Meetings basics

Listen to the introduction to the topic and then move on to the taks.

Dowload the PDF below. The exercise deals with basic collocations related to the topic of meetings. Here, you will practise some basic vocabulary that is necessary to talk about organising/attending meetings. You should know synonyms of e.g. “arrange a meeting” and other verbs that collocate with the word “meeting”.

After you complete this exercise answer the following questions:

1. When was the last time you set up a meeting?
2. Have you ever put off a meeting? If so, why? What happened?
3. How often do you particiate in meetings?
4. Have you ever chaired a meeting? If so, how did go? If not, would you like to be a chairperson?

Now, do the quiz below in order to revise the collocations.

Listen to the recording about arranging a meeting. After you finish listening you will be familiar with the phrases necessary to accept a meeting invitation, reject a meeting invitation and talk about the details of a meeting that has been arranged. Please, go back to the phrases as many times as you can.

Now, you will focus more on the role of a a chairperson (a person in charge of a meeting). The exercise below presents some basic responsibilities of a chairperson. Pay attention to such words as “agenda” (a list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting), “venue” (the place where something happens) and “attendees” (people who attend a meeting).

Now, download the exercise below. It is about the role and the responsibilities of a chairperson during a meeting. You will familiarize yourself with some more vocabulary here. It is crucial for you to know and understand such terms as: “minutes” (a written record of waht was said during a meeting) and “action points” (things to do following a meeting).

The following exercise focuses on what happens after the meeting is over. After you drag the words, think about the last meeting you participated in and answer the questions:

1. Who was the minute taker during the last meeting you attended?
2. Did the chairperson keep to the timetable?
3. Were there any disagreements? If so, how did the chairperson manage the conflict?
4. Were the minutes circulated after the meeeting?