30.10 Formal development of a topic
30.10.1 Opening remarks
To present a new topic formally, in the course of a lecture, talk or a very formal
discussion, there are a number of expressions that can be used as opening remarks.
Amongst these, the most common are:
En primer lugar...
First (of all)...
Primeramente...
Firstly...
Para empezar...
First (of all)... , to start with...
Antes que nada...
First (of all)...
Quiero/quisiera referirme a...
I would like to refer to...
Quiero que veamos...
I would like us to look at...
Me gustaría hablar sobre/acerca de...
I would like to speak about...21.4 (p. 101)
30.10.2 Introducing further points
To introduce further points in an argument we use expressions like these:
Además...
Besides...
También...
Also...
Ahora bien...
Now... , now then...
Veamos/analicemos ahora...
Let’s look at/analyse now...
Pasemos ahora a tratar...
Now let’s go on to deal with...18.3.1 (p. 91)
30.10.3 Establishing a sequence
The following phrases are used to establish a sequence between various points:
En primer lugar... First (of all)... , firstly...
En segundo lugar... Secondly...BASIC STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNICATION 30.10