To add speaker notes to a slide, which area should you use?

To add speaker notes to a slide in PowerPoint, you should use the Notes Pane. This pane is specifically designed for this purpose, allowing you to write and view notes that will not be visible to the audience during the presentation. The Notes Pane appears below the slide in the editing view and provides a space for you to jot down important points, cues, or any other reminders that you want to remember while speaking. This feature is particularly useful for enhancing your presentation and ensuring you convey all necessary information without cluttering the slide itself with text.

The Formatting Toolbar, Task Pane, and Slide Pane do not serve the function of adding speaker notes. The Formatting Toolbar is primarily used for adjusting the appearance and style of selected text or objects, the Task Pane is typically used for managing additional features such as themes, and the Slide Pane displays the slides themselves, but it does not provide a means to enter speaker notes directly. Thus, the Notes Pane is the correct choice for adding speaker notes in PowerPoint.