Let’s be honest: participating in a meeting in English can be nerve-wracking. You want to contribute, but you’re afraid of interrupting at the wrong time or not finding the right words fast enough.
The secret to success isn’t knowing every word in the dictionary; it’s knowing the functional phrases that manage the flow of the conversation. This week, at The London Eye – English Consultant, we’ll show you how to use these sentences as your «meeting survival kit.»
1. Starting Strong: Opening and Setting the Agenda
A professional meeting should always start with a clear purpose. If you are the one speaking, use these phrases to take control:
- To start the meeting: «Right, shall we get down to business?» or «Let’s get started.»
- To state the objective: «The main purpose of today’s meeting is to…»
- To review the plan: «I’ve drawn up an agenda. Let’s run through the main points.»
2. The Art of «Chipping In» (Interrupting Politely)
In a fast-moving meeting, you might find it hard to find a gap to speak. In English culture, it is perfectly acceptable to interrupt, provided you use the right modal verbs to stay polite.
| Situation | Phrase to Use | Why it works |
| Adding a point | «May I just chip in here?» | Uses «May» for high politeness. |
| Asking for a moment | «Could I just say something quickly?» | Simple and direct but soft. |
| Clarifying | «Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you elaborate?» | Uses active listening to ensure understanding. |
3. Agreeing and Disagreeing (The «Soft» Approach)
In Business English, we rarely say «I disagree.» It sounds too aggressive. Instead, we use «softeners» to keep the relationship positive.
- To Agree: «I’m with you on that,» or «That’s a valid point.»
- To Disagree (Softly): «I see where you’re coming from, but…» or «I’m not entirely convinced that…»
- To Stay Neutral: «I can see both sides of the argument.»
4. Phrasal Verbs for the Boardroom
We’ve talked about these before, but here is how they look in action during a meeting:
- Bring up: To introduce a topic. («I’d like to bring up the issue of the budget.»)
- Run through: To explain something quickly. («Let me run through the schedule for next week.»)
- Look into: To investigate. («We’ll look into the logistics and report back.»)
- Follow up: To contact someone later. («I’ll follow up with you via email after the meeting.»)
5. Wrapping Up: Closing with Clarity
Never leave a meeting without knowing exactly what happens next. Use these phrases to summarize the Action Points.
- To summarize: «So, let’s wrap up. We’ve agreed to…»
- To assign tasks: «Who is going to take the lead on this?»
- To set the next date: «Let’s pencil in a follow-up meeting for next Thursday.»
Your Action Step for this week Imagine you are in a meeting and you don’t agree with a colleague’s idea. Using the «soft» approach from Section 3, write a polite disagreement in the comments below!
For example: «I see your point about the new logo, but I’m worried it might be too expensive to print.»
The London Eye - English Consultant 