Effective Presentations – stating your purpose
Posted on October 24, 2011
Good morning my brother and sister. I have emailed from our friend site, http://grammar-teacher.com. Posted about how we can make effective presentations and how to start tell some point that we will deliver to our participant or your students. I think it will useful for us.
It is important to state your purpose clearly at the beginning of your talk. Here are some ways to do this:
talk about = to speak about a subject
report on = to tell you about what has been done.
take a look at = to examine
First, let's take a look at what we have achieved so far.
Before we go on to the figures, I'd like to take a look at the changes we have made.
tell you about = to speak to someone to give them information or instructions
First, I will tell you about the present situation, then go onto what we are going to do.
When I have finished, Jack will then tell you about what is happening in Europe.
show = to explain something by doing it or by giving instructions.
outline = to give the main facts or information about something.
fill you in on = to give some extra or missing information
I'd like to quickly fill you in on what has happened.
When I have finished outlining the policy, Jerry will fill you in on what we want you to do.
give an overview of = to give a short description with general information but no details.
Firstly, I would like to give you a brief overview of the situation.
I'll give you an overview of our objectives and then hand over to Peter for more details.
highlight = draw attention to or emphasize the important fact or facts.
discuss = to talk about ideas or opinions on a subject in more detail.
I'm now going to go on to discuss our options in more detail.
After a brief overview of the results, I'd like to discuss the implications in more detail.
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Must to express inference or possibility
Must does not always express compulsion or obligation. It is sometimes used to express inference or possibility or certainty.
- She must be home by now. (= I think she is certainly at home.)
- There is somebody at the door. That must be the postman. (= I think that is certainly the postman.)
- She must be about forty years old. (inference / possibility)
- What he says must be true.
Must can be used with a perfect infinitive (have + past participle) to express conclusions about the past.
- You must have been mad to do such a thing.
- 'Somebody phoned while you were out.' 'That must have been Susan.
Must and should
Note that should can be used as a weaker form of must in this case.
Compare:
- She must have gone home. (= I think she has certainly gone home.)
- She should have gone home. (= I think she has probably gone home.)
Exercise
Rewrite the following sentences using must.
1. I suppose you are mistaken.
2. I think he is certainly the oldest man in the village.
3. I think she is older than her husband.
4. Surely he is a fool to behave like that.
5. I suppose the poor fellow was cheated by somebody.
Answers
1. You must be mistaken.
2. He must be the oldest man in the village.
3. She must be older than her husband.
4. He must be a fool to behave like that.
5. The poor fellow must have been cheated by somebody.
Changing an affirmative sentence into interrogative and exclamatory
Study the following sentences. They are in the pattern 'adjective + of + noun / pronoun + to-infinitive'.
- It was good of him to help the poor man.
- It is foolish of him to throw away his chances like that.
- It was clever of him to solve the problem so quickly.
These sentences can be rewritten in the interrogative and exclamatory forms.
- How good of him to help the poor man!
- How foolish of him to throw away his chances like that!
- How clever of him to solve the problem so quickly!
- Wasn't it good of him to help the poor man?
- Isn't it foolish of him to throw away his chances like that?
- Wasn't it clever of him to solve the problem so quickly?
Exercise
Rewrite the following sentences in the exclamatory and interrogative forms.
1. It is kind of you to invite us.
2. It was foolish of him to behave like that.
3. It was prudent of the boy to alert the policeman.
4. It was careless of him to leave the door unlocked.
Answers
1. How kind of you to invite us! / Isn't it kind of you to invite us?
2. How foolish of him to behave like that! / Wasn't it foolish of him to behave like that?
3. How prudent of the boy to alert the policeman! / Wasn't it prudent of the boy to alert the policeman?
4. How careless of him to leave the door unlocked! / Wasn't it careless of him to leave the door unlocked?
Using next and nearest
Nearest is used for place. It is used to refer to people or things which are most near in space.
Next is used to talk about time or position in a series. It means 'after this / that one'.
We will get off at the next station. (NOT We will get off at the nearest station.)
We are looking forward to your next visit. (NOT We are looking forward to your nearest visit.)
As soon as he finished one project, he started planning the next. (NOT … he started planning the nearest.)
Next can be used for place in a few fixed expressions. In this case it means 'nearest in space'. The most common expressions of this kind are 'next door' and 'next to'.
Distributives
Each, every, either and neither are distributive adjectives. These are normally used with singular nouns.
Position
Distributives are placed immediately before the nouns they qualify.
- Each boy wore a hat.
- Neither answer is correct.
- Every child needs love.
Note
Each, either and neither can be used with plural nouns when they are followed by 'of'
- Each of the boys wore a hat.
- Neither of the answers is correct.
Each
Each is used when we are talking about the members of a group as individuals.
- Each boy was given a watch.
- Each of the boys was given a watch.
Each and every
Each is preferred when we are thinking of people or things separately, one at a time. Every is similar to all. Every is preferred when we are thinking of people or things together.
- Each patient went to see the doctor. (In turn)
- He gave every patient the same medicine.
Either and Neither
Either and neither are used to talk about distribution between two things.
Either is used in affirmative clauses. Neither is used in negative clauses.
- Which shirt do you want? Either shirt will do.
- I will take either shirt, they are both good.
- Neither answer is correct.
- Neither of them came.
Attributive adjectives after nouns
Most adjectives can go in two main places in a sentence: in attributive position and predicative position.
In attributive position, an adjective comes before the noun it modifies.
- She is a nice girl.
- She married a rich businessman.
In predicative position, an adjective goes after the verb.
- She is nice.
- He looked upset.
While attributive adjectives usually go before the nouns, a few can be used after nouns. This, for example, happens in some fixed phrases.
- Secretary General
- Poet Laureate
- Attorney General
- Court martial
Some adjectives ending in -able/-ible can also be used after nouns.
- It is the only solution possible.
- Book all the tickets available.
After something, everything etc.
Adjectives come after words like something, everything, anything, nothing, somebody, anywhere etc.
- I would like to go somewhere quiet. (NOT I would like to go quiet somewhere.)
- I heard something interesting today. (NOT I heard interesting something today.)
In most expressions of measurement adjectives come after the measurement noun.
- ten years older (NOT Older ten years) (NOT ten older years)
- six feet deep
- two miles long
Verb + object + adjective
Adjectives can be placed after the object.
- You make me happy.
- Can you get the children ready for school?
Correct use of conjunctions
Scarcely…when
It is wrong to use than instead of when in these sentences:
- Scarcely had I reached the station than the train steamed out. (Incorrect)
- Scarcely had I reached the station when the train steamed out. (Correct)
If scarcely begins the sentence it should be immediately followed by had.
- Scarcely I had reached the station when the train steamed out. (Incorrect)
- Scarcely had I reached the station when the train steamed out. (Correct)
- I had scarcely reached the station when the train steamed out. (Correct)
Correlatives
The correlatives either…or, neither…nor, both…and, not only…but also must be placed immediately before the words they relate to.
- Neither he would eat nor allow us to eat. (Incorrect)
- He would neither eat nor allow us to eat. (Correct)
- Neither I shall follow your instructions nor resign. (Incorrect)
- I shall neither follow your instructions nor resign. (Correct)
- He not only visited France but also Germany.
- He visited not only France but also Germany.
Exercise
Fill in the blanks with appropriate conjunctions
1. I would rather be an engineer —————– a doctor.
2. I cannot excuse you —————— you apologize.
3. Neither a lender —————- a borrower be.
4. Work hard —————– you should fail.
5. Clever ——————- he was, he could not solve the problem.
Answers
1. than
2. unless
3. nor
4. lest
5. as
We don't use 'Shall' very frequently in modern English, particularly in American English.
It is used to make offers and suggestions and to ask for advice.
- What time shall we meet?
- Shall we vote on it now?
- What dress shall I wear?
- Shall I open the window?
You only really need to know that about 'shall' in modern English. Read the rest of this only if you want to know more about how some older speakers still use 'shall'.
Formerly, in older grammar, 'shall' was used as an alternative to 'will' with 'I' and 'we'. Today, 'will' is normally used. When we do use 'shall', it has an idea of a more personal, subjective future.
- I shall go to see the boss and I shall ask him to explain this decision.
Notice that the negative of 'shall' can be 'shall not' or 'shan't' – though the second one is now very rare in American English.
- I don't like these people and I shall not go to their party.
- I shan't object if you go without me.
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