Reporting on meetings: mastering reported speech
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Think about these questions before listening. Share your ideas with a partner.
- Think about the most productive meeting you've ever attended. What specific factors contributed to its success, and how did you feel afterwards?
- Describe a time you had to explain the outcome of an important meeting to someone who wasn't present. What challenges did you face in communicating the key decisions and action points accurately?
- Misunderstandings often happen when information is passed from person to person. Can you recall a situation where a message from a meeting was misinterpreted as it was shared with others? What were the consequences?
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Navigating a Tricky Meeting
Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.
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Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the audio recording.
01What was the main problem during Marco's project meeting?
Sample answerThe main problem, or 'sticking point', was the new marketing budget. His manager wanted to cut costs, but his colleague thought it was impossible.
02How did Marco help resolve the disagreement in the meeting?
Sample answerHe used a clarifying phrase to summarize the goal: 'So, if I'm hearing you correctly, the next step is to find savings without sacrificing quality?'. This helped everyone get on the same page.
03What were the positive outcomes of the meeting after the issue was clarified?
Sample answerThe team identified the key takeaways and created a list of action items for the following week.
04Is every issue from the meeting completely resolved? Explain your answer.
Sample answerNo, not completely. Marco mentions that they still need to 'circle back to the timeline,' but he feels they are making progress.
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Vocabulary
Vocabulary
These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about this topic.
Examples
To be on the same page — to have a shared understanding or agreement about a situation.
Usage note: this is a common idiom used in professional settings to confirm understanding. For example: 'Before we proceed, I want to make sure we're all on the same page.'
Action items — specific tasks assigned to a person or group to be completed, usually as a result of a meeting.
Usage note: this term is a key part of meeting summaries. Common collocations include 'assign action items' or 'list the action items'.
Key takeaways — the most important points or conclusions to remember from a discussion or meeting.
Usage note: this phrase is perfect for summarizing. You might say, 'The key takeaway from the client meeting was their focus on mobile responsiveness.'
To circle back to (something) — to return to a topic or question at a later time.
Usage note: this is a polite way to manage a conversation or meeting agenda. For example: 'That's a good point, but can we circle back to it after we've discussed the timeline?'
A sticking point — an issue in a negotiation that is difficult to agree on and is blocking progress.
Usage note: use this to describe a specific obstacle in a discussion. For example: 'The main sticking point was the budget for the additional features.'
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Business communication phrases
Many common phrases in business are idiomatic. Can you match the two halves to form complete sentences?
Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right.
Drag or click to match
Definitions
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Grammar: Reported speech
Grammar
Reported speech (or indirect speech) is used to communicate what someone else said without using their exact words. It's essential in business for summarizing meetings, passing on messages, and writing follow-up emails. When we report what was said, we often 'backshift' the verb tense one step into the past.
Examples
Direct speech: "We will factor in the new budget."
Reported speech: The finance director said they would factor in the new budget.
Notice how 'will' changes to 'would' in reported speech. This is a common tense shift.
Direct speech: "I am working on the project timeline now."
Reported speech: He mentioned that he was working on the project timeline then.
The present continuous ('am working') shifts to the past continuous ('was working'), and time references like 'now' change to 'then'.
Direct speech: "Did you receive the agenda?"
Reported speech: She asked if I had received the agenda.
When reporting a yes/no question, we use 'if' or 'whether' and the verb tense shifts back (past simple to past perfect).
Key points
- Verb tenses usually move one step back into the past (e.g., present simple becomes past simple).
- Pronouns often change to reflect the new speaker's perspective (e.g., 'I' might become 'he' or 'she').
- Time and place words may also need to change (e.g., 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day'; 'here' becomes 'there').
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Find the error
Read the sentences below, which are related to business meetings and reporting.
Each sentence contains one error. Find and correct it.
01The client's representative told that she was very happy with our proposal.
Corrected version
The client's representative told said that she was very happy with our proposal.
02She asked when could we provide a detailed timeline for the next phase.
Corrected version
She asked when could we could provide a detailed timeline for the next phase.
03The project manager explained us that we needed to prioritize the new features.
Corrected version
The project manager explained to us that we needed to prioritize the new features.
04One of the key takeaway from the discussion was the importance of mobile responsiveness.
Corrected version
One of the key takeaway takeaways from the discussion was the importance of mobile responsiveness.
05We need to factor on the public holidays when we plan the project schedule.
Corrected version
We need to factor on in the public holidays when we plan the project schedule.
06Before we end the call, let's make sure we're all in the same page about the action items.
Corrected version
Before we end the call, let's make sure we're all in on the same page about the action items.
07The main sticking part of the negotiation seems to be the final budget.
Corrected version
The main sticking part point of the negotiation seems to be the final budget.
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Useful phrases: clarifying information in a meeting
Vocabulary
In any professional discussion, it's crucial to make sure everyone understands the same thing. Use these phrases to politely check your understanding, ask for more detail, and confirm decisions without interrupting the flow of the conversation.
Examples
"Just to make sure I've got this right..." — a polite way to paraphrase what you heard to check your understanding.
Register: Neutral. Use this when someone has explained a complex point or plan, and you want to repeat it in your own words to verify.
"Could you elaborate on that point?" — a direct but polite way to ask for more details.
Register: Neutral/Formal. Use this when you understand the general idea but need more specific information to fully grasp the implications. A slightly more informal version is, "Could you expand on that?"
"So, if I'm hearing you correctly, the next step is to..." — a phrase for confirming an action or decision.
Register: Neutral. This is perfect for the end of a discussion point to summarize the next steps and ensure everyone agrees on the plan.
"I'm not sure I follow. What do you mean by [specific term]?" — a soft way to say you don't understand and to ask for a specific clarification.
Register: Neutral. Use this when you are genuinely confused about a particular word or concept. It shows you're engaged but need help.
"Let me just play that back to you to ensure we're aligned." — a slightly more formal way to paraphrase and confirm a shared understanding.
Register: Neutral/Formal. Excellent for situations where accuracy is critical, like confirming project requirements or financial figures. It signals a desire for precision.
"What does that look like in practice?" — a way to ask for a concrete example or practical application of an idea.
Register: Neutral. Use this when someone presents a high-level strategy, and you want to understand its real-world impact or how it will be implemented.
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Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.
Word bank
01After the discussion, the project manager assigned specific to each team member to ensure progress before the next meeting.
02Could you summarize the from the presentation? I want to make sure I understood the most important conclusions.
03Before we proceed, let's quickly review the project goals to make sure we are all .
04That's an interesting idea, but we don't have time to discuss it now. Can we to it in our next weekly sync?
05The main in the negotiations was the proposed timeline, which one party felt was completely unrealistic.
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The post-meeting follow-up
Effective communication doesn't end when a meeting does. The follow-up is often just as important.
Read the passage below, then answer the comprehension questions.
After a long project meeting, team members can often leave with different interpretations of what was decided. This is why a clear follow-up email is crucial. Its primary function is to ensure everyone is on the same page, creating a single source of truth for the discussion. A good summary should briefly restate the key takeaways and then clearly list the action items, including who is responsible for each and the agreed-upon deadlines. It can also clarify complex points. For instance, it might state that the marketing director had confirmed the budget was final. If there was a significant sticking point, like resource allocation, the email can document what was decided. For example, it might report that the manager promised she would circle back to the budget issue by the end of the week. This written record prevents future confusion and holds everyone accountable.
01According to the text, what is the main purpose of sending a follow-up email after a meeting?
Sample answerIts main purpose is to make sure everyone has the same understanding of what was discussed and decided.
02What two essential components should be included in a good meeting summary email?
Sample answerIt should include the key takeaways from the discussion and a list of specific action items with deadlines.
03What example does the passage give of a promise a manager might make about a 'sticking point'?
Sample answerThe passage reports that a manager might promise she would circle back to a budget issue by the end of the week.
04Based on the passage, what can you infer is a major risk of not sending a follow-up email?
Sample answerA major risk is that team members will have different memories or interpretations of the meeting, which could lead to confusion, mistakes, and a lack of accountability.
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Discuss these questions with a partner or in a small group. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.
- Some managers believe a detailed written summary with clear action items is essential after every meeting. Others feel a quick verbal update is enough to keep everyone on the same page. Which approach do you think is more effective, and why?
- In your culture, how are disagreements or 'sticking points' typically handled in business meetings? Is it common to address them directly, or is it more polite to 'circle back to' the issue privately after the meeting? How might this affect international business communication?
- Imagine the key takeaways from a meeting are misunderstood by a team member, leading to a major mistake. Who holds the primary responsibility: the person who reported the information, or the person who received it? What could both have done differently?