EDITOR’s NOTE: This article is about the simple, straightforward English that is needed for professionals in Thailand to give presentations just like native-English speakers.
● ● ●
- ECSC provides English Plus training in Thailand, not grammar lessons.
- Our services include: workshops, courses, executive coaching, and onsite consulting.
- Your employees will receive Business English training with soft-skills training built right in.
- This helps them to Activate Their English, by learning vocabulary related to their roles and responsibilities.
- To learn more about ECSC’s English Plus training services, click here; and pricing information can be found here.
● ● ●
You’ve heard of Chinese and Japanese, and maybe you can even speak a bit of those wonderful languages. But have you heard of corporatese?
Corporatese is spoken inside companies around the world, and in our opinion the English variety of corporatese (corporate English) is something that business professionals in Thailand need to improve.
English corporatese includes phrases you can use when giving presentations.
● ● ●
Corporate English For Presentations
Now imagine this: You’re a non-native English speaker in Thailand (maybe you’re a Thai speaker, or even a Chinese speaker or Japanese speaker) and you’re working for an American company in Bangkok.
You’re about to give a presentation or lead a meeting that includes coworkers who come from different countries. You are confident about the content of your Powerpoint or Slides deck, but you are not confident about speaking English clearly and slowly.
That is a common feeling. Even native English speakers have it. But it is easy to overcome if you learn the right corporatese for giving presentations in English, and the soft skills needed to deliver the English professionally.
Let's Talk
Are your employees shy about speaking English? Let’s give them confidence. Schedule a call today!
Starting a Presentation
Do you know the first thing you should do when giving a presentation? The first thing you should do when giving a presentation is take a deep breath!
Once you’ve exhaled, it’s time to do a few more things:
- Welcome the Audience
- Introduce Yourself
- State Your Presentation’s Topic
The “corporatese” English you need for this is quite simple. And I’d like to be clear, this is not simplified for non-native speakers – this is what anyone should say, whether you’re giving a presentation in a conference room or on a big stage.
- Hello everyone, thank you for coming here today.
- My name is, and I’m {say your job title or role at your company}.
- The subject of my presentation is…
As you can see, it’s pretty straightforward English.
Body of a Presentation
Maybe the most important thing when giving presentation – in any language – is something called “signposting.”
Signposting is something you do when giving the important information in a presentation, usually in the “body” of the presentation.
It just means that you are giving your audience “signs” so they know what you are telling them about at that moment in the presentation. This English is very straightforward, too:
- I would like to begin by talking about…
- Next, I want to discuss…
- Finally, let’s look at…
In this example, there are three signposts: One to signal that you are starting the body of the presentation, the second to signal that you are moving on to a new point, and the third to signal that you are about to talk about your final point.
Contact Us
Find out how your employees can learn to speak English confidently. Send us a message!
Concluding a Presentation
When it’s time for you to conclude your presentation, it makes sense to use the words “summarize” and “conclusion.” You do this after you’ve said everything you needed to say in the body of the presentation.
And just like the introduction and body, the conclusion language should be clear and straightforward.
You should aim to do three things:
- Signpost that the body has been completed and you will now summarize the presentation.
- “To summarize my presentation…”
- Indicate that you have completed your summary and have finally reached the end of the presentation.
- “That concludes my presentation.”
- Thank the audience and open up for questions.
- “Thank you for your attention. I’ll be happy to take your questions now.”
- Signpost that the body has been completed and you will now summarize the presentation.
It’s true that English for Presentations is pretty simple. It should make you see that “corporatese” does not need to be complicated.
It may also give you the feeling that it is easy to learn. And it is!
In fact, you can learn this vocabulary, plus how to create effective Slides decks and how to use body language effectively as well in ECSC Thailand’s Professional Presentations in English workshops.
● ● ●
Further Reading:
Read about the value of speaking English confidently, not perfectly, in our previous article What is “Workplace English” in Thailand?
● ● ●
Visit our Contact Us page to inquire about English communication skills training for professionals in Thailand. Or, schedule a discovery call with our Founder, Don Gorr.
