing the topic. Here are some phrases to get you started: 1. Good morning, everyone. Depending on the time of day, you can also say "Good afternoon, everyone" or "Good evening, everyone.". 2.
With this lesson plan, students learn plenty of useful phrases for presentations in English. They also prepare presentation excerpts, and learn how to start a presentation. The lesson is the second of the three-part series of lessons about delivering presentations. You will find the first part of the series here and the third part of the series ...
understand the speaker more easily. get an idea of the length and content of the presentation. We've divided the phrases and sentences into sections which follow the logical progression of a well-balanced presentation. 1. Welcoming. Good morning and welcome to [name of company, name of conference hall, hotel, etc.].
You may use the following phrases for presentations in English when introducing your topic. "Today, I will be talking about…". "The topic of my presentation today is about …". "My presentation is relevant to…". "I am glad to present to you the progress of …". "As you can see, I am here to report about…". "There ...
11 "I'm glad you asked that.". 12. "That's a very good question.". ADMITTING YOU DON"T KNOW. Sometimes the presenter might not know the answer to an audience member's question. 13. "I don't know the answer to your question, but I'll aim to find out for you.". 14.. "Sorry I don't know that off the top of my head.".
The ability to craft compelling sentences and phrases, set the scene effectively, and transition smoothly between ideas are essential for a successful presentation. And the correct vocabulary can add depth and dimension to your discourse while conveying professionalism. Try Promova to improve your language level.
If you need more specific vocabulary, like for a presentation to the board, your manager, or a client on their finances, check out our blog post on the most common English for accounting vocabulary. 4. Prepare some visual aids. These days, most people use a slide deck when presenting business ideas.
Here are some useful introductory phrases. Today I am here to talk to you about…. What I am going to talk about today is…. I would like to take this opportunity to talk to you about…. I am delighted to be here today to tell you about…. I want to make you a short presentation about…. I'd like to give you a brief breakdown of….
Maybe you haven't got a lot of experience presenting - or you would simply like to refresh your already existing knowledge - we're here to teach you the basics about presenting and provide you with a free list of useful phrases and the basic structure you can in your presentation! 1. Structure. The general structure of a presentation is the ...
at any time during the presentation.Please interrupt as w. go along if you have any questions.I'll be glad / happy to take any que. at the end of my presentation.HintsThere are several ways you can tell you. audience what you are goin. 1. to be going to + verb. 2. will + verb. + verb. ing4. would lik.
eGood morning / aft. noon, ladies and gentlemen. Hello / Hi everyone. First of a. l, let me thank you all for coming he. today. It's a pleasure to welcome you today. I'm happy / del. ghted that so many of you could. s good to see you all. ere. Introducing yourselfL.
Preparation is essential for an effective presentation. When giving a presentation, certain keywords are used to signpost the different stages. It's a good idea to memorise them and practise using them, so that they come to mind easily during a presentation. USEFUL PHRASES FOR PRESENTATIONS: Starting the presentation
Giving a Presentation - Useful Phrases. Let's do English ESL presentation, public speaking. This theory sheet contains a number of useful phrases for oral presentations in class for intermediate and a….
Then, they read a short text of a presentation and point out who it is for. After that, students create phrases by completing gaps in the text with verbs. Next, students read the text again and identify the phrases to structure a presentation (beginning of a presentation, explaining examples, moving to another topic and finishing a presentation).
Good morning/afternoon/evening, everyone/everybody and welcome to my presentation. First of all, let me thank you all for coming here today. Welcome to (event) 2. Introducing yourself. First, let me introduce myself. I am/My name is .... I am a (job title)... from/at (company/institution).
How to Use Business English Phrases in Meetings and Presentations. When it comes to navigating the professional environment, Business English phrases play a crucial role in our communication during meetings and presentations. We can enhance clarity and professionalism by incorporating these phrases, ensuring that our message is delivered ...
Adverbs and adverbial phrases. This is a powerpoint presentation for upper-intermediate lower-advanced students about the use of adverbs and adverbial phrases. It also includes some exercises. 4644 uses.
Such presentations take twice as long to deliver compared to the same lecture presented to an English-speaking audience, so the content needs to be halved. For the question-and-answer session following a simultaneously translated talk, always remember to take a headset onto the stage, because when a member of the audience asks a question, you ...
Now look at the examples below to see how participles begin whole phrases that provide context to a sentence. These phrases are called participial phrases.. Going through old photos, Sarah found a picture of her grandparents.; Seeing the approaching storm, the sailors quickly secured the ship.; Taking a deep breath, Emma stepped onto the stage.; Done with his chores, Jake decided to watch a movie.
In this article, I'll be typing Mandarin words in pinyin, for example "nǐ hǎo" and providing the traditional Chinese characters (as used in Taiwan).. Pinyin is the transliteration system used in China, so most Taiwanese don't know how to use it.Taiwan has their own system, called zhuyin or "Bopomofo", but it is harder for English speakers to learn.
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