Some useful language for participating in meetings

2.2.2.

2.2.1.

Language practice

Read the text and complete the following chart.

PRACTICAL TRAINING

ATTENDING A MEETING

However informal the meeting, it always pays to prepare a few key points in note form to put across or discuss. If you're unprepared, you will not be able to concentrate on what your colleagues are saying and others are less likely to listen to you because you will either waffle or sound hesitant.

Don't memorise notes or read them out like a sermon. This inhibites your natural gestures: the eye contact and body language that is essential to effective communication. If you cannot answer a question, don't be afraid to say, 'I don't know but I'll find out and get back to you by...' (give a definite date). Phrase your criticisms and proposals positively. Seek to offer solutions rather than to complain.

Arrive early and sit close to the chairperson to ensure that you aren't ignored. If you're late, apologise and find a seat quickly and quietly. Don't try to sneak in as if you're invisible.

	DOs	DON'Ts
chairperson	1 have a clear purpose 2.....................................	1 go on for more than an hour 2..........................................
	3.......................................	3..........................................
	4........................................	4..........................................
	5.............................................................................
	6..........................................
participants	1..........................................	1....................................................................
	2..........................................................	2..........................................
	3..........................................	3 sneak in if you're late
	4..........................................

Match each item on the left with the correct description on the right. Then use each phrase once only to complete the phrases

I’m afraid I don't agree with you.	making a suggestion reformulating
Could I just come in here...? In other words...	moving to a new   point
I absolutely agree.	giving an opinion
I think…………..	setting objectives
Let’s recap.	asking for an
How about...?	opinion interrupting disagreeing
What do you think...? What we've got to do... We ought to move on...	summarising agreeing

Frank: Let's get started then.'................. is, er, discuss how Derek's interview

with Charlie should go...

Jennifer: Well, I think it's usually useful to break this kind of news midweek, rather than doing it on a Friday afternoon.

Frank: Certainly,^{2..................................}

Jennifer:... There should be a package we offer him, and quite a few details to sort out.

Frank: Yes certainly. Erm, I think ^{3...................} now, so the next question is, erm, you know, how are we going to do it, and where?^{4...............................................................} .Jennifer?...

Derek... I haven't really thought this through, but, erm, I mean,^5........... it

might be better to do it outside the office in a sense.

Jennifer: ^{6.................................} It needs to be you in your managerial role, not you in your role as a personal friend.... I certainly think it should be done, er, somewhere in the office, and preferably in his office rather than in yours...

Frank Well,^{7..............................} a lunch, Derek, in a quiet pub or restaurant?

Derek So, the in-between thing, it's a working lunch. It's work, but it's not in the office. It could be a compromise, yes.

Jennifer: Well,^{8..............................} please? I tend to think it might be better if you did do it inthe office...

Frank I mean, Jennifer, you've had a lot of experience of this. How do people react when they...

Jennifer: People tend to be rather shocked, they tend to be angry, but rather briefly, and they do tend to...

Derek ^{9................................} , they're not able to formulate an immediate and rational response...

Derek Yes, I mean but briefly, you're saying that I should get to the point and

Frank Give him the background.

say 'youknow, Charlie, it has been decided that, basically, you are being made redundant, and the normal terms and conditions of our contract will apply...

Frank Ok, so ^{10.............................} I think we're agreed, Derek, that you will actually betelling Charles...

Derek Yes.

Frank And that you'll do it, er, inside the company, and you'll do -it probably in your office. Right'

Giving an opinion

(strong) I'm convinced we should

use an agent.

I'm sure the Japanese

market has big potential.

I have no doubt the new

factory will make life a lot

easier. (neutral) / think

we need a bigger sales force.

As I see it, we must build

up our middle

management.

In my opinion, we should

offer a bonus. (tentative)

It seems to me we should

try to diversify.

I tend to think our designs

are old-fashioned.

I feel our competitors are

more market-orientated.

Agreeing

(strong) I totally agree.

I agree entirely with Peter.

I quite agree.

I couldn 't agree more.

Absolutely/Precisely!/

Exactly! (neutral) / agree with you.

I think you 're right.

That's true. (tentative) Mmm, maybe you 're right.

Perhaps.

I tend to agree.

I suppose so.

Checking comprehension/re­formulating

To put that another way,...

If I follow you correctly,...

So what you 're saying is... Does that mean...?

Are you saying...?

Expressing reservations

I agree to some extent, but..

. I suppose you're right, but... Maybe You have a point, but...

that's true, but...

Disagreeing

(strong) I don t agree with you at

all.

I totally disagree.

You're quae wrong about

that.

It s out of the question.

Of course not.

Rubbish/Nonsense (neutral) I don't really think so.

I'm afraid I can’t agree

with you there. (tentative) Mmm, I'm not sure.

I tend to disagree.

Do you really think so?

Is that such a good idea?

Making a suggestion

(neutral) / suggest (that) we buy from the French supplier. I would suggest

strengthening our

management team.

My suggestion would be to spend more on R& D. (tentative)

We could sell the business. Perhaps we should make a takeover bid.

It might be worth setting

up a joint venture.

What about appointing a

new agent?

Why don't we borrow some more money?

There are several ways of recording what was discussed and decided at a meeting. The minutes below are known as 'resolution minutes'. They show the decisions that were taken at a meeting, but they do not give any indication of the discussion which led to the decisions.

Дата добавления: 2014-11-29