Business english: running a meeting
The following phrases are used to conduct a meeting. These phrases are useful if you are called on to conduct a meeting.
One of the most common requirements of business English is holding meetings in English. The following sections provide useful language and phrases for conducting meetings and making contributions to a meeting.
Meetings generally follow a more or less similar structure and can be divided into the following parts:
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Introductions
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Reviewing Past Business
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Beginning the Meeting
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Discussing Items
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Finishing the Meeting
I - Introductions
Opening
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Good morning/afternoon, everyone.
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If we are all here, let's get started / start the meeting / start.
Welcoming and Introducing
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Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)
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We're pleased to welcome (name of participant)
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I'd like to extend a warm welcome to (name of participant)
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It's a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)
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I'd like to introduce (name of participant)
Stating the Principal Objectives
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We're here today to ...
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I'd like to make sure that we ...
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Our main aim today is to ...
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I've called this meeting in order to ...
Giving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent
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I'm afraid.., (name of participant) can't be with us today. She is in...
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Unfortunately, (name of participant) ... will not be with us today because he...
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I have received apologies for absence from (name of participant), who is in (place).