By Kenneth Beare, About.com
The following phrases are used to conduct a meeting. These phrases are useful if you are called on to conduct a meeting.
Opening
Good morning/afternoon, everyone.
If we are all here, let's get started / start the meeting / start
Welcoming and Introducing
Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)
We're pleased to welcome (name of participant)
I'd like to extend a warm welcome to (name of participant)
It's a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)
I'd like to introduce (name of participant)
Stating the Principal Objectives
We're here today to ...
I'd like to make sure that we ...
Our main aim today is to ...
I've called this meeting in order to ...
Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last Meeting
To begin with I'd like to quickly go through the minutes of our last meeting.
First, let's go over the report from the last meeting, which was held on (date)
Dealing with Recent Developments
Jack, can you tell us how the XYZ project is progressing?
Jack, how is the XYZ project coming along?
John, have you completed the report on the new accounting package?
Moving Forward
So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, let's move on to today's agenda.
Shall we get down to business?
Is there Any Other Business?
If there are no further developments, I'd like to move on to today's topic.
Introducing the Agenda
Have you all received a copy of the agenda?
There are X items on the agenda. First, ... second, ... third, ... lastly, ...
Shall we take the points in this order?
If you don't mind, I'd like to go in order today.
skip item 1 and move on to item 3
Allocating Roles (secretary, participants)
(name of participant) has agreed to take the minutes.
(name of participant), would you mind taking the minutes?
(name of participant) has kindly agreed to give us a report on ...
Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.)
We will first hear a short report on each point first, followed by a discussion of ...
Let's make sure we finish by ...
I'd suggest we ...
There will be five minutes for each item
Introducing the First Item on the Agenda
So, let's start with ...
I'd suggest we start with...
So, the first item on the agenda is
Shall we start with ...
Closing an Item
I think that takes care of the first item.
Shall we leave that item?
Why don't we move on to...
If nobody has anything else to add, lets …
Next Item
Let's move onto the next item
Now that we've discussed X, let's now ...
The next item on today's agenda is...
Summarizing
Before we close today's meeting, let me just summarize the main points.
Let me quickly go over today's main points.
To sum up, ...,.
OK, why don't we quickly summarize what we've done today.
In brief, ...
Shall I go over the main points?
Finishing Up
Right, it looks as though we've covered the main items.
If there are no other comments, I'd like to wrap this meeting up.
Let's bring this to a close for today.
Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting
Can we set the date for the next meeting, please?
So, the next meeting will be on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at ...
Let's next meet on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at ... What about the following Wednesday? How is that?
Thanking Participants for Attending
I'd like to thank Marianne and Jeremy for coming over from London.
Thank you all for attending.
Thanks for your participation.
Closing the Meeting
The meeting is finished, we'll see each other next ...
The meeting is closed.
I declare the meeting closed.
