Quick answers
- How do you start a meeting in English?
- State the purpose, agenda, and time. Confirm roles and ask if anyone has additions.
- What do you say to open a meeting?
- "Let's get started. The goal today is [X]. We have [duration]. On the agenda: [items]."
Key takeaways
- State the purpose and agenda upfront.
- Use phrases like "Let's get started" and "I'll take notes" to establish roles.
- Confirm who's leading and how long you have.
- Check if everyone has what they need before diving in.
- A clear opening sets the tone for the rest of the meeting.
Instead of → Say
| Instead of | Say |
|---|---|
| Let's begin | Let's get started. I'll kick us off. |
| We're here to talk about X | The goal today is to align on [topic]. We have [duration]. |
| Does everyone have the doc? | Does everyone have the pre-read? We'll walk through the key points. |
| I'll run the meeting | I'll facilitate. I'll take notes and share them after. |
| What do we need to cover? | On the agenda: [1], [2], [3]. Anything else before we start? |
| We're running late | We're a few minutes behind. Let's jump straight into [first topic]. |
| Is everyone here? | We have most people. Let's start and they can catch up. |
| Ready? | Everyone set? Let's begin. |
Example dialogue
You: Good morning, everyone. Let's get started. The goal today is to align on the sprint scope. We have 30 minutes.
Teammate: I have a hard stop at 2:30.
You: Noted. I'll keep us on track. On the agenda: review the backlog, prioritize the top three items, and assign owners. Sound good?
Teammate: Yes.
You: Great. I'll take notes and share them in Slack after. Let's start with the backlog.
Common mistakes
- Starting without stating the purpose.
- Skipping the agenda so people don't know what to expect.
- Not confirming roles (who's facilitating, who's taking notes).
- Starting late without acknowledging it.
Frequently asked questions
- What's a good way to start a meeting?
- State the purpose and agenda, confirm roles and time, and ask if anyone has additions before diving in.
- How do I set the agenda at the start?
- "On the agenda: [item 1], [item 2], [item 3]. Anything else we need to cover?"
- What if people join late?
- Acknowledge and move on: "We've just started. We're on [topic]. I'll share the notes after."
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