Learn English The Most Useful Language For Chairing A Meeting

Stage	Formal	Informal
Starting off	Is everyone present? Does everyone have / Has everyone got a copy of the agenda?	Is everyone here? Has everyone got a copy of the agenda?
Taking minutes	Could someone take minutes please?	Can someone take minutes please?
Opening the meeting	Shall we commence / get started/ make a start?	Let’s get started / Let’s get the ball rolling
Thanking the people attending	Thank you very much for attending today.	Thanks a lot for coming today.
State the objective	Our objective here today is to + verb.	We’re here today to + verb.
Opening up the discussion	Shall we open this up for discussion?	Let’s open this up for discussion.
Inviting opinion	What are your thoughts?	So, what do you think?
Controlling the discussion	Thanks John. Shall we hear from Maria now?	Thanks John. Let’s hear from Maria now.
Summarising	So, to sum up… So, to summarise…	So, to sum up… So, to summarise…
Voting	Shall we vote? All in favour, raise your hands. All against?	Let’s vote. All in favour, raise your hands. All against?
Stating further action	So, we’ll meet again next week. So, John, you’ll contact… / produce a report / investigate further…	So, we’ll meet again next week. So, John, you’ll contact… / produce a report / investigate further…
Closing the meeting	Any other business? AOB Shall we close the meeting? Thank you very much for attending.	Any other business? AOB Let’s close the meeting. Thanks for coming