What really makes presenting in English hard

#1. Why does presenting in English feel harder than it should?

Imagine you want to present a topic you are very familiar with in your native language. Naturally, you expect to present in English with the same ease and expertise. This expectation creates a high cognitive load.

Cognitive load means your brain needs to process a lot of information, such as vocabulary, presenting in English, and different expectations from your audience. That’s because you are not presenting in your native language but in a foreign language.

But you have the same expectations, and maybe also perfectionism, in your approach to your presentation. That makes it feel harder when you are actually presenting.

When presenting in English, you may also be making a common mistake that makes expressing yourself feel harder: translating your presentation directly into English. 

This is something I often notice when my clients discuss the topic presentation and their approach with me. 

What’s the problem with this strategy?

Translating means your brain is constantly working under pressure, not in a very relaxed state. This can create blockages and also a feeling that presenting in English is rather hard.

As a result of direct translation, you might expect an eloquent presentation to impress your audience. It would be better if you try to think directly in English as much as possible. 

Pro tip:

And it also helps my clients a lot to practice delivering a presentation in advance. It calms the brain down, and you are much more relaxed when you actually need to deliver the presentation.

Now that we've explored some ways to ease presenting in English, you might still wonder:

#2. My English is good, but presenting in English feels exhausting. Why?

If you find yourself tongue-tied in presentations, even though you’ve got a rather advanced level, ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you in a stressful business situation? 

When you speak English, how you feel often depends on the situation you are in. In a relaxed, relatively easy business situation, like small talk, you are confident and can speak at a good level of English. 

But once you are in a more stressful situation, like a business presentation, your brain needs more energy, which can feel more exhausting.

2. Are you confusing speed with fluency?

I notice that my clients think fluency in speaking means speaking quickly. So maybe this applies to you, too. You try to speak quickly, which only adds to the stress. 

One of my clients would speed up when he had to give a presentation. Maybe it was due to nervousness or other factors, but the audience struggled to understand him, and he began to struggle. 

In one of his next presentations, he slowed down. made him sound more professional, and he felt much calmer. It was easier for him to deliver facts, and he got compliments from the audience for his presentation.

3. Are you constantly worried about mistakes?

When you present in English, you might be constantly monitoring yourself because you fear making mistakes. This is normal but unnecessary. 

Your audience surely forgives you the odd mistake. You are human, so you can make a mistake. It is nothing to worry too much about. And since you have a good level of English, I am sure we will not make many mistakes.  

But instead, your brain needs to deal with a stressful situation and monitor, which costs even more energy and causes exhaustion. 

Sometimes my clients make the same mistake again when they are stressed. Like, for example, mixing up “since” and “for,” or saying things like: 

• “We see ourselves next week.
• “This is a problem.”  
• “I am living in Bremen.” 

But these small errors matter much less than most people think.  When presenters are relaxed, they come across as warm and confident, so their audience doesn’t worry too much about minor glitches.

4. Are you afraid of freezing?

Another negative influence is the fear of being stuck. Being stuck in a presentation might feel like the incident you want to avoid by all means. 

But this thought already puts you under more pressure and can cause blockages. Besides, every presenter occasionally gets stuck. 

What matters more than never getting stuck? 

Knowing what you can say in case it happens. A sentence like: “Now I’m stuck. Sorry about that.” in the back of your mind might make you feel more relaxed at your next presentation. Surely your audience won’t remember the incident when you can handle the situation with a sentence like this.

👉 Want your English presentations to feel lighter and more natural? Let’s work on it.

#3. Why do I sound less confident when presenting in English, even though I know my topic well?

Use the following technique to build your confidence in presenting in English, no matter what your level is:

Trying to speak quickly when delivering a presentation doesn’t just cause stress; it also makes you feel less confident when you start stumbling across words or get lost in your presentation. 

Try this 3-step technique to help you slow down and present better:

• Pause more often. 
• Take time to capture your audience's attention. 
• Then continue at a lower speed.

These three steps are a great way to help you let go of the myth that speaking quickly makes you fluent--and finally become a great presenter in English.

Surely it might feel strange to speak slowly when you are a quick speaker in your native language. But here, it is important to keep in mind that when delivering a presentation in a completely different language, other rules apply. 

In addition, you may be presenting to non-native English speakers, who can follow you better this way. 

Try using simpler language. 

Consider sticking to ‘safe’ words until you feel more comfortable speaking. That way, your expertise in the topic can still shine. When your audience can follow your logic and see your expertise, nobody will notice that you are using simpler words. 

And don’t forget one of the quickest ways to make your presentations better in English:

Use the functional language of presentations.

This one small shift makes your presentation sound English. It will be easier for your audience to follow, and it makes you a competent presenter. 

Here are some examples you can use in your next presentation:

• Today, you are going to hear about…
• Let me start by introducing myself.
• I’ve divided my presentation into three parts.
• There will be 5 minutes for Q&A at the end.
• This brings me to my next point.
• The takeaway from today’s presentation is..
• That’s all I wanted to say on this topic.

Let yourself have an “English presentation mode.”

Comparing your English with your native language is normal, but not really useful. Instead, it would be good if you try to see it as a stand-alone presentation you need to create from scratch in a foreign language. It is an approach that also helps my clients when we discuss presentations.

#4. Takeaway

I hope you feel well prepared for your next English presentation. I suggest you start with just one of these techniques and use it while you practice and present for the next month or so.  Once you feel comfortable, move on to the next strategy. It’s up to you.

So, what should you do when you need to deliver a presentation in English?

Here are the most important parts you should make sure to consider:

• Use the functional language of presentations.
• Use vocabulary and phrases you feel confident with
• Create the presentation in English from scratch.
• Try to focus fully on the presentation. 
• Have a sentence prepared in case you are stuck.
• Allow yourself to make the odd mistake.
• Create a presentation outlining your audience's expectations.
• Try to be less perfect in your native language while still showing your expertise.

You’ll benefit because you grow into a more confident presenter in English and gain more flexibility while delivering the presentation. You feel less stressed and more focused on the topic you are presenting.

Try to practice as much as possible before you are actually presenting. While practising, you can try one or two of the new techniques mentioned here. If possible, try practising with a friend or colleague who can give you feedback on your presentation.

👉 Stop surviving presentations — start leading them.

Business English Coaching for Professionals