Business/18

• English
• Special Education

Expressing annoyance

FORMAL:

-The photocopier still hasn't been fixed, and I won't be able to make copies for the meeting, This is so frustrating!

-I don't blame you for being upset.

INFORMAL:

-I give up! I just can't get this document to print out.

-Now calm down, Frank. Are you sure that you clicked on the print icon?

MORE FORMAL:

-John, this is the third month that these invoices have been late. This can't go on.

-I can certainly understand your annoyance, Mr Parks. I assure you it won't happen again.

On a meeting

A- To close a meeting

B- To assign roles or tasks to certain people

C- To deal with; speak about.

D- Not present

E- Thinking to gather ideas

F- List of objectives to cover in a meeting

G- To succeed in doing something

ABSENT

ACCOMPLISH

ADDRESS

ADJOURN

AGENDA

ALLOCATE

BARGAIN

BRAINSTORM

A- To begin

B- Private; not to be shared

C- To assign

D- To work together as a pair or group

E- To make something happen

F- To express one’s opinion or thoughts

G- Due date for completion

COLLABORATE

FACTOR

COMMENT

CONFIDENTIAL

COMMENCE

DEADLINE

DESIGNATE

IMPLEMENT

A- Goals to accomplish

B- On time; not late

C- Required

D- To finish

E- Raised hands to express an 

opinion in a vote

F- Plan to make something work

G- A written record or everything said

MANDATORY

MINUTES

OBJECTIVES

PUNCTUAL

SHOW OF HANDS

PURCHASE

STRATEGY

TO WRAP UP

Meeting dialogue I.

Meeting Chairman: If we are all here, let's get started. First of all, I'd like you to please join me in welcoming Jack Peterson, our Southwest Area Sales Vice President.

Jack Peterson: Thank you for having me, I look forward to today's meeting.
Margaret Simmons: May I also introduce my assistant, Bob Hamp.
Meeting Chairman: Welcome Bob. I'm afraid our national sales director, Anne Trusting, can't be with us today. She is in Tokyo at the moment. Ok, we’re here today to discuss ways of improving sales. First, let's go over the report from the last meeting. Tom?
Tom Robbins: Thank you Mark. Let me just summarize the main points. We began the meeting by approving the changes in our sales reporting system. After briefly revising the changes that will take place, we did a brainstorming session concerning customer support improvements. 

Meeting dialogue II.

Meeting Chairman: Thank you Tom. So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, let's move on to today's agenda. Have you all received a copy of today's agenda? If you don't mind, I'd like to skip item 1 and move on to item 2: Sales improvement in rural market areas. Jack has kindly agreed to give us a report on this matter. Jack?

Jack Peterson: Before I begin the report, I'd like to get some ideas from you all. How do you feel about rural sales in our sales districts?

John Ruting: In my opinion, we have been focusing too much on rural customers and their needs.

Alice Linnes: I'm afraid I can't agree with you. I think rural customers want to feel as important as our customers living in cities. I suggest we give our rural sales teams more help.

John Ruting: I don't quite follow you. What exactly do you mean?

Meeting dialogue III.

Alice Linnes: Well, we provide our city sales staff with database information on all of our larger clients. We should be providing the same sort of knowledge on our rural customers.

Jack Peterson: Would you like to add anything, Jennifer? 

Jennifer Miles: I must admit I never thought about that before. I have to agree with Alice. 

John Ruting: I suggest we break up into groups and discuss some ideas. 

Meeting Chairman: Unfortunately, we're running short of time. We'll have to leave that to another time. 

Jack Peterson: Before we close, let me just summarize the main points: 1. Rural customers need special help to feel more valued. 2. Our sales teams need more accurate information on our customers. 

Meeting dialogue IV.

3. A survey will be completed to collect data on spending habits in these areas. 4. The results of this survey will be delivered to our sales teams

Meeting Chairman: Thank you very much Jack. Right, it looks as though we've covered the main items. Is there any other business? 

Donald Peters: Can we schedule the next meeting, please? 

Meeting Chairman: Good idea Donald. How does Friday in two weeks sound to everyone? Let's meet at the same time, 9 o'clock. Is that OK with everyone?

Useful expressions on a meeting

Opening the meeting:

1. Good morning/afternoon everyone.

2. If we are all here, let’s begin.

Welcoming and introducing participants:

1. Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)

2. It’s a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)

3. I’d like to introduce (name of participant)

Giving apologies for someone who is absent:

1. I’m afraid (name of participant) can’t be with us today. He/She is…

2. (name of participant) would like to apologize for being absent.

Useful expressions on a meeting

Stating the principal objectives of a meeting:

1. We’re here today to…

2. Our aim is to…

3. I’ve called this meeting in order to…

Reading the minutes of the last meeting:

1. First, let’s go over the report from the last meeting which was held on (date).

2. Here are the minutes from our last meeting.

Useful expressions on a meeting

Dealing with recent developments:

1. Jack, could you tell us how the XYZ project is progressing?

2. Jack, how is the XYZ project coming along?

3. Has everyone received a copy of the report on current marketing trends?

Moving forward:

1. So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, let’s move on.

2. Shall we get down to business?

3. Is there any other business we need to discuss before we begin this meeting?

Useful expressions on a meeting

Introducing the agenda:

1. Have you all received a copy of the agenda?

2. There are three items on the agenda. First…

3. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go in order.

4. If you don’t mind, I’d like to skip item one and move on to item two. 

Agreeing on the ground rules for the meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.)

1. The meeting is due to finish at… 

2. We’ll have to keep each item to ten minutes. Otherwise, we’ll never get through.

Useful expressions on a meeting

Allocating roles:

1. (name of participant) has agreed to take the minutes.

2. (name of participant) has kindly agreed to give us a report on this matter.

3. (name of participant) will lead point one. (name of participant) will lead point two…

Closing an item:

1. Shall we finish this topic and move on?

2. If nobody has anything else to add, we can continue. 

Useful expressions on a meeting

Introducing the first item on the agenda:

1. So, let’s start with…

2. Shall we start with…

3. So, the first item on the agenda is…

4. Pete, would you like to start.

Next item:

1. Let’s move onto the next item.

2. The next topic on the agenda is…

Giving control to the next participant:

1. I’d like to let Mark, who is going to lead the next topic, speak.

2. Right, Megan, over to you. 

Useful expressions on a meeting

Summarizing:

1. Before we close, let me just summarize the main points.

2. To sum it up…

3. In brief…

Finishing up:

1. Right, it looks as though we’ve covered the main items.

2. Is there any other business we need to talk about? 

Useful expressions on a meeting

Suggesting and agreeing on a time, date, place, etc. for the next meeting:

1. Can we schedule the next meeting, please?

2. So, the next meeting will be on (date).

Thanking participants for attending:

1. Thank you all for attending.

Closing the meeting:

1. The meeting is now adjourned. 

A- Beginning

B- Criminals who do not supply goods customers have paid for

C- Demonstrations against the government, riots, etc.

D- Follow and control the development of something

E- Geographical area with a particular legal system

F- Probability

?

TRESHOLD

LIKELIHOOD

JURISDICTION

KEEP TRACK OF

CIVIL UNREST

ROGUE TRADERS

Goodbye!