“Sorry, something's come up. Could we push it back an hour?”
B1 · Intermediate9 minPhrases
When you need this
Meetings get canceled, moved and shortened all the time. A client's flight is late, the numbers aren't ready, or the whole thing turns out to be a short email. Canceling isn't rude; canceling badly is. People mind most when they find out late, get no reason, or get no new time.
Three verbs do most of the work. You cancel or call off a meeting when it isn't happening at all. You postpone it or push it back when it's moving later. You move it up when it's moving earlier. (British speakers often say "bring it forward.") A short reason is enough: "Something's come up" is polite and complete, and nobody expects the details.
Phrases
the meeting won't happen
a spoken way to say cancel
move it to a later date, sometimes not fixed yet
move it to a later time
move it to an earlier time
set a new time
a short, polite reason without details
softening bad news about your own plans
apologizing for a late change
checking the meeting hasn't been canceled
the topic can be handled another way
asking for help when you'll miss it
confirming the new time
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Practice · 3 min
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Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.