Étape 1 / 4 - Compréhension écrite

Reading Comprehension

Based on the HubSpot article from Découvrir. Answer in English.

Rappel - Article étudié dans Découvrir
HubSpot

How to Give a Great Presentation

Giving a great presentation isn't rocket science. Experts across several industries shared tips to help overcome the fear of public speaking, which affects 75% of the general population.

1. Start strong. The first few sentences determine whether your audience will be interested. Ask a rhetorical question, start with a quote, or open with a surprising fact.

2. Keep it simple. Chris Anderson, TED Talks' curator, warns: "If you try to cram in everything you know, you won't have time to include key details, and your talk will disappear into abstract language." His advice: "Go deeper. Give more detail. Don't tell us about your entire field of study - tell us about your unique contribution."

3. Share personal anecdotes. Stories help audiences relate and feel more connected to the speaker.

4. Pause to breathe. Strategic pauses emphasise key points and give the audience time to absorb information.

5. Develop stage presence. According to Chris Anderson, "Getting the words, story, and substance right is a much bigger determinant of success or failure than how you stand or whether you're visibly nervous."

Source : blog.hubspot.com - Marketing Blog, May 2025  ·  Level: B1/B2

1 According to Chris Anderson, what happens if you try to cram too much into a presentation?

AThe audience will remember every single detail.
BThe talk becomes too abstract and loses listeners who are new to the topic.
CThe presentation automatically becomes shorter.
DThe audience will ask more questions at the end.

2 True or False - then justify in one sentence.

True / False

"According to Chris Anderson, how you stand and whether you look nervous matters more than the words and story of your presentation."

False. Anderson says the opposite: "Getting the words, story, and substance right is a much bigger determinant of success or failure than how you stand or whether you're visibly nervous."

3 Why does the article recommend sharing personal anecdotes? (2-3 sentences)

Model answer: Personal anecdotes help audiences relate to the speaker and feel more connected. Stories make information more memorable than abstract data, and they help the audience trust and engage with the presenter.

4 What is the purpose of pausing during a presentation, according to the article?

Model answer: Strategic pauses emphasise key points and give the audience time to absorb information. They also give the speaker a moment to breathe and collect their thoughts instead of rushing through the whole talk in one breath.

5 In your own words, explain why "starting strong" is so important in a presentation.

Model answer: The first few sentences determine whether the audience will stay interested for the rest of the talk. A strong opening - a question, a quote, or a surprising fact - immediately grabs attention and sets the tone for everything that follows.
Étape 2 / 4 - Grammaire

Grammar Spotlight - Future Forms

Observe → Comprends → Applique.

Observe

These are the opening words of one of the most famous product presentations in history - the iPhone launch, 2007.

"Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone." - Steve Jobs, 2007
"We're going to start with a revolutionary user interface." - Steve Jobs, 2007
"I'm presenting the new product line to the whole team next Monday." (fixed future arrangement)
English has several ways to talk about the future. Going to is used for plans and intentions decided before now. The present continuous is used for fixed arrangements, often with a time expression.

The Rule

Going to vs Present continuous
FormUsed forExample
going toplans / intentions decided before nowWe are going to launch the product in June.
present continuousfixed arrangements (often with time/date)I'm meeting the client at 3pm tomorrow.
willspontaneous decisions, predictions, promisesI think this presentation will go well.

Structure:

subject + am/is/are + going to + base verb
subject + am/is/are + verb-ing (+ time expression)

Exercice A - Complete with going to or present continuous

going to - plan

Base: We have decided to open the pitch with a surprising statistic. (open)

✓ We are going to open the pitch with a surprising statistic.
present continuous - fixed arrangement

Base: My presentation to the board is scheduled for Friday at 10am. (present)

✓ I am presenting to the board on Friday at 10am.
going to - intention

Base: Steve Jobs decided in advance to reinvent the phone. (reinvent)

✓ Apple is going to reinvent the phone.

Exercice B - Gap-fill

Our team _______ (present) the new campaign to the client next Tuesday at 2pm.

✓ is presenting - fixed arrangement with a specific day and time.

Based on your notes, I think the pitch _______ (go) really well.

✓ will go - a prediction based on evidence/opinion.
Étape 3 / 4 - Vocabulaire

Lexis in Action

Match, classify, and use the key vocabulary from this chapter.

A Matching - Term → Definition

audience
pitch
to rehearse
call to action
anecdote
stage presence

B Gap-fill - Complete the sentences

hookslide deckhandoutbody languagekey takeawayQ&A sessionto grab attentionto nail a pitch

1. A surprising statistic is a great way to open a presentation and __________.

2. Your slides together form your __________, which should support you, not replace you.

3. Good posture and confident gestures are part of your __________.

4. After the talk, the __________ gave the audience a chance to ask about the pricing model.

1. to grab attention  ·  2. slide deck  ·  3. body language  ·  4. Q&A session
Étape 4 / 4 - Production guidée

Guided Writing Task

Mobilise everything you've learnt to write the opening of a presentation.

Your Task

Choose a product, service, or idea you know well. Write 80-100 words in English: the opening of a short presentation or pitch, using a strong hook and at least one future form (going to / present continuous / will) to announce what you're going to talk about.

Sentence Starters

Imagine a world where…
Did you know that…?
Today, I'm going to show you…
By the end of this presentation, you will…
Let me start with a quick story…

Word Bank

to grab attentionpitchaudiencegoing toanecdotecall to actionstage presencekey takeaway

Your Writing

Sujet choisi : -0 / 100 words

Self-evaluation Checklist

Model answer

Imagine a world where your local shop knows exactly what you need before you even ask. Today, I'm going to introduce Loop's new loyalty app. By the end of this presentation, you will understand how it works, and why we believe it will change the way our customers shop. We're going to start with a simple question: what if loyalty didn't feel like a chore? Let's find out together.

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