Lesson 1 of 6
Speaking Up in Meetings
Give opinions, interrupt politely and contribute with confidence.
Many skilled professionals stay silent in English meetings. That's not because they lack ideas. It's because they don't have ready-made phrases. American workplaces reward people who speak up. This lesson gives you the language to join in confidently.
LearnThe key ideas
Key meeting phrases
| Function | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Giving an opinion | I think... / From my perspective... / The way I see it... |
| Agreeing | I agree. / That's a great point. / Exactly. |
| Disagreeing politely | I see your point, but... / I'm not sure I agree. / Have we considered...? |
| Interrupting politely | Sorry to jump in, but... / Can I add something here? |
| Clarifying | Just to clarify, are we saying...? / What do you mean by...? |
| Moving on | Let's move on to... / Should we table this for now? |
Being heard
Speak in the first 10 minutes. The longer you wait, the harder it gets. Keep your points short: one idea, one reason, one example.
If you get cut off, smile and say: "Sorry, just to finish my thought..."
ListenListen and repeat
- Sorry to jump in, but I think we're missing something.Polite interruption.
- That's a great point. Building on that...Agree, then add.
- I see where you're coming from, but I'm not sure that'll work.Soft disagreement.
- Just to clarify, is the deadline Friday?Checking understanding.
AvoidCommon mistakes
SpeakShadowing practice
Press Listen, then repeat straight away, copying the speed, rhythm and tone. Say each sentence three times, then record yourself.
- Can I add something here?
- I see your point, but have we considered the cost?
- Okay, let's move on to the next item.
CheckQuick quiz
1. Polite way to interrupt:
2. Polite disagreement:
3. "Let's table this" (in the US) means:
PracticeToday's speaking task
Before your next meeting or class, prepare one opinion, one question and one agreement phrase. Use at least one of them.