English for Meetings and Negotiations: Key Phrases and Strategies
Publié le 1er septembre 2026
A meeting in English tests two things at once: following a fast discussion and stepping into it at the right moment. Negotiation adds a third — pushing for what you want without damaging the relationship. Fixed phrases for each stage let you focus on the substance rather than the wording.
En travaillant sur Meeting English, j'ai constaté que le désaccord poli est ce qui manque le plus. Sans formule pour dire « je ne suis pas d'accord » sans agresser, beaucoup de francophones se taisent — et laissent passer une décision qu'ils auraient dû contester. Les trois formules de la section « désaccord poli » couvrent presque tous les cas.
The four stages of a business meeting
- Opening — set the agenda and the tone.
- Discussion — present ideas, ask questions, clarify.
- Negotiation — propose, counter-propose, find common ground.
- Closing — summarise decisions and next steps.
Stage 1 — opening the meeting
- “Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us today.”
- “The purpose of this meeting is to discuss [topic].”
- “Let's start by going through the agenda.”
- “Does anyone have any questions before we begin?”
Stage 2 — taking part in the discussion
Presenting an idea
- “I'd like to propose that we…”
- “From my perspective, the best option would be…”
- “Based on the data, I'd recommend…”
Asking for clarification
- “Could you elaborate on that point?”
- “What do you mean by [term]?”
- “Just to clarify, are you saying that…?”
Agreeing
- “I completely agree with [name].”
- “That's a valid point.”
- “I think we're on the same page here.”
Disagreeing politely
- “I see your point, but I have a slightly different perspective.”
- “I'm not sure I fully agree — here's why.”
- “That's one way to look at it. Another option could be…”
Stage 3 — negotiation phrases
Making a proposal
- “We'd be prepared to offer…”
- “Our proposal is as follows…”
- “If you can agree to [X], we can commit to [Y].”
Counter-proposing
- “We appreciate the offer, but we were hoping for…”
- “Would you consider [alternative] instead?”
- “That's close, but we'd need [adjustment] to make it work.”
Finding common ground
- “It seems we both want [shared goal]. Let's focus on that.”
- “Perhaps we can meet halfway on this.”
- “What if we split the difference?”
Closing the deal
- “If everyone agrees, I suggest we move forward with this plan.”
- “Shall we consider this finalised?”
- “I'll send a follow-up email summarising today's decisions.”
Stage 4 — closing the meeting
- “To summarise, we've agreed on [points].”
- “[Name] will handle [task] by [deadline].”
- “Our next meeting is on [date].”
- “Thank you all for your contributions — good work today.”
Role-play exercise
You're negotiating a service contract with a client.
- You: propose a 12-month contract at €5,000 / month.
- Client: wants 18 months at €4,000 / month.
- Goal: find a middle ground — for example, 15 months at €4,500.
Practise with: “We'd be prepared to…”, “Would you consider…?”, “Perhaps we can meet halfway.”
Meeting English on EnglishBoost drills these phrases with a meeting simulator — see the apps page.