Part 3. How to conduct discussions and hold meetings

When a group of students or professionals arranges a discussion of a certain problem or issue it may be held in the form of a meeting. It means that there is a leader or chairperson who manages the whole event. The group may have one speaker or some main speakers who have prepared their reports or presentations. The rest of the group have to participate actively: ask questions, make comments or provide additional information, or express opinions and argue.

In PART III you will learn

1. how to conduct a discussion – what a chairperson says and how he/she keeps up the communication;

2. how the audience interacts with the speakers

3. how the speaker reacts to the questions from the audience;

You will also continue to work on the text construction of presentations and reports and find out how ideas in the text are sequenced and connected.

1. Chairperson conducts a meeting or discussion

Starting the meeting

• Let me open the meeting

• I think we can begin now.

• Okay, can we get started?

• All right, let's get started.

• Shall we start?

Introducing the background of the meeting

• As you know, we (are discussing / going to discuss / to peak about….).

• Just to remind you, we (are … …..

• To put you in the picture, we (are …….

• To bring you up to date, we (are ... ..

• As you probably know, we (are ...

Signposting the agenda (ориентировка по повестке)

• We have four items on today’s agenda.

• First, we have to decide what to do about …

• Second, we have to decide how to …

• Third, we have to decide who should …

• And finally, we have to decide when we should …

Inviting to speak

• The floor is given to …..

• …., will you speak now …..

• The next one to speak is…..

Involving the audience

• Does everybody agree?

• Any objections?

• Have you got any comments?

• Have you got any questions?

• What do you think about that, …..?

• How do you feel* about that, ……?

• Would anyone like to add anything?

Closing the meeting

• It looks like that’s all for today.

• The meeting is over.

• The meeting is adjourned

2. Audience’s interaction with the speaker

Asking questions

• I’d like to ask you a question. How ...

• I’ve got a question for you. Who is ...

• I have a question. What is ...

• Here’s a question for you. What does ...

• Do you mind if I ask a question? Why have you ...

Checking understanding

• So in other words, you think …

• Basically, what you are saying is …

• If I understand you right, you think …

• Correct me if I’m wrong, but do you mean that …?

• When you say … , do you mean that …?

• Are you saying that …?

Asking for clarification

• (I’m sorry,) What do you mean?

• I’m afraid I don’t follow you.

• I’m sorry, but I don’t see your point.

• I’m afraid I don’t understand.

• Could you be more specific?

• Could you be more precise?

Interrupting

• Excuse me, but …

• Excuse me, but may I say something?

• Excuse me, but may I ask something?

• Excuse me, but may I remind you of something?

• Excuse me for interrupting, but …

• May I add one thing?

• May I interrupt?

• I’d like to add something here.