Business English

Business Meeting Language

B2 · Professionals · 90 min

Teacher lesson plan

Business Meeting Language

Students read the transcript of a quarterly sales meeting at a home appliances company whose sales are 12% below target. They categorise the meeting phrases by function, compare direct and diplomatic ways of disagreeing and interrupting, and practise the phrases in controlled exercises. They then prepare and hold their own meeting in groups of four, with role cards that have conflicting priorities and a fixed budget, and finish by agreeing and reporting action points.

Aims

Main aim

To develop learners' ability to take part in a meeting using functional language for giving opinions, agreeing and disagreeing politely, interrupting, clarifying and summarising.

Subsidiary

To give learners practice in reading for detail in a meeting transcript.
To raise awareness of register and diplomatic softening.
To provide fluency practice in a meeting simulation with conflicting priorities.

Lesson information

Level: B2
Learners: Professionals, 12 students
Duration: 90 minutes
Lesson type: Business English
Environment: Face-to-face
Skills: Speaking, Reading, Writing
Topic: A quarterly sales review: regional sales 12% below target
Language focus: Functional language for opening, the agenda, opinions, agreeing and disagreeing, interrupting, clarifying and summarising action points
Methodology: Business-focused (text-based discovery followed by a meeting simulation)

Learning objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1
Identify the function of common meeting phrases in the transcript of a sales meeting.
2
Open a meeting and state the agenda using appropriate phrases.
3
Give opinions, agree and disagree politely using softening language.
4
Interrupt and clarify politely during a discussion.
5
Summarise decisions as action points with names and deadlines.
6
Negotiate a recovery plan in a simulated meeting with conflicting priorities.

Success criteria

Students can say what each phrase in Exercise 2 does in the meeting (opening, interrupting, disagreeing politely, summarising …) with no more than one mistake.
Students can disagree and interrupt politely in the meeting, using softeners such as I see where you're coming from, but … and If I could just come in here …
Students who chair can open the meeting, state the agenda and ask every participant for their view.
Students can agree three action points in their group within the £50,000 budget, each with a name and a deadline (Tom, you'll … by Friday).

Target language

Opening, the agenda and summarising

Meaning: Phrases the chair uses to start the meeting, explain its purpose and order, and finish with clear responsibilities.
Form: Right, shall we get started?
The purpose of today's meeting is to + base verb
We've got + number + items on the agenda. First, … second, … and finally, …
Let me sum up. / So, to summarise, …
Name + you'll + base verb + by + deadline
Pronunciation: 'Right' and 'OK' with a falling tone and a short pause signal a new stage of the meeting.
Use: Used mainly by the chair; summarising with names and deadlines turns discussion into action.
Examples: The purpose of today's meeting is to agree on some corrective actions.
We've got three items on the agenda.
Tom, you'll prepare a proposal by Friday.

Opinions, agreeing and disagreeing politely

Meaning: Ways of giving a view and responding to others. Polite disagreement often starts with partial agreement and uses softening words (I'm not sure, quite, might, I'm afraid).
Form: In my view, … / As I see it, … / I'd argue that …
That's a fair point. / I couldn't agree more.
I'm not sure I agree (with that entirely).
I see where you're coming from, but … / I take your point, but …
Pronunciation: Stress the contrast after 'but': 'I take your point, BUT I think the budget is the bigger issue.'
Use: Direct disagreement (You're wrong.) sounds aggressive in most international business settings.
Examples: I'm not sure I agree with that entirely.
I see where you're coming from, but our key accounts need better terms.
That's a fair point.

Interrupting and clarifying

Meaning: Polite ways of entering a discussion, checking what someone means and explaining your own point again.
Form: If I could just come in here, …
Sorry to interrupt, but …
Are you saying (that) …?
Could you clarify what you mean by …?
What I mean is …
Pronunciation: 'Sorry to interrupt' with a friendly rising-falling tone; 'just' is unstressed /dʒəst/.
Use: Interrupting politely is normal and expected in English-speaking meetings; staying silent can be seen as having no opinion.
Examples: If I could just come in here — that's mainly because two retailers have cut their orders.
Sorry to interrupt, Tom, but are you saying we should increase the marketing budget?
What I mean is that we should move some of the existing budget online.

Materials

Student lesson (printed, one per student)
Meeting invitation email projected for the lead-in
Role cards cut up: chair, marketing manager, key account manager, finance manager (three sets)
A3 sheet per group for writing action points
Timer visible to the class
Board and markers

Anticipated problems

use
Problem
Learners sound too direct when they disagree (You're wrong. / That won't work.).
Solution
Contrast the two columns of the 'Too direct' table; ask 'How would Daniel feel if Tom said this?'. Exercise 4 practises rewriting.
form
Problem
Learners say *Sorry for interrupt or *I'm not agree.
Solution
Highlight 'Sorry to interrupt' and 'I don't agree / I'm not sure I agree' on the board; correct in delayed feedback.
classroom management
Problem
Strong personalities dominate the simulation and quieter students say little.
Solution
Tell chairs that one of their goals is to hear from everyone, and give the chair the phrase '[name], what's your view?'. Include 'Did everyone give their opinion?' on the checklist.
task
Problem
Groups do not reach a decision before time runs out.
Solution
Give a two-minute warning and remind chairs to start summarising: 'OK, I think we're running out of time, so let me sum up.'
task
Problem
Learners spend the simulation reading their role cards aloud.
Solution
In the preparation stage, ask them to turn the card face down and practise their main argument from memory in their same-role group.

Lesson procedure

90 / 90 min

Stage & aim	Time	Teacher	Students	Interaction
Lead-in To set the context of a difficult sales meeting and activate students' experience of meetings.	5′	Project the meeting invitation: 'Subject: Q3 sales review — regional sales 12% below target. Thursday 10:00, Room 4.' Ask: 'How do you think the Sales Director feels? Who should be at this meeting? What should come out of it?' Take answers from the whole class and write 'action points' on the board. Board: Q3: −12% → Why? → What now? → action points	Read the meeting invitation and predict who will attend, what the problems are and what the meeting should achieve.	T-S, Whole class
Context: reading a meeting transcript To give students a realistic meeting in which the target language is used in context, and check overall understanding.	10′	Pre-teach 'below target', 'key account', 'corrective action', 'premium range', 'terms' and 'action point' using the vocabulary box. Students read the transcript for gist: 'What are the two different explanations for the drop in sales?' (Competitors' bigger discounts; the cut in the online advertising budget.) Then they do Exercise 1 individually and compare in pairs. Check answers as a class. Instructions: “Read the meeting. Find two reasons for the fall in sales. Then do Exercise 1 alone and compare with your partner.” ICQs How many reasons do you look for? (Two.) Do you do Exercise 1 alone or with your partner? (Alone, then compare.)	Read the transcript, identify the two explanations for the drop in sales, then decide whether five sentences are true or false and compare with a partner. ↳ Exercise 1: True or false?	S, Pairs, T-S
Language focus: functions of meeting phrases To help students identify the function of each meeting phrase and build a reference list grouped by function.	10′	Pairs find the phrases from Exercise 2 in the transcript and decide what each one does in the meeting. Check as a class and build the 'Meeting phrases' table on the board, eliciting one or two alternatives for each function. Ask CCQs on 'If I could just come in here', 'I see where you're coming from, but…' and 'Let me sum up'. Point out the pattern for action points: name + you'll + action + by + deadline. Instructions: “Find these phrases in the meeting. What does each speaker want to do? Sort the phrases into the groups. Work with your partner.” CCQs “If I could just come in here — that's mainly because…” Did Claire ask Priya to speak? → No — Priya joins in without being invited, but politely. Is she being rude? → No — it's a polite way to enter the discussion. “I see where you're coming from, but I'd still argue…” Does Priya understand Tom's idea? → Yes. Does she agree with him completely? → No — she still thinks key accounts are more important. “Let me sum up.” Is Claire going to introduce a new topic or repeat the main decisions? → Repeat the main decisions. ICQs Do you need to find the phrases in the meeting first? (Yes.) Can two phrases go in the same group? (Yes.) Board: Table with eight headings: Opening / Agenda / Opinions / Agreeing / Disagreeing politely / Interrupting / Clarifying / Summarising, with two phrases each. Pattern: Tom, you'll prepare a proposal by Friday.	Find phrases in the transcript, sort them by function with a partner, answer concept questions and check the 'Meeting phrases' table in the student lesson against the board, adding one phrase of their own. ↳ Exercise 2: What are they doing?	Pairs, T-S
Language focus: register and politeness To raise awareness of how softening language makes opinions, disagreement and interruptions sound professional.	8′	Read out 'You're wrong.' in a flat tone and ask: 'How would you feel if a colleague said this to you in a meeting?' Show the 'Too direct / More diplomatic' table. In pairs, students underline the words in the right-hand column that make each comment softer (I'm not sure, just, might, I'm afraid, I'd suggest). Check as a class and ask CCQs on 'I'm afraid' and 'I'd suggest'. Mention that very indirect language can be confusing for some international colleagues, so the aim is polite but clear. Instructions: “Look at the right-hand column. Underline the words that make each comment softer. Work with your partner. Three minutes.” CCQs “I'm afraid there's no extra money this year.” Is Daniel actually frightened? → No — 'I'm afraid' introduces bad news politely. Is the answer still clear? → Yes — there is no extra money. “I'd suggest we look again at our discount levels.” Is the speaker giving an order or making a proposal? → Making a proposal. “I'm not convinced that would work in practice.” Does the speaker think the idea will work? → Probably not, but they say it gently. ICQs Which column do you look at? (The right-hand column — More diplomatic.) Board: Softeners: I'm not sure… / just / quite / might / I'm afraid… / I'd suggest…	Compare direct and diplomatic versions of the same comment, underline the softening words and answer concept questions.	Pairs, T-S
Pronunciation: polite intonation To help students sound polite and confident when interrupting and disagreeing.	4′	Say 'Sorry to interrupt, but…' twice: once flat and impatient, once with a friendly rising-falling tone. Ask which sounds polite. Drill chorally and individually: 'Sorry to interrupt, but…', 'If I could just come in here…', 'I take your point, BUT…' (stress on 'but'). Point out that 'just' is unstressed. Board: Sorry to interrupt, but… ↗↘ / I take your point, BUT…	Listen, identify the polite version and repeat the key phrases chorally and individually.	T-S, Whole class
Controlled practice To practise the exact wording of the meeting phrases and rewrite direct comments in a more diplomatic way.	10′	Students complete Exercise 3 (gap-fill) individually, then check in pairs. Check answers quickly, focusing on 'sorry to interrupt', 'I take your point' and 'by Thursday'. Pairs then do Exercise 4, rewriting direct comments using the words in brackets. Ask pairs to read their answers aloud with polite intonation; accept any natural, polite version. Instructions: “Exercise 3: complete each sentence with one word from the box. Work alone, then check with your partner.” ICQs How many words go in each gap? (One.) Do you use each word once? (Yes.)	Complete nine meeting phrases, then rewrite six direct comments to make them more diplomatic and read them aloud with polite intonation. ↳ Exercise 3: Complete the phrases	S, Pairs, T-S
Meeting simulation: preparation To give students time to understand their role, plan their arguments and choose phrases before the meeting.	8′	Explain the situation: the Q3 meeting continues, and the team must agree a recovery plan for Q4 with a maximum budget of £50,000. Give out role cards, one role per student, and remind students to read only their own card. Students sit in same-role groups of three (all chairs together, all marketing managers together, and so on). They plan their main argument, a compromise they could accept and three phrases they will use. Chairs plan their opening and agenda. Monitor and help. Instructions: “Read your card. Don't show it to anyone with a different role. With your group, plan your main argument, one compromise you could accept and three phrases from the table. Eight minutes.” ICQs Can you show your card to people in the meeting? (No.) What must you plan? (A main argument, one compromise and three phrases.) What is the maximum budget? (£50,000.)	Read the role card, plan arguments and a possible compromise with others who have the same role, and choose phrases to use. ↳ Meeting simulation: role cards	Groups
Role-play: quarterly sales meeting To use the meeting phrases fluently in a realistic meeting with conflicting priorities and reach an agreement.	20′	Regroup students into three meetings of four (one chair, one marketing manager, one key account manager, one finance manager), giving each student one role card and reminding them to read only their own card. Start the timer: 15 minutes for the meeting. Give a two-minute warning. Monitor all three groups, noting good phrases and errors for delayed correction, without interrupting. After the meeting, each group spends five minutes completing the meeting checklist together, and the chair writes the action points on an A3 sheet. Instructions: “You have fifteen minutes. The chair opens the meeting. By the end, you must agree three action points, each with a name and a deadline, and stay within £50,000.” ICQs Who starts the meeting? (The chair.) How many action points do you need? (Three.) What must each action point have? (A name and a deadline.) Can you spend more than £50,000? (No.)	Hold the meeting: open, follow the agenda, give and defend opinions, interrupt and clarify politely, reach a decision and agree action points; then evaluate the meeting with the checklist. ↳ Meeting simulation: role cards	Groups
Feedback and error correction To compare outcomes, reflect on how well the meetings worked and correct common errors.	10′	Each chair summarises their group's action points using 'So, to summarise…'. Ask the class which plan they think the CEO would accept and why. Groups share one checklist point they did well and one they found difficult. Then write 6–7 sentences you heard on the board, some correct and some with errors (e.g. Sorry for interrupt. I'm not agree with you. *Tom will make the proposal until Friday.). Pairs correct them; check together and praise effective polite language. Instructions: “Look at the sentences on the board. Some are correct. Correct the others with your partner.” ICQs Are all the sentences wrong? (No — some are correct.) Board: 6–7 anonymous sentences from the meetings for correction.	Report action points, compare decisions across groups, share checklist results and correct anonymous sentences from the meetings in pairs.	Whole class, Pairs
Personalisation: your next meeting To help students transfer the meeting phrases to their own working life by choosing phrases for a real upcoming meeting.	3′	Ask students to think of a real meeting they will attend soon. In pairs, they tell each other what is on the agenda, which function they find hardest in English and three phrases they will use. Take two or three examples from the class. Instructions: “Think of a real meeting you have soon. Tell your partner about it and choose three phrases you will use. Three minutes.” ICQs Is the meeting real or imaginary? (Real.)	Tell a partner about a real meeting in their own work and choose three phrases they will use in it. ↳ Your next meeting	Pairs
Homework To consolidate summarising language in a realistic follow-up email.	2′	Set the homework and show the success criteria: 120–150 words, a clear subject line, decisions and three action points with names and deadlines. As students leave, check their exit task: 'You're wrong. We need more money.' rewritten diplomatically.	Note the homework task and success criteria, and write the exit task.	T-S

Support & challenge

Support

For learners who need more help

Let weaker students keep the 'Meeting phrases' table on the desk during the meeting and tick each phrase as they use it.
In the preparation stage, give weaker students two sentence starters for their main argument: 'In my view, we should … because …' and 'I could accept … if …'.
In Exercise 4, weaker pairs rewrite the first three comments and read them aloud; other pairs do all six.

Challenge

For stronger learners and fast finishers

Fast finishers in Exercise 4 write a second, even softer version of two of the comments.
Secretly tell the chair of a stronger group that the CEO wants at least one action that costs nothing.
Ask stronger students to check another speaker's point at least once with 'Are you saying that …?' before they disagree.

Checking learning

Action-point report: each chair summarises with 'So, to summarise, … [name], you'll … by …'; check that every action point has a name and a deadline.
Exit task: students rewrite 'You're wrong. We need more money.' diplomatically on a slip of paper and show it to you before they leave.
In the personalisation stage, listen for the three phrases each student chooses for their next real meeting.

Homework

Write a follow-up email (120–150 words) to the people in your meeting.

Thank them for attending, summarise the main decisions and list the three action points with names and deadlines. Use at least two phrases from the lesson.

Teacher notes

With fewer than twelve students, remove the finance manager in one group and tell that group's chair verbally that the budget is now £40,000; the chair also speaks for finance.
If time allows, film one meeting (with permission) and replay a short extract in feedback to focus on intonation.
Online adaptation: use breakout rooms of four, send each student their role card privately in the chat, and use a shared document for action points.

Student lesson

Business Meeting Language

Taking part in meetings: from the agenda to action points

Q3 sales review

What is happening in this meeting?

Kestrel Home Appliances sells kitchen appliances to retailers across the UK and Ireland. In the third quarter, sales in the region were 12% below target. The Regional Sales Director has called a meeting to agree on corrective actions.

Key vocabulary

below target

lower than the planned figure

Sales were 12% below target in the third quarter.

key account

one of a company's most important customers

We have five key accounts in Ireland.

corrective action

a step taken to fix a problem

We need to take corrective action before Christmas.

premium range

a company's most expensive products

Our premium range sells well in London.

terms

the conditions of a deal, such as price and payment time

The retailer has asked for better terms.

action point

a task someone agrees to do after a meeting

There are three action points from today.

Read the meeting

Claire (Regional Sales Director): Right, shall we get started? Thanks for coming at such short notice. The purpose of today's meeting is to look at our Q3 figures and agree on some corrective actions. We've got three items on the agenda: first, the figures; second, the reasons behind them; and finally, next steps. Daniel, could you take us through the numbers?

Daniel (Finance Manager): Sure. In short, we finished the quarter 12% below target. The biggest drop was in the north, where sales of our premium range fell by almost a fifth.

Priya (Key Account Manager): If I could just come in here — that's mainly because two of our biggest retailers have cut their orders. A competitor is offering them much bigger discounts.

Tom (Marketing Manager): I'm not sure I agree with that entirely. Discounts are part of it, but our online advertising budget was cut in July. In my view, that's why we're losing customers who shop online.

Daniel: Sorry to interrupt, Tom, but are you saying we should increase the marketing budget? Because I'm afraid there's no extra money this year.

Tom: What I mean is that we should move some of the existing budget from print to online, not spend more.

Claire: That's a fair point. Priya, how do you feel about that?

Priya: I see where you're coming from, but I'd still argue that our key accounts need better terms. Otherwise, we could lose them completely.

Claire: OK, I think we're running out of time, so let me sum up. Tom, you'll prepare a proposal for moving 20% of the print budget online by Friday. Priya, could you meet the two retailers and report back on the terms they're expecting? And Daniel will look at what discount level we can afford. Is everyone happy with that? Great — let's meet again on the 14th.

Exercise 1: True or false?

Read the meeting again. Are the sentences true or false?

1
Sales in the region were 12% below target.TF
2
Daniel says there is extra money for marketing this year.TF
3
Tom wants to spend more money on marketing.TF
4
Priya believes the key accounts need better terms.TF
5
Claire gives Tom a deadline for his proposal.TF

Exercise 2: What are they doing?

Find these phrases in the meeting. Put each one in a group: opening, agenda, opinion, agreeing, disagreeing, interrupting, clarifying or summarising.

1
Right, shall we get started?
2
We've got three items on the agenda.
3
If I could just come in here…
4
I'm not sure I agree with that entirely.
5
In my view, …
6
Sorry to interrupt, Tom, but…
7
Are you saying we should…?
8
What I mean is…
9
That's a fair point.
10
I see where you're coming from, but…
11
Let me sum up.

Meeting phrases

Opening	Right, shall we get started? / Thanks for coming. / The purpose of today's meeting is to …	The purpose of today's meeting is to agree on a new pricing plan.
Stating the agenda	We've got … items on the agenda. / First, … second, … and finally, …	First, we'll look at the figures, and then we'll discuss next steps.
Giving opinions	In my view, … / As I see it, … / I'd argue that …	As I see it, the real problem is our delivery times.
Agreeing	That's a fair point. / I couldn't agree more. / Exactly.	I couldn't agree more — we need to act quickly.
Disagreeing politely	I'm not sure I agree. / I see where you're coming from, but … / I take your point, but …	I take your point, but I think the budget is the bigger issue.
Interrupting	If I could just come in here, … / Sorry to interrupt, but … / Can I just add something?	Sorry to interrupt, but those figures are from last year.
Clarifying	Are you saying (that) …? / Could you clarify what you mean by …? / What I mean is …	Could you clarify what you mean by 'better terms'?
Summarising	Let me sum up. / So, to summarise, … / Name + you'll + action + by + deadline	So, to summarise, Priya will contact the retailers by Friday.

Too direct or more diplomatic?

Too direct	More diplomatic
You're wrong.	I'm not sure I agree with that.
That won't work.	I'm not convinced that would work in practice.
Stop. Let me speak.	Sorry to interrupt, but could I just add something?
What? That makes no sense.	Sorry, I'm not quite sure what you mean.
We must cut discounts.	I'd suggest we look again at our discount levels.
Your figures are wrong.	I'm afraid there might be a problem with these figures.

Small words make a big difference: I'm afraid, just, quite, might, I'd suggest. Start with partial agreement before you disagree: I take your point, but…

Say Sorry to interrupt — not Sorry for interrupt. Say I don't agree or I'm not sure I agree — not I'm not agree.

Exercise 3: Complete the phrases

Complete each sentence with one word from the box. Use each word once.

startedpurposeitemsinterruptpointclarifymoresumby

1
Right, shall we get ? We've got a lot to cover.
2
The of today's meeting is to agree on next year's budget.
3
There are four on the agenda this morning.
4
Sorry to , but I think those figures are from last year.
5
I take your , but we can't afford to lower our prices again.
6
Could you what you mean by 'a small increase'?
7
I couldn't agree . The website needs updating urgently.
8
OK, let me up what we've agreed so far.
9
So, Anna, you'll send the revised forecast Thursday.

Exercise 4: Say it more politely

Rewrite each comment so it sounds more diplomatic. Use the words in brackets.

1
You're wrong about the delivery problems. (not sure / agree)
2
Stop talking — I need to say something. (sorry / interrupt)
3
Explain 'flexible pricing'. (could / clarify)
4
That idea is too expensive. (afraid / might)
5
Your plan won't work. (take / point / but)
6
We need to cut the advertising budget. (suggest)

Meeting simulation: a recovery plan for Q4

The Q3 meeting continues. Your team must agree three actions to recover sales in Q4. The total budget is £50,000 and there is no extra money.

Meeting simulation: role cards

Work in groups of four. Your teacher gives you a role. Read only your card and cover the others. You have fifteen minutes to agree three action points.

Chair (Regional Sales Director): Open the meeting and state the agenda. Keep to time and make sure everyone speaks. You need three action points the CEO will accept. Do not go over £50,000.
Marketing Manager: You believe weak online visibility is the main problem. You want £35,000 for a digital campaign before Christmas. You think more discounts will damage the brand.
Key Account Manager: Two big retailers have cut orders because a competitor offers them 8% more discount. You want an extra 5% discount for your top five retailers. It will cost about £30,000.
Finance Manager: Profit margins are already low. You don't want any new discounts. You'd prefer to spend no more than £20,000 in total. Ask for evidence before you agree to any spending.

Meeting checklist

Did the chair open the meeting and state the agenda clearly?
Did everyone give their opinion at least once?
Did people disagree politely, without sounding aggressive?
Did anyone interrupt politely when they needed to?
Did people check meaning when something was unclear?
Did the meeting end with clear action points, names and deadlines?

Our action points

Write your group's three action points. For each one, say who will do what and by when.

What do you think they are deciding?

Your next meeting

Work with a partner. Talk about a real meeting you will attend soon.

What is the meeting about, and what is on the agenda?
Which is hardest for you in English: interrupting, disagreeing or summarising? Why?
Choose three phrases from this lesson that you will use in that meeting.

Business Meeting Language

Aims

Lesson information

Learning objectives

Success criteria

Target language

Materials

Anticipated problems

Lesson procedure

Support & challenge

Checking learning

Homework

Teacher notes

Q3 sales review

Read the meeting

Exercise 1: True or false?

Exercise 2: What are they doing?

Exercise 3: Complete the phrases

Exercise 4: Say it more politely

Meeting simulation: a recovery plan for Q4

Meeting simulation: role cards

Our action points

Your next meeting

Plan your own lesson in minutes