In meetings, you don't need long, complex sentences. You need a few reliable phrases for each moment: to start, to say what you think, to disagree without sounding rude, to interrupt politely and to agree on next steps. Here they are, grouped by situation.
Opening a meeting
- Thanks for joining, everyone. Shall we get started?
- The aim of today's meeting is to agree on the launch date.
- We've got three points on the agenda and 30 minutes.
- Could someone take notes, please?
Giving your opinion
- I think we should…
- In my view, the main risk is…
- From a sales perspective, …
- I'd suggest we wait until we have the figures.
Agreeing and disagreeing
- I agree with Maria on that.
- That's a good point.
- I see what you mean, but I'm not sure that would work for the customer.
- I'd see it slightly differently.
- Can I offer another option?
In international meetings, disagreement usually sounds softer than in many languages: I'm not sure, slightly and another option do a lot of work.
Interrupting and getting back in
- Sorry to interrupt, but could I add something?
- Can I just come in here?
- Sorry, I didn't finish my point. What I wanted to say was…
Checking understanding
- Sorry, could you repeat that?
- Just to check: are you saying we move the deadline?
- What do you mean by "phase two"?
- You dropped out for a moment. Could you say that again?
Keeping the meeting on track
- Let's come back to that at the end.
- We're running short on time, so let's move on.
- Can we take this offline?
Closing with action points
- So, to sum up: we've agreed to…
- Who's going to take care of the budget?
- Tom will send the updated plan by Thursday.
- Let's meet again next week to review.
Say this, not that
| Avoid | Say instead |
|---|---|
| You're wrong. | I'd see it slightly differently. |
| Repeat. | Sorry, could you repeat that? |
| I want to say something. | Could I add something here? |
| We will discuss this after. | Let's come back to that at the end. |
Practise with real meetings
Professional English for Meetings takes you through leading and joining meetings in English, online and in person. For a full course from your level, see Learn Real Business English B1 and B2, or the Business English B1–B2 online course. Not sure of your level? Take the free level test.
