If your meetings are in English and the stakes are high, you don’t have months. You need results this week. The fastest way to improve isn’t to study “English in general.” It’s to prepare for the next real meeting on your calendar and practice the exact language you’ll use.
TL;DR: Scan the agenda, pick 3 things you’ll say, rehearse them out loud with a simple structure (PREP), warm up your English for 3 minutes, and close the meeting with a clear recap and next steps. Prioritize clarity over perfection.
Improve English For Your Next Meeting in 10 Minutes
You can do this on your phone between tasks. Ten honest minutes beats an hour of passive study.
1 – Scan the agenda (2 minutes).
Highlight key topics. Write 5–10 words you’re likely to hear or say (timeline, budget, scope, trade‑off, launch, churn, runway, procurement).
2 – Draft three talking points (3 minutes).
For one agenda item, draft three bullets using PREP:
- Point: your recommendation or headline.
- Reason: why it matters in this meeting.
- Evidence: an example, data point, or precedent.
- Point again: restate the headline. Say them out loud. If you can’t say them smoothly, simplify the sentence.
3 – Phrase warm‑up (3 minutes).
Read and repeat out loud the following phrases to switch your brain to English:
- “I can add a quick point here.”
- “From my side there are two points.”
- “Just to clarify, do we mean…?”
- “I agree with the direction, and I’d add…”
- “Another option is , which would let us .”
- “Quick recap: we agreed to . Next steps: I’ll by __.”
4 – Pace and breath (1 minute).
Inhale, speak on the exhale. One idea per breath. That’s how you stop rambling.
5 – Prepare a closing line (1 minute).
Prepare one sentence to land the plane: “Quick recap: we’ll extend the pilot by 4 weeks. I’ll share milestones by Wednesday; Carlos will confirm budget today.”
Speak Up Clearly in Business Meetings
What does it mean “to speak up”?
To speak up means to express your opinion and say what you think. Usually, we use “to speak up” when we talk about voicing an opinion or raising a difficult topic in a conversation. In a meeting, if you have an idea or you disagree, you should speak up with confidence.
Examples:
- If you disagree, please speak up.
- It can be scary to speak up in a meeting with native-English speakers.
The other meaning of this phrasal verb is to speak louder so that others can hear you well.
Examples:
- Could you speak up? We can’t hear you at the back.
- Sorry, I can’t hear you. Can you please speak up?
Why is it difficult to speak up in meetings?
Speaking up in meetings can be terrifying for many non-native English speakers. It may have to do with learning how to speak English. But not always. You may speak perfect English and still lack the confidence to express your opinion in a group of people. But why is that? These are some of the most common reasons.
- Anxiety. Many people suffer from anxiety to speak in public. They second guess themselves and end up asking questions like, ‘Am I the right person to speak on this topic?’ ‘Can I interrupt a senior colleague?’ ‘What if my idea isn’t great?’
- Personality. Some personalities do better than others in spoken, group discussions. Introverts, on the other hand, tend to need quiet time to gather and articulate their thoughts. They may also be very analytical and overthink to the point of self-censorship.
- Lack of practice. If you haven’t practiced interacting in meetings, it may feel uncomfortable at the beginning.
- Cultural differences. Different cultures tend to interact differently. More direct and assertive cultures often interrupt each other and voice their opinions easily. Other more indirect countries prefer to take turns and wait to share their opinions until they are asked. If you are from the latter, you will find it harder to speak up in meetings.
- Fear of being excluded or embarrassed.
- Politics and team dynamics. Also a culturally-dependent stance. If in your culture, interrupting a senior colleague is not accepted, you will likely refrain from speaking when they are saying something, even if they are from a culture where it is totally acceptable.
- Gender differences. In a recent survey of 1,100 U.S. working adults by Catalyst, they found that 45% of female business leaders say it’s difficult for them to speak up in virtual meetings. Traditionally speaking, women have been socially conditioned to be less assertive, and those who do speak up are more likely to be seen as “difficult” to work with.
Before the meeting: prepare fast for real agendas
Predict the language.
Meeting invites already contain your vocabulary—take it. Check the meeting agenda and, if you’re nervous, record a 30‑second rehearsal on your phone and listen once. Fix one thing: pace, ending sounds (asked, cost, month), or stress (ecoNOmy, anaLYsis, straTEgy).
Confidence flip: You were invited because your view is needed.
Turn your self-doubt into confidence. Go from “I shouldn’t be sharing this idea” to “Of course, I should”. If you ever feel that it’s not your place to speak up, think about the reason you were invited. Chances are, they value your opinion and they want to hear your ideas. If they invited you to the meeting, silence is really not in the best interest of the team. If you feel like you should not speak up because your idea is not fully developed, think that it could be of inspiration to others.
- “It’s probably not my place to speak up.” → “If they invited me, they probably value my opinion and want to hear my ideas.”
- “My idea is incomplete.” → “My idea could inspire others.”
During the meeting: contribute early and stay concise
Learn when it’s time to speak up
- Speak up if your comment is relevant to the group (or, at least, to several participants).
- Speak up if you are in a brainstorming session and you have an idea.
- If you are part of a conversation and you disagree with something.
- If you have an idea that could spark a further discussion on an important topic.
Learn when to hold back
- Don’t speak up to show off. A meeting is not a competition; it’s a collaboration.
- Don’t speak up if the comment is just relevant to one person.
- If it’s a tricky or sensitive topic, consider saving your comment for a private discussion.
- If you’d like to ask for advice on a topic that only you care about, it may make more sense to hold back.
Handle disagreement politely (offer solutions)
Use solution‑oriented language to keep momentum even when you disagree.
- Use signposts: “Two points.” “First…” “Next…” “Finally…”
- Keep sentences short.
- Paraphrase to align: “So success this quarter means churn under 3%, right?”
- When you disagree, offer a path forward: “I see the intent. My concern is X. A way to reduce the risk is Y.”
Lean on PREP when you feel pressure:
- Point: “My recommendation is to extend the pilot one month.”
- Reason: “It reduces risk before rollout.”
- Evidence: “Last quarter a similar pilot cut churn 12%.”
- Point: “So let’s extend one month.”
Ask open-ended questions
Asking good questions is an underrated skill that has the power to improve your professional and personal life. Asking questions in meetings is a great way to speak up in a more collaborative way. In general, open-ended questions (those that start with what, why, where, how, who, or when) work better than close-ended questions (those that can be answered with yes or no).
To disagree, focus on collaboration
If you disagree with a statement, instead of saying “I totally disagree. Plan A is a bad idea,” you can try “What do you all think about this other Plan B?” You are voicing your opinion but also opening up the discussion and encouraging others to weigh in. Open-ended questions are less threatening and more collaborative.
- What are your thoughts about…?
- How would you feel about…?
- Why would you choose that option?
- When do you think this would be ready? Because I’m thinking
Summarize the most important points
Learn to summarize meeting highlights to ensure alignment and clear next steps.
After the meeting: turn one meeting into progress
Write down 5 useful phrases you heard (reuse them next time). Note one improvement for your next meeting. If helpful, send a two‑sentence follow‑up: decision + your next step.
Train for High‑Stakes Meetings
If you want quick wins and lasting confidence, combine fast practice with feedback. Talaera is an award-winning business English communication training company that helps global professionals and teams succeed in global meetings, presentations, and cross-border collaboration, combining live coaching, AI tools, and e-learning.
Talaera is a business communication training company that blends English + culture for real work situations. Learners get fast reps with our AI coach and go deep with human experts, with progress visible in a shared skills framework.
Remember the benefits of speaking up in meetings. If you wish to increase your confidence speaking English at work, get in touch with Talaera. Work with a teacher 1:1 on how to speak effectively in meetings. We will help you take your professional English communication skills to the next level.
Continue improving your communication skills for professional situations with our free resources.
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FAQs: improve English for business meetings fast
How can I quickly improve my English for business meetings?
The fastest way is to prepare for the specific meeting on your calendar rather than studying English in general. Review the agenda, note down five key terms you’ll likely hear, and rehearse three short points you want to make using a clear structure like PREP (Point, Reason, Evidence, Point). Speaking them out loud, even for five minutes, will help you sound clearer and more confident. Talaera offers practical training to help professionals improve their communication for meetings.
What phrases should I use to sound professional in meetings?
Professional English in meetings often comes down to using the right set phrases. Try: “I can add a quick point here,” to join the conversation; “Just to clarify, do we mean…?” when you need confirmation; or “Quick recap: we agreed to ; next steps: ” to close with authority. Preparing a few phrases like these in advance helps you speak up smoothly. Talaera’s phrasebanks and lessons are designed to give you ready-to-use language for meetings, negotiations, and presentations.
How do I stop rambling and speak concisely in English?
Rambling often happens when nerves push us to over-explain. A simple fix is to keep one idea per breath and use signposts: “Two points: first…, second…” This gives structure and signals to others when you’re finished. Ending with a recap line like “That’s the headline” makes you sound decisive. Talaera’s coaches practice these techniques in real scenarios, so you learn to be concise without losing impact.
How can non-native speakers build confidence speaking English in meetings?
Confidence doesn’t come before speaking. It grows because you speak. Start with small contributions like a clarifying question or a short agreement. Slow down your pace, borrow useful phrases you hear, and remind yourself you were invited because your input matters. Talaera helps non-native professionals build this confidence with AI daily drills for quick practice and personalized coaching for high-stakes situations.
