do a presentation

Meaning

To deliver a speech or talk to an audience, often using slides or visual aids, to explain a topic. While 'give a presentation' is slightly more formal, 'do a presentation' is widely used by students and professionals in everyday academic contexts.

Examples

• I have to do a presentation on climate change in my geography class tomorrow.

  I have to do a presentation on climate change in my geography class tomorrow.

• We decided to do a presentation together instead of writing two separate papers.

  We decided to do a presentation together instead of writing two separate papers.

• She was nervous about having to do a presentation in front of the whole department.

  She was nervous about having to do a presentation in front of the whole department.

• Our professor wants us to do a presentation on our research findings next week.

  Our professor wants us to do a presentation on our research findings next week.

• If you do a presentation, make sure to keep your slides clean and easy to read.

  If you do a presentation, make sure to keep your slides clean and easy to read.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to make a presentation about my project next Monday.

  ✓ I need to do a presentation about my project next Monday.

  'Make a presentation' usually refers to the act of creating the physical slides (e.g., in PowerPoint), whereas 'do' or 'give' a presentation refers to the act of delivering it to an audience.

• ✗ He did a great presentation of his thesis.

  ✓ He did a great presentation on his thesis.

  Use the preposition 'on' or 'about' to introduce the topic of the presentation, rather than 'of'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• For the final exam, each student has to ___ on a topic of their choice.

  💡 To deliver a talk to an audience using slides.

  Show answer

  do a presentation

• I spent all night preparing because I have to ___ in front of eighty people.

  💡 To speak in front of a class or group using visuals.

  Show answer

  do a presentation