MEETINGS

verb + meeting How many can you think of? call arrange schedule hold cancel postpone (put off) reschedule attend moderate chair +a meeting

DISCUSS in teams: Importance of meetings today Reasons for holding meetings Drawbacks of meetings Size and duration of meetings People in a meeting Discuss in teams (brainstorm), prepare a short ad hoc presentation.

People involved the chairperson chairman, chairwoman, chair (n., v.) Jim will chair (v.) the meeting next week. And who is chair (n.) today? the participants the secretary (?)

The role of the chairperson  Handout: The Role of the Chairperson (listening), p 1 (p 2 – homework)

REVISE NOW / do for HW 1) Using your notes and the handout draft a mind map about meetings –Include as many key concepts and relevant vocabulary as possible –TIME: 5 min –Exchange it with your colleague –Can you improve it? DO! HW: RB pp 6-7 (read, do tasks) + improve your mind map Watch the video again and complete p 2

The structure of meetings the beginning, during the meeting and at the end – different things to do: FUNCTIONS Can you tell when to: –Express doubt –State the objectives of the meeting –Ask for opinion –Say when the meeting will finish –Summarize RB, p 8

The language of meetings RB, pp 9 – 10 Handout: Practice interrupting, asking for repetition, clarifying DOWNTONING RB, p 11 –Tasks 1 & 2

Is this appropriate in meetings? “Finish the report by tomorrow!” “You cannot take a day off!” “You must come to work earlier.” “Prepare the report by 2 pm!” “Come to work on Saturday!” “Assignments must be done!” “You cannot take a company laptop home.” Or can we make it sound more polite? 1 use softeners = downtoning 2 propose / suggest rather than order

1. How to downtone our statements? “we” / “let’s” (rather than “you”) perhaps / maybe a bit / just / a little / slightly would / could / may / might I’m afraid... Use of “negatives” or “opposites” to soften the meaning

Downtoning (cont.) Avoid: “You must reduce the price.” (sounds confrontational ) Use the following: we, let’s, perhaps/maybe “Why don’t we consider reducing the price?” “Let’s see what happens if the price is reduced.” “Perhaps we should consider reducing the price.” “Maybe you could reduce the price.”

Downtoning (cont.) a little/slightly/a bit/, may/might, You must reduce the price. “The price is.... “ The price is a little too high for us.” “The price is slightly too high for us.” “The price is a bit too high for us.” “The price is just too high for us.” “ The price may.... “The price may be too high for us.” “The price might be too high for us.”

Downtoning (cont.) could, would, it won’t be bad if, I’m afraid “I wonder if.... “I wonder if you could reduce the price.” “Would you be... “Would you be prepared to reduce the price?” “It won’t be... “It won’t be bad if the price is lower.” “I’m afraid... “I’m afraid the price is too high for us.” RB, p 12

2. Making suggestions/proposals Avoid: “Read the report!” advise, suggest, why don’t we... shall we... I advise you __________________. I suggest ________ the report first. I suggest ____ ___ _____ ____ the report first. I suggest _____ ___ _____ the report first.

2. Making suggestions/proposals (cont.) Avoid: “Read the report!” advise, suggest, why don’t we... shall we... I advise you to read the report first. I suggest ________ the report first. I suggest ____ ___ _____ ____ the report first. I suggest _____ ___ _____ the report first.

2. Making suggestions/proposals (cont.) Avoid: “Read the report!” advise, suggest, why don’t we... shall we... I advise you to read the report first. I suggest reading the report first. I suggest ____ ___ _____ ____ the report first. I suggest _____ ___ _____ the report first.

2. Making suggestions/proposals (cont.) Avoid: “Read the report!” advise, suggest, why don’t we... shall we... I advise you to read the report first. I suggest reading the report first. I suggest that we should read the report first. I suggest _____ ___ _____ the report first.

2. Making suggestions/proposals (cont.) Avoid: “Read the report!” advise, suggest, why don’t we... shall we... I advise you to read the report first. I suggest reading the report first. I suggest that we should read the report first. I suggest that we read the report first.

2. Making suggestions/proposals (cont.) Avoid: “Read the report!” advise, suggest, why don’t we... shall we... I advise you to read the report first. I suggest reading the report first. I suggest that we should read the report first. I suggest that we read the report first. I suggest to read the report first.

2. Making suggestions/proposals (cont.) Avoid: “Read the report!” advise, suggest, why don’t we... shall we... I advise you to read the report first. I suggest reading the report first. I suggest that we should read the report first. I suggest that we read the report first. I suggest to read the report first. Why don’t we read the report first? Shall we read the report first?RB, p 13

Practise downtoning and suggesting HW: (1) Rewrite the following sentences using strategies from p 12 & 13 (provide 3 different solutions for each sentence): –“You cannot take a day off!” –“You must come to work earlier.” –“Prepare the report by 2 pm!” –“We want you to research the matter first.” (2) Do all exercises on pp 6-13 in RB