Now that you know the tone and register for your presentation, it's time to think about the format. How are you presenting this?
Look at the following types of business presentations. Are you familiar with all of them?
| Presentation Type | Purpose | Typical Structure | Example Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Informative | Share facts, updates, or findings | - Introduction - Key data - Explanation - Summary | Q2 Market trends and insights, Morning scrum |
| 2. Persuasive | Convince audience to support an idea or take action | - Hook/context - Problem - Recommendation - Supporting evidence - Call to action | Why we should invest in digital expansion |
| 3. Pitch | Sell a product, service, or idea | - Intro/team - Problem - Solution - Market validation - Business model - Next steps | Client proposal for CRM implementation |
| 4. Executive Briefing | Summarize key decisions or updates for senior leadership | - Executive summary - Key decisions/asks - Implications - Risks - Next steps | Strategic options for expansion—decision brief |
| 5. Training/Instructional | Teach a tool, concept, or process | - Learning objectives - Steps/demo - Examples - Q&A - Summary | How to use the new project management software |
| 6. Project Update/Status | Report progress and surface issues | - Timeline - Completed tasks - Blockers - Action items - Questions | Week 4 Status update: CRM implementation |
| 7. Vision/Strategy | Share long-term goals or strategic direction | - Vision statement - Current state - Strategic pillars - Metrics - Close | Digital strategy 2025: Our next chapter |
Scenario recap: Your team lead asked you to give a 10–15 minute presentation to the VP of Strategy, two senior managers, and a couple of analysts from the client’s side. Your goal is to persuade them to move forward with your team’s digital expansion recommendation. They've already seen the data, so your job is to drive the point home with confidence, clarity, and appropriate tone.
What presentation type would you use in this situation?
Each presentation format naturally lends itself to specific grammar and language points. Here's a breakdown of key grammar/language structures you can use for each format. Once you are ready, try out the tasks in the fifth column.
Go through the following table with your teacher. You may notice that each type of presentation will have a grammar point connected to it. This is the grammar that you will most likely use in the following presentation types. Do one of the mini practice tasks with your teacher.
| Type of Presentation | Useful Language | Why We Use It | Examples | Mini Practice Task |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Informative (give facts) |
- Passive voice (is/was done) - Sequencing words (first, next, finally) |
To give facts clearly and show steps in order | “First, we asked customers. Next, we made a plan.” "Three customer profiles were identified. Then, we gathered survey responses.” |
Use first, next, finally to explain how you made a PowerPoint. Use sequencing words (first, next, finally) to explain how a customer survey was conducted. |
| Persuasive (try to change someone’s mind) | - Modals (should, could, might) - Conditionals (If… , will/would) |
To give ideas politely and explain results | “We should use the new design.” "We should prioritize mobile features.” “If we act now, we could gain market share.” |
Write 2 sentences about why we should work from home. Use should or could. Write two conditional sentences to explain the benefits of adopting a new strategy. |
| Pitch (sell an idea) | - Comparatives (bigger, better) - Superlatives (the best) - Future (will) |
To show why your idea is the best and talk about the future | “Our product is faster than the old one.” “Revenue is expected to grow by 25%.” |
Compare your company to another one. Use 1 comparative and 1 superlative. Compare your team’s proposal to a competitor’s: use one comparative and one superlative. |
| Executive Briefing (short and formal for leaders) | - Nominalization (build → the building of…) - Modal verbs (may, will) |
To sound formal and focus on results | “The building of the website will take 3 months.” “This may impact Q3 performance.” |
Change: “We built the website.” → “The building..." Turn this sentence into nominalized form: “We implemented the new system.” → “The implementation of…” |
| Training / Instruction (how-to) | - Imperatives (do this)- Step-by-step language- Modals (can, must) | To give clear steps and rules | “You must log in first.” “Click the dropdown menu.” |
Give 3 short steps for opening your laptop using imperatives. Give three short instructions on how to use save a file on Word using imperatives (e.g., “Click,” “Select,” “Check”). |
| Project Update (what’s done / not done) | - Present perfect (have/has done) - Passive voice (was done) - Reporting verbs (said, confirmed) |
To report progress politely | “We have finished Phase 1.” “Phase 2 was delayed due to vendor issues.” "It was confirmed that the project is on track." |
Write 1 passive sentence about a project delay. |
| Vision / Strategy (future goals) | - Future (will, going to) - Hedging (maybe, likely) |
To talk about the future with confidence but also care | “We will start next month.” “The platform will launch in Q1.” “It is likely that we’ll see a 15% increase in reach.” |
Write 1 future goal with will and 1 with likely. |
Scenario:
Your team lead has asked you to give a 10–15 minute presentation to the VP of Strategy, two senior managers, and a couple of analysts from the client’s side. Your goal is to persuade them to move forward with your team’s digital expansion recommendation. They have already seen the data, so your focus is on clarity, confidence, and persuasive delivery.
You are meeting with a senior consultant to discuss the best presentation format for this task.
Task Instructions:
In this task,
-
State your recommendation: What format do you think works best and why?
-
Use one or two conditionals to explain the impact of using the right format.
-
Use one or two modals (should, could, might) to make suggestions.
-
Use persuasive language to justify your choice (not just describe it).
-
Write 4–5 sentences or role-play it with your teacher.
As you can see, there are many different approaches to presenting an idea. It is better to be well-versed in a variety of methods, but think about what approaches you are most likely to use regularly. Why is this, and what aspects can you refine, develop further, and make your own? These links can also help you hone your skills:
https://theenglishfarm.com/powerful-english-presentations
https://theenglishfarm.com/blog/grammar-essentials-elements-language
https://theenglishfarm.com/english-fluency-business-success-tips