KS3 · English

Delivering a formal presentation

Picture this: you've written the perfect speech. You stand up, lift the page… and read it to your shoes. Somewhere between paper and audience, the life leaked out.

Spoken language · Cue cards

What actually goes on the cue card?

Cue cards are the small cards you glance at while you speak. Here's the test: if your mind went blank, what would you need to glance at? Put each item on the card, or leave it off.

Still to sort

On the cue card (0)

Short, and hard to remember on the spot

Where the line is: Key ideas, keywords, sentence starters, facts and statistics: yes. Full sentences: no.

Leave it off (0)

Full sentences, or everything written out

Where the line is: Once it's a full sentence, it stops being a cue and starts being a script.

8 of 8 still to sort.

Imagine you're presenting to your class on “Should we have a longer lunch break?” Every detail below is made up, just for practice.

Watch out: Full sentences are the trap. Put them on a card and it quietly turns into a script.

Script or practice?

Which plan would you trust?

You've got a presentation next week and you want it to be as convincing as possible.

Which of these is closest to what you'd do?

I'll learn the whole thing word for word, so I can't get stuck.I'll write out a full script and read it, so nothing gets missed.I'll practise until I know what to say and how to say it, then use cue cards and let some of it come out naturally.I'm nervous about it, so it's bound to go badly and there's nothing I can do.

How sure are you?

I'm sureI think soI'm guessing

I'll learn the whole thing word for word, so I can't get stuck.

This is a common misconception

It feels safe, but memorising word for word can lead to a robotic delivery and a less convincing presentation. Practising is about knowing what to say and how to say it, and that's different from fixing every single word. Cue cards can cover the parts that are hard to remember.

I'll write out a full script and read it, so nothing gets missed.

This is a common misconception

Presentations are much more engaging when the speaker doesn't simply read off a page. Reading also pulls your eyes away from the audience, and good eye contact is what shows you're speaking to them. Trade the script for cue cards and let a little spontaneity in.

I'll practise until I know what to say and how to say it, then use cue cards and let some of it come out naturally.

This matches the evidence

That's the one. Practising helps your delivery feel natural, the cue cards keep you on track, and a bit of spontaneity keeps you relaxed rather than robotic. Practice can help with nerves too: the more you practise, the more confident and calm you are likely to feel.

I'm nervous about it, so it's bound to go badly and there's nothing I can do.

This is a common misconception

It's okay to feel nervous, and you're not stuck with it. Find the strategies that work for you, such as practising, smiling, standing with an upright posture and taking a few deep breaths.

Practise it, use cue cards, and let a little spontaneity in. Nerves are okay, and there are things you can do about them.

Same talk, two deliveries

Speaker AvsSpeaker B

Both speakers give the same presentation. Watch what changes.

Focus

Eye contact

Speaker A

Reads from notes, eyes rarely leave the page

Speaker B

Looks out to the audience and varies where they look

The insight

Varied eye contact helps you connect with the audience and shows you're speaking to them, not just reading from notes.

Posture

Speaker A

Closed posture, standing stiffly

Speaker B

Upright, open posture

Gestures

Speaker A

Hands stay still, or fidget

Speaker B

Natural gestures that add emphasis to key points

Movement

Speaker A

Fidgets, or freezes to the spot

Speaker B

Measured movement

Pace

Speaker A

Speaks fast to get it over with

Speaker B

Slower than feels natural

What it says about the speaker

Speaker A

Less likely to look confident, calm and engaged

Speaker B

Looks confident, calm and engaged

Predict, then check

Two slides for the same point in a talk. Commit to one before you look.

You're making one slide for one point in your talk. Which slide supports your presentation better?

Plan it and write it

Build the front and back of your own talk

Choose a change you'd like at your school and plan a short presentation to your class about it. Write: (1) the who, what, when and how; (2) your key message in one sentence; (3) an opening line that makes a strong start; (4) a closing line that circles back to it; (5) one sentence that speaks to your audience as “you” and asks a question, using standardised English; (6) one fact, statistic or expert you'd use (made up is fine); (7) a line saying which discourse marker you'd use to link two of your ideas; and (8) what would go on ONE cue card. [8 marks]

Your answer

0 words · your answer stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

The mark scheme

You've decided the who, what, when and how of the presentation. (1 mark)
Your key message is a single sentence. (1 mark)
Your opening makes a strong start, for example a visual idea that is literal or figurative. (1 mark)
Your closing line ends with impact and connects back to your opening, so the talk begins and ends in the same way. (1 mark)
Your sentence uses “you” or “your” and asks the audience a question, in standardised English that stays formal but accessible. (1 mark)
You've included one fact, statistic or expert to make the talk credible. (1 mark)
You've named a discourse marker that links two of your ideas. (1 mark)
Your cue card has keywords, key ideas or a fact, and no full sentences. (1 mark)

Model answer

(1) I'm presenting to my class on Friday, as a short talk with one image, to argue for a quiet room at school. (2) A quiet room would help every pupil in our school. (3) “Picture a corridor where nobody can hear themselves think.” (4) “So, one last time: picture that corridor, and imagine it quiet.” (5) “Have you ever tried to concentrate with the noise of a whole school around you?” (6) A made-up survey: 3 out of 4 pupils in our year said they'd use a quiet room. (7) “Firstly… however… finally” would link my ideas. (8) Cue card: key idea: quiet room helps everyone / start: picture the corridor / fact: 3 out of 4 (made up) / end: back to the corridor.

Plan it first, give it a strong start and a circular ending, speak to your audience, back it up with something credible, and keep your cue card to cues.

WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED

A quick recap of today's lesson.

How to plan it, shape it and say it like you mean it.

What you need to know

Plan first: be clear about the who, what, when and how, then sum up your idea in a one-sentence key message.
Give your talk a beginning, middle and end, and use discourse markers to link your ideas.
A circular structure begins and ends in the same way, connecting your first paragraph with your last.
Have a goA talk opens with “Picture a silent stage.” Write a closing line that makes the structure circular.
For example: “And now, look at that stage: it isn't silent any more.”
A circular structure begins and ends in the same way, so the last paragraph connects back to the first.
Start strong, perhaps with a visual idea (literal or figurative), and finish with impact: the ending is the last thing they hear.
Keep the language formal but accessible: standardised English, with “you” and questions so everyone feels involved.
Have a goYour classmate insists, “Formal means never saying ‘you’ to the audience.” Is that right?
No. Formal language can still speak to the audience with “you” and questions.
Formal but accessible means standardised English, with content adapted so everyone understands and feels involved.
Facts, statistics, news stories, historical events and experts make you sound authoritative and credible.
Have a goWhich line makes a talk on school lunches sound more credible: “Lunch is bad!” or “In a survey of our year, most pupils ate in under ten minutes” (made up)?
The survey line.
Facts, statistics, news stories, historical events and experts are what make a presentation seem authoritative and credible.
Reading from a script or memorising word for word can make you robotic, so use cue cards and allow some spontaneity.
Practising helps you know what to say and how to say it. Feeling nervous is okay, and practising can help.
Keep slides and other visual aids to a minimum: they should enhance your talk, not distract from it.
Look confident: upright, open posture, natural gestures, varied eye contact, measured movement, and a pace slower than feels natural.
Have a goYour nerves are shouting, “Speak fast and get it over with!” Should you listen?
No. Slow down: a pace slower than feels natural is the better choice.
Speakers tend to rush to get it over with, but speaking slower helps with how the presentation is perceived.

The big picture

A great presentation is practised, not scripted. You'll decide what belongs on a cue card, see how to plan and structure what you say, and learn how to deliver it with confidence.

Key points

1Practised beats scripted: know your message so well you can say it naturally.

2A cue card holds cues (keywords, key ideas, facts) and never full sentences.

3Open strong, link with discourse markers, and close with impact, circling back to the start if you can.

4Be formal but friendly: standardised English, “you”, questions and credible facts.

5Deliver it with a slower pace, open posture, varied eye contact and minimal slides.

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Worked example

Problem

Here is a scripted paragraph from a talk on screen time (every detail made up): “Good morning, everyone. Today I want to talk to you about screen time. In a survey of our year group, 6 out of 10 pupils said they check their phones before breakfast. So I want to ask you: who is really in charge, you or your phone?” Turn it into one cue card.

⚠ Watch out

Filling your cue cards with full sentences. Once the sentences are there you'll read them, and the cards have turned into a script.

🧠

Memory hook

Plan it. Practise it. Cue it. Never script it.

✓

Check yourself

The night before your presentation, your nerves are loud. Name two things from this lesson you could do to help, and say why each one might help.

Flashcards

(13)

Before you write a presentation, what two things help you plan it?

Being clear about the who, what, when and how, and summing up your idea in a one-sentence key message.

What is a circular structure?

A structure that begins and ends in the same way, connecting the first paragraph with the last. It creates coherence and can reinforce key themes.

Why does the ending of a presentation matter so much?

It is the last thing the audience hears and your last opportunity to convince them, so end with impact.

A strong start can be literal or figurative. What kind of idea can make it especially impactful?

A visual idea, because it appeals to the audience's visual sense.

What do discourse markers do?

They link ideas and help create a cohesive structure.

How can a formal presentation also be accessible?

The language stays formal (standardised English, sophisticated vocabulary), but the content is adapted so everyone understands and feels involved, for example by using “you” and asking questions.

What makes a presentation seem authoritative and credible?

Facts, statistics, news stories, historical events and experts. An expert could be someone who has researched the topic or been affected by it.

What can happen if you read from a script or memorise word for word?

Your delivery can become robotic and the presentation less convincing. Aim for some spontaneity and a natural, relaxed manner.

What do effective cue cards hold, and what do they leave out?

They hold key ideas, sentence starters, keywords, and facts, statistics and rhetorical devices that are hard to remember. They leave out full sentences.

How does practising help?

You know what to say and how to deliver it, it feels more natural, and it can help with nerves. Smiling, upright posture and a few deep breaths are other strategies.

How much should be on a slide?

A minimum. Visual aids should enhance the presentation, not distract from it. An image or a word can be plenty.

What is body language, and how does it help a speaker?

Non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, posture and gestures. With varied eye contact, it helps you look confident, calm and engaged.

What is the risk of too much movement, and of too little?

Too much, including fidgeting, can be distracting. Too little can be wooden.

Tap any card to flip it, or use Study as deck to go through them one at a time. In the full lesson these run as a spaced-repetition deck — you rate each card Hard, Good or Easy and the tricky ones keep coming back until they stick.

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What actually goes on the cue card?

Which plan would you trust?

Build the front and back of your own talk

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