English Phrases for Business Meetings

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English Phrases for Business Meetings

In this section we’ll look at the parts of the meetings and what phrases to use on those sections. These phrases will make you look strong on your topic and help you to sound more natural in your meetings.

Greeting and Introductions

Start off with greetings to welcome everyone to your meeting. It’s crucial to make a proper welcome for your team mates. Starting the meeting you scheduled with a respectful manner is a common sense but people actually tend to forget about it.

• Good morning/afternoon, everyone.
  A polite way to start the meeting.
• Thank you all for coming today.
  Shows appreciation to the attendees.
• It’s great to see you all here.
  Friendly and welcoming opening.
• Let’s begin by introducing ourselves.
  Used when participants don’t know each other.
• I’d like to introduce myself. My name is [Name], and I’m the [position].
  A clear self-introduction.

Providing Information About the Purpose of the Meeting

You started your meeting and welcomed everyone, now it’s time to inform them about why they are here. Giving bullet points about your presentation will help them and you to navigate throughout the meeting. Let’s look at some phrases that will help you inform your colleagues.

• The main purpose of today’s meeting is to…
  Used to clearly state the objective at the beginning.
• We’re here today to discuss…
  Simple and direct way to introduce the meeting topic.
• Our goal today is to reach a decision on…
  Shows that the meeting’s focus is on making a choice or agreement.
• Today’s meeting has been called to address…
  Formal way to explain why the meeting is taking place.
• We’ve gathered here to go over…
  Slightly informal, used when reviewing details or progress.
• The aim of this meeting is to find a solution to…
  States a problem-solving purpose.

Interrupting During a Meeting

In some situations you could be the listener in your meetings. In such situations you may need to add comments, ask a question or take phone calls of your loved ones in the middle of the conversation. While it’s not the ideal way of communicating with your team, there are ways you can do it in a polite way. Here are some phrases for interrupting during a meeting.

• Sorry to interrupt, but may I add something here?
  A polite way to join the conversation.
• If I could just say something…
  Soft interruption to give your opinion or comment.
• Excuse me, may I ask a quick question?
  Polite way to interrupt for clarification.
• Sorry to cut in, but I think that’s an important point.
  Used to politely stop someone to emphasize a key idea.
• Can I just clarify something before we move on?
  Helps ensure understanding during discussion.
• I’m sorry, but could you please repeat that?
  Used when you missed or didn’t understand part of what was said.
• Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you say it again?
  Informal and polite way to request repetition.
• I apologize, but I need to step out for a moment.
  Neutral phrase when leaving the room briefly.
• Excuse me, I have to take this phone call. I’ll be back shortly.
  Professional and respectful when you must answer a call.
• Sorry everyone, I’ll just step out for a quick call.
  Slightly less formal version for familiar colleagues.
• Excuse me for a moment, I need to use the restroom.
  A polite way to excuse yourself to go to the toilet.

Expressing Opinions During a Meeting

In business meetings, there are moments when you’re an active participant. Sharing your thoughts, suggestions, or concerns helps keep the discussion balanced and productive. However, expressing opinions requires politeness, especially in professional settings where respect and clarity matter. Using polite and confident language allows you to contribute effectively without interrupting others or sounding overly assertive. Below, there are some useful phrases for expressing opinions during a meeting.

• In my opinion, …
  A simple and direct way to share your thoughts.
• I believe that …
  Slightly more formal than “I think.”
• From my point of view, …
  Express your personal perspective.
• I’d like to share my thoughts on this.
  A polite way to start giving your opinion.
• As far as I’m concerned, …
  Shows personal involvement in the topic.
• If you ask me, …
  Informal but natural way to introduce your opinion.
• I agree with [Name] on this point because …
  Used to support someone else’s idea with reasoning.
• I see your point, but I think …
  A polite way to express partial disagreement.

Asking for Opinions in a Meeting

You have made your point in the meeting and want to know how your team is thinking about your ideas. You need to ask them to know about it. Here are some phrases that will help you to know what your colleagues think about your ideas.

• What are your thoughts on this?
  A general and polite way to ask someone’s opinion.
• How do you feel about this proposal?
  Invites personal views on an idea or suggestion.
• Do you have any suggestions?
  Opens the floor for recommendations or alternatives.
• I’d like to hear your perspective.
  Formal and respectful way to ask for input.
• What’s our take on this?
  Slightly informal, conversational style.
• How would you approach this situation?
  Encourages practical ideas or strategies.
• How do you see this affecting our team/project?
  Asks for perspective with an impact focus.
• Are there any alternatives you’d suggest?
  Invites creative or different approaches.
• I’m interested in our opinion on this.
  Shows genuine interest in the other team’s viewpoint.

Commenting Positive or Negative on Ideas in a Meeting

Let your colleagues know your comments about their presentations. Negative or positive these comments will help your team provide much better work on their work loads. While doing your negative comments you need to be as polite as possible, you have to be aware that while you are disagreeing with an idea; you have your statements and concerns ready about the idea that they have presented. If not, your negative comments without a fundamental reason might raise the tension in meetings. Let’s look at some phrases that will help you to make comments on your partners.

Positive comments on meetings:

• I think that’s a very practical solution.
  Compliments the idea’s usefulness or feasibility.
• That’s an interesting approach — I like it.
  Shows openness and appreciation for creativity.
• You’ve made a really good point there.
  Recognizes another participant’s valuable contribution.
• I can definitely see the benefits of that.
  Highlights the positive outcomes of an idea.
• That could really work for us.
  Expresses optimism and support for implementation.

Negative comments on meetings:

• I’m not sure that would work in our situation.
  Soft disagreement focusing on practicality.
• I see where you’re coming from, but I have some concerns.
  Shows understanding before offering criticism.
• That’s an interesting idea, but it might be difficult to apply.
  A polite way to question feasibility.
• I think we might face some challenges with that approach.
  Warns about potential issues without rejecting the idea outright.
• I’m afraid I don’t completely agree with that.
  A gentle way to express disagreement.
• It’s a good start, but we may need to adjust a few details.
  Offers constructive criticism while staying positive.
• I understand your point, but have you considered…?
  Invites reflection and alternative thinking.
• That could work, but maybe we should look at other options too.
  Balances agreement with caution and openness.

Making Suggestions in a Meeting

In professional meetings, you may often find yourself in a situation where you need to share your thoughts or propose new ideas. Making suggestions politely and effectively helps you contribute to the discussion while showing respect for others’ opinions. Whether it’s offering a solution, improving a process, or giving feedback, using the right phrases can make your ideas sound more professional and constructive. Here are some useful expressions for making suggestions during a meeting.

• Maybe we could consider…
  A soft and diplomatic way to propose an idea.
• I’d like to suggest that we…
  Clear and professional phrasing for formal settings.
• How about if we try…?
  Friendly and collaborative tone.
• Perhaps we should think about…
  A gentle suggestion that invites discussion.
• It might be a good idea to…
  Polite and non-imposing phrasing.
• What if we implemented this approach instead?
  Introduces an alternative solution.
• We could improve this by…
  Suggests specific improvement politely.
• I think it would be helpful to…
  Focuses on adding value to the discussion.
• Another option might be to…
  Shows flexibility and open-mindedness.
• Let’s consider the possibility of…
  Sounds confident and formal.

Asking for Clarification in a Meeting

In some instances you might not understand or catch what your coworker implemented in their presentation. It’s completely natural and it might be crucial to know about the point they’re standing on. Politely asking the point you missed is crucial, here are some phrases that will guide you through the asking process.

• I’m sorry, could you repeat that, please?
  A polite way to ask someone to repeat information.
• Could you explain what you mean by that?
  Useful when something sounds unclear or vague.
• I’m not sure I understood your point. Could you clarify it?
  Shows respect while asking for a clearer explanation.
• Would you mind going over that again?
  Gentle and professional way to ask for repetition.
• Could you elaborate a bit more on that idea?
  Encourages the speaker to give more details.
• When you say [term], what exactly do you mean?
  Helps focus on one confusing part.
• Can you give an example to make it clearer?
  Makes complex ideas easier to understand.
• Could you specify which part you’re referring to?
  Seeks precision in discussion.
• Just to be clear, are you saying that…?
  Useful for confirming understanding.
• I just want to make sure I’ve got this right — you mean that…?
  Restates the idea to check comprehension.
• So, what you’re saying is…
  A natural way to summarize and confirm understanding.
• If I understand correctly, you’re suggesting that…
  Polite and clear rephrasing to check your grasp of the point.
• Let me make sure I’m following you. Do you mean…?
  Keeps communication smooth and avoids confusion.

Frequently Asked Questions About English Phrases for Business Meetings

If we learned the fundamentals of english on business meetings now let’s look at some questions about it

How to speak more fluently in meetings?

Do speaking practices with your friends in this way you will get used to the words and the pronunciations of them. If you struggle to find people to make practices with, EnglishCentral has a perfect solution for you. You can join online classes to practice your skills and get better at English.

What are the 7 P’s of a meeting?

The 7 P’s meeting framework is a tool used to plan and structure effective meetings. The framework includes seven key elements that should be considered when planning a meeting: Purpose, Participants, Process, Product, Place, Preparation, and Pacing.

What are the 5 C’s of interviewing?

Five C’s are: Confidence, Communication, Competence, Culture Fit, and Courtesy. With those fundamental aspects you can present yourself as a well-rounded and capable candidate.

Is being polite crucial in work spaces?

Yes, being polite is absolutely crucial in work spaces. Politeness helps maintain a positive and respectful atmosphere, which encourages teamwork and open communication. When employees speak and act courteously, it prevents misunderstandings and conflicts, making collaboration smoother.

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