English for Meetings: Essential Phrases for French Learners
Participating in business meetings in English can be intimidating, especially if you are not confident speaking or understanding fast conversations. As a Business English trainer, I have been teaching professionals in both virtual meetings (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet) and in-person meetings. Over time, I’ve noticed that even beginner and intermediate students often struggle with vocabulary and expressions related to meetings — words like mute, microphone, speaker, share screen, and many others.
My goal with this post is to cover everything you need to participate confidently in meetings. This guide is designed to help you feel prepared and confident, whether the meeting is virtual or in-person.
By the end, you’ll know the key phrases and expressions for both virtual and in-person meetings, so you can speak, ask questions, and share your ideas without hesitation.
I’ve divided the phrases by meeting type and purpose so you can quickly find what you need.
1. General Phrases for Any Meeting
Starting the meeting:
“Let’s get started, shall we?”
“Can everyone hear me/each other?”
“Thank you all for joining today.”
Participating / Asking for Clarification:
“Could you repeat that, please?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that.”
“Can you explain that in a different way?”
“Could you give an example?”
- Expressing Opinions:
“I think that…”
“In my opinion…”
“I agree / I disagree because…”
- Closing / Summarizing:
“To summarize…”
“The main points are…”
“Thanks everyone, let’s follow up by email.”
2. Virtual Meetings (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
Starting the Meeting
“Can everyone see my screen?”
“Please mute your microphone if you’re not speaking.”(unmute if speaking)
“We’ll wait a few minutes for everyone to join.”
During the Meeting
Asking for input:
“What are your thoughts on this?”
“Could you share your screen?”
“Can you elaborate on that point?”
- Managing technical issues:
“I think there’s a lag; can you repeat that?”
“Your microphone seems to be off.”
“I can’t hear you very well.”
Let’s quickly recap the key points.”
“I’ll send the minutes / notes after the meeting.”
“Thanks everyone for your time today.”
3. In-Person Meetings
“Shall we get started?”
“Thanks for coming today.”
“Let’s introduce ourselves quickly.”
During the Meeting
- Asking questions politely:
“Could you clarify that?”
“What do you mean by…?”
“Can we discuss this point further?”
- Giving your opinion:
“I would like to add…”
“From my perspective…”
“I see it differently…”
- Agreeing politely:
“That’s a good point.”
“I agree with what you said.”
“Exactly.”
- Disagreeing politely:
“I’m not sure I agree…”
“I see your point, but…”
“I have a different opinion…”
“Let’s summarize what we’ve decided.”
“Who is responsible for each task?”
“Thank you for your time.”
Host (Ana) — Meeting organizer
Participant 1 (christelle) — Attendee having technical difficulties
Participant 2 (Sara) — Colleague helping with tech issues
Ana: Good morning, everyone! Can you all hear me clearly?
Christelle: Hello… I think my audio isn’t working. Can you hear me?
Ana : Hmm, I can see your lips moving, christelle, but I can’t hear any sound. You might be on mute.
Sara: Christelle, look at the microphone icon at the bottom of your screen. If there’s a red line through it, it means you’re muted. Click it to unmute yourself.
Christelle: Oh, right! One second… Okay, I clicked it. Can you hear me now?
Ana: Perfect, loud and clear now!
Christelle: Great. Sorry about that — my audio settings were on mute.
Sara: By the way, your camera isn’t on, Christelle.
Christelle: Oh, really? I thought it was.
Sara: You can check by clicking the Start Video icon — the one that looks like a small camera.
Christelle: Okay, I clicked it, but it says “Camera not detected.”
Sara: Try selecting the correct camera device from the arrow next to the video icon. Choose “Integrated Webcam” or your device name.
Christelle: Ah, I see it now. There we go — can you see me?
Sara: Yes, now we can. Perfect!
Ana: Let’s move on. I’ll share my screen so everyone can see the presentation.
Sara: I can’t see your screen yet, Ana. It says, “Waiting for the host to start screen sharing.”
Ana: Oh, I think I shared the wrong window. Let me stop sharing and try again. Okay — can you see the PowerPoint slide now?
Christelle: Yes, it’s visible now.
Sara: Sorry, the audio is breaking up a little — I think my internet connection is unstable.
Ana: No worries, Aisha. Try turning off your camera for a few minutes; it might improve the connection.
Sara: Good idea. I’ll turn off my video and rejoin if the issue continues.
📘 Download the Vocabulary Handout (PDF)
Dialogue: In-Person Meeting — Etiquette, Gestures & Situations
Setting:
A company’s conference room. Participants are attending a team meeting about a new project proposal.
Characters:
Anna (Host / Manager)
David (Team Member)
Riya (New Employee)
- James (IT Support)
🏢 1. Arriving and Greeting
(Riya enters the building and meets a receptionist in the lobby.)
Riya: Good morning! I’m here for the project meeting with Ms. Anna. Could you please tell me where the conference room is?
Receptionist: Good morning! The meeting is in Room 302, on the third floor. Take the elevator on your right.
Riya: Thank you very much.
(Riya finds the room. Anna is standing near the door to welcome participants.)
Anna: Good morning! You must be Riya. Welcome to the team.
(extends hand for a handshake)
Riya: Good morning, Ms. Anna. Nice to meet you.
(smiles, shakes hands firmly but politely)
Anna: Please, come in and take a seat. Would you like some water or coffee?
Riya: Water would be great, thank you.
🤝 2. Introductions and Starting the Meeting
(Everyone is seated around the table. Anna stands at the front.)
Anna: Good morning, everyone. Let’s begin. Before we start, let’s do a quick round of introductions.
David: I’m David from the marketing department. I’ll be working on the launch strategy.
Riya: I’m Riya, the new project coordinator. This is my first team meeting.
Anna: Welcome, Riya! We’re glad to have you with us.
(Anna smiles and nods to acknowledge each speaker.)
📄 3. Distributing Handouts and Explaining the Purpose
Anna: I’ve prepared handouts with today’s agenda and some key data. (hands out papers to each participant)
David: Thank you.
Anna: The purpose of today’s meeting is to discuss the new project proposal, assign responsibilities, and finalize deadlines.
⚙️ 4. Handling a Technical Issue
(Anna tries to turn on the projector, but the screen stays blank.)
Anna: Hmm, it seems the projector isn’t working.
David: Maybe the HDMI cable is loose.
(checks the cable connection)
Anna: Still no signal. Could someone call James from IT?
(James enters the room with a laptop.)
James: Hi everyone. Sorry for the delay. Let me take a quick look.
(kneels beside the projector, adjusts cables, presses buttons)
James: Okay, it’s fixed now. You just need to select the correct input source.
Anna: Thank you, James. You saved us again!
(Everyone smiles and claps lightly — a polite way to acknowledge help.)
💬 5. Conducting the Discussion
Anna: Now that everything’s ready, let’s move on to the presentation.
(points to the screen, makes eye contact with the group)
Anna: Please feel free to ask questions anytime.
Riya: Excuse me, could you please clarify the timeline for the second phase?
Anna: That’s a good question. The second phase starts in February.
David: I think we should include a customer feedback survey after the pilot stage.
Anna: Excellent suggestion, David. Let’s note that as an action item.
(Anna writes it on the whiteboard.)
🗓️ 6. Wrapping Up and Leaving
Anna: To summarize, we’ve confirmed our project goals and assigned tasks. The next meeting will be on Monday at 10 a.m.
Riya: Thank you, Ms. Anna. This was very helpful.
David: Thanks, everyone. Great discussion today.
Anna: Have a great day, everyone. See you next week!
............................................
Listening Practice:
🎧 Recommended Video: The Power of Listening by William Ury
If you’ve ever wondered what truly effective listening looks like, this talk is a must-watch!
In “The Power of Listening”, William Ury — co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation — shares powerful insights on how genuine listening can transform communication, build trust, and resolve conflicts.
💡 Why watch this video:
It shows how listening goes beyond hearing words — it’s about understanding meaning and emotion.
You’ll learn practical ways to listen actively in conversations, meetings, and even during disagreements.
It’s a valuable lesson for improving both personal and professional relationships.
🎥 Watch here: The power of listening|Willian ury| Ted-xSan diego
In “The Power of Listening”, William Ury — co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation — shares powerful insights on how genuine listening can transform communication, build trust, and resolve conflicts.
It shows how listening goes beyond hearing words — it’s about understanding meaning and emotion.
You’ll learn practical ways to listen actively in conversations, meetings, and even during disagreements.
It’s a valuable lesson for improving both personal and professional relationships.
👉 10 Formal Phrases for Virtual Meetings
These are some commonly used and useful phrases for virtual meetings.
“Good morning/afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining today’s meeting.”
– Professional opening to start on a positive note.“Let’s take a moment to ensure everyone is connected and can hear clearly.”
– Ensures smooth technical setup.“Could you please share your screen when you’re ready?”
– Polite request for visual materials.“Before we move on, let’s keep our comments brief so we can stay on schedule.”
– Encourages concise discussion without sounding harsh.“That’s an important point, but let’s note it for later so we can stay focused on today’s agenda.”
– Gently redirects conversation back to the main topic.“In the interest of time, let’s move forward to the next item.”
– Signals the need to progress efficiently.“May I suggest we conclude this topic and revisit it in a follow-up meeting if needed?”
– Professional way to park a discussion for later.“Apologies for the technical delay. Thank you for your patience.”
– Maintains professionalism during interruptions.“Please feel free to add your questions in the chat, and we’ll address them at the end.”
– Keeps the flow of discussion organized.“Thank you all for your valuable insights. Let’s summarize the key takeaways before we close.”
– Helps wrap up clearly and respectfully.
Questions for Senior Managers: Challenges in Virtual Meetings
What are the biggest challenges you encounter when leading virtual meetings?
Comment: ____________________________________________Do you find it difficult to keep participants engaged during online discussions?
Comment: ____________________________________________How do you handle situations when the discussion goes off-topic or over time?
Comment: ____________________________________________What technical issues (e.g., connectivity, audio, or platform tools) most often disrupt your meetings?
Comment: ____________________________________________How effective do you feel virtual meetings are compared to in-person ones?
Comment: ____________________________________________Do you think your team communicates clearly and effectively in a virtual setting? Why or why not?
Comment: ____________________________________________What strategies have you found most useful to maintain focus and productivity during virtual meetings?
Comment: ____________________________________________How do you ensure everyone has a chance to contribute, especially quieter participants?
Comment: ____________________________________________Are time management and meeting length consistent challenges in virtual settings?
Comment: ____________________________________________What improvements or tools would help make your virtual meetings more effective?
I hope this blog helps you enhance your learning and apply these skills naturally in your real-world situations.
Comment below if you find this blog useful.👇
Anu Gupta
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