Superlative adjectives in presentation hooks

Superlative adjectives in presentation hooks

Write the correct superlative forms of the adjectives in brackets below (including “the” when it is necessary).

This is almost certainly __________________________________________________ (important) presentation that you will attend this year.

This new system which I’m going to present is _______________ (up-to-date) in the world.

What has been ____________________ (big) change in working life in the last ten years?

I wanted to present this information to you guys first because you are our ________________________________________________________ (valuable) asset.

I’m here today because we are about to start __________________________________ (difficult) year in the history of our company.

What’s ______________________ (bad) thing about modern life, and what’s the solution?

How can you be _______________________________ (productive) person in your office?

You can be ________________________________________________ (knowledgeable), _________________________ (friendly) and _______________________ (understanding) boss in the world, but that is not enough in our present business environment.

How many people here think that our working processes are ______________________ (efficient) that they can possibly be? Please raise your hand now if you think so.

Today’s business environment is ___________________________________________ (complex) one that humans have ever faced.

I’m sure you all saw _____________________________________________________ (late) news from the Chinese stockmarket yesterday, and are probably as worried as I am.

This figure here shows the number of people in ______________ (large) slum in the world.

______________________________________________________________ (surprising) thing about this technology is that the first one was actually invented over a century ago.

According to _______________________________________________ (famous) scientist in this area, global warming will be “the defining issue of the next ten generations”.

Compare with the suggested answers on the next page.

Suggested answers

• This is almost certainly the most important presentation that you will attend this year.
• This new system which I’m going to present is the most up-to-date in the world.
• What has been the biggest change in working life in the last ten years?
• I wanted to present this information to you guys first because you are our most valuable
• I’m here today because we are about to start the most difficult year in the history of our company.
• What’s the worst thing about modern life, and what’s the solution?
• How can you be the most productive person in your office?
• You can be the most knowledgeable, the friendliest and the most understanding boss in the world, but that is not enough in our present business environment.
• How many people here think that our working processes are the most efficient that they can possibly be? Please raise your hand now if you think so.
• Today’s business environment is the most complex one that humans have ever faced.
• I’m sure you all saw the latest news from the Chinese stock market yesterday, and are probably as worried as I am.
• This figure here shows the number of people in the largest slum in the world.
• The most surprising thing about this technology is that the first one was actually invented over a century ago.
• According to the most famous scientist in this area, global warming will be “the defining issue of the next ten generations”.

Rank the hooks above from the best (what you’d be most hooked by, no 1) to the worst (what you’d be least hooked by, no 14). Then discuss the best and worst ones as a class.

What kinds of hooks can you use in presentations? Which are generally the most effective?

Classify the hooks above with these categories by writing the letters in brackets () next to the sentences above. Sometimes more than one category is possible.

• Amazing facts (AF)
• Emphasizing importance (EI)
• Figures/ Numbers/ Data/ Statistics (F)
• Intriguing statements (IS, meaning statements that make you want to know more)
• Making a personal connection to the audience (PC)
• Quotations (Q)
• Recent news/ Topicality (RN)
• Rhetorical questions (RQ, meaning things that are grammatically questions but are only supposed to make you think, e.g. aren’t meant to be answered)
• Survey questions (SQ, e.g. asking people to raise their hands)

Which of those kinds of hooks do you generally think are best? Choose a top five.

What else would you include in a presentation introduction (greeting, name, etc)? Write all the possible things in a list, then put the list in the best order (in most cases or for you).