The Elevator Pitch
Craft and deliver compelling 30-second to 2-minute introductions for any situation
Who it's for
Written for B1 (intermediate) students who handle everyday English and are ready for longer answers.
English for founders: pitches, investors, demos and startup vocabulary. More Startup English lesson plans
Skills it practises
- Speaking: discussion questionsevery lesson
- Vocabulary: a target word listevery lesson
- Reading: a text or news storyevery lesson
- Controlled practice: gap-fills, matching, sorting and moreevery lesson
- Role-play: a dialogue to act outevery lesson
- An answer framework to structure what they say1 of 8 lessons
Lessons
- What Is an Elevator PitchGoal: a 30-second pitch that answers what you do, who you help and why it matters — with one-sentence and two-minute versions ready for any encounter.1 hr 7 minFree
- Problem-Solution FormatGoal: pitch in problem → solution → impact order — a problem with a number, a solution that maps onto it word-for-word, and an impact you can count.1 hr 13 minOutline
- The HookGoal: three ready-to-fire hooks for your startup — statistic, question, contrarian statement — each one creating an information gap that pulls the listener into your pitch.1 hr 7 minOutline
- Networking Event PitchesGoal: run a complete networking encounter — pitch on cue in 30 seconds with one memorable calling card, give the spotlight back, exit gracefully, and follow up within 48 hours.1 hr 7 minOutline
- Conference IntroductionsGoal: a 60–90 second conference introduction — context acknowledged first, one credibility metric, and a specific ask matched to investor, customer or advisor.1 hr 7 minOutline
- Social SituationsGoal: explain your startup at any dinner table — one analogy, zero jargon, detail only on request — so well that your aunt could re-explain it tomorrow.1 hr 7 minOutline
- Adapting to Your AudienceGoal: three deliberate versions of your pitch — engineer, investor, customer — each emphasising what that listener cares about, chosen after asking who you're talking to.1 hr 7 minOutline
- Refining and PracticingGoal: run the deliver → feedback → fix → redeliver cycle on your real pitch — sharper one-liner, leading number, no jargon, confident close — and a practice habit to keep it improving.1 hr 7 minOutline
How to use it in a lesson
- Lessons run 67 to 73 minutes, with a timing on every stage, so you can see before you start what fits your slot.
- Start with "What Is an Elevator Pitch": its whole plan is on this site, stage by stage, with the target vocabulary, free to read and to teach from on any video call.
- For a shorter slot, skip a practice stage or cut the discussion short: the stages are a guide, not a script.
Teach The Elevator Pitch with your student
Lesson 1 of this course is free. A free account opens it in the interactive player, and the rest of the course is included with Starter. Teaching it live with your student in the Tuton classroom starts with a 7-day free trial.
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