Most people have to give a presentation during their working life and practice can help us to speak confidently and effectively.
How to start a presentation in English — workplace video lesson
Giving a presentation in English can feel stressful — especially when it’s important. In this short lesson, you’ll watch a video from the BBC Learning English series English at Work, learn useful phrases for structuring a presentation and practise your own confident introduction.
This lesson is designed for B1–B2 level professionals who use English at work or in international teams.
🎥 Watch the video
Summary: Anna is preparing to present her company’s product, the Imperial Lemon. She learns how to start her talk clearly and stay calm — until the projector stops working!
English at work - The big day
👂 While you watch
Try to answer some questions.
- 1. What is Anna worried about before the presentation?
→ She’s scared that she’ll mess up and lose the business deal with Citrus Ventures. She feels nervous and unsure how to begin her presentation.
- 2. What phrases does she practise with the narrator?
“Today I’m going to…”
“I’ll start by…”
“Then I’m going to move on to…”
“And finally…”
- 3. How does she structure her introduction?
→ She welcomes the audience, says she will begin by talking about her company, then move on to explain the new product and finally invite questions and a closer look at the product.
- 4. What goes wrong at the end of the video?
→ Her presentation slides don’t work — the computer seems to freeze and she struggles to fix it.
- 5. How do you think Anna handles the situation?
→ At first, she panics a little, but she keeps going and tries to stay calm. She uses the phrases she practised, which help her sound confident and professional.
🧩 Useful phrases for starting a presentation
Use these expressions to sound clear and professional:
- “Today I’m going to…”
- “I’ll start by…”
- “Then I’m going to move on to…”
💡 These phrases help your audience know what to expect and make you feel more in control.
🗣 Speaking activity: Your turn to present
Imagine you are giving a short presentation about one of these topics:
- Your current job or team
- A product or service from your company
- A professional skill you have learned
Write a short introduction using the phrases above. Then practise saying it aloud or record yourself. If you’re in a group, give your introductions to each other and give feedback.
Try to include:
- A welcome and your name
- A clear structure using the four key phrases
- Confident, polite delivery
Presentation Phrases Quiz
What phrases can be used at the start of a presentation?
What phrases can be used to signal a transition between topics?
What phrases can be used to give more details?
What phrases can be used to explain visuals?
💼 Want to feel more confident at work in English?
Our Communication at Work course helps you practise presentations, meetings and real-world English for international teamwork.