TACT Business English

Session 1:Contributing effectively at

meetings
 Today’s Session Aims:
 To look at some key vocabulary relating to the staging and
roles within meetings
 To examine functional language used in meetings in more
detail…
 Become more confident using business language related to
meetings via role play situations…
 Look at some useful websites and resources for home
study.
Discussion: yours personal opinions and
experiences of meetings…
 Agree or disagree: meeting are generally a waste of time.
 True or false: meetings normally last too long
 Yes or no: some people tend to dominate meetings
 Agree or disagree: there’s a lot of unnecessary talk at
meetings
 It is said people tend not to stick to the topic in hand
 Opinion: I like / I don’t like attending meetings
 Key lexis relating to meetings:
Next Business
Minutes
AOB
Abstention
Attendees

Chair Resolution
Seconder
Agenda
Secretary Call to order

Quorum
Apologies
 What do you think…
• Many employees are taking extended breaks…

• The staff seem demotivated

• People seem to be working a lot of unpaid overtime

• Employees don’t really have anywhere to eat or

Relax during their lunch hour

• We have a cash flow problem this month – we can’t

pay the salaries…

• Michael is a great employee, we want to promote him

but his attendance isn’t good…
 Real life roleplay!
The company you work for is in financial trouble.

The problem is that another firm is interested in

buying your company

BUT: They aren’t really offering the real market

Price and have a bad reputation

HOWEVER: If you don’t sell, you may go bankrupt!

YOU ARE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – WHAT DO YOU DO?

DECIDE AT THE SPECIAL BOARD MEETING!
 Useful links and self study:
https://www.quia.com/jg/1655311list.html
Useful for key vocabulary

https://www.med.mun.ca/getdoc/
033bc7a3-4d70-4eb5-88bb-c18064a78fc8/
The-Seven-Steps.aspx
Useful for looking in more detail at staging of meetings

https://virtualspeech.com/blog/english-
phrases-workplace-meeting
Great for looking at typical language and phrases used in meetings