FREE BUSINESS ENGLISH LESSON
Speak up with confidence in American meetings
Learn practical English phrases for offering ideas, asking questions, and disagreeing politely in workplace meetings.
If English is not your first language, a fast-moving discussion can be difficult to follow. Preparing a few useful phrases and recognizing common meeting idioms can help you participate.
What to expect in American workplace meetings
Meeting styles vary by organization, manager, and team. These patterns are common in many U.S. workplaces:
- Participation is often encouraged. Questions, ideas, and brief updates can show that you are engaged.
- Junior colleagues may be invited to contribute. Follow your team's practices rather than assuming seniority determines who can speak.
- Clear, concise comments are helpful. State your main point, then give the details needed to support it.
- Brainstorming may include unfinished ideas. In a brainstorming session, you can offer a suggestion for others to develop.
- Next steps matter. Confirm who will do what and by when.
- The pace can be quick. Use a short opening phrase to signal that you would like to contribute.
Useful English phrases for speaking up in meetings
Choose a phrase that fits the situation and your relationship with the people in the meeting.
Offering an idea
- “I’d like to suggest…”
- “One idea to consider is…”
- “What if we tried…?”
- “Here’s another way to look at this…”
Adding a comment
- “To build on what Maria said…”
- “I agree, and I’d also add…”
- “Another factor we might consider is…”
- “I’d like to add something…”
Asking for clarification
- “Just to make sure I understand…”
- “Could you explain what you mean by…?”
- “When you say ____, do you mean…?”
- “Can you walk us through that?”
Disagreeing politely
- “I see your point, but I’m not sure it solves the issue.”
- “I have a slightly different perspective…”
- “I understand where you’re coming from. My concern is…”
- “Could we consider an alternative approach?”
How to sound more confident in meetings
- Prepare your main point. Write down your recommendation and one reason before the meeting.
- Use a clear opening. Try “I recommend…” or “My suggestion is…” when you have a definite recommendation.
- Match your language to your certainty. “One possibility is…” works well for an idea you are still exploring. You do not need to sound certain when you are not.
- Keep your first contribution brief. Give colleagues a chance to respond before adding more detail.
- Ask for an opening. Try “Could I add something here?” if it is difficult to find a pause.
12 common American meeting idioms and expressions
Click or tap an expression to see its meaning and two workplace examples.
take the lead
Be in charge of a task.
- Could you take the lead on preparing our presentation for Friday?
- If no one else volunteers, I’m happy to take the lead and get things moving.
touch base
Check in briefly.
- Let’s touch base later today to compare notes.
- I’ll touch base with you after the client call so we’re on the same page.
on the same page
Have a shared understanding of a situation or plan.
- Before we begin, I want to make sure we’re all on the same page.
- After the meeting, it was clear that marketing and sales were not on the same page at all.
a quick win
A success that can be achieved quickly and relatively easily.
- Updating the FAQ page would be a quick win for our customer support team.
- If we need momentum, let’s aim for a quick win to boost team morale.
think outside the box
Consider creative or unconventional solutions.
- We’ll need to think outside the box to fix this supply chain issue.
- The designer really thought outside the box. No one expected a solution that bold.
circle back
Return to a topic or contact someone again later.
- We don’t have enough information yet, so let’s circle back this afternoon.
- I’m still waiting for approval, so I’ll circle back once the director weighs in.
run with it
Take initiative and move an idea or plan forward.
- Once we approve the plan, feel free to run with it.
- She took one small idea and ran with it. Now it’s a full product line.
keep me posted
Keep me updated.
- Keep me posted if anything changes with the timeline.
- The CEO wants to be kept posted. Send her a quick update after the meeting.
table this
In American English, postpone the discussion.
- We’re running out of time, so let’s table this for next week.
- Unless someone has an urgent objection, we can table this until after the launch.
move the needle
Make a noticeable difference or meaningful progress.
- This new strategy should really move the needle on revenue.
- Updating the onboarding process finally moved the needle on customer satisfaction.
in the loop
Informed about and included in relevant developments.
- Please keep the whole team in the loop as things develop.
- Make sure the project manager stays in the loop on decisions that affect the schedule.
a ballpark figure
An approximate number or estimate.
- Can you give us a ballpark figure for the final budget?
- I don’t need exact numbers, just a ballpark figure so I can plan ahead.
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BUSINESS ENGLISH WITH AMY GILLETT
Keep improving your Business English
What does your American colleague really mean? Which expressions will help you sound more natural at work? Explore practical lessons from Amy Gillett, author of Speak Business English Like an American.
Learn workplace expressions, understand American communication habits, and test your knowledge with quizzes and explanations.
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