Business English: Holding meetings in English 用英語主持商務英語會議
The Structure of a Meeting 會議的結構
One of the most common requirements of business English is holding meetings in English. The following sections provide useful language and phrases for conducting meetings and making contributions to a meeting.
Meetings generally follow a more or less similar structure and can be divided into the following parts:
I - Introductions
Opening the Meeting
Welcoming and Introducing Participants
Stating the Principal Objectives of a Meeting
Giving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent
II - Reviewing Past Business
Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last Meeting
Dealing with Recent Developments
III - Beginning the Meeting
Introducing the Agenda
Allocating Roles (secretary, participants)
Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.)
IV - Discussing Items
Introducing the First Item on the Agenda
Closing an Item
Next Item
Giving Control to the Next Participant
V - Finishing the Meeting
Summarizing
Finishing Up
Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting
Thanking Participants for Attending
Closing the Meeting
The following pages focus on each part of the meeting and the appropriate language for each situation.
Running a Meeting 主持會議
The following phrases are used to conduct a meeting. These phrases are useful if you are called on to conduct a meeting.
Opening 宣布會議開始
Good morning/afternoon, everyone.
If we are all here, let's get started / start the meeting / start.
Welcoming and Introducing 歡迎和介紹出席人員
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 闡明會議主要議題
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 ...
Giving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent 對缺席者表示遺憾
I'm afraid.., (name of participant) can't be with us today. She is in...
Unfortunately, (name of participant) ... will not be with us to day because he ...
I have received apologies for absence from (name of participant), who is in (place).
Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last Meeting 宣讀上次會議記要
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)
Here are the minutes from our last meeting, which was on (date)
Dealing with Recent Developments 詢問近期動態
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?
Has everyone received a copy of the Tate Foundation report on current marketing trends?
Moving Forward 轉向下一個議題
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 介紹議程
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
I suggest we take item 2 last.
Allocating Roles (secretary, participants) 分配秘書和出席者的會議角色
(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 ...
(name of participant) will lead point 1, (name of participant) point 2, and (name of participant) point 3.
(name of participant), would you mind taking notes today?
Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.) 就會議程序（發言，時間，決策）達成一致
We will first hear a short report on each point first, followed by a discussion of ...
I suggest we go round the table first.
Let's make sure we finish by ...
I'd suggest we ...
There will be five minutes for each item.
We'll have to keep each item to 15 minutes. Otherwise we'll never get through.
Introducing the First Item on the Agenda 介紹第一項議題
So, let's start with ...
I'd suggest we start with...
Why don't we start with...
So, the first item on the agenda is
Pete, would you like to kick off?
Shall we start with ...
(name of participant), would you like to introduce this item?
Closing an Item 結束一個議題
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 開始下一個議題
Let's move onto the next item
Now that we've discussed X, let's now ...
The next item on today's agenda is...
Now we come to the question of.
Giving Control to the Next Participant 請下一位出席者發言
I'd like to hand over to (name of participant), who is going to lead the next point.
Next, (name of participant) is going to take us through ...
Now, I'd like to introduce (name of participant) who is going to ...
Summarizing 總結
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 結束今日議題
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.
Is there Any Other Business?
Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting 建議和徵詢下一次會議時間，日期和地點
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 感謝出席人員
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 宣布散會
The meeting is finished, we'll see each other next ...
The meeting is closed.
I declare the meeting closed.
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