English for Presentations: 200+ Phrases & Tips for Success

Delivering a business presentation can feel tense, especially when you're worried about stumbling over a crucial phrase or being caught off-guard by a question. As experts will tell you confidence doesn't come from memorizing scripts, it comes from practicing out loud until your pronunciation, pacing, and delivery feel automatic.

That's where platforms like Loora AI become essential. Instead of rehearsing silently in your head (where everything sounds perfect), you practice speaking your actual presentation content and get real-time feedback on what matters most: Are you clearly understood? This low-stakes repetition builds the muscle memory that lets you focus on your audience instead of your accent when the stakes are high.

Phrases alone aren't enough as you need to practice delivering them with clarity and confidence. Use this toolkit alongside deliberate speaking practice, and you'll transform presentation anxiety into executive presence.

Key takeaways

The following are the key takeaways from this guide:

• Structure is your foundation, and structural clarity is all about a clear introduction, body, and conclusion
• Using specific phrases for welcoming, transitioning, and concluding while sounding professional
• Tips for effectively introducing and explaining charts and graphs

The 3-part structure of a winning presentation

Every successful business presentation follows the familiar three-part structure: introduction, body, and conclusion. Beyond creating a logical flow, this structure allows you to categorize presentation phrases more effectively.

The introduction of your presentation must be catchy and give you an opportunity to lay out what you'll cover. The body should present key points with supporting data, along with any examples or visual aids you may have.

The role of the conclusion is to summarize the main points and leave your audience with a clear next step or a memorable thought.

Structuring presentations like this reduces your cognitive load during delivery. You'd use the right phrases more naturally when you know which section you're in. Models like Loora AI help you practise these structures in realistic scenarios so that you can build confidence quickly.

Part 1: Opening your presentation with impact

First impressions matter, and your presentation's introduction sets the tone for everything that follows. When you establish credibility here, you've captured the audience's attention. The following are phrases for the opening moments of your business presentation:

Welcoming your audience (formal & informal)

The following are phrases you can use to greet your audience, depending on the setting. A large conference typically calls for formal language, while a team meeting allows for a more relaxed approach.

Formal welcomes:

• "Good morning/afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us today."
• "I'd like to extend a warm welcome to all of you."
• "It's a pleasure to have you all here this morning."
• "Thank you all for taking the time to be here today."

Informal welcomes:

• "Hi everyone, thanks for coming."
• "Good to see you all. Let's get started."
• "Thanks for joining me today."
• "Great to have everyone here. Shall we begin?"

Pro tip: Try matching your tone to your audience's expectations. When in doubt, start slightly more formal.

Introducing yourself and your topic

After welcoming your audience, immediately and clearly establish who you are and why you're qualified to speak on this topic with the following phrases:

Self-introduction phrases:

• "My name is [Name], and I'm the [Position] at [Company]."
• "For those who don't know me, I'm [Name], and I work in [Department/Field]."
• "I'm [Name], and I've been working in [Industry] for [X] years."
• "Let me briefly introduce myself. I'm [Name], and I specialize in [Area]."

Introducing your topic:

• "Today, I'm going to talk about [Topic]."
• "The purpose of my presentation is to explain/discuss/analyze [Topic]."
• "This morning, I'd like to share our findings on [Topic]."
• "I'm here to present our proposal for [Topic]."
• "The focus of today's presentation is [Topic], which is crucial because [Reason]."

Connecting the topic to the audience:

• "This is particularly relevant to you because..."
• "I think you'll find this interesting given our recent [project/challenge/goal]."
• "Understanding this will help you/us [achieve X/solve Y]."

Providing a roadmap (outlining your structure)

When people can follow your structure, they retain information better and feel more engaged. The following are signposting phrases that help your audience know what to expect.

Outlining phrases:

• "In my presentation, I'll focus on three major issues: [A], [B], and [C]."
• "Today's talk is divided into four parts. First, I'll... Then, I'll... After that... And finally..."
• "I've divided my presentation into [number] sections."
• "My talk will be in three parts: first..., second..., and third..."
• "We'll begin by looking at [Topic A], then move on to [Topic B], and finish with [Topic C]."
• "I'd like to start with [Topic], then discuss [Topic], and conclude with [Topic]."

Setting the rules (timing, handouts, and questions)

These phrases help you manage expectations upfront, preventing interruptions and helping your audience know how to engage.

Timing:

• "My presentation will take approximately [X] minutes."
• "I'll keep this brief, and then we'll have time for questions."
• "We have 45 minutes together, so I'll aim to finish by [time]."

Handouts and materials:

• "I'll be sharing these slides with you after the presentation."
• "You'll find a handout at your seat with the key statistics."
• "Don't worry about taking notes, I'll send everyone the slide deck this afternoon."

Question policy:

• "Please feel free to interrupt me if you have questions."
• "I'd prefer to leave questions until the end, but we'll have plenty of time for discussion."
• "If anything is unclear as we go, please raise your hand, and I'll clarify."
• "There will be a Q&A session at the end, which should take about 10 minutes."

Part 2: Navigating the main body with clarity

The main body of the presentation will carry your core message. Being the core of the presentation, this section requires clear transitions, effective use of visual aids, and the ability to emphasize your most important points. The following phrases help you move smoothly from point to point while keeping your audience engaged:

Starting a new section & sequencing your points

Use these phrases to signal you're moving to a new point. They help your audience follow your argument:

Beginning the main body

• "Let me start with..."
• "I'd like to begin by examining..."
• "First, let's look at..."
• "My first point concerns..."
• "The first thing I'd like to talk about is..."

Sequencing your points

• "Next, let's turn to..."
• "Moving on to my second point..."
• "This brings me to my next point, which is..."
• "Now let's consider..."
• "Finally, I'd like to address..."
• "Last but not least..."
• "To finish, I'll discuss..."

Emphasizing a key point

Simply stating facts isn't enough for an effective presentation; you still need to signal to your audience which information truly matters. Speakers sometimes bury a critical data point in the middle of their talk. That could sail by unnoticed until someone in the audience asks for it to be repeated.

When that happens, you spend more time going over the details, or worse, get thrown off on your rhythm. If something is important, you need to flag it explicitly.

Emphasis phrases:

• "I cannot stress this enough..."
• "The key thing to remember is..."
• "I'd like to draw your attention to..."
• "This is the critical point..."
• "It's essential to understand that..."
• "What's particularly important here is..."
• "I'd like to emphasize that..."
• "Pay special attention to this because..."
• "This is absolutely crucial..."
• "Let me repeat that for clarity..."

Introducing visual aids (charts, graphs & diagrams)

Visual aids make complex data accessible and are most effective when you introduce and explain them clearly. Many non-native speakers struggle with describing graphs in English, so here are specific phrases that can help:

Introducing a visual

• "If you look at this graph, you will see..."
• "This chart illustrates..."
• "As you can see from this diagram..."
• "Let me direct your attention to this slide."
• "I'd like to show you..."

Describing graphs and charts

• "The horizontal axis shows [X], while the vertical axis represents [Y]."
• "This line indicates..."
• "The blue bars represent..., and the red bars show..."
• "As we can see, there's a clear upward/downward trend in..."
• "The data reveals a significant increase/decrease in..."
• "Notice the sharp rise/drop between [time period]."

Concluding data

• "What this tells us is..."
• "The key takeaway from this chart is..."
• "This clearly demonstrates that..."
• "We can conclude from this data that..."
• "This supports our hypothesis that..."

Giving examples and paraphrasing

Examples make abstract concepts concrete, while paraphrasing ensures everyone understands your point. These phrases help you introduce both in your presentations:

Introducing examples:

• "For instance..."
• "Let me give you an example."
• "To put this into context..."
• "A case in point is..."
• "To illustrate what I mean..."
• "Consider this scenario..."
• "A good example of this would be..."

Paraphrasing and clarifying:

• "In other words..."
• "What I mean to say is..."
• "To put it another way..."
• "Let me rephrase that..."
• "Simply put..."
• "What this means in practice is..."
• "To clarify..."

Part 3: Concluding and summarizing your key takeaways

The conclusion section of your presentation should serve the dual purpose of driving your message home and helping you finish with impact. A strong conclusion leaves your audience with a clear understanding of what matters most from your main points.

These phrases can help you properly introduce your conclusions:

Signaling the end

These phrases let your audience know you're wrapping up so they can mentally prepare for your final thoughts:

Transition to conclusion

• "That brings me to the end of my presentation."
• "To wrap up..."
• "Let me conclude by..."
• "As we come to the end of our time together..."
• "I'd like to finish with..."
• "In conclusion..."
• "To sum up everything we've discussed..."

Summarizing the main points

The following phrases help you briefly recap your key takeaways so they make the right impression with the audience:

Summary phrases:

• "In brief, we've covered three main points: [A], [B], and [C]."
• "Let me summarize the key points from today."
• "To recap quickly: first, we saw that..., second..., and finally..."
• "The main takeaways from this presentation are..."
• "Before we finish, I'd like to highlight the most important points..."
• "The three things I want you to take away are..."

Offering a concluding thought or call to action

An effective presentation conclusion always ends with something memorable. That may be a powerful insight, a forward-looking statement, or a clear action item:

Final thoughts:

• "I'll leave you with this thought..."
• "As [Famous Person] once said, '[Quote]'."
• "Looking ahead, I believe..."
• "The future of [Topic] depends on..."

Calls to action:

• "I encourage you all to..."
• "The next step is for us to..."
• "I'd like to propose that we..."
• "Going forward, we need to..."
• "I hope you'll consider [Action]."

Thanking your audience:

• "Thank you for your attention."
• "Thank you for listening."
• "I appreciate your time today."
• "Thanks very much for having me."

Mastering the Q&A sessions like a pro

After a successful presentation comes the Q&A session. For many non‑native English speakers, this part can be terrifying. You could get a technical question you didn't anticipate, which threatens to leave you frozen and stammering.

But Q&A doesn't have to be scary. In fact, it's an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and engage directly with your audience. The key is having a framework to handle any question that comes your way.

The following phrases will help you reclaim control and more time to formulate proper responses to fielded questions. When you practice these phrases with Loora AI, your confidence levels rise, and rambling non-answers become a thing of the past:

Inviting questions

These phrases help you open the floor professionally and make your audience feel comfortable asking:

Opening the Q&A:

• "I'd be happy to answer any questions now."
• "We have about 10 minutes for questions. Who'd like to start?"
• "Does anyone have any questions or comments?"
• "What questions do you have for me?"
• "I'm happy to take questions at this point."
• "Please feel free to ask anything."

Clarifying a question

Clarifying questions is a crucial skill that buys you time and ensures you're answering the right question.

Clarification phrases:

• "If I understand you correctly, you're asking about..."
• "Could you please clarify what you mean by...?"
• "Just to make sure I understand: are you asking whether...?"
• "So your question is about... Is that right?"
• "Could you elaborate on what you mean by that?"
• "I want to make sure I address your question properly. Are you asking about [X] or [Y]?"

Answering confidently

Even when you know the answer, framing it professionally makes you sound more authoritative. The phrases below can help you set the right tone:

Answer Starters:

• "That's a great question. The answer is..."
• "Good point. In my experience..."
• "I'm glad you asked that. Actually..."
• "That's an important consideration. Let me explain..."
• "Based on our research/data..."
• "From what we've seen..."

How to Respond When You Don't Know the Answer

It's fine if the presenter doesn't have answers to all the questions. Here's where you build real trust. Admitting you don't know something professionally is far more effective than fumbling through a weak answer.

Honest responses:

• "That's an excellent question, and I'll need to look into the specific data to give you an accurate answer. Can I follow up with you by email?"
• "I don't have that information at hand, but I'll find out and get back to you."
• "I'm not the best person to answer that, but I can connect you with my colleague who is an expert on this topic."
• "That's outside my area of expertise, but I'd be happy to research it and send you the information."
• "I don't want to give you incorrect information. Let me check on that and follow up with you after the presentation."

Turning to the Audience:

• "Does anyone here have experience with that?"
• "Perhaps someone in the room can speak to that?"

5 essential tips for a confident delivery

You may now have the right phrases for professional presentations, but your delivery still determines much of the quality of your performance. These tips address the underlying anxiety many non-native speakers feel and help you present with confidence, regardless of your English level.

1. Practice, don't memorize

Many presenters memorize their scripts word-for-word, which makes them sound robotic. What’s worse, they’d panic completely when they get an unanticipated question or response.

Instead, try practising the flow and key phrases until they feel natural. Using AI tutors like Loora makes each practice session feel like you’re in a real meeting, such that the phrases will come naturally to you.

If you have a presentation coming up, rehearse 3-5 times out loud and focus on mastering your opening, key transitions, and conclusion. Practice saying your presentation phrases naturally.

2. Slow down and use pauses

When presenters get nervous, they tend to speed up their delivery and rush through their lines. Speaking slowly makes you sound more confident and authoritative in those moments, giving your audience time to process your words as they should.

Deliberately slow your speaking pace by 20% from your natural speed. Use pauses for emphasis, before and after your key points. As you go through slides or major transitions, take a breath to stay calm.

3. Pay attention to body language

Your body language can either support or undermine your message, and with the right posture and gestures, you can communicate confidence beyond your speaking performance.

Stand up straight with your shoulders back, even when you’re sitting on video calls. Make regular eye contact with the different sections of the audience. Use your hands to make natural gestures that emphasize your points.

Avoid fidgeting, pacing, or touching your face as those habits communicate nervousness more than anything else. Smiling helps, so smile whenever appropriate to appear approachable and confident.

4. Manage your nerves with breathing

Right before you present, your body is all nervous in anticipation. A simple breathing exercise helps you manage the nerves and remain focused:

Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique: breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. Do this 2-3 times right before you start for the best results. If you feel anxious during the presentation, you can always pause and take a deep breath.

5. Special considerations for virtual presentations

Remote presentations are a part of the modern business climate, and they come with unique challenges. For the best performance, test your microphone, camera, and internet connection 15 minutes before. Position your camera at eye level and look into the camera when speaking, not at your own image.

Also, ensure your face is well-lit, while avoiding sitting directly in front of a window. During the presentation, close unnecessary tabs and silence notifications to minimize distractions.

Below are some specific phrases that can help you get the right setup:

• "Can everyone see my screen?"
• "Let me know in the chat if you can't hear me clearly."
• "I'll pause for a moment while everyone joins."
• "Is this font size large enough for everyone?"
• "Please use the 'raise hand' feature if you have a question."
• "I'm experiencing some technical difficulties. Please bear with me for a moment."

Level up your presenting skills with Loora

Having a good command of English and a list of professional presentation phrases to use in a pinch is half the battle. Saying these words fluently under pressure is the crucial other half, and for professionals needing to deliver a high-stakes presentation, consistent, dynamic practice is the ingredient that brings them all together for a truly confident delivery.

AI-powered tutors like Loora provide a judgment-free, 24/7 environment to help you seamlessly bridge the gap between theory and practice. Rehearse your entire presentation and receive instant and personalized feedback on pronunciation, pacing, and professional vocabulary.

With Loora's actionable tips, you will quickly build the muscle memory and fluency needed to present your ideas confidently to any audience.