Communication Skills

A List Of Useful Phrases For Presentations, Organized By Sections Like Opening, Transitions, Handling Questions, And Closing





1. Phrases for Starting a Presentation

Greeting and Introduction

  • "Good [morning/afternoon], everyone. Thank you for being here today."
  • "I’m [your name], and I’m excited to talk about [topic]."
  • "Before we begin, let me introduce myself and my role."

Setting the Context

  • "Today, we’ll be discussing [key topic or problem]."
  • "The purpose of this presentation is to [inform/persuade/explain]."
  • "Here’s why this topic is important: [brief explanation]."

Engaging the Audience

  • "Let me start with a question: [pose a question]."
  • "Did you know that [interesting fact/statistic]?"
  • "Let’s begin with a short story to illustrate the challenge."

Outlining the Agenda

  • "Here’s what we’ll cover today: [list key points]."
  • "We’ll break this down into three sections: [section 1, section 2, section 3]."
  • "By the end of this presentation, you’ll have a clear understanding of [key takeaway]."

2. Phrases for Transitions Between Points

Moving to the Next Topic

  • "Now that we’ve covered [previous point], let’s move on to [next point]."
  • "Building on what we just discussed, let’s look at [next topic]."
  • "This brings us to the next key area: [next section]."

Connecting Ideas

  • "Here’s how this connects to the bigger picture…"
  • "To give you a broader perspective, let’s explore…"
  • "This is closely related to what we talked about earlier regarding [related topic]."

Highlighting Importance

  • "This is a critical point because…"
  • "I’d like to emphasize the significance of…"
  • "Let’s take a moment to focus on this because it’s key to understanding the rest."

3. Phrases for Explaining Visuals or Data

Describing Charts or Graphs

  • "As you can see in this chart, [explain key data point]."
  • "This graph shows a clear trend in [specific area]."
  • "Let me break this down for you: [explain data]."

Interpreting Data

  • "The takeaway here is that [key insight from data]."
  • "What this means is that [explanation of implications]."
  • "This highlights the fact that [key point supported by data]."

Making Comparisons

  • "Compared to [previous data], this shows…"
  • "You’ll notice the difference between [data point A] and [data point B]."
  • "This increase/decrease reflects [underlying reason]."

4. Phrases for Engaging the Audience

Asking for Input

  • "What are your thoughts on this?"
  • "Does anyone have experience with this they’d like to share?"
  • "How do you think this applies to [specific context]?"

Keeping Attention

  • "Let me pause here to see if there are any questions so far."
  • "Here’s an example to make this more concrete."
  • "Imagine yourself in this situation: [describe scenario]."

Encouraging Participation

  • "Raise your hand if you agree with this."
  • "Feel free to jump in if you have questions or comments."
  • "I’d love to hear your perspective on this."

5. Phrases for Handling Questions

Inviting Questions

  • "I’d be happy to answer any questions you have."
  • "Do you have any questions about what we’ve covered so far?"
  • "Let’s open it up for questions—what’s on your mind?"

Clarifying Questions

  • "Great question. Let me make sure I understand what you’re asking…"
  • "Could you elaborate on that?"
  • "Are you asking about [specific aspect]?"

Responding to Questions

  • "That’s an excellent point. Here’s how we’re approaching it…"
  • "I’m glad you asked—that’s something we’ve thought a lot about."
  • "Here’s what I can tell you about that right now…"

Deferring a Question

  • "That’s a great question. I’ll need to look into that and get back to you."
  • "I’d like to address that in more detail later—let’s circle back to it."
  • "Let me follow up with you after the presentation to provide a complete answer."

6. Phrases for Closing a Presentation

Summarizing Key Points

  • "To recap, we’ve discussed [list main points]."
  • "The key takeaway from today’s presentation is…"
  • "In summary, here’s what we’ve covered…"

Ending with Impact

  • "I’d like to leave you with this final thought: [insert memorable statement]."
  • "Remember, the next steps are critical to achieving [specific goal]."
  • "This quote really captures the essence of today’s message: [insert quote]."

Call to Action

  • "Let’s work together to make this happen—here’s what you can do next."
  • "I encourage you to [specific action, e.g., sign up, start planning, give feedback]."
  • "If you’re ready to move forward, let’s set up the next steps."

Thanking the Audience

  • "Thank you for your time and attention today—I truly appreciate it."
  • "I’m grateful for the opportunity to share this with you. Thank you!"
  • "It’s been a pleasure speaking with you. I’m happy to answer any further questions."

7. Phrases for Virtual Presentations

Engaging Remote Audiences

  • "Please feel free to use the chat to share your thoughts or questions."
  • "I’ll pause here for a moment to give everyone a chance to respond."
  • "If you’re with us, type a quick ‘yes’ in the chat!"

Checking Understanding

  • "Can everyone see my screen? Let me know if there are any issues."
  • "Does this make sense? Give me a thumbs-up or let me know in the chat."
  • "Let me know if I need to slow down or repeat anything."

Maintaining Connection

  • "I’ll keep an eye on the chat for any questions as we go along."
  • "Thanks for your patience—let’s move to the next slide."
  • "If you’re multitasking, here’s the key point to remember!"

Example Situations with Phrases

Scenario 1: Persuasive Pitch

  • "Our solution addresses the key challenge you’re facing: [problem]."
  • "The data shows a 30% increase in efficiency—imagine how that could impact your business."
  • "Let’s move forward and discuss how we can implement this for you."

Scenario 2: Delivering Bad News

  • "I want to be transparent about a challenge we’re facing."
  • "Here’s what happened and how we’re addressing it."
  • "While this is a setback, we’ve identified clear next steps to move forward."

Scenario 3: Training Session

  • "By the end of this session, you’ll be able to [specific skill]."
  • "Let’s take a quick break here—any questions so far?"
  • "Your next step is to apply what you’ve learned to [specific task or scenario]."

If you liked this, consider supporting us by checking out Tiny Skills - 250+ Top Work & Personal Skills Made Easy