English for Beginners: Meetings in English

Dialogue

Alice: Bob! That meeting was a disaster! My brain feels like scrambled eggs.

Bob: Oh, Alice, tell me about it. My head is still spinning. Did we even achieve anything?

Alice: Seriously! “Let’s touch base offline”? What does that even mean? Are we playing tag?

Bob: Haha, not quite. It means talk later, outside the meeting. People love to sound fancy.

Alice: And “circle back on this next week”? Did we forget something important in a circle?

Bob: That’s just a polite way to say “we’ll discuss it again later.” They usually want to avoid making a decision *now*.

Alice: It felt like everyone was speaking a secret code! I just nodded and smiled a lot, hoping nobody would ask me anything.

Bob: I know the feeling. Sometimes I pretend to take notes, but I’m really just doodling funny monsters.

Alice: So, any tips for our *next* meeting? I don’t want to get lost in translation again. I hate feeling clueless.

Bob: Definitely. Try to learn some common meeting phrases. Like “I agree” or “I have a question.” Simple stuff first.

Alice: Good idea. And what if I don’t understand something? Can I just ask?

Bob: Absolutely! You can say, “Could you please explain that?” or “Could you repeat that, please?” It’s better to ask than to guess wrong.

Alice: That sounds less scary. I thought I had to understand everything perfectly or look silly.

Bob: Nobody does, Alice. English meetings often use very specific business jargon. Even native speakers get confused sometimes!

Alice: Okay, Bob. Next meeting, I’m bringing my dictionary… and maybe a phrasebook! Wish me luck!

Bob: Good luck! Let’s touch base after it to see how it went. Don’t forget your monster drawings!

Current Situation

In today’s globalized world, English is often the common language in international business meetings, even if participants are not native English speakers. This means you might find yourself in a meeting where English is spoken, regardless of your country or company.

For beginners, meetings in English can be challenging. People might speak quickly, use unfamiliar business jargon (special words used in business), or have different accents. It’s easy to feel lost or afraid to speak up. However, it’s a great opportunity to practice your listening and speaking skills. Many people in English meetings are also learning, so don’t be afraid to ask for clarification!

Key Phrases

• Let’s get started.
  Meaning: Let’s begin the meeting.
  Example: “Okay team, let’s get started with today’s agenda.”
• Let’s touch base offline.
  Meaning: Let’s talk about this later, outside of this meeting.
  Example: “We don’t have time now, so let’s touch base offline after the meeting.”
• We will circle back on this.
  Meaning: We will discuss this topic again later.
  Example: “We will circle back on this proposal next week.”
• I agree.
  Meaning: I have the same opinion.
  Example: “I agree with your point about the new project timeline.”
• I have a question.
  Meaning: I want to ask something.
  Example: “Excuse me, I have a question about the budget details.”
• Could you please explain that?
  Meaning: I don’t understand; please tell me more.
  Example: “I didn’t quite understand the last point. Could you please explain that?”
• Could you repeat that, please?
  Meaning: Please say that again.
  Example: “The connection is bad. Could you repeat that, please?”
• What’s your opinion on…?
  Meaning: What do you think about…?
  Example: “What’s your opinion on the new marketing strategy?”

Grammar Points

Here are some basic grammar points used in the dialogue that are very useful for beginners in English meetings:

• Modal Verbs for Requests and Suggestions: ‘Could you…?’, ‘Can I…?’

  We use modal verbs like ‘could’ and ‘can’ to make polite requests or ask for permission. ‘Could’ is generally more polite than ‘can’.

  • Could you please explain that? (Polite request for explanation)
  • Could you repeat that, please? (Polite request for repetition)
  • Can I ask a question? (Asking permission to ask a question)
• Simple Present Tense for Stating Facts or Habits: ‘It means…’, ‘People love…’

  The simple present tense is used for things that are always true, facts, or habits.

  • It means talk later. (Stating a fact about the phrase’s meaning)
  • People love to sound fancy. (Stating a general truth or habit)
  • English meetings often use business jargon. (Stating a common occurrence)
• Present Continuous Tense for Ongoing Actions: ‘My head is still spinning.’, ‘I’m really just doodling.’

  The present continuous tense describes actions happening now or around the present time.

  • My head is still spinning. (Describes a current feeling/state)
  • I’m really just doodling. (Describes an action happening at the moment)
  • I’m bringing my dictionary. (Describes a plan for the near future, often used with ‘going to’ as well)

Practice Exercises