Business English Phrases for Chairing a Meeting

May 25, 2026

Business English Phrases for Chairing a Meeting

Chairing a meeting is one of the most visible leadership opportunities available at any level. When you chair well, you are perceived as organised, authoritative, and considerate.

This post gives you the complete set of British English phrases for every stage of a meeting.

Opening the Meeting

"Good morning everyone. The purpose of today's meeting is [goal] and I'd like us to finish with [specific outcome]."

"Before we begin — just to confirm the agenda. We're covering [item 1], [item 2], and [item 3]. I'd like to spend about [X] minutes on each."

Managing Contributions

Inviting someone to speak

"[Name], you've worked closely on this — could you give us a brief update?"

Managing someone speaking too long

"Thank you — that's really useful. I want to make sure we have time for other views. Can we move on?"

Drawing out quieter participants

"[Name], we haven't heard your perspective on this yet — do you have any thoughts?"

Keeping on Track

"That's a valuable point — can I suggest we park it for now and add it to the next agenda?"

"I can see there are different views on this. Can I try to summarise both positions and see if we can find common ground?"

Closing an Agenda Item

"I think we've covered the key points. The agreed action is [action], owned by [person], by [date]. Is everyone aligned?"

Closing the Meeting

"Before we wrap up — let me run through the actions. [Summary of actions, owners, and deadlines.] Does that reflect everyone's understanding?"

"Good meeting, everyone. The next steps are clear. I'll follow up in writing."

The Chair's Golden Rule

The best chairs in British professional culture are almost invisible. They do not dominate — they enable. They protect the time, focus the discussion, and ensure everyone leaves with clarity.