#94 Leaving Your Luggage at a Hotel｜English Travel Phrases
Izumi English Morning
#77 Holding an Online Meeting｜English Business Phrases
Izumi
With the increase in remote work and international communication, online meetings have become a regular part of daily business operations.
When conducting an online meeting in English, expressions related to starting the meeting, checking audio and video, and sharing agendas are used more frequently than in face-to-face meetings.
In this article, I introduce commonly used English expressions for online meetings through conversation examples and detailed explanations.
Contents
Dialogue
Hi everyone. Can you hear me okay?
Yes, we can hear you clearly.
Let’s get started. Today, I’d like to go over the project timeline.
Could you share your screen?
Yes, just a second. You should be able to see the slides now.
Yes, it’s on my screen now.
Let’s start with the first milestone scheduled for next month.
1. Checking Before the Meeting Starts
In online meetings, it is common to begin by confirming that the audio and connection are working properly.
Example
- Can you hear me okay?
Here, “okay” means “well enough” or “without any issues,” and is used to confirm that the audio quality is acceptable.
Responses
- We can hear you clearly.
- Your audio is fine.
2. Signaling the Start of the Meeting
Once everyone’s connection has been confirmed, the meeting can officially begin. Simple and clear expressions are preferred.
Example
- Let’s get started.
This phrase can be used by both the meeting host and presenters. It is neither too casual nor too formal, making it suitable for both internal and external meetings.
It is also effective to briefly state the purpose or agenda of the meeting immediately afterward.
Example
- Today, I’d like to go over the project timeline.
The phrase “go over” means “to review something briefly or thoroughly.”
3. Talking About Screen Sharing
Screen sharing is a common feature of online meetings and requires specific expressions.
Example
- Could you share your screen?
The person sharing their screen may respond as follows:
Example
- You should be able to see the slides now.
The expression “should be able to” is a polite way to indicate that something is expected to be possible, while allowing for potential technical issues.
4. Expressions for Managing the Meeting Flow
In online meetings, it is especially important to clearly indicate which topic is being discussed so that participants can easily follow along.
Example
- Let’s start with the first milestone.
The phrase “start with ～” is commonly used to show the order of discussion topics.
これらの表現を使うことで、オンライン会議でも一体感のある進行が可能になります。
Related Expressions
- Let’s move on to the next topic.
- Let’s take a look at the budget.
Using these expressions helps maintain a smooth and organized flow during online meetings.
Summary
Key English Phrases
- Can you hear me okay?
→ Used at the beginning of an online meeting to check audio. - Let’s get started.
→ A signal to begin the meeting. - Are you going to share your screen? / You should be able to see ～
→ Useful expressions for confirming and explaining screen sharing. - Let’s start with ～ / move on to ～ / go over ～
→ Essential phrases for managing the flow of a meeting smoothly.
