Speaking with Confidence
Speaking with Confidence
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Speaking with Confidence
This lesson is designed for B1 learners preparing for assessed speaking projects. The thread is that good public speaking is not only about accuracy, but also about structure, flexibility and useful B1-level phrases.
Learning goal
I can express myself clearly in public, improvise when needed, and use suitable B1 speaking phrases in a presentation.
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Words or phrases you connect with good public speaking
Use this to activate prior knowledge. Expect ideas such as confidence, eye contact, clear voice, structure, calm, practice, and audience.
Express correctly
Clear speaking means your ideas are easy to follow
Correct speaking at B1 level does not mean perfect speaking
Good expression combines grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and organisation
A speaker can make a small mistake and still communicate well
The main aim is to be understood with confidence
Stress that fluency and clarity matter more than perfection in this context. Students often stop speaking because they are afraid of mistakes.
Express correctly
Use short, complete sentences
Link one idea to the next clearly
Choose words you know well
Pronounce key words carefully
You can model weak and strong versions of the same short response so students hear the difference between unclear speech and controlled B1 speech.
Express correctly
Useful habits for accurate speaking:
pause before important ideas
stress the main word in a sentence
avoid very long answers with too many ideas
correct yourself simply if needed: Sorry, I mean...
keep going after a mistake
This slide supports assessed speaking: self-correction is positive if it is brief and does not break communication.
Express correctly
A clear answer often follows a simple pattern:
main idea → detail → example
Example:
I enjoy reading → because it helps me relax → for example, I usually read before I go to sleep.
Keep this pattern visible during the lesson. It gives students a practical frame for both prepared and improvised speaking.
What is the main aim of correct speaking at B1 level?
Perfect grammar
Long answers
Being understood
Difficult vocabulary
The slides stress that clear communication matters more than perfection.
Build a clear answer
A clear answer often starts with the main idea, then gives a detail, and finishes with an example. If you make a mistake, you can say Sorry, I mean and keep going.
This checks the key support pattern and the self-correction phrase from the first subtopic.
Talk about any topic in public
Public speaking needs planning and control
A good presentation helps listeners follow your message
The speaker should sound organised, not memorised
Even simple language can sound strong when the structure is clear
Connect this directly to their project assessment: the goal is to communicate effectively to an audience, not to recite a script.
Talk about any topic in public
Start with the topic
Give 2 or 3 key points
Add a short example or reason
Finish with a simple closing idea
Present this as a dependable presentation frame students can use for many school topics.
Talk about any topic in public
Useful opening phrases:
Today I’m going to talk about...
The topic of my presentation is...
First, I’d like to explain...
Useful closing phrases:
To sum up...
In conclusion...
Thank you for listening.
These are high-value presentation phrases for B1 learners and fit Cambridge-style speaking development well.
Talk about any topic in public
Good delivery makes the message stronger:
stand in a balanced way
look at the audience, not only at notes
speak loudly enough for the room
use pauses to separate ideas
do not rush
Although the class is ESL speaking, delivery supports intelligibility and confidence. Keep the focus on spoken communication rather than performance style.
Which order matches the presentation frame?
Topic, key points, example, closing
Example, topic, closing, key points
Closing, example, topic, key points
Key points, closing, topic, example
Tests whether students can recognise the simple structure for speaking in public.
Useful presentation phrases
When you begin, you can say Today I’m going to talk about or The topic of my presentation is. During the talk, pauses help separate ideas. At the end, you can say To sum up before your final message.
All answers come directly from the public speaking block: openings, endings, and delivery.
Which part of public speaking needs most practice for you?
Opening clearly
Organising points
Looking at audience
Speaking slowly
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Improvise
Improvising means speaking when you do not have every word prepared
It is useful when you forget a point or get an unexpected topic
Good improvisation depends on simple language, quick organisation and calm thinking
At B1 level, the aim is to respond naturally and clearly
Students may think improvising means speaking fast. Emphasise that it really means keeping communication going with control.
Improvise
A quick way to improvise:
say your main idea first
give a reason
add an example
end with a short final comment
This mirrors the earlier speaking pattern so students see that prepared and unprepared speaking use the same basic structure.
Improvise
Useful thinking phrases buy time while you organise your answer:
Let me think for a moment.
That’s an interesting question.
I’ve never thought about that before, but...
In my opinion...
I would say that...
These phrases help students avoid silence and sound more natural in assessed speaking.
Improvise
If you forget a word, keep speaking:
explain the idea in another way
use a simpler word
describe what the thing does
give an example instead of the exact word
avoid stopping completely
Highlight circumlocution as a strong communication strategy and a realistic B1 skill.
Improvise
Example of flexible speaking:
I prefer studying in the morning → because I feel more focused → for example, I can finish homework faster before lunch → so it is the best time for me.
Use this to show that improvisation can still sound organised when students rely on a repeatable answer pattern.
What should you do first when improvising?
Give an example
Say your main idea
Apologise and stop
Use difficult words
The improvise slides repeat the same clear pattern: main idea, reason, example, final comment.
Keep speaking while thinking
When you need time, you can say Let me think for a moment. Good improvisation uses simple language, quick organisation, and calm thinking. If you forget a word, give an example or use a simpler word instead of stopping.
Checks time-buying language and repair strategies without introducing new content.
How can you keep speaking if you forget a word?
Expected elements: students should mention one strategy from the slides, such as saying a thinking phrase, giving the main idea first, using a simpler word, describing the idea, or giving an example instead of stopping.
Cambridge B1 phrases
B1 speaking includes giving opinions, agreeing, comparing and explaining
Useful phrases help students sound more natural and organised
The best phrases are short, flexible and easy to remember
Students should use phrases that fit the situation
Frame these phrases as tools, not scripts. Natural use matters more than quantity.
Cambridge B1 phrases
I agree with that.
I’m not sure I agree.
That’s true, but...
Agreeing and disagreeing
In my opinion...
I think that...
As far as I’m concerned...
Giving opinions
These functions are central in spoken interaction and can also improve presentation responses after the talk.
Cambridge B1 phrases
Both options are...
The main difference is...
This one is more... than...
Adding reasons
Comparing ideas
This is because...
One reason is that...
For example...
Comparing and justifying are especially useful for B1 speaking tasks and for extending answers beyond one sentence.
Cambridge B1 phrases
Useful linking phrases make speech smoother:
First of all...
Also...
However...
On the other hand...
Finally...
To sum up...
Point out that linking words help listeners follow the structure of a presentation and help speakers organise ideas in real time.
Cambridge B1 phrases
Choose phrases you can use naturally
Repeat them in different topics
Use them to begin, connect and finish ideas
Strong speaking sounds prepared but natural
Close the content arc by linking phrase use to the wider goal: clear, confident, flexible public speaking.
Which phrase is best for disagreeing politely?
I agree with that
To sum up
I’m not sure I agree
First of all
Distractors are real B1 phrases from other functions, so students must identify the correct speaking purpose.
Choose the right B1 phrase
In a discussion, you can say In my opinion to give your view. To compare, you might say The main difference is. To add support, use One reason is that. At the end of a talk, To sum up helps you close clearly.
This consolidates functions: opinion, comparison, reason, and conclusion.
Why is natural phrase use better than memorising many phrases?
Expected elements: students should explain that the best phrases are short, flexible, natural, easy to remember, and useful for beginning, connecting, or finishing ideas.
What is one speaking idea from this lesson you will remember?
Invite short reflective answers about clarity, structure, improvisation, or useful phrases.
What helped you most to understand speaking better today?
Encourage students to reflect on strategies that supported them, such as patterns, phrases, examples, or teacher modelling.
Which part of speaking still feels hardest for you?
Use answers to identify confidence gaps before speaking projects. Common themes may include improvising, pronunciation, eye contact, or organising ideas.
Glossary
audience - the people who listen to a speaker
clear - easy to understand
confidence - belief in your ability to do something well
deliver - to present spoken information to an audience
example - something that shows or explains an idea
improvise - to speak without full preparation
linking phrase - a phrase that connects one idea to another
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Glossary
main idea - the most important point you want to communicate
opinion - what you think or believe about something
presentation - a talk given to an audience
pronunciation - the way words are said
public speaking - speaking in front of other people
self-correction - fixing your own mistake while speaking
structure - the way ideas are organised
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