AO7: Demonstrate presentation skills in a formal setting

The idea

AO7 assesses a spoken presentation delivered to an audience in a formal setting, not a casual chat. Choose a topic you know well, such as whether school uniform should be abolished, and plan a clear shape: an engaging opening, two or three developed points with evidence, and a decisive close. Speak audibly at a measured pace, make deliberate eye contact around the room, and use gesture or pause to emphasise key ideas. Standard English and a formal register suit the occasion. Prepare cue cards with keywords rather than a full script, rehearse aloud, and anticipate questions so you can respond thoughtfully.

What earns the marks

• Content is well organised and developed, with a clear introduction, sequenced points and a conclusion that answers the central question.
• Register and vocabulary are formal and appropriate to the audience and occasion, avoiding slang and filler.
• Delivery is audible and fluent: controlled pace, varied intonation, purposeful pauses and minimal reliance on notes.
• Non-verbal communication supports meaning: eye contact is distributed across the audience and gesture reinforces key points.
• The presentation is sustained and meets the required duration without drifting or stopping abruptly.
• Responses to questions show understanding, listen carefully and answer relevantly rather than deflecting.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Reading a full script word for word.

  Put it right: Reduce the script to cue cards holding keywords and short prompts, then rehearse aloud.

• Speaking too quietly or too quickly through nerves.

  Put it right: Practise projecting to the back of the room and insert planned pauses after key points.

• Choosing an overfamiliar topic with nothing to say.

  Put it right: Select a subject you can support with specific examples, statistics or personal experience.

Exam tips

• Rehearse aloud at least twice with a timer so you know your pace and can trim or extend material.
• Prepare for two likely questions by noting a fact or example you could use in each answer.
• Open with a hook such as a striking question or statistic, and signal your close clearly so the audience knows you have finished.