Quick summary
MS PowerPoint is used to make a presentation (सादरीकरण). Each page of a presentation is called a slide. Slides help you explain a topic with short points, pictures and diagrams. A PowerPoint file is normally saved with the .pptx extension.
Key points
- A presentation is a set of slides shown in order.
- Add a new slide with New Slide on the Home tab, or press Ctrl + M.
- A slide layout decides where the title, text and other items sit.
- A theme on the Design tab gives all slides matching colours, fonts and style.
- Use the Insert tab to add pictures, charts and SmartArt.
- Transitions are effects that play when you move from one slide to the next.
- Animations are effects on objects inside a slide, such as a text box or picture.
- Speaker notes are reminders for the presenter; the audience does not see them on the slide.
- F5 starts the slide show from the first slide; Shift + F5 starts it from the current slide.
- Press Esc to end a running slide show.
Making slides step by step
Open a new presentation and type the topic on the first (title) slide. When you click New Slide on the Home tab, choose a suitable layout. For example, the Title and Content layout gives one box for a heading and another for points. Click inside a box and type. Use the Insert tab to add a picture or a chart. Use SmartArt when you want to show steps, a cycle or a hierarchy as a diagram. To remove an item, select it and press Delete. Press Ctrl + S often to save your work.
Pick a theme from the Design tab so the whole presentation looks consistent. Remember the difference: a theme is the overall look of all slides, while a layout is the arrangement of items on one slide.
A good presentation is easy to read from the back of a room:
- Keep only a few short points on each slide.
- Use a big font that is easy to read.
- Keep strong contrast between text and background, like dark text on a light background.
- Use a picture only when it explains the point.
- Use transitions and animations lightly, so they do not distract from the content.
Effects and views
| Item | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| Transitions | Effect when moving between two slides |
| Animations | Effect on an object inside one slide |
| Normal | Creating and editing slides |
| Slide Sorter | Seeing many small slides together and changing their order |
| Notes Page | Seeing a slide with the speaker notes written for it |
| Reading View | Viewing the presentation inside a window |
| Slide Show | Showing slides full screen to the audience |
You can switch views from the View tab. Slide Sorter is the easiest place to rearrange slides. Before presenting, run the slide show once and check that all text and pictures appear correctly.
Important terms
- Slide – one page of a presentation.
- Layout – the fixed arrangement of items on a slide.
- Theme – a matching set of colours, fonts and styles for all slides.
- Transition – a visual effect when the slide changes.
- Animation – an effect applied to an object on a slide.
- Speaker notes – private reminders for the presenter.
Practice questions (with answers)
Q1. Which shortcut adds a new slide?
- (A) Ctrl + P
- (B) Ctrl + M
- (C) Alt + F4
- (D) Ctrl + H
Q2. You want a picture on a slide to fly in. What do you use?
- (A) Animations
- (B) Transitions
- (C) Slide Sorter
- (D) Save As
Q3. Which key starts the slide show from the current slide?
- (A) F2
- (B) Ctrl + M
- (C) Alt + Tab
- (D) Shift + F5
Q4. Which view is best for changing the order of slides?
- (A) Notes Page
- (B) Reading View
- (C) Slide Sorter
- (D) Slide Show
Q5. What is the usual file extension of a PowerPoint presentation?
- (A) .xlsx
- (B) .pptx
- (C) .docx
- (D) .txt
Exam tip
Transition = between slides; Animation = on an object inside a slide. Remember F5 (from the beginning) and Shift + F5 (from the current slide).