At Work: Meetings & Emails — Easy English Conversation

Transcript

Introduction

A: Today we’re at work — the phrases that get a meeting into the calendar, keep it moving, and make a work email sound natural.

B: This one is for the message you write when you’re stuck in traffic, and for the email you send on a Monday morning.

A: Six of today’s fourteen phrases to listen for: to schedule a meeting, Can we move it to…?, I’m running late, to follow up, Please find attached, and Looking forward to hearing from you.

B: After that, six short situations as a quick review, so you can practice out loud.

A: You can practice today’s phrases in Recursio — link in the description.

Getting it into the calendar

B: Let’s start where every meeting starts — somebody has to book it.

A: And in my head the verb is always “to make a meeting.”

B: Careful — that one’s real, it just means something else. “Can you make Thursday?” means “can you be there?”

A: So “make” is about attending, not arranging.

B: Exactly. “I can’t make the meeting” is perfect English. For booking it, the usual verb is “schedule”: “Can we schedule a meeting for Thursday?”

A: Is “to arrange a meeting” wrong, then?

B: Not at all. “Arrange” and “set up” are both normal — “let’s set up a call” is the most casual of the three.

A: And the word itself. I’ve heard two pronunciations.

B: You have. The American pronunciation starts with the same sound as “school.” The traditional British one starts with the same sound as “she.” Both are correct.

A: Good. So I’ve proposed Thursday. What do I add?

B: The question that does the real work: “Does that work for you?” It asks whether the suggested time is suitable.

A: That’s short.

B: Short, polite, and it hands the decision over. “Thursday at ten — does that work for you?” You’ll also hear “does Thursday work?” and “are you free on Thursday?”

A: And when they say yes?

B: Then it goes on the calendar. “I’ll put it on my calendar,” or “it’s on the calendar for Thursday.”

A: Would a British speaker say something else?

B: Often “diary” — “I’ll put it in my diary.” Same object, different word; in American English, “diary” usually means a personal journal.

A: That’s worth knowing before somebody says it to me.

B: If you’re aiming for American English, it’s mainly a recognize-it word.

A: And when Thursday stops working?

B: “Can we move it to Friday?” That’s the standard sentence for changing a meeting.

A: Is there a trap inside “move”?

B: There is. For most people “move it up” means earlier and “push it back” means later — but not for everybody, and British speakers often say “bring it forward” for earlier.

A: That feels backwards to me.

B: Then don’t rely on it. And avoid “move it forward” — some people hear earlier, some hear later, and you can’t tell which you’ve got. Note that “bring it forward” and “move it forward” are not the same phrase, even though they look it.

A: So what do I write?

B: The day and the time: “can we move it to Friday at ten?” That’s much clearer.

A: What if the meeting isn’t happening at all?

B: Then “cancel” is the honest word: “I need to cancel Thursday’s meeting.” If another time is coming, say “reschedule” — “can we reschedule for next week?”

A: So they’re not interchangeable.

B: Don’t write “reschedule” when you mean “cancel.” People wait for a date that never arrives.

A: And if the time they suggest is already taken?

B: “I have a conflict at two.” That’s the office word for two things at once. Or simply “I’m not free at two.”

A: “Conflict” sounds like an argument to me.

B: It does, and at work it isn’t one — it’s a clash in the calendar, nothing more. You’ll also hear “I’m double-booked.”

A: Is there a phrase for protecting time?

B: “To block time.” “I’ve blocked an hour on Friday” means the calendar shows you as busy so colleagues are less likely to schedule something else then.

A: That’s one I’d never have guessed from the words.

B: Most calendar language is like that — short, specific, and not obvious.

On the day

A: Now it’s Thursday, and I’m in a taxi that isn’t moving.

B: And this is the message worth getting right.

A: I write “I’m late.” Is that wrong?

B: Not at all — “I’m late” is correct English. It’s just that “I’m running late” does more work.

A: What does it add?

B: “I’m late” states the fact. “I’m running late” says you expect to arrive later than planned. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re already on your way.

A: So what should I add?

B: An estimate, if you have one: “I’m running about ten minutes late.”

A: The number is the useful part.

B: The number makes the message much more useful because it gives them something to plan around.

A: Now the other side. Someone calls, and I can’t talk.

B: “I’m in a meeting.” Or “I’m in a meeting until three.”

A: Why not “I have a meeting”?

B: Both exist, and they say different things. “I have a meeting at two” is about your schedule — it hasn’t started. “I’m in a meeting” is right now, this second.

A: So one is the calendar, and one is right now.

B: That’s a good way to hold it. And “I’m in a meeting” is the one you text.

A: Let’s go inside the meeting for a minute, because most of mine are on a screen.

B: Then you need about six short sentences. The first is “can you hear me?”

A: The classic.

B: And its answer: “you’re on mute.” It means your microphone is off, and you’ll hear it constantly on video calls.

A: What if I can’t see the document?

B: “Can you share your screen?” Or “I can’t see it — could you share again?”

A: And when the meeting is going long?

B: “We’re running over.” Same “running” as in “running late”: it’s happening now, and it’s past the time. “We’re running over — can we finish this on Friday?”

A: Is there a polite way to move a topic out of the meeting?

B: “Can we take that offline?” It means not now, not with everyone here — let’s talk separately.

A: That sounds strange for a video call.

B: It does, and it’s still what people say. “Offline” here means outside the meeting, not away from the internet.

A: And if I want to say something while someone else is talking?

B: “Can I jump in?” That’s a common polite way to interrupt.

After the meeting

A: The meeting ends, and nothing is actually finished.

B: Which is where the working phrases live. Start with “to follow up.”

A: Meaning what, exactly?

B: To come back to something after the first contact — a second email, a check on a decision. “I’m following up on my email from Tuesday.”

A: Is there a spelling trap here?

B: A small one, and a very visible one. The verb is two words: “I’ll follow up tomorrow.” The noun is one unit with a hyphen: “let’s schedule a follow-up.” Same sound, different shape on the page.

A: And in an email that ten people read, the shape is what they see.

B: It is. Same idea with “set up” and “a setup” — verb two words, noun one word, and in American English there’s no hyphen at all.

A: Next one.

B: “To touch base.” It means to make brief contact or exchange a quick update. “Let’s touch base on Friday.”

A: Where does it come from?

B: The phrase is thought to be connected with baseball, where players touch a base. It’s very common in American offices.

A: Does it sound like jargon?

B: To some people, yes — it’s common enough that it also gets made fun of. If you want a plainer version, “let’s catch up on Friday” can be an alternative in many contexts.

A: Good to have both.

B: And the third in this family matters when several people need updates: “to keep someone in the loop.”

A: Meaning keep them informed.

B: Keep them included — copied on the emails, told what changed. “Keep me in the loop” is a request; “I’ll keep you in the loop” is a promise.

A: And somebody who was left out?

B: They were “out of the loop.” Sometimes that’s a complaint; often it’s just “I missed it, I was away.”

A: And when I’m asked something I can’t answer yet?

B: “I’ll get back to you” means I’ll return with an answer later.

A: It buys time.

B: It buys time honestly, which is the point. And “I’ll get back to you by Friday” is better than “I’ll get back to you,” because it comes with a date.

A: And if Friday arrives and I still don’t know?

B: You write anyway. “No news yet — still waiting for the numbers” is worth more than silence.

A: What do people call the things you have to do after a meeting?

B: “Action items,” or just “actions.” “I’ll send out the action items” means the list of who does what; in Britain you’ll also hear “send round.”

A: And the summary of the meeting itself?

B: “The notes” — or “the minutes” if it’s formal. Minutes are the official written record; most teams just say notes.

A: One more piece of office language I hear constantly and don’t quite trust.

B: Let me guess: “let me know.”

A: That’s the one.

B: It’s short and it’s real. “Let me know if Thursday works” asks for an answer without making it heavy.

A: So it isn’t jargon.

B: It’s the opposite. When an email gets stiff, “let me know” is usually the line that rescues it.

Inside the email

A: Let’s open the inbox. What’s the phrase everybody recognizes?

B: “Please find attached.” It’s a formal way to tell the reader that a file comes with the email: “please find attached the report for August.”

A: It sounds formal.

B: It is formal and traditional. It’s still common in business email, but plenty of style guides call it stuffy, so treat it as a match-the-room phrase, not a default.

A: Is there a modern version?

B: “I’ve attached the report,” or “I’m attaching the report.” Shorter, warmer, and the one most people reach for in everyday office email.

A: So which do I pick?

B: Match the person you’re writing to. If their emails are formal, “please find attached” can fit the tone. If they write in one line, write in one line.

A: That’s a good rule for the whole inbox.

B: It’s the rule that gets you furthest.

A: Now the other direction — I need something from them.

B: “Can you send it over?” “Send over” is the everyday phrasal verb for sending a file or a document.

A: And more formally?

B: “Could you send me the file?” Or “could you forward it to me?” — “forward” specifically means passing on an email you already received.

A: What about “reach out”?

B: “I’ll reach out to the client” just means “I’ll contact them.” It’s very common in American business English and, like “touch base,” not to everyone’s taste. “I’ll contact them” is the plain alternative.

A: We’ve done the middle of the email. What about the first line?

B: A common opener is “I hope you’re well,” or “hope you’re doing well.” It’s a small piece of politeness before the real sentence.

A: Does anybody mean it?

B: Sometimes they do. Often it also works as routine politeness — the written version of “how are you” at the start of a call. Leaving it out isn’t rude either, especially in a thread that’s already running.

A: And writing to someone for the first time?

B: Say who you are and why, in one line. “I’m writing about the August report.” “Sarah gave me your address.” Long introductions get skimmed.

A: What about the buttons — CC and reply all?

B: “To CC someone” comes from “carbon copy” — the paper age, long before email. You can say, “I’ve copied Anna on the email.” Usually it means she’s just being kept informed — though some teams CC people they do want an answer from, so read the room. “Reply all” sends your answer to everyone on the current message.

A: And that’s the button people press by accident.

B: It is. If that happens, you may see a follow-up that says, “Sorry — I meant to reply only to Anna.”

The end of the email

A: Now the last two lines, where I always freeze.

B: Two things happen there. You say when you need it, and you say goodbye.

A: Start with when.

B: “As soon as possible” means as quickly as you can.

A: And the short written form?

B: ASAP.

A: Do people say the letters, or the word?

B: Both. “A-S-A-P” and “ay-sap” are both normal, and you’ll hear them in the same office.

A: Is it rude?

B: It can sound more demanding than you meant, because it doesn’t give a time. “Could you send it by Thursday?” is clearer and softer at the same time.

A: So save it for when it’s real.

B: And when it isn’t urgent, there’s “when you get a chance.” That makes the request sound less urgent.

A: Now the goodbye.

B: “Looking forward to hearing from you.” It’s a polite closing that says you hope to receive a reply.

A: And here’s my mistake. I write “looking forward to hear from you.”

B: That’s the one, and it catches many learners. After “looking forward to,” the verb takes -ing: hearing, seeing, working.

A: Why? “To” usually comes before the plain verb.

B: Because this “to” isn’t part of the verb — it belongs to “look forward to,” and what follows it is a thing. You look forward to the weekend; you look forward to seeing them. Same slot.

A: And in “I look forward to the weekend,” what comes after “to” is a thing — so “seeing you” has to work the same way.

B: That’s the test when “to” is a preposition, as it is in “look forward to” and “be used to.” “Instead of” follows the same noun-or-ing pattern. But watch the difference: “I’m used to working late” takes -ing, while “I used to work late,” the old habit, takes the plain verb.

A: And when “to” introduces an infinitive?

B: After verbs such as “want” or “need,” use the plain form: I need to hear from you.

A: We did the long form in the job interview episode.

B: We did — “I look forward to hearing from you,” with the subject. Email often drops it: “Looking forward to hearing from you.” Both are fine; the short one sounds warmer, the full one more formal.

A: And the sign-off underneath?

B: “Best regards,” “Best,” “Regards,” “Thanks.” “Kind regards” is especially common from British colleagues. Pick one and stop thinking about it.

A: Is there anything I should not put at the end?

B: Two things worth knowing. “Thanks in advance” can read as pressure — it thanks somebody for something they haven’t agreed to do yet.

A: I’ve used that a lot.

B: Most people have, and it’s not a crime. When you can, thank the person after they help.

A: And the second?

B: A request with no name on it. “Let me know your thoughts” at the bottom of six paragraphs is easy to ignore. If you need one thing, put it on its own line and say who does it.

A: One request, one line.

B: One request, one line, and a date. That’s a lot of business writing.

Practice and quick review

A: Six short situations. Give me the situation, and I’ll answer out loud in the gap.

B: Ready. You propose Thursday at ten, check that it suits them, and then confirm it after they agree. What do you say?

A: Let’s schedule a meeting for Thursday at ten — does that work for you? Great. I’ll put it on my calendar.

B: Schedule for booking it, “does that work for you” to hand over the decision, and the calendar at the end.

A: Next.

B: Thursday has stopped working, and you want Friday at ten. How do you say it so it can’t be misread?

A: Can we move it to Friday at ten?

B: The day and the time, instead of “move it up” or “move it forward,” which different people read in different directions.

A: Next.

B: You’re on your way and you’ll be ten minutes late. Then, an hour later, someone calls while you’re sitting in the meeting. What two messages do you send?

A: I’m running about ten minutes late. And an hour later: sorry, I can’t talk, I’m in a meeting.

B: “Running late” because you’ll arrive later than planned, and “in a meeting” for right now.

A: Next.

B: You’re following up on Tuesday’s email, you’d like a short catch-up on Friday, and you want to be told what changes. What do you write?

A: I’m following up on my email from Tuesday. Can we touch base on Friday? And please keep me in the loop on the numbers.

B: Follow up for the second contact, touch base for the light catch-up, and in the loop for staying informed.

A: Next.

B: They ask you something you can’t answer today. You promise an answer by Friday, and you ask them for the file in the meantime. What do you say?

A: I’ll get back to you by Friday. Can you send the file over in the meantime?

B: The date is what makes it a promise instead of a way out.

A: Last one.

B: You’re writing in a professional thread. You’re attaching the August report, you need theirs by Thursday, and you’re closing the email. What do you write?

A: Please find attached the August report. Could you send me yours by Thursday? Looking forward to hearing from you.

B: A professional tone, a clear deadline instead of “as soon as possible,” and hearing with -ing at the end.

Outro

A: Today’s fourteen: to schedule a meeting, Does that work for you?, to put it on the calendar, Can we move it to…?, I’m running late, to be in a meeting, to follow up, to touch base, to keep someone in the loop, I’ll get back to you, Please find attached, Can you send it over?, as soon as possible, and Looking forward to hearing from you.

B: Fourteen phrases, and most of a working week runs on them.

A: Open the link below and practice them in Recursio.

B: See you in the next one.