Business English Study © 2011

How to Present your Ideas

Advanced Level:

• Grammar: Linking and Signalling Words

• Pronunciation: Contractions

• Functional Vocabulary: Classic Presentation Style

• Listening: Jeff Bezos presents Amazon’s philosophy

• Cultural Awareness point: Interrupting

• Reading: Amazon profile

• Business Expressions: Presentations

• Role Play: Present Yourself or Your Company

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INTRODUCTION:
Discuss these questions: What do you know about Amazon.com?
Who started the company? What does it do?

LISTENING 1 Exercise:
Listen to the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos. Fill the gaps with the
correct words.

Hello my name is Jeff Bezos, I started Amazon.com about years ago.

Tonnes of stories from the early days - we started the company in my -we
didn’t have enough power in the house, at a certain point - we only had
about employees then - but we already had enough computers and computer
servers, so we finally had to move to a office.
When we launched the store we made a very early mistake, it’s one of my favourite
software of all time. We found that customers could order a negative
quantity of books and we would credit their credit card with the , and I assume
wait round for them to us the books. We fixed that one, it’s fixed, and we
made a bunch of other mistakes over time and we’ve learnt a lot. My whole body is
covered in tissue. We initially programmed a to ring every time we got
an order, and I’m very pleased to say that within the first 30 days of doing business
that bell got , so we had to turn it off.

PRONUNCIATION - Using Contractions

For natural sounding English contractions are used. Here are some important
examples used in verbal communication and informal written work
Auxiliary Contraction With Contractions with Contractions with
Form Pronouns Nouns Question Words
Am I’m working now I’m on a training course
Is He's going to come Mary’s on the phone Who’s on the phone?
Are You're doing a good job What’re you going to
do?
Has He’s been to Milan The manager’s not gone What’s she been
there doing?
Have I've finished my work Where’ve you been?
Had He'd been waiting hours
Will I'll get you a drink What’ll we do?
Would He'd like to go now It’d be good to see you Who’d do that?

EXERCISE: Say these sentences using the appropriate contractions

1. Why are you all still here? You should have left the office hours ago.
2. She will call the boss later, and then he is going to have a problem.
3. They would like to speak to the director. What shall we say to him?
4. I have been here all morning. Where have you been?
5. It is a difficult decision but we are ready to make it. I would like you to witness it.
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Introductory question: What makes a great or a terrible presentation?

Exercise: put the correct preposition into the gaps

PRESENTATIONS – Prepare and Perform

In / on communication, words account of / for 7%,
tone of voice accounts for 38%, and body language accounts
for 55%. They are abbreviated as the "3 Vs" for Verbal, Vocal
and Visual.
For effective communication, these three parts in / of
the message need to be harmony with each other. The
following example illustrates disharmony verbal and
non-verbal communication:
• Verbal: "I do not have a problem."
• Non-verbal: person avoids eye-contact, looks anxious, has a closed body
language, etc.
Here, the listener will trust the non-verbal form communication rather than the
actual words.
When you give a presentation your audience will be asking themselves the first
seven seconds: What am I doing here? What's it for me?
So, this period is critical.

• Start and Finish with a Hook: What you say the beginning and end of
your speech will make an impression. Use a famous quote or ask a question e.g.
“Every day, is the first day,” Jeff Bezos.
“Let me leave you a question, is it better to act or react?’
• Know the Audience - Who are you presenting to? What do they know? What do
they expect you? Is English their second language?
• Know Your Material - Make sure you know the subject well.
• Concentrate on your Message – The central theme should be linked every
point you make.
• Use Good Linking and Signaling – Tell the audience that you have finished one
point and are now moving the next one.
• You are the presenter, not Power Point or Keynote - Use these to help you
get the message but do not hide behind them or rely on them.

Delivery & Body Language

• Practice: Don’t read notes, the audience can do that. Know the subject,
practice the presentation, and deliver it naturally.
• Body Language: Breathe slowly and speak slowly, make your words clear.
• Don’t have your hands your pockets, don’t slouch, don’t point people.
• Make eye contact, be enthusiastic, smile.

Speaking exercise:
Students stand up and give a poor presentation introduction e.g. body language,
words etc. Make as authentic as possible.
Class decide how it can be improved, and student improves it.

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Classic Business Presentation Structure

Open with a QUESTION,

or a QUOTE, to get the
audience interested

Greet & introduce:

• Yourself
• Your role
• Presentation title

Overview of main
presentation points &
duration of talk

Introduce 1st main point

and present.
Main points should have
equal time value

Introduce 2nd main point

and present

Introduce 3rd main point

and present

Summary & conclusion

Question & answer session

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Can you connect these two sentences?

We will be a success in Book Publishing. We have no experience or budget.

PRESENTATION VOCABULARY: How to Signal & Connect Points

Signalling Structure
• I’ve divided my presentation into three parts.
• First, I’ll talk about ... Second ... Third ...

Introducing a Main Point:

• Let’s start by talking about …
• I’d like to begin by / with …

Finishing a Point:
• That’s all I have to say about that …
• So, we’ve covered that …

Starting a New Point

• So let’s turn to / move on to …
• I’d like now to look at … Jeff Bezos – CEO of Amazon

Linking Expressions
• To add another idea
Furthermore, in addition, also, moreover, likewise, similarly
• To arrange ideas in order or time
Firstly, finally, meanwhile, eventually, next, subsequently, in the end
• To add an illustration or explanation
For example, for instance, in other words
• To conclude / sum up
Hence, therefore, thus, accordingly, in brief, in conclusion, consequently
• To connect two contrasting ideas
However, yet, nonetheless, nevertheless, rather, although, even though
• To emphasise or confirm
Indeed, naturally, of course, certainly, undoubtedly, admittedly, plainly
• Referring to what you have said
As I said before …. As I mentioned at the beginning
• Referring to what you will say
I’ll come to that later … We’ll look at that in the next part
• Summarising and Concluding
Let me summarise the main points … I think that covers everything …
• Inviting Questions – The Q & A session
Are there any questions … Please feel free to ask questions …
Do you want me to go over anything in more detail?

"You have to be stubborn

and flexible. The hard part
is working out when to be
flexible and when to be
stubborn.” Jeff Bezos

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SPEAKING EXERCISE:
Think of a great opening question or quote to use to start the presentation e.g.
‘Have you ever wanted to walk out of your job, just get up and leave the office?’
Sam Goldwyn once said, ‘the harder I work, the luckier I get.’
Present an opening quote / question and then describe how it will connect to
your presentation theme

LISTENING 2 Exercise:
Listen to the 2nd part of the presentation by Jeff Bezos and answer these questions.

1. What is a very short list?

2. What do you need to do first?
3. What does obsessing over customers cover?

BUSINESS EXPRESSIONS – Presentations

Complete the sentences with the correct alternative.

1. ‘Digressing’ is when somebody _______ during the presentation.

a) Keeps on message b) Goes off message c) Stops d) Gets nervous

2. That’s a good question but I’m not an expert in that _______.

a) Place b) Field c) Ground d) Zone

3. Nerves make it hard to control your .

a) Air b) Inhale c) Breathe d) Breathing

4. I’m sorry, can you repeat that, I didn’t ________ what you said.
a) Catch b) Reach c) Grab d) Take

5. The presentation went ________ really well because she has charisma.
a) In b) Under c) Over d) Down

Cultural Awareness Point – Interrupting

In English business presentations questions are asked at
the end unless invited by the presenter. The audience
does not interrupt the presentation because this is seen
as rude.
Discuss:
• In your business / culture / nation is it normal to
interrupt and ask questions during a presentation?

LISTENING 3 Exercise:
Listen to the 3rd part of the presentation by Jeff Bezos and answer these questions.

1. Why doesn’t Amazon accept ‘either / or’ thinking?

2. What is critical?
3. Do customers tell you everything?
4. What are examples of Amazon’s inventive culture?

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Reading Exercise: read the article, put a suitable word from the box into the gaps
(Note: 3 are not needed)
quarter - runs - chosen - worth - expand - security -
reader - strategy - transition - mere - while - discover

Amazon.com is an on-line retailer based in Seattle USA. Jeff Bezos founded the
company in 1994 after he had the idea driving across America.

The name Amazon was because the Amazon River is one of the largest
rivers in the world and so the name suggests enormity.
This was part of the long-term for company expansion.

Amazon sells products such as books, music, and consumer electronics. Since 2004,
Amazon has begun to rapidly its web services. Products like the EC2
(Elastic Compute Cloud), and the Kindle electronic book reader have been
introduced. The logo shows an arrow smile going from A to Z

Amazon has also acquired other online businesses to aid its expansion. These
include Shopbop, Zappos, and LOVEFiLM.

By June 2011, Amazon had approximately 137 million active customers worldwide.
Company sales were $13 billion for the fourth of 2010, up 36 percent from
2009.

Amazon is one of the early Web pioneers - along with eBay, Yahoo, and Google, -
and Jeff Bezos is the only founder in that group who still his company as the
CEO.

He's the only one to make the notoriously hard from the visionary of a small
start-up to the boss of thousands of employees.

Bezos' salary as CEO for 2010 was a $82,000, although he was paid $1.6
million for his personal . He owns 20% of Amazon's stock.

SPEAKING POINT:
• Why is it difficult to make the transition between start-up visionary and boss of a
big company?
• Can you think of other bosses who have made the transition, or have failed?

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VOCABULARY - Selected Phrasal Verbs

Exercise: Choose the correct phrasal verb for the gaps
1. The meeting was ___ because there was a train strike.
a. called off b. blacked out c. turned off

2. How do we _ the drop in sales?

a. come to b. account for c. jot down

3. The aim of my presentation is to _ __ an alternative plan.

a. get on b. take off c. put forward

4. We cannot sit back and think that everything will _ __ OK.

a. turn out b. bring up c. climb down

5. Next I want to __ _ the sales figures for the last quarter.

a. shake through b. climb over c. run through

6. Sorry I am late. I got __ _ at the meeting.

a. lifted off b. held up c. caught with

LISTENING 4 - Exercise:
Listen to the 4th part of the presentation by Jeff Bezos and answer these questions.

1. What is critical and why?

2. How long do initiatives take to pay dividends for the company?
3. What does it require?
4. What do you get if you think long term?

PRESENTATION: ROLE-PLAY
Background: Give a presentation to Amazon. Decide what you want to
present – a product, a service, yourself, or an idea.

Prepare a 2-minute presentation with a clear structure.

Presentation: Take it in turns to give the presentation to the class.

Other students should ask questions and give feedback on presentation
style and delivery.

Practice: Using the pronunciation, vocabulary and functional language

you have learnt in this unit.

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AUDIO
Amazon.com – advanced level – Listening 1
Hello my name is Jeff Bezos, I started Amazon.com about 15 years ago. Tonnes of stories
from the early days - we started the company in my house -we didn’t have enough electric
power in the house, at a certain point - we only had about four employees then - but we
already had enough computers and computer servers, so we finally had to move to a real
office.
When we launched the store we made a very early mistake, it’s one of my favourite software
bugs of all time. We found that customers could order a negative quantity of books and we
would credit their credit card with the price, and I assume wait round for them to ship us the
books. We fixed that one, it’s fixed, and we made a bunch of other mistakes over time and
we’ve learnt a lot. My whole body is covered in scar tissue. We initially programmed a bell to
ring every time we got an order, and I’m very pleased to say that within the first 30 days of
doing business that bell got annoying, so we had to turn it off.
Listening 2
A lot has happened over the last 15 years, as I’ve said we’ve made a lot of mistakes. We’ve
learnt some things and I want to tell you everything I know. I guarantee you everything I know,
it’s a very short list. This won’t take long, and it’s complete too. Alright, well, the first thing I
know is that you need to obsess over customers. I can tell you that we have been doing this
from the very beginning and it’s the only reason that amazon.com exists today in any form.
We’ve always put customers first. When given the choice of obsessing over competitors or
obsessing over customers we always obsess over customers. We pay attention to what our
competitors do but it’s not where we put our energy, it’s not where we get our motivation from.
We really like to start with customers and work backwards. And again, that is the key thing
that I know, and it covers a lot of other mistakes. If you are truly obsessed over customers it
will cover a lot or errors.
Listening 3
The second thing I know is, invent. It’s really important to invent. Anytime we have a problem
we never accept ‘either’ ‘or’ thinking. We try to figure out a solution that gets both things, and
that often requires invention, but you can invent your way out of any box if you believe that
you can. And what we talk about is inventing on behalf of customers. It’s not a customers’ job
to invent for themselves. You need to listen to customers, it’s critical. If you don’t listen to
customers you’ll go astray, but they won’t tell you everything and so you need to invent on
their behalf. And that focus on invention has served us well. Some of the recent things, even
Kindle, not just Kindle but EC2 the elastic compute cloud, these are things we would have
never gotten to if we didn’t have an inventive culture. But also those are kind of large grade
things but there are small things too.
Listening 4
And then, think long term. This is really critical. Any company that wants to focus on
customers and put customers first, any company that wants to invent on behalf of customers
has to be willing to think long term. And it’s actually much rarer than you might think. I find
that most of the initiatives we undertake may take 5 to 7 years before they pay any dividends
for the company. They may start paying dividends for customers right away but they often
take a long time to pan out for shareholders in the company. So that ability to think in 5 years
and 7 years time frames really is very, very useful for us, and it definitely is one of the things
that I know. It requires by the way, and allows, a willingness to be misunderstood. If you think
long term, many of the inventions that we undertake, maybe if they’re disruptive in any way,
they may not be understood in their early innings, and it’s always been very important for us
to think long term so that we can tolerate being misunderstood.
And it’s a huge competitive advantage to be able to think long term and you get to serve
customers much better. That’s all that I know, really.

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LESSON PLAN – Amazon – Advanced

Key objectives – to practise aural and oral Business English

INTRODUCTION: Ask the students what they know about Amazon and Jeff Bezos.
Teacher (T) – Students (SS) 5 mins

LISTENING 1: Next tell students they are going to hear Jeff Bezos talking about
Amazon.com. They need to fill in the gaps. Play the listening. (T) – (SS) 10 mins

PRONUNCIATION: Ask the students what they know about contractions? Go through the
exercise. (T) – (SS) 10 mins

FUNCTIONAL VOCABULARY: Elicit opinions on what makes great and bad presentations.
Get students to read text out loud and fill in gaps with prepositions. Go to speaking practice
and get students to demonstrate a poor presentation technique. Ask others to improve on it.
(T) – (SS) 15 mins

PRESENTATION STRUCTURE: Ask the students to read through the Structure outline and
then the vocabulary on signalling and linking in presentations. Get students to give an
opening to a presentation. (S) – (T) 5 mins

LISTENING 2: Play the audio and ask the students to answer the questions (S) – (T) 5 mins

BUSINESS VOCABULARY: Ask the students to read through the vocabulary of

presentations and select the correct answer to each question (S) – (T) 5 mins

CULTURAL AWARENESS POINT: Talk about Interrupting. (S) – (T) 10 mins

LISTENING 3: Play the audio and ask the students to answer the questions. (S) – (T) 5 mins

READING: Go through reading and ask students to read out loud, explain the vocabulary and
fill the gaps with a suitable word. Go on to Speaking Point and get students to discuss (S) –
(T) 10 mins

PHRASAL VERBS: Ask the students to read through the questions and select the correct
phrasal verb for each gap (S) – (T) 5 mins
th
LISTENING 4: Tell students they are going to hear the 4 part of the listening. Play the
listening and students answer the questions (SS) – (T) 10 mins

ROLE PLAY: Ask students to prepare a 2-minute presentation to Amazon. Give them a few
minutes to prepare. Make sure they practice the grammar and vocabulary learnt in the lesson
and to try and use the case study material in their argument. Get the other students to ask
questions and offer feedback. (SS) – (SS) 20 mins

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EXERCISE ANSWERS
LISTENING 1:
Fifteen – house – electric – 4 – real – bugs – price – ship – scar – bell – annoying

PRONUNCIATION CONTRACTIONS:
1. Why’re you all still here? You should’ve left the office hours ago.
2. She’ll call the boss later, and then he’s going to have a problem.
3. They’d like to speak to the director. What’ll we say to him?
4. I’ve been here all morning. Where’ve you been?
5. It’s a difficult decision but we’re ready to make it. I’d like you to witness it.

GRAMMAR - PREPOSITIONS
In – for – of - in – in - of – in - in – at – with – from – to – onto – across – from - in – at

LISTENING 2 Exercise:
1. Everything he knows
2. Obsess over customers
3. A lot of other mistakes

BUSINESS EXPRESSIONS – PRESENTATIONS

1. ‘Digressing’ is when somebody goes off message during the presentation.
2. That’s a good question but I’m not an expert in that field.
3. Nerves make it hard to control your breathing.
4. I’m sorry, can you repeat that, I didn’t catch what you said.
5. The presentation went down really well because she has charisma.

LISTENING 3 Exercise:
1. We try to figure out a solution that gets both things, and that often requires invention, but you can
invent your way out of any box if you believe that you can
2. You need to listen to your customers
3. No, you need to invent on their behalf
4. Kindle and EC2 the elastic compute cloud

READING EXERCISE:
while – chosen – strategy – expand – quarter – runs – transition – mere – security

VOCABULARY – PHRASAL VERBS

called off – account for – put forward – turn out – run through – held up

LISTENING 4 Exercise:
1. To think long term. Any company that wants to focus on customers and put customers first, any
company that wants to invent on behalf of customers has to be willing to think long term.
2. They take 5 to 7 years
3. A willingness to be misunderstood
4. A huge competitive advantage

LISTENING 4 Exercise:
1. Think long term. Any company that wants to focus on customers and put customers first, any
company that wants to invent on behalf of customers has to be willing to think long term.
2. They take 5 to 7 years
3. A willingness to be misunderstood
4. A huge competitive advantage Help us to improve the quality.
If you notice any mistakes in this
module please report the error to:
[email protected]

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