Author: amalfabian

I'm an English language trainer based in India. I'm a bookworm and enjoy reading fiction, history, art, and much more. I like to doodle. Despite my best efforts, I draw like a 5-year old. I do enjoy swimming, especially when it is raining.

Signposting language for presentation skills

The photo shows three wooden signposts pointing in two directions. The image reflects the topic signposting language for presentation skills.

What is signposting language?

When you travel on the road, there are signs which give information.

A sign could tell you the number of kilometers between you and your destination. A sign may warn you about a sharp turn just ahead. Another sign could tell you to slow down to a particular speed.

While driving, signs are helpful. 

Imagine a road journey without any signs.

Wouldn’t that make you feel uncomfortable? Wouldn’t you be surprised to find that you have to make a hairpin turn without any warning?

What if a wild animal suddenly darts in front of the car?  I’m sure you would have preferred to be warned about something like that. You could then be mentally prepared to better respond.

Yes, signs on the road are essential. They help us to reach our destination safely. At times, they may even save our lives.

Signs are important when making presentations as well.

In a presentation, there are words, phrases, and sentences that give structure and a sense of direction to the audience.

For example:

‘Today, we’ll be focusing on three key issues affecting production in China.’

‘My presentation is divided into two parts.’

‘The presentation will be for 10 minutes.’

All this language (Today, we will look at three key issues… My presentation is divided into…) is called signposting language.

Signposting language is important because it helps your audience to listen better. They become more engaged. 

It gives your audience a sense of control.

This is because they know what to expect (e.g. the talk is for 10 minutes). Also, the audience will be able to understand the progression of your presentation from one stage to the next.  This will make it easier for them to absorb and retain what you say.

By providing structure, signposting language alerts your listeners to key messages and important transitions within your presentation. 

Signposting language can help you when preparing

Here is something many people do not know. Signposting language helps you–the speaker. You start thinking about the logical flow of your presentation. It makes you consider how to sequence the main points.

It may even help in generating new ideas or new ways to present a topic.

For instance, just by saying: my presentation is divided into two parts, you may gain clarity on how you want to present your thoughts and ideas. You may even think that it would be better to divide the presentation into three rather than two parts. 

When preparing for your next presentation, use some of the signposting language given below for introductions, middle parts, and endings. 

When presenting, signposting language gives you a sense of direction and control over your thoughts.

For example, when you say–okay, now that we have discussed the customer survey questions, let’s review the key findings–you are preparing yourself mentally to present the next part of the presentation. 

To sum up about the importance of signposting, it helps both the presenter and the listener. Signposting language provides structure. And having structure is vital. You know that. 

Use of voice

Be aware of how you use your voice when using signposting language. 

Emphasize signposting language.

For instance: FIRST, we will look at customer feedback. SECOND, we’ll look at how we analyze that feedback. And FINALLY, how we use the feedback to make changes in our processes. 

You should pause after using signposting language. 

For example, after saying in conclusion, pause before saying what you want to say.

Pausing makes a difference.

It signals to the audience to pay attention to what comes next.

It gives you time to gather your thoughts and choose the most appropriate words. After the pause, when you speak, you speak with confidence.

Here is some signposting language:

Signposting language to use for introductions

Good morning, my name is …

Hello, my name is … I am a ….  And have been in this sector for the past …. years. (to establish your credentials) 

I’m going to talk about …

I’ll be going over…

My presentation is divided into three parts… To begin with, we will look at …. Then, we will turn to… And finally, we will consider …

The presentation will be for 15 minutes. After the presentation, we will have 10 minutes for Q&A.

Signposting language for the middle of your presentation

Introducing the main parts of the presentation

The first point is… The second point is… And the last point is… 

Transitioning from one part to the next

Moving to the second point…

Now let’s turn to…

Now let’s consider…

We have talked about X in some detail, so let’s now look at Y.

Transitioning to a sub-part 

An example of this is…

When we look at the graph, what is striking is…

As you can see from this slide…

Signposting language to use for the end of your presentation 

To summarize…

To sum up…

So, let’s review…

To conclude…

The most important point to remember is…

The takeaway from today’s talk is…

The end 

Signposting language does its work quietly and efficiently. It allows you to control the direction of your presentation. It gives the audience a road map–telling them where they are and where they are going to. 

Do you have to make a presentation soon? Use signposting language.

You will feel the difference. 

Want more signposting language? Visit BBC Learning English. 

This post tells you how to be a bad presenter. Of course, once you read it, you’ll know how to be a better one.

FAQs

What is an example of signposting in a presentation?

Signposting tells the listener about the structure of the presentation.

Here is an example: This presentation is divided into two parts. First, we will look at X, and then we’ll talk about Y.

We use signposting language when transitioning to a new point: Now that we have looked at X, let’s talk about Y.

And to signal the conclusion: This is what I want you to remember … 

What is signposting language?

Signposting language consists of words, phrases, and even sentences the presenter uses to give structure and direction to her speech.

At the start of the presentation, signposting language could be: This presentation will be for twenty minutes. After which, there will be a Q&A session for about ten minutes. 

An example of signposting language in the middle of the presentation is: Now that we have reviewed how the data was collected, let’s turn to how it was analyzed. 

And at the end of your presentation, you could use this signposting language: The key takeaway is ….

Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/

Can I have more words, please?

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Many people find it difficult to express themselves in English.

Simply put, they do not have enough words in their ‘vocabulary bank’.

Learning new words take time. It is said that you have to come across a word six to twenty times before it becomes ‘yours’.

Some people use big words to impress others. Be careful! Make sure that the word you use means what you think it does. If it means something else, your listeners could get confused. And it may look like you are trying to show off!

To improve their vocabulary, many learners learn (or memorize) lists of words. That is a very, very difficult way to learn new words. Learning words without a context is no fun. And you may not remember them.

I believe that the best way to improve your vocabulary is to be an active reader and listener. Being a coach potato who watches lots of TV can actually help!

When you come across a new word, do not ignore it. Instead, check its meaning. If you come across it again and are not sure what it means, look it up again. Don’t be lazy! Over time, you’ll be able to use the word accurately. 

Here are some excellent resources for learning new words. 

If you want to find out the meaning of a word and practise using it, go to Vocabulary.com.

Curious to know what friendflation is? Find out from Cambridge dictionary’s blog. (It’s under the section: New Words–20 October 2025.)

To learn more vocabulary, try watching this:

Enjoy the process of learning new words. Make a mental note of how they are pronounced. Be curious to know their meaning.

What I find interesting is that after learning a new word, I suddenly start noticing it being used. This could happen to you!

Remember, you are building a castle–brick by brick.

Use a dictionary to improve your vocabulary

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We usually refer to a dictionary to find out the meaning of a word. 

Let’s consider the word opportunity.

To search for its definition we can go to an online dictionary. When we are there, we check how it is pronounced (both UK and US).

But there is more to discover. 

You have a group of friends that you prefer spending time with. Words feel the same way. They like to be around familiar words that they know. When words do this, we call it collocation.  

How many words do you know that collocate with the word opportunity? 

Here is a screenshot from the Cambridge Dictionary.  Can you spot the collocations?

Page from Cambridge Dictionary

There are three collocations here:

unique opportunity to

missed the opportunity to

at the earliest opportunity

There are more such collocations on the page:

have an opportunity

at every opportunity

a golden opportunity

By spending just a few minutes reading these collocation, you enrich your word bank–allowing you to express yourself with greater precision. Your language gains more flexibility. You widen your range of vocabulary. 

This is a goldmine–expanding your vocabulary could not be easier.  Would you agree?

At the earliest opportunity, use one of the collocations. 

How many collocations can you think of with the word risk? 

3 free websites for learning English

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People ask me what are the best sites for learning English. I understand that there are a lot of websites out there, and it can get overwhelming.

Here are 3 websites I always recommend:

1. British Council covers a lot of ground, from vocabulary to grammar to business English. Spend time here to get acquainted with all it has to offer. I especially recommend this site for learners at the beginner to upper-intermediate levels.

2. BBC Learning English has engaging videos and articles on current affairs. It is an excellent site if you want to improve your general knowledge or if you are preparing for English exams where you will need to read passages about current affairs. The site also covers the basics in grammar and vocabulary. Overall, an excellent resource. One of my favourites. Here’s my post that takes a deep dive into this website.

3. ThoughtCo.  is for people who are fluent speakers of the language. If you are at the upper-intermediate level and above, do visit this site. You will find it rewarding. Look out for articles by Richard Nordquist, an American professor. I find his articles on grammar to be insightful.

Here is some general advice on learning the language.

Explore the three websites and find the one that suits  you the best.

Have you heard of the zero article?

 

This is a little known article. The reason for that, is that it is invisible!

When we use no article in front of a noun, it is called the zero article. To understand the zero article, you need to know about two concepts:

  1. Abstract noun – this is a noun that you cannot know through your five senses.               (e.g. peace, hate, love)
  2. Plural count noun – these are nouns that cannot be counted. (e.g. cars, cellphones, paperclips)

We use the zero article before abstract nouns and plural count nouns. For example:

  1. History is a fascinating subject. (History is an abstract noun.)
  2. She collects photos of cats. (Cats is a plural count noun.)

We are talking about history and cats in general.

Not:

  1. The history is a fascinating subject.
  2. She collects photos of the cats.

Now,  here is the catch. There are times when we use the definite article with these nouns. We use the definite article when talking about specific abstract or plural count nouns. For example:

  1. Mary has specialized in the history of medieval India.
  2. She takes care of the cats in her building.

In the above sentences, we are talking about a specific history (medieval India’s) and specific cats (the ones in her building).

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We cannot write:

  1. He has specialized in history of medieval India.
  2. She takes care of cats in her building.

Hope you are now more aware of this lesser-known article. Look out for them when you read and write.

 

Those little words: a, an, the

Many Indian speakers find it difficult to use the correct article in a phrase. This is because in languages such as Hindi, there are no articles!

This post will look at the use of articles: a, an, the. In the next post, we will look at the  zero article (my favourite).

We use the definite article for shared knowledge between two speakers. For example: The cab has come. And we use the indefinite articles when there is no shared knowledge. For example: A cab has come. (We are not sure who has ordered the cab.)

Often, Indian speakers tend to drop or add the definite article (the) in certain phrases. Here are a few examples:

  1. across globe – should be: across the globe
  2. think out of box – should be: think out of the box
  3. out of the town – should be: out of town
  4. since beginning – should be: since the beginning
  5. in next few years – should be: in the next few years

I wish I could give you a rule to follow here, but I cannot think of one. Be aware of the use the definite article and look critically at the common phrases you use. Check to make sure that they are correct. Over time, it will come naturally to you.

All the best!

 

 

 

 

Indianisms: We are like that only!

Indianisms is one of my favourite topics. It comprises of expressions that are specific to the country. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with them. However, if one is communicating with people from other countries, it would be a good idea to not use them. After all, the purpose of communication is to be understood by the other person.

Here are some Indianisms which you should be aware of:

1.Do the needful

This is a classic Indianism. Try to re-phrase it. Perhaps: Please take care of it.

2. Kindly

Another classic. Instead of kindly note… go for: please note

3. Concerned department

Ah, if only departments were truly concerned about our problems. You could try: relevant department.

Now you know how to convert this sentence into international English:

Kindly do the needful and send the documents to the concerned department.

How Indian is your English?

How can I improve my pronunciation?

To improve your pronunciation, you need to focus on:

a. the sounds of English;

b. syllable stress.

The sounds of English 

If you are really, really serious about improving your pronunciation I urge you to become familiar with the phonemic chart.

It may take a while to master all 44 phonemes.

But once you do, you will have a clear understanding of the sounds that make up a word. You will be able to taste words!

Here is an excellent video about the phonemic chart. Highly recommended.

Syllable stress

Apart from being familiar with the sounds of English, you need to know about syllable stress.

I hear you ask: but, what is a syllable?

A syllable is a complete sound with a vowel sound in it.

A word can have one or more syllables. For example, in the word ‘syllable’ there are three syllables.

Next question: what is syllable stress? If there are two or more syllables in a word, then one word is stressed. For example, in the word syllable, the first syllable is stress:

syll / a / ble

In India, many people stress on the incorrect syllable.

For example, some Indians say: senTENCE. While the correct syllable stress should be: SENtence.

Here are some other common errors:

Indian                            UK/US

DEbate                        deBATE

tenDENcy                   TENdency

POtential                     poTENtial

For more on commonly mispronounced words by Indians, check out these videos: