Business English Presentations- Good and Bad Stress and Intonation

Good and bad stress and intonation in typical presentations phrases

Work together to say these things with the worst and best possible stress and intonation,
using the version with hints on the next page if you need to.

1. Can I have your attention, please?

2. Horrible weather, isn’t it?

3. So, let’s start by looking at…

4. Right, let’s get started by…

5. If there are no questions so far…

6. Do you know how many people use our products?

7. I think this is a really interesting topic because…

8. Please put up your hands if... Wow, only two!

9. By presenting this, I hope …

10. Just a moment.

11. Finally,…

12. I will be very happy to answer any questions after I finish.

13. Can we leave any questions until the end? (If someone tries to interrupt).

14. Any (more) questions?

15. If you have any more questions please come up and talk to me afterwards.

16. Thank you for coming.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2013

Good and bad Stress and intonation in presentations phrases With hints version

1. Can I have your attention, please? – Worst - Sound impatient and ordering people, like

a school teacher.

2. Horrible weather, isn’t it? – Worst – Sound depressed and depressing./ Best – Sound

sympathetic.

3. So, let’s start by looking at… - Worst – Sound like you can’t remember the topic or are

reluctant to get started./ Best – Sound dynamic and eager to get started.

4. Right, let’s get started by… - Worst – Sound too aggressive, like an army sergeant.
5. If there are no questions so far… - Worst – Don’t give people a chance to ask ques-

tions, and don’t sound keen to really answer any./ Best – Show you really are inviting
questions and give people time to ask them.

6. Do you know how many people use our products? – Worst – Make it sound like a gen-

uine question, as if you don’t know the answer yourself./ Best – Catch people’s inter-
est, with intonation clearly showing the answer is coming next.

7. I think this is a really interesting topic because… Worst – Sound bored/ Best – Sound

interested yourself and stress words strongly

8. Please put up your hands if... Wow, only two! – Worst – Sound disgusted or unbeliev-

ing

9. By presenting this, I hope … - Worst – Doubting it can really happen.
10. Just a moment. – Worst – Sound impatient or annoyed.
11. Finally,… - Worst – Sound exhausted/ Best – Sound decisive and dynamic.
12. I will be very happy to answer any questions after I finish. – Worst – Make it very clear

you mean not now.

13. Can we leave any questions until the end? (If someone tries to interrupt) – Worst -

Sound annoyed or like you are ordering someone/ Best – Sound apologetic and polite,
like a genuine request where there might be the option for them to say no.

14. Any (more) questions? Worst – Make it obvious that have been too many questions al-

ready and you don’t really want any more/ Best – Show keenness to get more ques-
tions

15. If you have any more questions please come up and talk to me afterwards. Worst –

Make it sound like an order.

16. Thank you for coming. – Worst – Make it sound like they are being told to go./ Best –

Really sound thankful.

Listen to your partner or classmate say one of the phrases and say whether the way it is
said is good or bad.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2013