Speaking: Public Speaking & Presentations B2 - Lesson 4: Using Signposting Language Effectively

Speaking: Public Speaking & Presentations B2 - Lesson 4: Using Signposting Language Effectively

Welcome back! Imagine driving in a new city without any road signs—you would be completely lost. A presentation without signposting¹ language does the same thing to your audience. These words and phrases are like road signs that guide your listener, telling them where you are, where you've been, and where you are going next.

A Signpost for Every Stage of Your Presentation

Using these phrases will make your presentation sound more professional, organized, and much easier for your audience to follow.

Your Signposting Toolkit:

1. The Introduction (Your Roadmap)

"The purpose of my presentation today is to..."

"I've divided my talk into three main sections. First..., Second..., Finally..."

2. Starting the Main Body

"So, let's begin with my first point, which is..."

"To start with, I'd like to examine..."

3. Transitioning² Between Points

"This leads me to my next point, which is..."

"Now that we've discussed X, let's turn to Y."

"Moving on from that, I'd now like to talk about..."

4. Highlighting a Key Point

"The most important thing to remember here is..."

"I'd like to emphasize the fact that..."

5. The Conclusion

"This brings me to the end of my presentation."

"To sum up..." / "So, to recap³..."

"In conclusion, my key message is..."

Scenario: A Guided Tour of a Presentation

Listen to this short presentation. The signposting phrases are in bold, showing you how they guide the listener from one section to the next.

"Good morning, everyone. The topic of my talk today is 'The Future of Work'. I've divided my presentation into two parts. First, I'll look at the rise of Artificial Intelligence, and second, I'll discuss the importance of lifelong learning.

So, to begin with, let's consider AI. As you can see from this chart, the number of jobs that can be automated is increasing every year. This is obviously a major challenge.

This leads me directly to my second point: the need for lifelong learning. Because technology is changing so fast, we can no longer rely on the skills we learned at university. The key takeaway here is that we must all become continuous learners.

To sum up,** while AI presents a challenge, the solution is to embrace a mindset of constant personal development. Thank you. **Now, if there are any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.**"

Why is Signposting So Important?

For Your Audience: Clear signposting helps your audience to relax. They don't have to work hard to figure out your structure, so they can use all their mental energy to understand your ideas. A clear structure makes your message more persuasive and memorable.

For You, the Speaker: Using signposting phrases acts as your own "verbal map." It keeps you on track, ensures you don't forget any sections, and makes you look and feel more organized and confident.

Practice Quiz: Choose the Right Signpost

Read the situation and choose the best signposting phrase.

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1. You have just finished talking about the 'Problems'. You want to start talking about the 'Solutions'. Which phrase is best?

A) "In conclusion..."
B) "To start with..."
C) "Now that we've identified the problems, let's move on to discuss some potential solutions."

→ Answer: C. This is a perfect transition phrase that links the previous topic (the problems) to the new topic (the solutions).

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2. You want to tell the audience what you will talk about at the beginning of your presentation.

A) "I'd like to emphasize..."
B) "Today, I'm going to outline the three main causes of this issue."
C) "To sum up..."

→ Answer: B. This phrase clearly sets out the plan or 'roadmap' for the presentation.

Your Mission: Create a Presentation Skeleton

Your mission is not to write a full presentation, but to practice creating its "skeleton" using only signposting language.

1. Choose a simple topic with three main points. (e.g., "Three reasons to visit Kampot": 1. The relaxed atmosphere, 2. The beautiful nature, 3. The delicious food).
2. Write down ONLY the signposting phrases you would use to structure this talk.
3. Example Skeleton:
   • "Good morning. **The topic of my presentation is** why you should visit Kampot."
   • "**I've divided my talk into three parts.**"
   • "**First, I'll talk about** the atmosphere."
   • "**Now let's move on to** the nature."
   • "**This leads me to my final point,** which is the food."
   • "**In conclusion,** Kampot is a fantastic destination."
   • "**Thank you. Does anyone have any questions?**"
4. Practicing the structure itself will make it automatic when you deliver a real presentation.

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Signposting: (Noun) - ការប្រើឃ្លាភ្ជាប់ - The use of words and phrases to help a listener understand the structure of a speech or presentation. ↩
2. To Transition: (Verb) - ផ្លាស់ប្តូរ - To move smoothly from one topic or section to another. ↩
3. To Recap: (Verb) - ដើម្បីសង្ខេបឡើងវិញ - To restate the main points of something; to summarize. ↩
4. To Outline: (Verb) - សង្ខេប - To give a summary of the main points that will be covered. ↩
5. Coherent: (Adjective) - ដែលស៊ីសង្វាក់គ្នា - Logical and well-organized; easy to understand. ↩