💬Tell me more!!

Wassup! I’m back in the scorching continental European heat. While you (those of us in the northern hemisphere) continue keeping cool during this hot summer, we will dive into the art of writing captivating introductions for presentations! Join us on this journey as we explore the magic that turns a simple hello into an unforgettable invitation to an engaging presentation. For those of you in the southern hemisphere, keep sending us those cool vibes!

❄️ Stay cool!

Margaret Bergeron

How to avoid a nightmare!!

Advanced

Picture this nightmare: you are in front of an audience and fear that you can’t engage the audience. You step onto the stage, your knees shaking like gelatin on a bumpy ride, and your voice sounds like a squeaky toy. The audience’s disinterested faces made you feel like a boring comedian with a repertoire of dad jokes. Your insecurity skyrockets. Your desperate attempts to win them over only fuel their apathy. The more you try, the more disconnected you feel from the crowd, like a mime trapped in an invisible box of disinterest.

Part of the solution is creating a great introduction. It’s crucial to capture your audience’s attention and set the tone for the rest of your presentation or report. So without further ado, here are some tips to craft an engaging and impactful introduction:

🎣 Start with a Hook: Begin with a compelling hook that grabs your readers’ attention. This could be a thought-provoking question, a surprising statistic, a fascinating anecdote, a powerful quote, or a vivid description. The goal is to pique your reader’s curiosity and make them want to keep reading.
🌐 Provide Context: After hooking your readers, give them context about the topic you’re discussing. Explain why it is relevant, important, or timely. This will help orient your readers and give them a reason to continue reading to learn more.
🎯 State Your Thesis: In academic or persuasive writing, clearly state your thesis or main argument in the introduction. This lets readers know what to expect and helps them understand the purpose of your writing.
⏱️ Keep It Concise: An introduction should be concise and to the point. Avoid getting too detailed or going off on tangents. Save the in-depth information for the body of your piece.
🗣️ Be Clear and Engaging: Use clear and straightforward language to ensure your readers understand what you’re trying to convey. Avoid overly complex sentences that might confuse or lose your audience. Also, try to infuse your introduction with your unique voice and writing style to make it more engaging.
🚪 Create a Smooth Transition: Ensure a smooth transition from the introduction to the main body of your content. The transition should be natural, guiding readers seamlessly into the core of your piece.
🤔🔗 Appeal to Emotions and Logic: Depending on the nature of your writing, try to appeal to both the emotions and the logic of your readers. Connect with their emotions to make them care about the topic, and present logical reasons to support your arguments.
❓ Use the “So What?” Test: After writing your introduction, ask yourself, “So what?” Does your introduction make readers want to continue reading? Does it communicate the significance of the topic? If not, consider revising it to make it more compelling.
✍️🔍 Revise and Edit: Don’t settle for the first draft of your introduction. Revise and edit it multiple times to make it as strong as possible. Share it with others for possible feedback, as fresh perspectives can be invaluable.
🌟📜 Be Honest and Authentic: Lastly, be honest and authentic in your introduction. Avoid exaggerations or making false promises. Readers appreciate genuine writing that delivers what it promises.

Remember that the introduction is the first impression you make on your readers, so invest time and effort in crafting an introduction that entices them to keep reading.

Intermediate

Creating a compelling introduction holds immense importance in seizing attention and establishing the tone of your work. For essays, articles, or any content, adhere to these vital guidelines:

🔍 Hook Them: Initiate with an intriguing hook – a question, fact, anecdote, or quote – to ignite curiosity.
🌍 Give Context: Following the hook, provide context to maintain reader engagement by explaining the topic’s relevance.
🎯 State Your Point: Clearly present your main argument or thesis to guide reader expectations effectively.
⏱️ Stay Brief: Keep introductions concise, reserving detailed explanations for the main content.
🗣️ Be Clear & Engaging: Utilize straightforward language with a touch of your unique voice to keep readers engaged.
🚀 Smooth Transition: Ensure the transition to the main content flows seamlessly for reader continuity.
🤔🔗 Emotion & Logic: Blend emotional connection and logical reasoning to captivate readers.
❓ Pass the “So What?” Test: Ensure the introduction compels readers to continue by addressing the significance of the topic.
✍️🌟 Revise & Be Authentic: Edit your introduction for strength and authenticity, avoiding exaggerations.

Remember, your introduction serves as the initial impression, thus dedicating time to craft an engaging and inviting introduction is a worthwhile investment.

Lower intermediate

Crafting a strong intro is vital for grabbing attention and setting your piece’s tone. For essays, articles, or any content, follow these key tips:

💡Hook Them : Start with a captivating hook – a question, fact, anecdote, quote – to spark curiosity.
🌍Give Context : Explain topic relevance after the hook to keep readers engaged.
🎯State Your Point : Present your main argument or thesis clearly to guide expectations.
⏱️Stay Brief : Keep intros concise; save details for the main part.
🗣️Be Clear & Engaging : Use simple language and your unique voice.
🚀Smooth Transition : Make the shift to the main content seamless.
🤔🔗Emotion & Logic : Connect emotionally and provide logical reasons.
❓Pass the “So What?” Test : Ensure the intro compels readers to continue.
✍️🌟Revise & Be Authentic : Edit for strength and authenticity, avoiding exaggerations.

Remember, your intro forms the first impression; invest time to make it intriguing and inviting.

🌟 Illuminating words

Engage 😊: To involve, attract, or participate actively in something, often with interest or attention.
Repertoire 🎵: The complete collection or range of skills, abilities, actions, or items that someone possesses or is familiar with, especially in a particular field or domain.
Dad Jokes 🤣: Humorous, often corny or pun-based jokes that are characterized by their simplicity and are commonly associated with a style of humor attributed to dads.
Skyrockets 🚀: Refers to a sudden and rapid increase or rise, often used metaphorically to describe a significant surge or escalation.
Apathy 😐: Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern about something. It signifies a general lack of emotion or motivation.
Without Further Ado 🎬: An expression used to introduce or move forward with something directly and without delay or unnecessary preamble.
To Craft 🛠️: To create or produce something skillfully and carefully, often with attention to detail and artistry.
Impactful 🌟: Having a strong or significant effect, often used to describe actions, events, or experiences that leave a profound impression.
Going Off on Tangents 🌀: Deviating from the main topic of discussion and discussing unrelated or less relevant matters.
Straightforward 📝: Clear, simple, and easy to understand or deal with. It suggests a lack of complexity or hidden meanings.
To Infuse 🌿: To introduce or incorporate something (like a quality, element, or flavor) into something else, often to enhance or enrich it.
Seamlessly 🧩: Smoothly and without any noticeable interruptions or difficulties, often used to describe processes or transitions.
Compelling 🎆: Highly engaging, persuasive, or captivating, often used to describe something that evokes a strong interest or response.
Feedback 📣: Information, opinions, or reactions about a task, product, performance, or behavior, often provided by others for the purpose of improvement.
In-Depth 🕵️‍♂️: A term used to describe a thorough and comprehensive analysis, examination, or exploration of a subject or topic, often delving deeply into details and nuances.

🎭State Verbs: To be or not to be

State verbs, also known as stative verbs or non-action verbs, are a category of verbs that describe a state, condition, or situation rather than an action. Most importantly, they are not usually used in the continuous form and if they do they are referring to something very specific. State verbs typically refer to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, and characteristics.

Some common state verbs:

Thoughts: believe know remember forget think (meaning believe), feel, guess( meaning believe) suppose, understand. When these verbs are used in the continuous form they indicate that the thought/opinion could be changing.

I think climate change is here to stay.

I’m thinking that the new law on corporate tax may be advantageous to some.

Feelings: like, hate, want, need, prefer, etc. When these verbs are used in the continuous form they indicate that they are temporary. They emphasize the subject’s current preferences or desires at that moment.

Normally, I don’t like cloudy weather.

But after a couple of heatwaves, I am liking the cooler temperatures of cloudy skies.

Senses: smell taste hear see. When they are used in the continuous form they suggest that the sensory experience is happening at that specific moment.

Roses smell pretty nice.

The dog’s smelling its food.

Possession: have, belong, own, contain, include. In the continuous form, they refer to a temporary possession or inclusion of something at that moment.

The book includes an explanatory annex.

She is including her cousins on the guestlist.

Existence: exist, remain, consists, seem, mean, matter, etc. In this case, the continuous form indicates the temporary or ongoing state of existence, usually longer than expected.

It seems like a very difficult situation.

It is seeming like a very difficult situation.

⏰Time for Action

Personal Preferences and Hobbies:
- Discuss your favorite hobbies, activities, or types of music you enjoy.
- Use state verbs like “love,” “like,” “prefer,” or “enjoy” to express interests.
Describing People and Relationships:
- Talk about their friends, family members, or someone you admire.
- Use state verbs such as “know,” “respect,” “believe in,” or “trust” to describe relationships.
Emotions and Feelings:
- Initiate a discussion about how different friends or family were feeling on a particular day.
- Use state verbs like “feel,” “seem,” “appear,” or “be” to express emotions and states of mind.
Opinions and Beliefs:
- Pose a question about a controversial topic or current event and ask for opinions. Use state verbs such as “think,” “believe,” “consider,” or “opine” to express their viewpoints.
Describing Objects or Places:
- Describe an image using state verbs.
- Use verbs like “look,” “seem,” “appear,” “sound,” or “smell” to create vivid descriptions.

👂Flexing your ears

🌟 Catcha on the next one!

Discover the potency of state verbs in captivating your audience, painting vivid scenes and fostering deep connections. Embrace their charm to craft experiences that linger long after the words are read. Stay tuned for more enriching insights in our next edition! 🗣️🚀

🚀 Shoutout

🤠 Surnjani from Texas for the inspiration. 🏙️ Gabriel from Germany for the practice!!