How you say something can be just as important as what you say! 1. Assess the kind of people you'll be addressing. Factors such as age, gender, religious beliefs and interests should affect the type of language you see. 2. Choose words that sound important without actually saying anything. Good examples include "urgent", "critical", "hot", and "fascinating." 3. Use commanding language to express authority. For example, instead of saying "I hope you will...," say "I recommend you...". 4. Address the audience in the second person (you) to make the audience a part of your presentation. 5. Use the jargon of the people you'll be addressing to establish a bond, if appropriate. For example, if addressing a group of computer programers, use technical language. 6. Keep your language simple and concise by avoiding complicated sentences and big words. This will help your audience better understand your speech. 7. Hold the audience's attention by keeping your language action-oriented.

Use specific nouns and use verbs in the active voice. For example, instead of saying "The report was written by Mike," say "Mike wrote the market analysis." Jokes are a good way to liven up your speech, but make sure they're appropriate for your topic and audience. (Courtesy ***Saudi Gazette*** )