It is important to keep in mind when preparing an oral presentation that delivery, or how you express your ideas, can be just as important as the content and logic of your argument. There are structures and strategies that are designed to get an emotional response and can help you deliver your presentation with more impact.
Repetition
One way to add emphasis is to repeat a key word in a series of successive phrases, clauses or sentences.
- Today, I'm excited. I'm excited to see what new technologies will appear in the near future, and I'm excited to see how they will continue to improve our lives.
Another device is when the last word or set of words of a phrase is repeated at the end of a series of phrases, clauses or sentences.
- "...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” -A. Lincoln
Balance
Parallel Structure
A series of strong, grammatically parallel phrases or clauses is an effective way to add emphasis to a talk.
- The people of this country are tired of this government's lies, are hungry for change, and are ready for action.
Antithesis
Also a use of parallel structure, antithesis is a balance of two juxtaposed, contrasting ideas.
- The purpose of the law should not be to restrict the public's freedom but to protect and preserve it.
Sentence Structure
Inversion
We sometimes invert the order of the subject and auxiliary verb in statements to add emphasis, particularly with negative/limiting adverbs, such as never, rarely, only, hardly, barely, scarcely, etc.
- Only when society truly acknowledges the problem will we be able to find a solution.
- Never would I have believed that such technology was so close to being readily available.
Noun Clauses and Cleft Sentences
We often use noun clauses and cleft sentences to emphasize the significance of a statement, and to ensure the audience is paying attention.
- What I would like to tell you today is everything you thought you knew about stress is wrong.