Once a meeting starts, somebody has to steer it: open it, keep people on the topic, bring in the quiet ones, watch the clock, and make sure it ends with decisions rather than a vague feeling. Even if you're not running it, you'll need to interrupt, agree, disagree and ask questions without sounding pushy.
Meeting English is softer than the words suggest. "I see it a bit differently" is a real disagreement; it's only wrapped carefully so the discussion stays calm. Interruptions start with "Sorry" and a question ("Could I jump in here?") so the speaker can finish the sentence. And the most useful sentence in any meeting is the one nobody wants to say: "We're getting off track."
Phrases
opening the meeting
stating the purpose of the meeting
a polite way to interrupt
keeping your turn politely
inviting someone who hasn't spoken
a soft way to disagree
agreeing partly before you disagree
the talk has moved away from the topic
save a topic for later
a time check
changing to the next item
checking that everyone accepts a decision
giving a task a name
summarizing before you close
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Practice · 3 min
Say the line that fits. Situation on the left, one natural line on the right.
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Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.