This podcast explores the key vocabulary and nuances of discussing meetings, helping you feel confident in using the correct terminology. They discuss the importance of formality in business English meetings and provide exercises for practice. They also cover various phrases to schedule, reschedule, and cancel meetings, including the difference between 'calling off' and 'canceling'.
Using classic words like 'have a meeting', 'cancel a meeting', 'reschedule', and 'delay' is essential and suitable for various situations.
'Call off' is more appropriate for formal events while 'cancel' is suitable for general meetings when discussing changes or cancellations.
Deep dives
Talking about meetings: Vocabulary and Confidence
In this podcast episode, the speaker addresses common uncertainties individuals may have when talking about meetings and provides key vocabulary to talk about meetings properly. The speaker emphasizes the importance of using classic words like 'have a meeting', 'cancel a meeting', 'reschedule', and 'delay', as these never go out of fashion and are suitable for various situations. The difference between 'call off' and 'cancel' is explained, with 'call off' being more suitable for formal events and 'cancel' for general meetings. Additionally, the speaker highlights the importance of considering formality in business English and offers practical exercises to enhance understanding and usage of meeting-related vocabulary.
Scheduling a meeting with confidence
The speaker provides various neutral options for scheduling a meeting, including 'schedule a meeting', 'arrange a meeting', 'set up a meeting', and 'organize a meeting'. These options can be used in different situations without the risk of sounding too formal or informal. On the other hand, 'call a meeting' is described as a more formal choice. The speaker encourages listeners to practice and incorporate phrases like 'could we schedule a meeting for next week?' and 'shall we set up a meeting in November?' to enhance their confidence in scheduling meetings.
Handling changes and cancellations effectively
The podcast episode highlights the vocabulary and strategies for effectively handling changes and cancellations in meetings. The speaker introduces the verb 'reschedule' as the ideal choice when a meeting needs to happen at a different time. Additionally, alternative options such as 'put back' and 'bring forward' are presented to highlight specific time changes. The speaker clarifies that 'cancelling a meeting' is a widely used phrase, while 'calling off' is suitable for more formal events or larger organized activities. The importance of considering formality and appropriate tone in different situations is emphasized to ensure effective communication when handling changes or cancellations in meetings.
Are hold and have a meeting the same? What about call off and cancel? Can I use them all the time? How do I make sure that when I organise a meeting I say the correct thing? These are the typical questions and worries I've heard from clients and in this episode I want to get rid of your doubts so the next time you feel confident you are saying the right thing. I go over all the key vocabulary around scheduling, rescheduling, cancelling and delaying as well as highlighting important differences about formality and as always some extra tips and tricks too.