52931 business english useful phrases for leading a meeting

LEVEL 2.0 - 2.5
BUSINESS ENGLISH
MEETING PROCEDURE 06 – LEADING A MEETING: USEFUL PHRASES 01
IN CONTEXT 5-8 min LOC-P6-01- I
1. How this wise saying can be applied to a meeting leader?
Possible answer:
1. Being afraid to participate in or lead a meeting in front of a crowd, a group of people or a few of your hierarchic superiors is normal.
Being scared is your body telling you that you are in a dangerous situation, here not physically but rather mentally, when one wants to perform well to demonstrate
his ability and value.
Courage is an attribute to possess to be able to master the art of leading a meeting especially when you are stil l green (a beginner) at it.

“Courage is doing what you're afraid to do.
There can be no courage unless you're scared.”
Eddie Rickenbacker 1890-1973
(American WWI pilot and airline businessman)

2. What is an effective meeting?
Possible answer:

•
•
•

A meeting should be necessary (information sharing) and not just informative.
A meeting should have an objective.
A meeting should have an agenda send to all participant beforehand (objectives, topics, presenter of each topic and time allowed, background or
relevant information to topics)

•
•

Assign meeting preparation (asking questions, give a task regarding meeting topics and/or objective) to engage participants during the meeting.
Assign tasks during the meeting–Being pro-active.
Often issues/concerns arise during a meeting either examine further the question or hold another meeting for it and give responsibilities to your team
or each individual to find a solution.

•

Examine your meeting process (review what happened to see how you can improve leading a meeting)

(Source www.effectivemeetings.com)

3. Do you dread meetings? Why?
VOCABULARY 8-10 min LOC-P6-01-V


Classify the terms and find which are the two odd ones.
1. call – 2. adjourn – 3. set up – 4. lead – 5. put off – 6. fix – 7. skip – 8. arrange – 9. postpone –
10. attend – 11. hold – 12. put on – 13. wind up – 14. call off – 15. defer – 16 bring … forward
A. Organize
Call – set up – fix – arrange – put on

B. Delay
Put off – postpone – defer

F. Close
Adjourn
Wind up
D. Assist
attend
E. Conduct

Hold
lead
C.InCancel
a typical meeting, agenda items are
Call
off
completely covered only half the time
(53%).

There are 11 millions business meetings
each and every day in the US.
Answers: 7. skip (to not go) – 16. Bring
forward (to
earlier) Statistic
According
to hold
the National
A. 1, 3,in6,the
8, 12
Council
USA, 37% of employee
B. 5,is9,spent
15 in meetings.
time
C 14
D 10
E 4, 11
F 2, 13

Keep meetings under an hour. If you need

more time, take 15 min every hour.


WATCH IT 15-18 min LOC-P6-01-VO
In this video, you will watch a discussion in a business meeting about whether or not some
maintenance on a company building must be done.
Before watching
During a meeting, what is the role of each function/position mentioned below?
a chairman / chairperson
an attendee
Possible answers:
a chairman or chairperson = the person who leads a meeting, organization, committee, or event
an attendee = a person who is present on a given occasion or at a given place.
(Source )
Watch it!
1. Watch (to 1:37), listen carefully and answer
/>a. Who are the attendees?

□

□
b. Who is the chairperson?
Walter
□
c. Who leads the meeting?
Barbara
□
d. Who is deferring the parking issue? □ Barbara □
e. Has the parking problem been brought forward? □
f. Has the parking problem been put off?

□
g. Were the building repairs postponed?
□
Tan

□

Lin

□
□
□

Denise

Walter
Denise
Denise
Denise
Yes
Yes
Yes

□
□
□
□
□
□
□

John

□

Barbara

John
John
John
No
No
No

□
□
□

Maybe
Maybe
Maybe

NOTE to the INSTRUCTOR:
Ask the learner to read the script (following page) first to get familiar with it.
If you think his listening skills are sufficient enough, just ask him/her to watch the video
and complete the script.
Answers:
1. a.Tan, Lin, Walter and Barbara (John too is an attendee but his name is not mentioned in

the dialog) - b. Denise – c. Denise – d. Denise – e. No not set earlier, but delayed – f. yes – g.
maybe (we don’t know – we can suspect it has not been postponed according to the script)
3. Watch again (to 1:37) and complete
TAN:

Well, _____________________ the work is as urgent as this report suggests, so
perhaps we should…

LIN:

Oh come on - the building is practically falling down!

DENISE:

Sorry Lin - ______________ Tan _______________.
We__________________ in a minute.

LIN:

Sorry.

TAN:

As I was saying, perhaps we should get a second opinion before we spend any money.

DENISE:

Thank you Tan. What's your opinion Walter?

WALTER:

Well, _________________________, it's a question of safety. ___________ we
should go ahead.

TAN:

______________________ someone could get hurt?

WALTER:

_________________________, yes. _____________, there is a serious risk of
an accident. And it's not a recent problem…

TAN:

_____________________________ we should have done something earlier?

WALTER:

Much earlier. It's a real concern.

LIN:

________________________!

TAN:

______________________ - we should do something now.

JOHN:

I think so too.

DENISE:

Thank you Walter. Well, if there's no…

BARBARA: _______________________Madame __________________.
DENISE:

Yes Barbara.

BARBARA: What about the problem with parking? There were no places again this morning.
WALTER:

Maybe if you got to work on time…

DENISE:

________________________________________ Walter. Parking isn't on the
agenda for this meeting - __________________________ Barbara. Well, if
there's no more discussion - we'll put it to a vote.

JOHN:

_____________________!


NOTE to the INSTRUCTOR: Hear Hear = to strongly agree with someone (derived from
“Hear him” an 18th century expression from the British parliament)

Answers:
TAN: Well, I'm not convinced that the work is as urgent as this report suggests, so perhaps
we should…
LIN: Oh come on - the building is practically falling down!
DENISE: Sorry Lin - I don't think Tan had finished. We'll get to you in a minute.
LIN: Sorry.
TAN: As I was saying, perhaps we should get a second opinion before we spend any money.
DENISE: Thank you Tan. What's your opinion Walter?
WALTER: Well, as far as I’m concerned, it's a question of safety. So I think we should go
ahead.
TAN: Are you suggesting that someone could get hurt?
WALTER: In my opinion, yes. If you ask me, there is a serious risk of an accident. And it's
not a recent problem…
TAN: Are you implying we should have done something earlier?
WALTER: Much earlier. It's a real concern.
LIN: Hear hear!
TAN: In that case, I agree - we should do something now.
JOHN: I think so too.
DENISE: Thank you Walter. Well, if there's no…
BARBARA: Excuse me Madame Chairperson.
DENISE: Yes Barbara.
BARBARA: What about the problem with parking? There were no places again this morning.
WALTER: Maybe if you got to work on time…
DENISE: All comments through the chair if you don't mind Walter. Parking isn't on the
agenda for this meeting - perhaps you could suggest it for our next meeting Barbara. Well,
if there's no more discussion - we'll put it to a vote.
JOHN: Hear hear!


4. Answer:

Which phrases below express/allow for
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

So, I think …
Are you suggesting …
In my opinion, …
If you ask me …
In that case, I agree
I don't think he/she had finished.

7. I'm not convinced that …
8. Excuse me
9. All comments through the chair if you don't mind
10. Are you implying …
11. Perhaps you could suggest it for our next meeting.
We'll get to you in a minute

Agreement:
• __________________________________________________________________
• __________________________________________________________________
Giving a point of view
• __________________________________________________________________
• ________________________________________________________________
• __________________________________________________________________
Clarifications

• __________________________________________________________________
• __________________________________________________________________
Interruptions or make someone stop speaking
• __________________________________________________________________
Cutting people short
• __________________________________________________________________
• __________________________________________________________________
Avoiding irrelevant discussion
• __________________________________________________________________
• __________________________________________________________________
What do you usually say for each language function above?
Answers: Agreement: 1, 5 - Giving a point of view 3, 4, 7 - Clarifications 2, 10 - Interruptions
or make someone stop speaking 8 - Cut people short 6, 8 - Avoiding irrelevant discussion 9, 11
LEADING A MEETING – USEFUL PHRASES 10 - 12 min LOC-P6-01-E


1. Read:
Which phrases have you heard in meetings? Which phrases have you used? In what situations?
Giving an
I think we should…
opinion / point of The best thing to do is…
view
Ask for an
Peter, what are your views?
opinion
Peter, how do you feel about this?
Do you have any ideas on this Stephanie?

Why don’t we…
One thing we could do is…

John, what do you think?
Any comments Julien?

Suggesting

Could I make a suggestion?
I think we should
Shall we….?
What if we…..
Why don’t we…
How about….
Clarifications
In other words ... you said... didn’t you?
What you mean is ...
By that I mean…
Did you say...? / Are saying that
Let me just go over the main points again …
Cutting people
Sorry to interrupt/Pardon me but…
Excuse me for interrupting, but
short
Just a minute. Listen…..
Hold on a moment….
Avoid irrelevant This is not on the agenda.
discussion
Let’s speak about it at a later date.

J
Agreeing /
Disagreeing

Interrupt/
stop a person
talking
politely/softly

Soft (agreement by conviction)
That seems right.
I would agree with what Angela
said.
Yes, that makes sense.
That sounds like a good idea.
Firm (completely agree)
Yes, that’s a good/great idea.
I agree completely.
Sorry, could I interrupt for a
moment?
Could I just say something?
Excuse me. Can I just say/ask…?

L
Soft:
I don’t quite agree with that
OK, but don’t you think that…
I see what you mean, however…
It’s a good idea, however….
I’m not sure about that because….
That might be all right but…
Firm:
That’s wrong!

I don’t agree with you!
If I could just finish…
If you’d let me finish what I was saying….

2. Read or listen to the phrases (your instructor will provide you) & classify them.
Answers:
1. Explain unknown vocabulary from the chart. Ask other follow-up questions, as
What were you talking about?


Did you succeed in convincing your audience?
Did you successfully interrupt/cut people short/ clarify your point/avoid irrelevant
discussion?
2. A) Giving an opinion
(can be used during a talk to a group as to lead an argument or to convince in a meeting)
(Strong)
•
•

I’m quite certain that…
I feel sure/secure that….

(Weak)
• My impression is that…
• It seems to me that…
B) Clarify
(can be used as well to explain by giving a meaning, a reason, a cause- or ask for details)
(Explain)
• That means...
• What I want to say is...

• The reason I’m telling you is...
• Let me explain what I mean...
• Because of...
(Ask for details)
• While we’re on the subject…
• I’d like to know more about…
• Could we discuss further…
• Is there anything else?


SPEAKING 5-8 min LOC-P6-01-S
1. Read the instructions
2. Perform the role play using phrases to
•
•
•
•

Give an opinion.
Interrupt.
Ask for clarification/details.
Make a suggestion.
Role-play 1
Your company employs five office cleaners who aren’t

needed for the next six weeks, but will be needed after
that. What can you do with them in the meantime?
Think of 3 possible solutions.
Instructor: Present the best possible solution and its reasons.
Learner: You don t agree with the solution offered. Spend a

minute thinking of reasons to support your argument.

Role-play 2
An audit explains that the level of motivation in your
company is not high enough. What are some ways in which
staff motivation can be improved?
Think of 3 possible solutions and their seasons.
Instructor: You don’t agree with the solution offered.. Spend
a minute thinking of reasons to support your argument.
Learner: Present the best possible solution and its reasons.


QUIZ 8-10 min
Match the vocabulary with its synonym
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

call
call off
adjourn
skip
put on
wind up
fix

hold

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.

organize
set up
arrange
close (an event)
conduct
finalize
cancel
to not assist/attend

Answers: 1.a, b or c - 2g – 3 d,f - 4h - 5. a, b or c - 6.d, f - 7 a, b or c - 8e
Complete

lead

defer

postpone

put off

bring forward

put on

1. Don’t _________________ the conference call yet. Let me check with my schedule.
2. This is Mark Duncan, he will be in charge of this project and __________tomorrow’s
meeting.
3. You need to pick up your colleague at the airport later. The flight arrival time has been
___________.
4. No, I can’t at 2 pm. Can we _________ our meeting _______ in the morning?
5. The presentation has been _____________ from 1 pm to 2:30 pm.
6. Could you please __________ a meeting for the parking problem sometime in the
morning next week?
Answer: 1. postpone/defer/put off, 2. lead, 3. Put off/deferred/postponed, 4. Bring forward
5. deferred/postponed/put off, 6. put on
Match the phrases 1 to 6 with the speaker intention a to f:
Are saying that …
Just a minute. Listen, I …
I would agree with what Mr. Z said.
The best thing to do is…
What if we…
That might be all right, but
If you’d let me finish what I was
saying….
8. This is not on the agenda.
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.

Answers: 1d – 2e – 3c – 4a – 5b - 6h – 7g -8f

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.

Giving an opinion
Suggesting
Agreeing
Clarifying
Cutting people short
Avoid irrelevant discussion
Interrupt
Disagreeing