Planning a 10‑minute AI presentation
CEFR: B2
Read/Listen first
Next week I must give a ten‑minute talk about how our team uses AI. I will prepare short slides with one clear point on each. I want to sound confident, so I will practise with a timer and reduce text on the screen. If I feel nervous, I will breathe, smile, and start with a simple question. The goal is to show helpful use cases and one pain point, not to cover everything.⚡ Learning goals
- I can outline a short presentation with clear steps.
- I can give practical advice for confident delivery.
- I can summarise use cases and pain points concisely.
✨ Key language
- PechaKucha-style “Use quick slides: one idea per slide.”
- timeboxed practice “Practise with a strict timer.”
- opening question “Start with a short, friendly question.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Future with will / going to
Rule: ‘Will’ for decisions now; ‘going to’ for plans and intentions.Examples: I will practise with a timer; I’m going to use quick slides; I will answer questions briefly
Common pitfall + fix: Using only one form for all futures — Choose the form by intention vs. decision.
Choose the best option: I ___ use one idea per slide.
Tip: ‘Going to’ for planned actions.
Fill with the best answer:
I ___ breathe and smile before I start.Tip: ‘Will’ for a decision at the moment.
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
2️⃣ Sequencers for structure
Rule: Use ‘first, next, then, finally’ to organise the talk.Examples: First, greet the audience; Then present two use cases; Finally, invite questions
Common pitfall + fix: Jumping without signposting — Add clear sequencers.
Pick the best opener.
Tip: Start with ‘First’.
Fill with the best answer:
___, show one pain point.Tip: Use ‘Then’ to move to the next step.
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
3️⃣ Imperatives for advice
Rule: Use base verb to give clear advice.Examples: Breathe before you start; Use one idea per slide; Stop reading full sentences
Common pitfall + fix: Softening so much that advice is unclear — Prefer direct imperatives.
Choose the best advice.
Tip: Imperative is clear and direct.
Fill with the best answer:
___ the slides under ten words each.Tip: Imperative form.
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
4️⃣ First conditional for plans
Rule: ‘If + present, will + base’ for real future conditions.Examples: If I feel nervous, I will pause; If time is short, I will skip one slide; If a question is unclear, I will rephrase it
Common pitfall + fix: Using ‘would’ for real future — Use ‘will’ in the main clause.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: First conditional for real future.
Fill with the best answer:
If the timer rings, I ___ finish.Tip: ‘Will’ in the main clause.
✍️ Vocabulary
timebox
Meaning: to limit an activity with a fixed time.Synonyms: limit, schedule, set a timer.
Chunk/Idiom: timebox your rehearsal.
Example: I timeboxed rehearsal to ten minutes..
Morphology: verb.
Self-practice: Say: Timebox the Q&A to three minutes..
slide deck
Meaning: a set of presentation slides.Synonyms: presentation, set of slides, deck.
Chunk/Idiom: a focused slide deck.
Example: The slide deck shows one idea per slide..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Name two tools for slide decks..
use case
Meaning: a practical example of how something is used.Synonyms: application, scenario, example.
Chunk/Idiom: a clear AI use case.
Example: We presented three use cases..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Give one AI use case in your job..
pain point
Meaning: a specific problem that causes frustration.Synonyms: issue, blocker, challenge.
Chunk/Idiom: a key pain point.
Example: We addressed one pain point..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: State one pain point you face..
stage fright
Meaning: nervousness before speaking in public.Synonyms: anxiety, nerves, jitters.
Chunk/Idiom: reduce stage fright.
Example: Breathing helped reduce stage fright..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Share a tip to manage stage fright..
cue
Meaning: a signal to begin an action.Synonyms: prompt, signal, hint.
Chunk/Idiom: a friendly opening cue.
Example: A question was a good cue to start..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Write one cue for your intro..
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
First, set a clear goal for the talk.
Then timebox rehearsal to ten minutes.
Next, practise your opening question.
Finally, end with one action point.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Pick the best future form.
Tip: ‘Be going to’ + base verb.
Choose the best imperative.
Tip: Imperative is concise.
Fill with the best answer:
___, present one pain point.Tip: Sequencer for structure.
Fill with the best answer:
If I feel nervous, I ___ pause.Tip: First conditional form.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
What is a ‘use case’?
Tip: It shows how something is used.
‘Timebox’ means you…
Tip: Timeboxing sets a duration.
Fill with the best answer:
The slides form a ___ deck.Tip: Collocation: slide deck.
Fill with the best answer:
Breathing reduces ___ fright.Tip: Compound noun ‘stage fright’.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: What’s your plan for the talk?B: First I’ll greet everyone, then share three use cases.
Finally I’ll invite one question.
Why this matters:
Structure reduces stage fright. Short slides keep attention high. Good openings build rapport quickly.Verb & Adjective Pack:
- to rehearse — Rehearse with a timer tonight.
- concise — Give concise points per slide.
- to engage — Engage the audience with a question.
- visual — Use visual cues, not long text.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: ___, share one clear use case.
Tip: Signal each step with a sequencer.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: If I will feel nervous, I pause.
Tip: Present in ‘if’ clause; ‘will’ in main clause.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Keep one idea per slide and speak slowly.Tip: Pause after ‘slide’.