Meetings: planning

  • Asking
  • Availability
  • Changes
  • Roles
  • Common Phrases
Asking for a meeting

How do we ask for a meeting? What information are we looking for? Why should the listener agree?

Good morning, this is _____ from _____, how are you?

[ arrange, have, schedule, plan, fix, set up, organise, hold ]

I would like to _________ a meeting!

Can I __________ a meeting with you next week?

I’m calling to see if it’s possible to ___________ a meeting this week!

I’m trying to ___________ a meeting

 

[ book / reserve ] is for appointments with the doctor etc or venues / the meeting room

 

When? Prepositions

In the afternoon

On friday

At 9am

 

Checking your agenda

Can you give me a minute / second

Could you give me a minute please

(Could you) Let me check my agenda

I come back > I’ll be right back / I’ll be back in a second

One moment please

[ free slot /open slot/ opening / availability / available ]

I’m free > I am _________ on….

Well, I have an ___________ at

I’m busy > I don’t have any ___________

Proposing Times

We could meet at…

How about…

I’m fully booked that day, I’m afraid

Let’s say next week

 

WHY CHANGE the plan?

Giving reasons before you change 

Unfortunately…

My colleague double booked the room

It’s no longer possible for me to attend

I’m afraid we’ve had a setback!

I have an urgency

I have an urgent matter to attend to

I have a personal issue / problem

I have a family matter/emergency to deal with

I have a medical appointment

There’s a company emergency

I’ve had some difficulties with the transport…

Something urgent has come up

I have to …

There is a conflict in my agenda, sadly, it seems it will be difficult to maintain our meeting.

We should not use: cancel, annul

When you want a later meeting

Put off, delay, postpone

[ bring / push / put / move] + back

Could we _____ the meeting _____?

Is it possible to _____  ______ the meeting ?

When you want an earlier meeting

Advance / prepone

[ bring / push / put / move] + forward

Is it possible to _____ the meeting _____?

Could we _____  _____the meeting?

When you have no preference

Move, reschedule, rearrange, re-plan, reorganise,

Oh no, I’m afraid I have to __________ our meeting

 

Prepositions

[ By To From Until At In For ]

Talking about a static time = AT

See you at 6pm

Moving something to another time or day = TO

Move the meeting to 3pm

From

I will be available from 2pm to 5pm

Using an amount = BY

We need to increase the meeting by 30 mins

Inside a time limit = IN

I’ll see you in 5 minutes

A duration = FOR

I have a meeting for 3 hours

Can you wait (for) a moment, please.

Until 

I will be working until 7pm

 

Quiz

Can we delay the meeting __ 10.00 __ 10.10?

Could we postpone the meeting __ wednesday? (This is a new date)

Can we finish ___ 10 minutes?

My train won’t arrive before 4pm, so can we delay the meeting __ 10 minutes? Increase the duration of the future meeting

I have a connection issue,  can we delay the meeting __ 10 minutes? Request a duration of time now.

Meeting Roles

They will run / lead / chair / conduct /  manage / the meeting

They will take the minutes

We’ll be attending / participating on Monday.

There are five _______ on Monday.

Common phrases

it’s ok for you? > Is that ok? > Is that alright? > Is that agreed? > Let’s / Can we confirm …

See you soon > I look forward to seeing you next week / I’m looking forward to it

I will propose you > Can I propose something

Bye Bye > Goodbye

 

Roleplay

a. phone rings, pick up and answer

b. greet, introduce yourself, ask how they are

a. answer, ask how they are

b. answer

a. ask for reason for call

b. explain you would like a meeting next week

a. agree, ask for what day/time

b. propose specific time

a. check agenda, decline with explanation

b. propose another time

a. propose a time one hour later

b. agree, summarise

a. confirm, end call

b. end call

 

Did you use: polite formal expressions?  “See you next week” is too casual!  How did you end the call? Have a nice day? Bye?

 

 

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