The strange thing about meetings in English is this: you can speak English very well in a normal conversation, but as soon as you join a call with ten international people you freeze. You do not know how to take the floor without seeming rude. You do not know how to say “I disagree” without sounding aggressive. You do not know how to buy time when someone asks you a question and you need a second to think.
It is not a problem of level — it is a problem of tools. Native speakers use a set of fixed phrases, almost ritual formulas, that lubricate professional conversation. Once you have them in your repertoire, difficult situations become manageable. (I wrote this with Italian speakers in mind, but the phrases work for anyone.)
In this article I have grouped them by function. Save it and reread it before your next call.
Opening and managing your turn
Before saying what you want to say, you have to take the floor without talking over others. English has a series of verbal signals that serve exactly this purpose.
To interrupt politely:
- “Sorry to jump in, but…”
- “If I could just add something here…”
- “Can I come in on that point?”
- “Just to pick up on what [Name] said…”
To signal that you want to speak later:
- “I’ll come back to that in a second.”
- “I’d like to address that point when you’re done.”
To pick the thread back up after an interruption:
- “Coming back to what I was saying…”
- “As I was mentioning…”
The important thing: never wait for a total silence to speak in international calls — it often does not come. Use these formulas as a verbal “knock on the door”. It works.
Agreeing and building on other people’s ideas
Agreement in professional English is rarely a plain “yes”. People tend to rephrase or expand, to show that they have understood and are contributing to the conversation.
Strong agreement:
- “Absolutely, I think that’s the right approach.”
- “Exactly — and I’d add that…”
- “That makes a lot of sense.”
Partial agreement (the most useful):
- “I agree to some extent, and I think we should also consider…”
- “That’s a valid point. At the same time…”
- “I take your point, but…”
This kind of partial agreement is fundamental in Anglo-Saxon professional culture. You never say “you are wrong” head-on — you start from agreement, then bring in your own point of view.
Disagreeing without creating tension
This is the point where many Italians either stay silent (so as not to be rude) or come across as too direct. Neither is necessary.
Professional disagreement:
- “I see it slightly differently — I think…”
- “I’m not sure I agree with that entirely. My concern is…”
- “With respect, I’d push back on that a little.”
- “That’s an interesting perspective, but I wonder if…”
❌ “You are wrong about this.” — too direct, sounds harsh. ✅ “I’m not sure that’s quite right. Here’s why…” — same message, much more professional tone.
The verb to wonder is one of the most used in English to express doubts in a soft way: “I wonder if we’ve considered all the options here.” You are not attacking, you are opening a question.
Asking for clarification without seeming distracted
You did not understand something. The connection dropped. Or the person was simply speaking too fast. In English there are elegant ways to ask for a repeat without embarrassment.
To ask someone to repeat:
- “Sorry, could you repeat that? I didn’t quite catch it.”
- “I’m sorry, you broke up for a second — could you say that again?”
- “Could you speak up a little? The connection isn’t great on my end.”
To ask for clarification on the content:
- “Could you clarify what you mean by [term]?”
- “Just to make sure I understand — are you saying that…?”
- “What do you mean exactly when you say [X]?”
To check that you have understood:
- “So if I understand correctly, the plan is to…”
- “Let me just check — you’re suggesting we…?”
This rephrase-to-confirm technique is used a great deal by good Anglo-Saxon professionals. It is not a weakness — it shows that you are listening and want to be precise.
Buying time when you are put under pressure
Someone asks you a difficult question live and you need ten seconds to think. Do not stay silent — use these phrases to hold the floor while you organise the answer.
- “That’s a great question. Let me think about that for a second.”
- “Good point — I want to make sure I give you a proper answer.”
- “Off the top of my head, I’d say… but I’d want to check before confirming.”
- “I’ll need to come back to you on the exact figure.”
The last one is valuable: “I’ll come back to you on that” is a standard phrase for saying “I don’t have the answer now but I will give it to you”. Using it is professional, not a weakness.
Closing and summarising
In international calls, whoever knows how to close effectively is perceived as a natural leader.
To summarise the main points:
- “So, to summarise what we’ve agreed…”
- “Just to recap the main points…”
- “If I can sum up…”
To define the next steps:
- “So the next step is for [Name] to [action] by [date].”
- “Let’s make sure we’ve got clear action points before we close.”
- “I’ll send a summary of what we’ve discussed.”
To close the call:
- “I think that covers everything — thanks everyone.”
- “Let’s leave it there for today.”
- “Thanks for joining — I’ll follow up by email.”
How to start really using them
Reading phrases is not enough: you have to have them so automatic that you use them without thinking, while you think about the content of what you are saying. The quickest way to get there is to practise in real context — conversations or meeting simulations, which are at the heart of a Business English online course, with immediate feedback on what works and what sounds odd.
To write in the same register, I have put the formulas to use in work emails in English. If you are still looking for a job, you will find the CV and cover letter and the job interview.
If you work in an international environment and want to feel more at ease in English calls, you can find out how the English lessons work or write to me to talk about your specific case.
