B2 · Module 05 · Class 18 — Who Has the Floor?
Narrative Scene
The DataBridge negotiation is still open. Brian has called an internal alignment meeting at Meridian before the next call with Raymond Tan. Attendees: James Whitfield (CEO), Priya Sharma (CFO), and Aisha Nkosi (newly appointed Head of Expansion — hired with Series C funds, previously at a Singapore-based consultancy).
The problem: the meeting gets chaotic quickly. James wants to talk about Germany before Singapore. Priya is focused on the financial model. Aisha has direct experience with DataBridge from her previous role and has new information that changes the negotiation picture — but she cannot get a word in. Brian is chairing the meeting and needs to manage the room, bring Aisha into the conversation, and keep the agenda on track.
The language of meeting management is one of the most practical skills at B2 level. It is also the one non-native English speakers most often lack — not because they cannot understand the words, but because the timing and phrasing feel too direct, or too indirect, or simply unfamiliar.
Turn-Taking and Meeting Management
Professional meetings in English follow implicit rules about who speaks, when, and for how long. These rules are enforced through specific phrases — not through silence, body language alone, or waiting. Knowing these phrases allows you to participate actively, not just reactively.
1. Signalling That You Want to Speak
These phrases claim the floor without taking it by force. They signal intention and ask for a brief pause.
Phrase | When to use |
If I could just... | Soft signal — requesting a pause to add something brief |
Can I jump in here? | Direct but polite — common in team meetings |
I'd like to come back to something... | Stakes a claim to return to a prior point |
Sorry to cut across, but... | Acknowledges the interruption before making it |
Can I add something at this point? | Seeks explicit permission — used when the speaker is more junior |
2. Interrupting Politely — with purpose, not aggression
A professional interruption names the reason for interrupting. An unexplained interruption reads as rudeness; a purposeful one reads as engagement.
Phrase | Strategic function |
Can I stop you there? | Firm but neutral — signals something important needs addressing now |
Let me just pick up on that point. | Picks up a specific point before it is lost — signals active listening |
Before we move on — can I flag something? | Prevents the meeting from moving past an important point |
That's interesting — can I come back to that? | Claims a right to return without interrupting the current flow |
Actually — and I'm sorry to interrupt — but this is important. | Acknowledges the interruption formally; used for urgent information |
3. Returning the Floor — after an interruption or digression
After interrupting or being interrupted, the conversation needs to be returned to where it was, or explicitly moved on. These phrases do that.
Phrase | Function |
To come back to what you were saying... | Returns the floor to someone who was interrupted |
Sorry — I cut across you. Please continue. | Explicitly returns the floor after your own interruption |
Where were we? [name] — you were making a point about... | Restores the thread and re-invites the interrupted speaker |
Let's go back to the point [name] raised earlier. | Returns to a point that was not fully addressed |
Before I interrupted — you were saying... | Acknowledges the interruption and returns the floor |
4. Redirecting — when the meeting drifts
Meetings drift when no one manages the agenda actively. These phrases redirect without dismissing the point being made.
Phrase | Function |
I think we need to stay with the original question. | Pulls the meeting back to the agenda item |
That's an important point — let's come back to it. | Acknowledges the point without following the drift |
Can we bring it back to [topic]? | Direct request to refocus — suitable for informal meetings |
I want to make sure we cover [item] before we run out of time. | Uses time pressure to redirect |
Let's make a note of that and return to it at the end. | Parks the point formally without dismissing it |
5. Deferring a Point — parking without dismissing
Parking a point postpones it without closing it. The phrase must signal that it will be returned to, or the speaker will feel their contribution was ignored.
Phrase | Function |
Let's park that for now and come back to it. | Most common parking phrase — neutral and professional |
That's worth a longer conversation — can we schedule that separately? | Parks and signals it deserves more time than is available now |
I hear you — let's put a pin in that. | Informal; acknowledges the point and signals return |
Can we come back to that after we've dealt with X? | Explicit sequencing — establishes what comes first |
Good point — let's make sure it's on the follow-up list. | Parks with a commitment — the point is recorded, not ignored |
6. Inviting Participants — drawing in quieter voices
In a meeting with a dominant speaker, quieter participants need an explicit invitation. Failing to invite them signals that their contribution is not valued — even if that is not the intent.
Phrase | Function |
[Name] — what's your take on this? | Direct, personal invitation — most effective for drawing someone in |
I'd like to hear from [name] before we move on. | Formal invitation — signals the chair wants all voices heard |
[Name], you have direct experience here — what would you add? | Connects the invitation to a specific expertise |
Has anyone else got a view on this? | Open invitation — less specific, useful for crowded rooms |
[Name], I noticed you were about to say something. | Responds to non-verbal cues — shows the chair is watching the room |
7. Chairing — opening, summarising, and closing
A chairperson's language frames the meeting. Poor framing leads to meetings that drift, overrun, or end without clear outcomes.
Meeting moment | Example phrase |
Opening | "Right — let's get started. We have three items to get through in forty-five minutes. Brian, do you want to set the scene?" |
Summarising mid-meeting | "So — what I'm hearing is that we're aligned on the minimum guarantee, but the rate and exclusivity are still open." |
Calling for a decision | "I think we're close enough to a decision here. Can we agree on X and move forward?" |
Summarising at close | "To summarise: we're agreed on A, B is still open and goes to Brian's team, and C is parked for Thursday. Is everyone clear on that?" |
Closing | "Good — I think that's everything. Let's circulate the action list within the hour." |
Register comparison — The same redirection at four levels
● Level 1 — Formal board meeting (chairperson language): "I'd like to bring us back to the agenda item on Singapore. I note that the question of Germany has been raised — I'd like to propose we park that for the follow-up session and ensure we give Singapore the attention it requires in the time available."
● Level 2 — Senior leadership meeting: "James — can we hold Germany for a moment? We've got ten minutes on Singapore and I want to make sure Aisha has a chance to share what she knows about DataBridge."
● Level 3 — Team meeting: "Germany can wait — let's finish Singapore first. Aisha, you were about to say something?"
● Quick message after the meeting: "Got sidetracked on Germany. Germany = next call. Singapore first." |
Vocabulary
Meeting and Facilitation Language
Term | Meaning | Example in context |
to chair | to lead or facilitate a meeting | "Brian chaired the internal alignment meeting." |
agenda item | a specific topic listed for discussion at a meeting | "Singapore was the first agenda item." |
to table | British English: to put on the agenda / US English: to postpone | "Let's table the Germany discussion for Thursday." (UK: add it; US: postpone it) |
to run over | to exceed the allotted meeting time | "The DataBridge discussion ran over — Germany didn't get discussed." |
action item / action point | a specific task assigned to a named person after a meeting | "The action point is Brian to follow up with Raymond by Friday." |
to defer | to postpone a decision or discussion | "The Germany timeline was deferred to the Thursday call." |
quorum | the minimum number of people required for a formal meeting to proceed | "We have quorum — let's begin." |
to wrap up | to bring a meeting or discussion to a close | "Can we wrap up the Singapore discussion in the next five minutes?" |
minutes | the official written record of a meeting's discussions and decisions | "Can someone take minutes? Aisha — are you happy to do that?" |
to follow up | to take action after a meeting on a point discussed | "Brian will follow up with Raymond on the tiered model by Monday." |
Transcript of the Internal Meeting
Read the first ten minutes of the Meridian alignment meeting. The turn-taking and redirection problems are deliberate — they reflect a real unmanaged meeting.
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT — Meridian Internal Alignment Meeting Present: Brian Okafor (chair) / James Whitfield / Priya Sharma / Aisha Nkosi
Brian: "Right — let's get started. We have forty-five minutes and three agenda items: Singapore negotiation, Germany timeline, and Q2 reporting.",
James: "Before we start — I want to flag something on Germany. The Munich tech event is in June, not July. We need to be there. That changes the—"
Priya: "Actually, James, if I could just — the Q2 financial model is going to be ready Thursday, and that affects the Singapore numbers we're taking into the DataBridge call. Can we do that first?"
James: "No, Germany is time-critical—"
Brian: "Can I stop you both there? Germany and Q2 reporting are both on the agenda — but Singapore is first for a reason. We have a call with Raymond Tan in forty-eight hours and Aisha has direct experience with DataBridge. Let's hear that first."
James: "Fair enough."
Brian: "Aisha — you were about to say something when James started. What do you know about DataBridge that we should factor in?"
Aisha: "Thank you. I worked with Raymond Tan at my previous firm. His public ask is always higher than his floor. He opened at 22% with you. I would estimate his real floor is around 17-18%."
Priya: "That's significant. If 18% is his floor—"
Aisha: "Sorry — if I could just finish — his other priority is exclusivity, not the rate. The rate is the opening play. He'll trade on exclusivity. That's where the real deal is."
Brian: "Let's park the rate discussion for one moment. Aisha — what's his walk-away point on exclusivity?" |
Analysis:
• How does Brian interrupt James and Priya without favouring either? What phrase does he use?
• Brian says "Aisha — you were about to say something when James started." What role does this phrase play for Aisha?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
James: 'Germany is time-critical—' Brian: '___ [interrupt with purpose] — Germany is on the agenda, but we need to cover Singapore first.'
James raises Mexico mid-Singapore discussion. Brian: '___ [park the point] — let's come back to Mexico after we've decided on Singapore.'
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