#48 Speaking Up in Meetings｜English Business Phrases

In workplace meetings, you frequently have opportunities to share your opinions, ask questions, and respond to others’ comments.

In English-language meetings, knowing how to enter a discussion, express your opinion, and politely disagree will help you participate with confidence.

In this article, I explain practical English expressions you can use when speaking in meetings, along with key points for using them effectively.

Dialogue

A

Excuse me, could I add something here?

B

Of course. Go ahead.

A

I think the new marketing plan has potential, but we might need more data before we launch it.

B

That’s a good point. What kind of data do you think we’re missing?

A

Mainly customer feedback from last quarter. It could help us make a more informed decision.

B

I agree. Let’s collect that data and review the plan again next week.

1. Starting Your Comment

When you want to speak in a meeting, using the structure “Could I ～?” is an effective and polite way to begin.

“Could I ～?” is a polite request that softens the tone and avoids sounding forceful. In business settings, asking for permission first makes a positive impression.

Other useful expressions include:

Use different expressions depending on the formality of the meeting and the atmosphere.

2. Expressing Your Opinion

The phrase “I think ～” is a gentle way to state your opinion.

Using “think” signals that you are expressing your perspective rather than making a strong assertion.

Additionally, expressions like “We might need ～” make your suggestions even more polite and indirect.

In meetings, avoiding overly strong statements is often preferred, as it keeps discussions constructive and respectful.

3. Asking Follow-up Questions

The way you ask questions can influence the depth of the discussion.

The phrase “What kind of ～” is extremely useful for prompting more detail and moving the conversation forward.

Including “do you think” softens the question and shows that you value the other person’s opinion.

4. Explaining Reasons or Rationale

The phrase “informed decision” often appears in business contexts and means “a decision based on sufficient information.”

Another key structure is “could help + person + verb”, which expresses a possibility or benefit in a polite, non-assertive way.

Using “could” allows you to give suggestions without sounding overly direct.

5. Agreeing with Others

When participating in a meeting, knowing how to express agreement is equally important.

These expressions help maintain a positive atmosphere and keep the discussion moving forward.

Summary