Participating in a decision-making meeting

 

 

Watch the first part of the video (until 1:37) and answer the questions below.

 

 

a- What do you think the aim of the meeting is?

b- What's wrong with Barbara´s contribution?

c- Do you think that the woman acting as chairperson is good at this role? Why?/Why not?

 

Watch the whole video and list expressions which are used for the following purposes:

• Disagreeing
• Expressing opinions
• Leading a discussion or chairing the meeting
• Agreeing



Idioms related to communication

1. ‘ In a nutshell‘ – to summarise briefly           

                                                                 

Ex: It’s a complicated system, but in a nutshell it works like a kettle.
 
 
2. ‘To get straight to the point‘ – to talk about the most important thing   

                      

Ex:  Ok, I’ll get straight to the point. I’m afraid we’re going to have to make some budget cuts.

3. ‘To get the wrong end of the stick‘ – to misunderstand.

                                                    

Ex: If you think that our biggest problem is our distribution channels, you’ve got the wrong end of the stick.

4. ‘To be on the same wavelength‘ – to share similar opinions and idea.  

                             

Ex: ‘We agree on most things. We’re very lucky that we are on the same wavelength‘.

 

 

5. ‘To hear it on the grapevine‘ – to hear about something passed from one person to another      





                                                                                                                      
Ex: I hear on the grapevine that the CEO is planning to resign. Is that true?
 
 
6. ‘Can’t make head or tail of it‘ – to fail to understand anything 

                                      

Ex: This report makes no sense. I can’t make head or tail of it.

7. ‘To talk at cross purposes‘ – to misunderstand

                                                              

Ex: I think we’re talking at cross purposes. I meant the figures for June not July.

8. ‘To beat about the bush‘ – to delay talking about something  

                                    

Ex: Politicians never give you a straight answer. They always beat about the bush.


9. “To get our wires crossed‘ – to misunderstand  

                                                          

Ex: Everyone arrived at different times for the meeting. We must have got our wires crossed.

Idioms: to blow the whistle on someone

To blow the whistle on someone – to expose an illegal activity and the person(s) responsible within an organisation (A Whistle-Blower – Noun- a person)



Ex: “She was fed up with the way things were going and decided to blow the whistle on the company’s illegal activities”

Describing a Process

Useful expressions

The basic procedure is.....
Essentially, there are ..... main stages.
First of all,.....
Having done / finished / brought, etc....., you.......
Once......, you're ready to.....
Finally,.....

Processes: Fracking explained