Business English- Ending presentations politeness competition game

Ending presentations politeness competition game

What is wrong with all the phrases below?

Summarising the content of your presentation

Basically, there was no need for all that boring info because I can explain it all in one sentence, being…

Stating a conclusion (leading on from the summary)

With the evidence that I’ve given you, any idiot can see that…

Ending the main part of the presentation and leading into the Q&A

Well, that’s all./ So, that’s it./ Right. I’m done.

Inviting questions/ Starting the Q&A

Questions?/ Now ask me questions./ Okay, question time!/ Hands up for questions.

(Filling silence by) encouraging people to ask questions/ suggesting questions

No questions at all? Really??/ Please ask me about…

Indicating whose question you will answer next (while pointing with an open hand)

Yeah, okay./ Yes?/ Yes, you./ What?/ (just pointing)/ Yes, the fat man over there.

Checking the meaning of the question/ what they want to know

I don’t understand what you are saying./ What?/ Say again!

Commenting on the question

Odd question!/ What a strange question!/ Oh no, not that question!

Asking people to wait

Wait!/ Please wait!/ Got that right here!

Mentioning what you said earlier

Don’t you remember that I said…?/ I already clearly explained in my intro that…

Not answering the question (yet)

Giving a reason for not answering yet

No idea./ I didn’t research that.

That’s a secret./ I can’t answer that.

Offering to answer the question another way

Come up and speak to me later./ Catch me later on and ask me again.

Checking if your answer was okay

Do you understand?/ Okay?/ Clear enough now?/ Need more info?

Inviting more questions

More?/ More questions?

Bringing the Q&A to a close

Stop, stop! No more questions please!/ No more time for questions, thank goodness!

Thanking at the end

Thanks for sitting through my long boring presentation./ Thanks for putting up with me.

Mentioning future contact/ Giving sources of more information

After this presentation, read this./ You can email me for more info if you must.

 

Work in groups. Choose one phrase above. Take turns making it more and more formal/ polite (probably also meaning longer and longer), until you both/ all can’t take it any further. Discuss which of those phrases is best in real life, then do the same with other phrases.

Put the phrases on the next page into order of politeness by writing numbers next to them from 1 for the most casual/ informal/ impolite. 

Mixed answers

Summarising the content of your presentation

• Basically, there was no need for all that boring info because I can explain it all in one sentence, being…
• If I were to attempt to summarise all the things I have talked about today in one sentence, it would probably be…
• To sum all that up…
• To sum up all that I’ve told you,…
• To summarise the content of my presentation,…

Stating a conclusion (leading on from the summary)

• Basically, all that means that…
• Hopefully I have proved to you that…
• I hope that has convinced at least some of you that…
• I sincerely hope that I have opened your eyes to at the very least the possibility that…
• With the evidence that I’ve given you, any idiot can see that…

Ending the main part of the presentation

• And with those words I will bring my presentation to a close.
• Right, that’s all I want to say today.
• So, that brings me to the end of my presentation./ … which is the last thing that I wanted to say today.
• So, that’s the end of my presentation.
• Well, that’s all./ So, that’s it./ Right. I’m done.

Inviting questions/ Starting the Q&A

• Any questions, anyone?/ Anyone have any questions?
• Any questions?
• Does anyone have any questions?/ Are there any questions?/ Please put your hands up if you have any questions.
• I will now be delighted to answer any questions that anyone may have./ There’ll now be a brief question and answer stage.
• I’ll now be happy to answer any questions./ We now have five minutes for Q&A.
• I’ll now be very glad to answer your questions./ Please raise your hand if you’d like to ask a question.
• Questions?/ Now ask me questions./ Okay, question time!/ Hands up for questions.

(Filling silence by) encouraging people to ask questions/ suggesting questions

• Are there any questions about…?/ E.g., anyone want to ask me about…?
• I imagine there might perhaps be some questions about…
• No questions at all? Really??/ Please ask me about…
• Would you perhaps like to ask me about…?/ Did anyone perhaps have any questions about…?/ For example, I’m not sure that I explained… very well.

Indicating whose question you will answer next (while pointing with an open hand)

• Yeah, okay./ Yes?/ Yes, you./ What?/ (just pointing)/ Yes, the fat man over there.
• Yes, please ask away./ Yes, go ahead./ Yes, do you have a question?
• Yes, please go ahead./ Yes, please ask your question.
• Yes, the man over there./ Yes, the woman in the red dress.
• Yes, what’s your question please?/ Yes, what would you like to know?/ Yes, the gentleman in the corner./ Yes, the lady in the second row.

Checking the meaning of the question/ what they want to know

• I don’t understand what you are saying./ What?/ Say again!
• Sorry, could you ask me that again?/ Are you asking…?/ Do you mean…?
• Sorry, could you repeat the question?/ I’m afraid I didn’t catch that./ Do you perhaps want to know…?/ If I understand your question correctly, you want to know…/ I’m afraid I don’t really understand what you mean by…

Commenting on the question

• Odd question!/ What a strange question!/ Oh no, not that question!
• Thank you for that very interesting question.
• That’s a tricky one!/ I was hoping no one would ask me that!/ I should’ve expected that one!
• That’s an interesting question./ That’s a difficult question./ I’m glad you asked me that./ I’m sure many people have the same question.
• That’s rather a difficult/ complex/ big/ deep/ philosophical question./ I’m very glad you asked me that.

Asking someone to wait

• Just a mo’./ Just a sec.
• If I can just go back a couple of slides to look at that chart in more detail,… / What’s the best way to answer that question? Well,…
• Just a minute. I have the information here somewhere./ Just a second while I look at my notes./ Let me think./ Let me see.
• Just a moment while I find the right slide./ How can I best answer that?
• Wait!/ Please wait!/ Got that right here!

Mentioning what you said earlier

• Don’t you remember that I said…?/ I already clearly explained in my intro that…
• As I said in my introduction,…/ As I mentioned earlier,…
• That’s related to my introduction, where I said…
• As you might remember from the second section of my presentation,…/ As I briefly mentioned a few minutes ago,…/ You may remember that I showed a graph which…/

Not answering the question yet because you don’t have the information

• I’m afraid I didn’t research that topic in much detail because…/ I’m sorry I don’t have any actual data on that, but…/ I’m terribly sorry but I don’t have the exact answer to that question due to…
• I’m afraid I didn’t research that./ I’m sorry but I don’t know the answer to that question.
• I’m sorry but I don’t really know.
• No idea./ I didn’t research that.
• Sorry, I don’t know.

Not answering the question yet for other reasons

• I hope you can understand that I’m not really able to share that information due to…
• That’s a secret./ I can’t answer that.
• That’s confidential./ I’m sorry but I’m not able to answer that.
• Unfortunately, I can’t really give much of an answer on that because of…/ Due to confidentiality concerns…

Offering to answer the question another way

• Actually, it might be better for us to discuss that later in person, if you don’t mind.
• Actually, it might be better for us to discuss that later in person, if you don’t mind too much.
• Come up and speak to me later./ Catch me later on and ask me again.
• I’d love to be able to talk about it later./ Maybe you’d be better asking me in person later.
• Please come up and speak to me later.

Checking if your answer was okay

• Do you understand?/ Okay?/ Clear enough now?/ Need more info?
• Does that answer your question?/ Is that what you wanted to know?
• Does that help?/ Is that alright?
• I really hope that I have at least partly answered your question.
• Is that a bit clearer now?/ I hope I have answered your question./ I hope that answers your question.
• Is that answer alright?
• Is that clear now?/ Alright?/ Do you need more details?

Inviting more questions

• Any more questions?
• Any more?
• Does anyone have any further questions?/ Is there anything else that anyone would like to ask me about?
• Does anyone have any more questions?/ Are there any more questions?/ Would anyone else like to ask a question?
• More?/ More questions?

Bringing the Q&A to a close

• I’m afraid I’ve run out time, so…/ If there are no further questions,…
• Sorry but I’ve run out of time, so…/ If no one else has any questions,…
• Stop, stop! No more questions please!/ No more time for questions, thank goodness!
• There don’t seem to be any further questions. In that case,…/ I’m terribly sorry but I’ve run out of time, but…

Thanking at the end

• Thank you for your kind attention.
• Thank you very much for your kind attention.
• Thanks for all your great questions.
• Thanks for sitting through my long boring presentation./ Thanks for putting up with me.

Mentioning future contact/ Giving sources of more information

• After this presentation, read this./ You can email me for more info if you must.
• Here are some sources of more information./ Please email me if you’d like to know more.
• This slide shows some sources of further information, should you require any./ If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.
• This slide shows some sources of further information./ Please feel free to email me if you’d like further information.

Compare with the suggested answers on the next page, asking about any which you put in a different order.

Suggested answers

Summarising the content of the presentation

1. Basically, there was no need for all that boring info because I can explain it all in one sentence, being…
2. To sum all that up…
3. To sum up all that I’ve told you,…
4. To summarise the content of my presentation,…
5. If I were to attempt to summarise all the things I have talked about today in one sentence, it would probably be…

Stating a conclusion (leading on from the summary)

1. With the evidence that I’ve given you, any idiot can see that…
2. Basically, all that means that…
3. Hopefully I have proved to you that…
4. I hope that has convinced at least some of you that…
5. I sincerely hope that I have opened your eyes to at the very least the possibility that…

Ending the main part of the presentation

1. Well, that’s all./ So, that’s it./ Right. I’m done.
2. So, that’s the end of my presentation.
3. Right, that’s all I want to say today.
4. So, that brings me to the end of my presentation./ … which is the last thing that I wanted to say today.
5. And with those words I will bring my presentation to a close.

Inviting questions/ Starting the Q&A

1. Questions?/ Now ask me questions./ Okay, question time!/ Hands up for questions.
2. Any questions?
3. Any questions, anyone?/ Anyone have any questions?
4. Does anyone have any questions?/ Are there any questions?/ Please put your hands up if you have any questions.
5. I’ll now be happy to answer any questions./ We now have five minutes for Q&A.
6. I’ll now be very glad to answer your questions./ Please raise your hand if you’d like to ask a question.
7. I will now be delighted to answer any questions that anyone may have./ There’ll now be a brief question and answer stage.

(Filling silence by) encouraging people to ask questions/ suggesting questions

1. No questions at all? Really??/ Please ask me about…
2. Are there any questions about…?/ E.g., anyone want to ask me about…?
3. Would you perhaps like to ask me about…?/ Did anyone perhaps have any questions about…?/ For example, I’m not sure that I explained… very well.
4. I imagine there might perhaps be some questions about…

Indicating whose question you will answer next (while pointing with an open hand)

1. Yeah, okay./ Yes?/ Yes, you./ What?/ (just pointing)/ Yes, the fat man over there.
2. Yes, the man over there./ Yes, the woman in the red dress.
3. Yes, please ask away./ Yes, go ahead./ Yes, do you have a question?
4. Yes, please go ahead./ Yes, please ask your question.
5. Yes, what’s your question please?/ Yes, what would you like to know?/ Yes, the gentleman in the corner./ Yes, the lady in the second row?

Checking the meaning of the question/ what they want to know

1. I don’t understand what you are saying./ What?/ Say again!
2. Sorry, could you ask me that again?/ Are you asking…?/ Do you mean…?
3. Sorry, could you repeat the question?/ I’m afraid I didn’t catch that./ Do you perhaps want to know…?/ If I understand your question correctly, you want to know…/ I’m afraid I don’t really understand what you mean by…

Commenting on the question

1. Odd question!/ What a strange question!/ Oh no, not that question!
2. That’s a tricky one!/ I was hoping no one would ask me that!/ I should’ve expected that one!
3. That’s an interesting question./ That’s a difficult question./ I’m glad you asked me that./ I’m sure many people have the same question.
4. That’s rather a difficult/ complex/ big/ deep/ philosophical question./ I’m very glad you asked me that.
5. Thank you for that very interesting question.

Asking people to wait

1. Wait!/ Please wait!/ Got that right here!
2. Just a mo’./ Just a sec.
3. Just a minute. I have the information here somewhere./ Just a second while I look at my notes./ Let me think./ Let me see.
4. Just a moment while I find the right slide./ How can I best answer that?
5. If I can just go back a couple of slides to look at that chart in more detail,… / What’s the best way to answer that question? Well,…

Mentioning what you said earlier

1. Don’t you remember that I said…?/ I already clearly explained in my intro that…
2. As I said in my introduction,…/ As I mentioned earlier,…
3. That’s related to my introduction, where I said…
4. As you might remember from the second section of my presentation,…/ As I briefly mentioned a few minutes ago,…/ You may remember that I showed a graph which…/

Not answering the question yet because you don’t have the information

1. No idea./ I didn’t research that.
2. Sorry, I don’t know.
3. I’m sorry but I don’t really know.
4. I’m afraid I didn’t research that./ I’m sorry but I don’t know the answer to that question.
5. I’m afraid I didn’t research that topic in much detail because…/ I’m sorry I don’t have any actual data on that, but…/ I’m terribly sorry but I don’t have the exact answer to that question due to…

Not answering the question yet for other reasons

1. That’s a secret./ I can’t answer that.
2. That’s confidential./ I’m sorry but I’m not able to answer that.
3. Unfortunately, I can’t really give much of an answer on that because of…/ Due to confidentiality concerns…
4. I hope you can understand that I’m not really able to share that information due to…

Offering to answer the question another way

1. Come up and speak to me later./ Catch me later on and ask me again.
2. Please come up and speak to me later.
3. I’d love to be able to talk about it later./ Maybe you’d be better asking me in person later.
4. Actually, it might be better for us to discuss that later in person, if you don’t mind.
5. Actually, it might be better for us to discuss that later in person, if you don’t mind too much.

Checking if your answer was okay

1. Do you understand?/ Okay?/ Clear enough now?/ Need more info?
2. Is that clear now?/ Alright?/ Do you need more details?
3. Does that help?/ Is that alright?
4. Is that answer alright?
5. Does that answer your question?/ Is that what you wanted to know?
6. Is that a bit clearer now?/ I hope I have answered your question./ I hope that answers your question.
7. I really hope that I have at least partly answered your question.

Inviting more questions

1. More?/ More questions?
2. Any more?
3. Any more questions?
4. Does anyone have any more questions?/ Are there any more questions?/ Would anyone else like to ask a question?
5. Does anyone have any further questions?/ Is there anything else that anyone would like to ask me about?

Bringing the Q&A to a close

1. Stop, stop! No more questions please!/ No more time for questions, thank goodness!
2. Sorry but I’ve run out of time, so…/ If no one else has any questions,…
3. I’m afraid I’ve run out time, so…/ If there are no further questions,…
4. There don’t seem to be any further questions. In that case,…/ I’m terribly sorry but I’ve run out of time, but…

Thanking at the end

1. Thanks for sitting through my long boring presentation./ Thanks for putting up with me.
2. Thanks for all your great questions.
3. Thank you for your kind attention.
4. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Mentioning future contact/ Giving sources of more information

1. After this presentation, read this./ You can email me for more info if you must.
2. Here are some sources of more information./ Please email me if you’d like to know more.
3. This slide shows some sources of further information./ Please feel free to email me if you’d like further information.
4. This slide shows some sources of further information, should you require any./ If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.

Underline useful words and expressions for being more polite/ formal above. Then try to define formal and informal language.

Label the things below as formal (F) or informal (I):

• Abbreviations
• Idioms and slang
• Like everyday speech
• Long sentences
• Long words
• Polite language
• Short sentences
• Short words
• Unlike everyday speech

Change groups and play the first game (making phrases more and more and more polite/ formal) again.

Circle all the phrases above which could be suitable for your own presentation(s).

Draw a star next to the best phrases above for you.