A presentation people can follow
Open, signpost, close — and one message they remember.
15 minutes · A free lesson from Presentations and numbers
Signposting
Opening
- Today I'd like to talk about…
- By the end of this, you'll know…
Moving on
- Let's move on to…
- That brings me to my second point.
- Now, let's look at the numbers.
Pointing to a slide
- As you can see here…
- This chart shows…
Closing
- So, to sum up…
- If you remember one thing, remember this:
- Thank you — I'm happy to take questions.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: What are the three parts of a presentation people can follow?
- Slides, jokes, questions
- Numbers, more numbers, the end
- Open, signpost, close
Show the answer
C: Open, signpost, close — Tell them what you will talk about, where you are, and the one message to remember.
Quick check: What should your close do?
- Bring in a new topic
- Repeat your one message, then invite questions
- Apologise for the length
Show the answer
B: Repeat your one message, then invite questions — If you remember one thing, remember this… Thank you — I'm happy to take questions.
Quick check: How fast should you speak?
- Slower than feels natural, with a pause after each main point
- As fast as you can
- At one steady speed, without pauses
Show the answer
A: Slower than feels natural, with a pause after each main point — Pauses sound confident, and they give your listeners time to think.
Quick check: Which phrase signposts a move to the next point?
- “Thank you — I'm happy to take questions.”
- “Today I'd like to talk about…”
- “That brings me to my second point.”
Show the answer
C: “That brings me to my second point.” — Let's move on to… does the same.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now